Premium ice chests/coolers? Reviews and Opinions?

[Sid Post]

With coolers, people would take them to use, not for resale. It is different with cordless power tools which I keep inside my vehicle always..

With meth'heads, it's about craigslist, ebay, pawn shops, etc.

I am considering one of the smaller ones that I can easily place inside the cab of my truck. That is not an absolute protection obviously. People with pickups often have stuff like bolt cutters. I carry a small one myself, but not for stealing stuff. It is a last resort on some jobs and getting approved access. Waiting 4 or 5 hours for someone to open a door is not something I am patient with when it was supposed to be open to begin with. I actually do not lock my tool box on the back of my pickup. It is too easy to break into those and I don't want the damage. I just don't keep anything particularly valuable inside.

Yep, drug addicts will do a $100 damage to your toolbox to steal a $10 item at retail. Putting things "in sight" in your pickup is a great way to get a window broken. Tools like weed whackers and chainsaws need to be in a locked "box" that is secure if you are not with them constantly (think lunch time thefts, going in to get a cup of coffee and to pay for gas...).

Then there are the general "drive by" thefts with losers out cruising for a quick buck.

 

[Sid Post]

The Yeti I saw at Sportsman's Warehouse is close but fails big time on price. Yeti Hopper 30 Cooler $299.99

The little Pelican will set you back less than 2/3's that at the big box club. The center carry handle and latches are much better IMHO.

 

[M67]

With meth'heads, it's about craigslist, ebay, pawn shops, etc.

Where I live the meth heads would have to speed away on their mopeds first. That being said......they'd probably try and make meth in it. Everyone expects the trashy $5 garage sale handmedown cooler to be a portable meth bomb....but a cooler that's worth more than the guy's ride.....never


It's easy to tell I can't stand the stupidity when it comes to meth heads. Lots of issue in the boondocks

 

[Sid Post]

It's easy to tell I can't stand the stupidity when it comes to meth heads. Lots of issue in the boondocks

I lived in rural Alabama and Southern Arizona and had to deal with these issues almost constantly. Even when I lived in Tucson avoiding pot smokers and their craziness was tough, not to mention the gang activity which followed them. They would steal potted plants from porches, pliers out of pickup beds, etc. Needless to say, I would never let them take a Pelican cooler away in a usable form. Then there are the car break-ins to steal mail, trash, etc. for identity theft. Lock it or loose it was a frequent comment.

 

[22-rimfire]

Yep, drug addicts will do a $100 damage to your toolbox to steal a $10 item at retail. Putting things "in sight" in your pickup is a great way to get a window broken. Tools like weed whackers and chainsaws need to be in a locked "box" that is secure if you are not with them constantly (think lunch time thefts, going in to get a cup of coffee and to pay for gas...).

I hate thiefs. I do keep some pricey stuff inside the cab of my pickup. Tis why I keep blankets to cover stuff...... yeah, survival.

Pretty familiar with the meth stuff. Just today, I found a container of meth "syrup"... basically the stuff that is refined to make the crystals. Trashed it. Probably worth hundreds of dollars to meth addicts.

 

[Georgecatl]

I bought an ORCA cooler about a year ago. Very similar construction to a Yeti, but doesn't have the name. I wonder about people that put Yeti stickers on trucks......it's like their advertising to the thieves
The Orca coolers are made in the USA , priced a little better and perform as well. I bought mine from a sporting goods store (don't remember name) that had a fleabay store. They were selling factory blems very reasonable....never could find the flaw.

 

[Acetylene]

I have three friends that are professional flats guides and all three have yeti's. I personally have the igloo sportsman from Sam's. Before that, I would use very thick styrofoam "coolers" that I got free at Petsmart after they restocked the fish every week