Read on to learn about what we put into engineering and building our Basecamp Class Coolers as well as what you can do to maximize ice retention.
It All Starts with the Design:
Our Basecamp Class Coolers are built to preserve your provisions for a long time. Under a particular set of circumstances, we can tell you how long ice will remain inside the cooler, but that’s not really helpful. What matters to any of us using a cooler for any situation is YOUR particular set of circumstances.
We’ve designed and refined for years to get a product that stacks the deck in your favor from the get-go.
Some features worthy of note:
Our seamless rotationally molded hull is made to absorb impact rather than crack: to bend rather than break. It’ll absorb an impact like Rocky taking a punch from Clubber (in the rematch).
T-latches hold the lid, and the perimeter gasket it contains, in intimate contact (the phrase explains itself, but if you’ve ever worked with explosives, you know the term – and we appreciate your service) with the cooler body while simultaneously allowing pressure to equalize as temperatures and altitudes vary. A pressure-relief valve is overkill. T-latches are the better solution here.
The body AND lid are filled with EcoFoam, a product that is environmentally friendly to produce and exceptionally good as an insulator. Crazy as it seems, a lot of mainstream coolers don’t even insulate their lids. I know…we don’t get it either, but it saves them time and money in production.
We hammer home and lock int neoprene Goat Feet to keep the bottom of the cooler out of direct contact with any warm surface you may decide to set it on, minimizing heat transfer and maximizing good times. So, if you’re tailgating in the parking lot and your choices for cooler placement are the bed of your black truck, or the blacktop: either is fine.
What YOU can do to maximize ice retention in YOUR particular set of circumstances:
Unless it’s colder outside, bring your Basecamp Class Cooler indoors 24 hours before you plan to use it. If you do leave it outside, keep it out of the sun.
Fill the cooler with sacrificial ice to bring the temperature of your cooler’s Eco-Foam insulation down. This ice will melt relatively quickly as the insulation cools.
Drain the water (thanks, first load of ice!) and fill your Cordova with your provisions first, Packice second (see next point), and then fresh ice.
Freeze our PackiceTM ice packs solid ahead of time and use them. Yes, it’s like we’re trying to sell you more stuff, but they WORK and extend the life of cubed ice by 30%. A ratio of 10 qts to 1 lb of ice pack is ideal. So, a two-pounder is perfect for the 20 qt cooler. Two four-pound packs will handle an 88 qt. When in doubt, use more ice packs. That mountain cutout in the middle is more than just decoration, it makes grabbing the Packice easier and prevents deformation when the gel freezes.
Use COLD ice. (Ice, like water, does vary in temperature. Ice that is dry to the touch, as opposed to wet and slippery, is colder and will last longer.)
Block ice is preferable to cubed ice – it will last longer.
An ice-to-provisions ratio of 3:1 is ideal. Prechill provisions when possible.
When in use, keep the lid closed and latched unless retrieving or returning provisions. Every minute the lid is open equals one hour of ice retention lost. #science
Dry ice is next-level stuff, but absolutely an option. If possible, isolate the dry ice by wrapping it in a towel or putting it in a box. Dry ice will freeze anything in direct contact with it. You can also use a combination of dry ice (frozen CO2) and regular ice (frozen H2O). We recommend dry ice on the bottom, ice on top of that, then your goods, and a final layer of regular ice on the top.
When ice DOES melt – it will, eventually – leave the meltwater in the cooler. Don’t drain it until you’re done using the cooler. Cold water is a superior insulator to warm air.