ice packs

[thisisyesterday]

do ice packs last longer than a big bag of ice cubes?
are any of them better than others, i've noticed that some are more pricey?

don't know the answer but would be very interested to find out as we are off camping in the 'summer'.

mm

I've wondered about this too. There must be a very sciencey answer to do with surface area and melting rates. You would expect that a cold pack would stay in ice form longer than a cube wouldn't you.

We always used ice packs until the arrival of the icey tek a few weeks back and the instructions (yes instructions for using a cool box!) were to pre cool the box using whatever (I used blocks) and then to use a bag of ice cubes when you pack the food. Then very clearly it says do NOT drain the water from the cubes when they melt as that water is only a tiny bit warmer than the ice.

And by God they where right. Freezing cold that water was and so it stayed after two full days of sitting in a car in the sun (plus two outside the tent).

Water maketh for soggy egg boxes though.

I would still have a few proper blocks with you incase you can't buy ice on holiday.

ahh interesting about the icey tek instructions
i know you need to pack out all available space for best coolness-keeping, so had wondered if ice cubes were the way forward as you can surely get them into all the little gaps whereas with ice packs are just going to be flat

I always freeze 2liter bottles if water. The larger the block of ice the longer it takes to melt.

In my 48litre igloo I use 2 x 2 litre bottles plus freeze a 2nd of milk. Put this all in last Friday at 7am and still had half ice half water in the bottles by Monday lunchtime.

I fill any gaps with bubblewrap

thisisyesterday, yes, that was my thinking too (about cubes in spaces) and of course water goes uniformly around everything. There were still little diminished cubes floating in the iceytek when we unpacked on Monday. Made for the perfect chilled beers on the Saturday and Sunday nights.

Next time we go I'm going to use blocks instead to compare and contrast (God I have a high octane lifestyle). We have some big flat rectangular flat ones that I'm going to rest on the top of the food, going on the cold air moves downwards theory.

Bluddy it's marvellous. huge and orange and an utter bastard to pack in the car but having freezing cold food on day 4 without having to do the ice block swap walk of non EHU shame was great and totally justified the cost

i desperately want an icey tek but just can't afford it.

think we're going for the coleman xtreme

nikkid, is your igloo the maxcold?

No it's the Igloo marine which is supposed to keep ice for 3 days.

I got it as a set from Costco for £30 with a small coollbox and a drinks holder included. Was a complete revelation as the food and milk stayed so fresh that we didn't need to shop the entire long weekend. Much better than my old coolbox that plugged into the car cigarette lighter.

hmmm interesting, veeerry interesting
so maybe i don't need to shell out for the xtreme/maxcold then...

Costco reading had a maxcold as well . It was slightly bulkier, on wheels and iirc about £48 Inc vat.

I have been using the blue cool bag from Lakeland which was recommended on here, it does very well, especially if you make sure you pack all the food straight from fridge/freezer. We used it with icepacks but i might try the bottle idea this year. mind you, i bought it before i found out what slubby had.... i doubt we would get slubby's icebox in our car though!
www.lakeland.co.uk/3447/The-Lakeland-Cool-Bag
we did do the daily swap of ice pack though with this bag....the food kept very cold though, for a good four days....