Cool box? Should I, what kind, and how big???

[chrisdriver]

So, we haven't camped in almost 13 years. However, the DCs are older, and we're going to give it a try this summer. I've seen mention of cool boxes that stay actually cold, but they seems to come in loads of different sizes, and you seem to be able to spend loads of money on them.

Are they worth it? Could we manage without (though I think not, given the DCs consumption of smoothies and yoghurt)? How big would you need for 5 days?

I'm a bit shocked at the prices for Icey Tek and Yetti, are they worth it? What should I look out for, and where's best to buy?

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Given that smoothies and yogurts are widely available, and if you are likely to be out and about near shops, I would manage without investing in an expensive cool box until you have decided whether or not you will make camping a regular thing again. Take a basic cool box (borrowed, maybe) and take some stuff frozen in it, burgers, a frozen pint of milk, etc, and if the site has a freezer, keep alternating fre-frozen reezer blocks morning and night, and you'll be fine.

The IceyTek is a great thing, but not unless you know you will get good use out of it.

Thanks, that's kind of what I was wondering. I do love to shop for "stuff" but felt an all singing all dancing one might be hard to justify!

If you're going to be camping and using electricity, why not get a plug-in coolbox ?

We have an Iceytek although because off the weather a haven't had a chance to test it yet.

I also have a shitey one from asda for about 6 quid last year that we took away this weekend for just boys and I for 2 nights. If you do as blue says and put a load of frozen things in it then it's adequate for 2 nights.

And I agree that it's not worth spending 100 quid on a cool box until you know you're going to camp regularly (although they are pretty and I like buying camping stuff too!)

Aldi electric cool box very good
If not ... Get cheapie non-electric one and freeze everything in sight and take it with you like that.

I second the Aldi cool box, very impressed with ours.

We have a cool 'bag' rather than a box. Heading to France for 10 days in Aug, but other than milk which we'll buy cold every day and swap the ice packs in and out, I can't see how much we'll need it. Am I being very, very naive? I haven't planned stuff out yet properly, but was envisaging eating predominantly non-refridgeratable things in the evenings (pastas etc), but buy meat as and when we need it, and eat picnic style food during the day (baguettes and camembert and tomatoes etc!)