Here Is What I Think Of The Bermstyle Canyon Cooler Outfitter 55 Ice Chest

Canyon Coolers, headquartered in Flagstaff, Arizona, produces premium quality coolers and adventure gear. Canyon Coolers employ a roto-molded PE Construction with a 2 A wall that is seven inches thick Their top-tier ice chests can be found in the Outfitter series.

We bought a new Dodge Ram Promaster and became part of the #vanlife community last year. We only had so much money after buying the van brand new to make it adventure ready, and we haven't had much left over for the build out. Our long-term goals include installing solar panels and a small refrigerator, but in the meantime, we needed a plan B for storing food.

We were already using a few cheap coolers, but they weren't adequate for even a weekend road trip, let alone a week. Every day, we had to go out and buy more ice, so we knew we needed to find a better way to handle this problem. The Canyon Coolers Outfitter series is just what we were looking for. We finally settled on the Outfitter 55 after much deliberation.

Features

The Outfitter 55 can hold up to 55 quarts of gear. Inches in length 5″ x 15 25″ x 16 25, the footprint is substantial, so think about including it in your van construction plans. Thankfully, we discovered that it serves double duty by also functioning as a foot rest.

The Outfitter 55 has many great features such as:

• Incorporates 2 EZCam Latches
• Holds 55 quarts
• Drip-proof cover
• Built to last with Rotomolded Polyethylene
• Carrying ropes, for convenience.
• 0 (empty) pound
• There are two separate slots for tying down the contents.
• Externally Lockable
• Converts into a seat
• Capacity for 2 baskets (sold separately)
• Permanent guarantee

Which size ice chest do you require

Choosing the appropriate size required some deliberation. Our typical trip length is two to three days, but every year we take one or two longer excursions, and we didn't want to be constantly running out to buy supplies. Our primary concern was finding the optimal carrying capacity, as we had no intention of transporting it during trips. We planned our trips around the amount of food we could bring; while cold beverages are always welcome, we didn't give them much thought.

We looked at the Canyon Outfitter 35 and 55, which have respective 35 and 55 quart capacities. We calculated that we would need at least 13 cu. ft. of storage space for ice, so we settled on the 55 quart size. Even though it's a lot of room for weekend trips (keep in mind that coolers work best in terms of ice retention when completely full), we'd just fill up any extra space with more cold drinks for shorter trips.

It turns out that whether it's for a weekend or a longer trip, we bring the same amount of stuff, though I've taken to prepping food for solo weekend trips and storing it in portable glass containers.

During our 10-day trip to the southwest, we restocked the ice only once.

Optimizing Ice Capacity

Comparing a low-quality cooler to a high-quality cooler like the Outfitter 55 is like comparing night and day. Depending on a number of factors, we've gone as long as a week without needing to replenish our ice supply. You get exactly what you pay for with these purchases. Several techniques have been discovered that can improve cooling efficiency.

Right next to the exit, so you can quickly grab some refreshments after your ride.

To ensure maximum ice retention, Canyon Coolers suggests chilling the cooler before use. The amount of air in the cooler and how often you open and close it to prevent warm air from escaping are both factors in ice retention. It's much more effective to have a fully stocked cooler than a partially full one. Including drinks that have already been chilled also contributes. Having cold water on hand is a must, so we often freeze a water bottle or two to keep in the freezer. I've also taken to only scattering a small amount of ice at a time, and leaving the majority of it in the bag. Even after the ice melts, the water will still be cold enough to keep your food and drinks at a safe temperature.

The ice that was left in the freezer after a bike trip

The best upgrade you can give these coolers is a hanging basket to protect your food and drinks from the inevitable spills. We have one now, but two would be even better. We often just grab what we need and close the lid to keep the air as cold as possible while cooking. Most of the time, we drain water so that food like sandwiches and meats don't get soaked by the ice water. We've heard that dry ice keeps things cold, but it seems like it might be a pain and might even damage the cooler. On top of that, we never have problems with our food or drinks getting warm because we use the ice in our drinks.

To store the ice and maintain the segregation of the foods, we have considered trying out plastic tubs or sub containers.

While traveling

Although the Canyon Outfitter ice chest isn't cheap, it's a once-and-for-all investment in light of coolers' recent advancements. When compared to similar brands and models, its price is very reasonable. With the recent price drop, Canyon's offering is now $100 cheaper than the Yeti Tundra 65 and $200 cheaper than the Yeti 45. With a lifetime guarantee and such sturdy construction, I doubt I'll ever need to buy another cooler again.

Unless there was a smaller one hiding behind it.

A second Canyon Outfitter 22, at only , would be a great addition to the cab for munchies, drinks, and shorter day trips after living with the Canyon Outfitter 55. It's possible we could have saved money by going with the 35-quart model, but having extra food on hand means we can enjoy our trip for a longer period of time.

The Outfitter 55 from Canyon Coolers costs $229. Visit CanyonCoolers.com for details or purchase one immediately from Amazon.com.

For the purposes of this review, Canyon provided the use of an Outfitter cooler at no cost. (It's a great product, we would have bought one anyway)