Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post Reply
User avatar
Fishtolive
Posts: 423
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:24 am
Location: Sugar Land, Tx

Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by Fishtolive »

A little of topic but still relate to BTB.
I always used a small soft cooler (keep about 6 frozen water bottles and couple sandwiches) when going for BTB.
But the metal zipper kept corroded due to saltwater. I like those coolers big plastic zipper but couldn’t find a small cooler with that zipper type.
Any advice of where I can buy one with plastic zipper? Many thanks in advance.
User avatar
impulse
Posts: 419
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 6:08 pm

Re: Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by impulse »

SWFinatic
Moderator
Posts: 1041
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 9:31 am

Re: Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by SWFinatic »

I have an Ice Mule cooler bag I used to use. Now my zip up cooler fits in my front hatch so the zipper doesn't get much salt on it. That Ice Mule works as good as my Yeti bag cooler. https://icemulecoolers.com/products/the ... FMQAvD_BwE

On items that do have zippers I always wash them off with fresh water (actually all my gear that will rust) immediately after getting back to the truck. If I'm going BTB I will have a gallon jug of water in the truck that I rinse everything off with immediately. Then when I get home I spray zippers, peddle drives, etc. with WD-40. Never had any issues.
User avatar
Tagdog
Posts: 343
Joined: Wed May 23, 2012 11:36 am
Location: Fredericksburg

Re: Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by Tagdog »

I have two very small and very cheap soft coolers with nylon zippers I bought at Walmart abut 8 years ago. One holds Ribbon fish and the other 4 or five water bottles, a Snickers and Breakfast bar. I would cry if I lost my very cheap coolers. With that said, try Walmart! Mine work great and have lasted.
User avatar
Fishtolive
Posts: 423
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:24 am
Location: Sugar Land, Tx

Re: Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by Fishtolive »

Thanks for all the replies and recommendations.
I prefer a rectangular shape cooler that small enough to place and strap behind the seat.
If I cannot find one then I will go with the dry bag suggestion.
Tagdog, can you provide a picture of your cooler?
Million thanks in Advance
Attachments
C142CBFA-A48E-4F26-A24F-6465A4524955.jpeg
User avatar
Tagdog
Posts: 343
Joined: Wed May 23, 2012 11:36 am
Location: Fredericksburg

Re: Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by Tagdog »

I should have said Very Tiny Cheap coolers..
Tiny soft Coolers.jpg
Here is one my daughter just bought from Walmart...
Walmart Cooler.jpg
SWFinatic
Moderator
Posts: 1041
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 9:31 am

Re: Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by SWFinatic »

Tagdog I have a couple of those coolers your daughter just bought from Walmart. One is larger than the other. They work fine for 30 bux or so but they don't hold ice that well IMO. Zippers are cheap and hard to open but they work fine for keeping snacks/drinks cold for half day trip. I usually freeze a couple of drinking water bottles and they thaw out in a several hours on a summer morning. Wash the zippers after being anywhere near saltwater and they will last. Ours are a couple years old now.
User avatar
Fishtolive
Posts: 423
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:24 am
Location: Sugar Land, Tx

Re: Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by Fishtolive »

Thank you for all recommendations and suggestion on the cooler.
Agreed about small cooler is hard to hold ice well. One possible solution is to freeze the water bottles and they slowly melt inside the cooler while you fish.
Anyway, today, I found this cooler at Target. The top lid holds down by Velcro. There is a zipper for a small pocket in the front and the zipper head is made of plastic. The cooler can hold about 10 water bottles vertically. I think it will work.
Attachments
85D2878C-7B07-42F9-9293-2754563D4417.jpeg
SWFinatic
Moderator
Posts: 1041
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 9:31 am

Re: Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by SWFinatic »

Awesome let us know how it works for you.

I use these ice packs pretty often. They work well with a couple of them in the cooler alone but work even better if you use them with a little ice.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01 ... UTF8&psc=1
Wolfman57
TKF 4000 Club
TKF 4000 Club
Posts: 4148
Joined: Tue May 10, 2005 3:05 pm
Location: League City

Re: Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by Wolfman57 »

I’ve used the Velcro top cooler for a few years. Freeze the water bottles and they gradually thaw. Worked for me and cheap.

WM
User avatar
Fishtolive
Posts: 423
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:24 am
Location: Sugar Land, Tx

Re: Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by Fishtolive »

Agreed with Wofman.
Made two trips out with the Titan cooler. So far, it worked great. I like the one hand operation to open the cooler vs two hands operation with old cooler zipper. Also. Add a small bungee cross over the lid top. The bungee connected to the strap of each side of the cooler. It will help prevent open by accident if I turtle.
Normally, I don’t use ice. Only pack frozen water bottles and let it melt so slowly so I have cold water all day.
Attachments
43CFC479-4F2E-417E-896C-E2042C63EA38.jpeg
FC7EAB48-533F-4724-A0A7-5726C76554BF.jpeg
User avatar
TexasJim
Posts: 726
Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2013 11:56 am
Location: Crockport

Re: Small cooler with plastic zipper for BTB

Post by TexasJim »

Like Jerry(SWFanatic), I use frozen gel-packs. I hate melting ice. They stay frozen way longer than ice, and they're free. A lady in North Aransas Pass works for a vet hospital, and they get meds in really good styro coolers, and packed with gel-packs. She has an ad in Craigslist Corpus Free section all the time, giving them to whomever wants them. When I was building my flats skiff, I got a dozen coolers, cut them into slabs and got around 350 pounds of lift, just filling the front and rear seats with styro. I got two boxes of gel-packs again about two weeks ago.

I use a Sam's Club soft-side cooler bag in my yak and my skiff. They're not as well-insulated as they used to be, but they're only like eight bucks. Big plastic zipper. I had a bunch of the silver-foil bubble insulation sheets like you shield windows with, and cut them into a "liner" for the Sam's bag. The gel-packs are almost 100% frozen after a whole day in my boats. When I get home, I hose the fish slime off the packs and toss them back in the freezer for the next trip. I carry a quart water bottle, and have plenty room for fish in the bag. Works for me. YMMV TexasJim
Post Reply