How to keep a cooler cold longer when camping

1. Pre-chill the cooler. RTIC recommends filling it at least half full of ice overnight, ideally for a full day, so the walls are cold before you load it.
2. Pre-chill or freeze the food and drinks. USDA says to pack perishables straight from the refrigerator or freezer, and that meat and poultry packed frozen stay colder longer.
3. Make block ice. USDA notes a block of ice keeps food colder longer than cubes; freeze clean milk cartons or bottles of water. RTIC suggests mixing blocks for staying power with cubes to fill gaps.
4. Use about two parts ice to one part food. That is RTIC’s “2:1 rule.”
5. Layer it: ice on the bottom, then chilled food, then more ice on top, with the food you will eat last packed first, as USDA suggests.
6. Separate raw meat. Put it in its own cooler or securely wrapped at the bottom, below ready-to-eat food.

• Park it in the shade and cover it. USDA advises a shady spot and a blanket, tarp or poncho, preferably light-colored to reflect heat. RTIC suggests a towel or mat under it instead of hot ground.
• Keep it full. USDA says a full cooler holds its temperature longer than a half-full one; fill gaps with more ice.
• Open it less. Keep a separate cooler for drinks, which get opened often, and open the food cooler quickly and rarely. USDA and the FDA both recommend this split.
• Leave the cold meltwater in, but keep food out of it. RTIC advises not draining until necessary, since the cold water helps. USDA says to store food in watertight containers so it does not sit in meltwater.
• Check with a thermometer. USDA recommends an appliance thermometer in the cooler that reads 40°F or below.

For trips longer than your ice will last, USDA suggests planning shelf-stable food for later days, such as pre-packaged shelf-stable meals, peanut butter, canned tuna or chicken, dried noodles, jerky, dehydrated foods, dried fruit and nuts.

Insulation matters, but so does how you use it. USDA notes foam chests are light and cheap with good cold retention but fragile, while plastic, fiberglass and steel coolers last longer and also hold cold well, though larger models can weigh 30 to 40 pounds once filled. If you are choosing one, our Tundra 45 vs Roadie 48, RTIC Ultralight 52 vs Roadie 48 and soft cooler comparisons lay out the trade-offs. In bear country, a cooler is not bear storage; see what to do if you see a bear.

• Loading a cooler that sat in a hot garage or car. RTIC notes a cooler stored somewhere hot may need more ice after only a few hours of pre-chilling.
• Putting warm drinks in the food cooler. RTIC says anything going in should already be cold, and drinks mean the lid opens all day.
• Leaving it half empty. USDA says a full cooler stays cold longer than a half-full one.
• Letting food packages soak in meltwater. Use watertight containers.
• Keeping leftovers after the ice is gone. USDA says to throw them out.