Make your own YETI - Update!

[washelkhunter]

So the high heat hunt thread got me motivated to transform an avg 8yr+ old coleman 100qt. marine cooler into a DIY yeti. The 1"x4x8 sheet of styro cost $14.28 and I used just over half of it. The adjustable tarp strap was $3.48 for a whopping total of $19.25 with tax. The cooler new on sale was maybe $50.  There are two 1-1/2" headed washerd screws holding the lid foam in place and just simple tension holding the interior panels. Should make for easy washouts. The screws for the straps are 3/4" smooth shanks from the junk drawer and the anchoring screws  are #8x3/4 low profile wafer heads backed up by washers. Took about an hour and a half in between yakin and beer drinkin. It was warm today amigos. After many years of sitting on top of this cooler it bowed significantly at the ends but is now tighter than a *censored*. Can't wait to try this out in Sept for the AR hunt with the NACL jug.   

[quadrafire]

Yea but is it Grizzly Proof......

Actually looks great 

[Boss .300 winmag]

What's a V's honey pot?

[RadSav]

We used to do nearly the same thing with our Igloo Marine coolers when carrying dry ice.  Protected the cooler from cracking do to the extreme cold and the ice lasted WAY longer!  Nice that you shared that with others!  Good pictures too

We would take it one step further and use RTV gasket material to make an air tight seal.  We would primer the lid and use PAM on the male portion of the lid mating surface.  Run a good bead of RTV around the lid and then close.  Let it sit over night and vuala!  Perfect seal

[washelkhunter]

I just looked at yeti's wp, the tundra 75 is for $449.    V is for virgin  , and I don't need it to be grizzly proof, just pianoman proof.  Thx for the  . Thx Rad.

[Smossy]

We're also going to do some mods. We just picked up a Coleman 120q Xtreme cooler for about $60 instead of commiting to a Yeti. So If/when we do Ill add some photos myself.

[xXLojackXx]

I thought about drilling some 1/2" holes in an old cooler and filling the hollow walls with some door/window spray foam. The type that won't bow the cooler with extreme expansion. Pair that with some ridged insulation and it's gotta hold up to a yeti. I could even get some yeti stickers off amazon to make it official 

[Bean Counter]

Has anyone cleaned one of these DIY heavy duty cleaners after am elk or deer?  I'm guessing it's not too pretty. I've wondered how well it might work to build extra insulation outside of the cooler. This would not only keep the inside easier to clean, but not diminish the internal capacity for ice and meat.

[Buzz2401]

Yeti's don't hold ice any longer then the the colemans or the igloos.  They are just way tougher and last lot longer.  But that longevity claim is worthless when it gets stolen the second year you have it.  Do insurance companies have a policy for those Yeti's?

[dewandgin]

I look at my  Yeti cooler the same way I look at my gun when I'm hunting.
 yes a 243 can and will kill elk but I like this 338 and the 300 rum. I put a lot of time effort and money into hunting the last thing I need is for my cooler to break because I  bought the 243. if that makes sense
From the Wetside. like the darkside only Wetter!

[sirmissalot]

Yeti coolers absolutely hold ice longer. Whether a $1.50 bag of ice lasting all week or needing two or three is worth the extra money to you is one thing, but they do certainly hold ice longer.

[RadSav]

Yeti coolers absolutely hold ice longer. Whether a $1.50 bag of ice lasting all week or needing two or three is worth the extra money to you is one thing, but they do certainly hold ice longer.

I agree...if the seals are working properly.  Had the seals fail when I bent a hinge pin and ice melted just as fast as in my Igloo, but once fixed there is no comparison.

Take an antelope trip we made a few years ago.  Three frozen antelope, hides and horns spread between equal size Yeti and Igloo marine coolers.  That's about 18 hours of drive time in 90 + degree weather.  When we got home there were still Ice crystals on the larger meat pieces in the Yeti.  Over 50% of the meat had thawed in the Igloo Marine.

[dscubame]

The Coleman Extreme does the job just fine.  There is a point where the return is diminished beyond being noticeable.  I once had a 80k fancy vehicle and the f-150 I drive now gets me to the office every day just the same.

[RadSav]

The OP's idea of using the shielded Styrofoam is also a good idea of using dry ice.  I've ruined more than one nice Igloo with dry ice and have burnt more meat than I care to remember using it too.  We now use old Styrofoam cooler lids to place the dry ice in.  Keeps it insulated from the meat and color yet still allows typical cooling.  I bet making a little square tray with that shielded foam would work great!  Especially if all you can find is pellets.

[dscubame]

Good point Rad.

I heard if you freeze the cooler before you add ice it will last way longer too.  I need to try that.