USVI-On-Line

Has anyone checked a Polar Bear cooler? I'm considering buying the 48 can size but I'm nervous about spending an arm and a leg on a cooler and then having it destroyed in baggage. What we've always done in the past is take a hard sided rolling cooler and tape it shut. But after a TSA worker had her way with it a couple trips ago it's really on it's last leg.

Also, does anyone have the 48 can size, and if so, what do you think of it, is it large enough?

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

My long-winded answers weren't good enough? I'm crushed. I'm gonna go cry now.

I still support the 48-can cooler. It's wonderful

The 48 can size is certainly big enough - and for most uses, I'd say too big. I have two (at least) of every size that they make, and never take anything bigger than the 24 to STJ with us. And we're "cooler people" that bring most of the food that we cook with us.

Added bonus of the 24 is that you can carry it on - it fits under the seat in front of you.

Also, it's the perfect size for food and drinks to carry to the beach - the 48 would be too unwieldy, in my opinion.

The only time we checked one it was in another piece of luggage, but since we've successfully transitioned to "carry on people" we don't have to do that anymore.

Yes I have a 48 and yes I check it I fill to the 50 lbs limit with frozen meat for me and to give to friends on Island been doing it for 6 trips it still looks like new

We have checked our 48 can several times without a scratch. It is very easy to bump up against the 50 pound weight limit if you take a lot of frozen meats like we used to do.

We also use it every weekend to take food to our cabin. It is several years old and still looks nearly brand new. These coolers will hold up very well.

Concerning size - we have one in each size, including my new backpack!, and the 48 can gets the most use by far.

As mentioned, I use it every weekend to pack a weekend's worth of food (not including dry goods and bread/rolls). Granted, a thing of milk and two sheets of techiice do take up room but even so, I could not pack three days worth of perishable food in the 24 pack.

I think it depends on what you take to the beach. It is a bit awkward to lug it to the beach/picnic and sometimes we do take our 24 pack if it is just the three of us. With our group of four adults plus one kiddo, we need the 48 pack size.

I'm assuming that you can do carry on with a cooler of this type. Anyone have any problems? Hate to pay to have it checked in. Taking mostly frozen foods.

silverheels, I think technically the 48-can cooler is too big to bring as a carry on. That's not to say that you couldn't try it. People bring so much stuff on the planes now and nobody checks sizes--at least not that I have seen. When John and I flew this past weekend we ended up having to check (and not gate check either) our legitmately sized carry ons because there was no overheard space left when we were allowed to board. Boo on Delta.

John and I do bring the 48-can size every time, but as a checked bag. When it is full of ice and food/drink, it is too heavy for me to carry to the beach. John can haul it around but prefers not to. The 24-can cooler is carry-on sized and also very manageable weightwise when full of ice and food/drink for carrying to the beach. This time we will have the backpack also, which I think is going to be perfect.

pipanale wrote:My long-winded answers weren't good enough? I'm crushed. I'm gonna go cry now.

I still support the 48-can cooler. It's wonderful

Sadly Pip, I never got a response from you, which is why, in my deep sorrow, I started this post.

We checked our's in last year - it got a little scuffed but nothing more than usual wear and tear from being in the baggage area of a plane/airport

I carried on the 24 can to the Bahamas in June. Had it packed with a weeks worth of meat for 4 peeps. I had 2 sheets of techni-ice. Of course, TSA saw the techni-ice. The TSA agent ran a swab over it and stuck the swab in some sort of analyzer. He sent me on my way with all of my meat and thevtechni-ice. I pre-cooked steaks and took hamburger meat in the tubes.

I'll echo the "too freakin' big" comment on the 48-can polar bear. I have one and it gets used, but I take it empty and fill it when I arrive. But, if you've got to bring a ton of food, then it works just fine. Just make certain you can put it on a wheeled bag when you move it about.

Cheers, RickG

RickG wrote:I'll echo the "too freakin' big" comment on the 48-can polar bear. I have one and it gets used, but I take it empty and fill it when I arrive. But, if you've got to bring a ton of food, then it works just fine. Just make certain you can put it on a wheeled bag when you move it about.
Cheers, RickG

On a related note, when I ordered our backpack, I saw that Polar Bear now makes wheelie coolers.

PA Girl wrote: On a related note, when I ordered our backpack, I saw that Polar Bear now makes wheelie coolers.

I am not seeing wheeled coolers anywhere on their website...

They are under the medical catergory

http://www.polarbearcoolers.com/med/rol ... olers.html

They are called "Roller Bears"

Weird, I looked under the medical area and didn't see them.

But $175.00, yikes! The $80 model is already a splurge for me.