When SHTF and you have to bug out in an instant you can’t really stop and think about every little detail, you will have to rely on a cooler. Understandably, your first instinct might be to pick dry and canned goods. However, it’s not an easy task to predict when catastrophe strikes, so buying a cooler is a great idea before you need it. Chilling or freezing food is an ancient, and effective, way to preserve food, and a cooler is perfect if you need to survive for a couple of days until you reach your LTS. And if you prepare your food supplies using a vacuum sealer, you can extend the freshness of your food for longer and you’re all set!
- Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30 Can Zipperless HardBody Cooler, Moss... — $62.99
- Coleman Steel-Belted Portable Cooler, 54 Quart, Silver — $198.89
- YETI Tundra 65 Cooler, Desert Tan — $350.00
1. Arctic Zone Titan Cooler
Overview
Let’s start this list off with the Arctic Zone Titan Cooler. Just looking at it, you will see that it’s not an ordinary cooler and that it’s designed to give you more than the others. The Deep Freeze insulation has a radiant heat barrier which doesn’t absorb the heat, but instead reflects it. The leakproof lining protects against a myriad of bacterial odors, while the Rhino-Tech is puncture and abrasion-resistant and will endure the hardest pressure before cracking.
The Good
Two things make this cooler seem even cooler (no pun intended!), first is the Flip-open, which is a zipperless lid that gives you quick access to your drinks and food. The second one is the SmartShelf, which includes a HardBody liner that divides hard things, like drinks, from squishy food. Imagine that you have to ride through a bumpy road, and putting everything in the same place will damage the food, but with the HardBody liner, that will never happen.
The Bad
There was only a minor problem with the shoulder strap because it was a little bit short. However, that is not a significant issue, and we added an extra strap – perfect.
6 used from $55.86
2. Coleman Steel-Belted Cooler
Overview
This cooler offers ice retention for 4 days in temperatures as high as 90°F, which is made possible by the “Keeps the Ice!” technology. The 54-quart capacity can hold up to 85 cans, and also the lid is designed to be incredibly strong. It was designed to support up to 250 pounds, meaning you can comfortably sit on it. The leak-resistant drain allows you to empty the cooler without flipping it over. Another critical factor is the hardware, which is made from stainless steel and is also rust-resistant.
The Good
While it weighs approximately 20 lbs, there’s a great reason for that, it was made to accommodate 2L bottles vertically without a problem. The cooler’s dimensions are: 17.8 x 25.5 x 17.2 inches. This bad boy over here is very sturdy and so even if you’re SOL and you just throw it in your vehicle it will never get dented.
The Bad
The lock can be slightly sticky initially, but it soon loosened up.
3. YETI Tundra 65 Cooler
Overview
Now we’re entering a different league, if you don’t care about the cost but want a high-quality cooler, the Tundra 65 is a beast. It has 3 PermaFrost insulation inches, and that will make sure that the ice will not melt that quickly. YETI is known for producing expensive, but of the highest order coolers, so it’s an understatement that its sturdiness makes it almost indestructible. It’s also leakproof, and the latches are made from excellent rubber so that they won’t get destroyed easily.
The Good
Tundra 65 can keep your food fresh for a longer period than the vast majority of other coolers, everyone has praised it for the fact that it was the best cooler they ever owned. We’re thinking that in a bug out situation you will want to have something that can feed you as long as necessary.
The Bad
Whilst pricier than some others, this cooler is well worth ever cent for quality alone.
