What size Polar Bear Cooler???

[northerngal]

ok, so let's plan food, what size cooler do you recommend? What foods should we bring? We aren't planning on cooking too much as we love to sit at Island Blues but there may be times when we can't get that far....any suggestions!

[olivias dad]

I think a 24 can size is perfect. This allows for plenty of room for food, but also acts as a cooler if by the pool/beach. Plus I use it @ home, when trasporting food or beer?

Cheers!

[Gromit]

If you aren't planning on doing a lot of cooking and aren't picky about your food, then it might not be worth the cost and hassle to be honest.

I started a thread a few weeks ago on this subject-- folks chimed in with alot of great suggestions.

Here's the thread: http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/f ... highlight=

As for size, it depends on whether or not you want to carry on or check the bag and how much you want to bring.

We have a rolling cooler that is soft sided and folds flat that we grabbed from Costco. It's on the large size and we check it.

Others who carry on their coolers seem to like the Polar Bear 24 can size.

[Kentuckygirl]

Another vote for the 24 size!

[augie]

And another vote for the 24. For our July trip we carried enough food to feed three of us for breakfast and dinner for a week.

On island it kept our drinks, sandwiches, etc. cold during day long snorkel/beach trips.

On the way home it carried the rum we bought at the duty free shop in the airport!

[waterguy]

I like the 48 can one as I use it for other things around here.

[augie]

I like them all and have (at least) one of every size.

For trips to STJ I find the 24 can model to strike the right size/usefulness balance.

[liamsaunt]

I bring two with me. I check the 48-can size filled with food and cooking gear, and then carry on the 24-size. I don't put food in the carry on though--it has camera gear and stuff like that. Then when we get there I use the 24-can one as our beach cooler. The 48-can one is too big for the beach, but the 24-can one doesn't hold the amount of food I bring.

I think for most people (aka not obsessed with cooking like I am) the 24-can would be the perfect size to carry on filled with select frozen foods.

[jimg20]

Wow! We appear to be the only ones who use the 12 can size. We found that it is the perfect size for frozen meat and Techni Ice for two people for a week and a half stay. We then take the ice and cooler to the beach. We have carried it on and checked it inside another bag.

JIM

[emmilu]

Would I be able to carry on the 48 can polar bear cooler or is the 24 can the largest one you can carry on? Thanks

[augie]

Would I be able to carry on the 48 can polar bear cooler or is the 24 can the largest one you can carry on? Thanks

Technically, the 48 can size one is too large to carry on per the allowed dimenensions for American Airlines.

However, I rarely see these guidelines enforced that strictly (although they could be), and I usually see bags bigger than that cooler carried on to the plane.

If you're on a smaller plane that's full they may gate check it - that's the perfect scenario if you ask me!

[cptnkirk]

24 can fits like a glove in the legal size carry on. We got 30+ lbs of meat and cheese in that baby fed us for two weeks

[RickG]

We have both the 24 and 48. The 24 works best. The 48 loaded is too heavy to carry reasonably. Its just too big.

Cheer, RickG