Coleman Steel Belted Cooler - Unbelievable quality - Mine is 35 years Old!

Yes this will age me and I swore I would never use this term ..... but   .... "back in the day" purchasing a cooler for picnics was an investment.

You didn't need to buy one every year.  You purchased one and you kept it, you gave to relatives, it even got handed down to the next generation!  Coleman was front and center in the aisles.

Coleman has to be in my opinion one of the best producers of quality coolers.  Yes you can run out to the dollar store and get that insulated bag or that Styrofoam one that breaks at the end of the day or the kids take the lid for a flotation device, but it will not protect your food for more than an couple of hours or so and they sweat all over the car.

Coleman Metal Cooler

Ours is this same color as the new "vintage" models, and we used it constantly when the kids were small for picnics and to keep snacks and cold drinks in the car for long road trips.  No worries about things going bad.

When camping we would fill it with food and there would still be ice in the bottom a few days later.  So no need to run out every 5 minutes trying to source ice.

You can drain off the water without emptying your cooler, and the lid is strong enough that it makes an extra seat.  If you prefer freeze packs, they stay frozen for a long time.  This model pictured offers a 4 day ice retention.

I think it is time for us to invest in a newer one and give our grown kids the old one.  This new one has a built in bottle opener, and yes I think we deserve the new one!

The lid fits tightly so no air leaks....

Coleman Steel Cooler

When I was a kid, things were purchased to last.  We too have used the insulated bags or those Styrofoam coolers, but we always go back to the old standby steel Coleman cooler.  After 35 years ours is starting to show signs of some rust in the bottom corners, and some tell tale signs of some abuse, but it is still the best cooler we have ever had.

So if you are concerned about the investment, it will pay you back in less ice to be bought and peace of mind that after a night sleeping at your campsite that the eggs, juice and bacon for breakfast will still be cold and they will, even after a warm night.

Plus the shape makes it so that there is no wasted space.  You can fill every corner.  When we are finished with it.  I tilt it to let the water drain out keep the lid open and let it dry out.  This way it is ready for your next adventure.