Suggestions on water tight containers

[Jose]

I've been doing more camping the past few months and I've come to find that my Tupperware that I used forever to store food in really isn't cutting it anymore (I don't think it ever really did) as far as keeping melted ice water out.

In looking through Amazon I only see one brand that keeps coming up in my searches for water tight and also on Prime. Any suggestions?

https://www.amazon.com/Square-Container-15-4-Cup-125-Fluid-Ounces/dp/B0017J7YPC/ref=pd_sim_79_24?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0017J7YPC&pd_rd_r=JP43Z4DEB10TCCMN24T5&pd_rd_w=oi31u&pd_rd_wg=6mtHW&refRID=JP43Z4DEB10TCCMN24T5&th=1

[95DRGT]

Pelican case- probably extreme but ain't chit getting in there

[jluv]

Honestly, I've never had issue with quality Tupperware type stuff, or even plastic bags. Just don't buy the really cheap disposable containers. But ya, nowadays I mostly use plastic bags.

[Craizie]

I'd bag and tupperware it.

[ceyko]

Another consideration is buying into a higher end cooler to help reduce the amount of water and using a tray/rack that keeps stuff up out of the water. I'm a Pelican cooler fan, but RTIC, YETI...etc are options too.

[Jose]

So I use a Yeti and although ice doesn't melt as fast, it does melt. Especially when you are using it for storing drinks and it's being opened and closed frequently. I actually have two and try to keep food in just one to minimize opening and closing.

I have used good Ziploc bags in the past to keep them sealed but the last couple of times I picked up some big burger patties, they were a PITA sliding them in and out of the Ziploc bags. There perfectly fine when they are frozen, but as they thaw it's just easier if I can have them in a container that I can take the lid off of and pull it out. And I sometimes have trouble trusting Ziploc bags for water tightness.

I use the Yeti racks they come with but sometimes it's just not deep enough. I do need to pick up a couple of extras though to double up the amount of usable rack space. I think might pick up a couple of these containers and see if they work for me.

[Craizie]

Maybe put your Tupperware into water tight bags?

http://www.kuiu.com/gear/pack-system/pack-accessories/roll-top-dry-bag/90001-CL-1.html?gclid=CjwKEAjw_6XIBRCisIGIrJeQ93oSJAA2cNtMa4dUl7Ov27V1EXPzpAEa_sLZywrR_0DAWFo8-ww3TxoCP-3w_wcB

[jluv]

I'm not sure what's wrong with your stuff, but it shouldn't be that complicated. Any decent tupperware type containers should seal air and water tight. They should be able to be submerged completely in water inside your cooler and not get any inside unless they aren't closed all the way, or unless there is a crack or something. You know I camp a lot, and I've never had any issues. I don't even have a fancy Yeti, although I do have a nice Igloo Super Tough cooler that has served me very well at a fraction of the price (also lighter and has more room for its size). I sometimes make the lazy/bonehead mistake of not emptying my cooler for several days when I get home, so everything inside is floating around in water, but none inside of the containers or bags.

My guess is that your stuff is just worn out and not sealing well. Try a newer piece of good tupperware once and see if you have the same issue. I wouldn't waste a bunch of money buying anything fancy.

[BradM]

The lock and lock stuff is really good for keeping things dry. We use them as geocache containers and they hold up really well for being outside in the weather.

[Jose]

I'm not sure what's wrong with your stuff, but it shouldn't be that complicated. Any decent tupperware type containers should seal air and water tight. They should be able to be submerged completely in water inside your cooler and not get any inside unless they aren't closed all the way, or unless there is a crack or something. You know I camp a lot, and I've never had any issues. I don't even have a fancy Yeti, although I do have a nice Igloo Super Tough cooler that has served me very well at a fraction of the price (also lighter and has more room for its size). I sometimes make the lazy/bonehead mistake of not emptying my cooler for several days when I get home, so everything inside is floating around in water, but none inside of the containers or bags.

My guess is that your stuff is just worn out and not sealing well. Try a newer piece of good tupperware once and see if you have the same issue. I wouldn't waste a bunch of money buying anything fancy.

Ya my tupperware stuff is 20+ years old and isn'tt sealing well anymore. I haven't priced out any new stuff but I'm guessing it will be more expensive then the ones I'm looking at getting through Amazon. Will it be better? Not sure. But I'll find out. Just hope it's big enough for what I'm planning on using it for.

The lock and lock stuff is really good for keeping things dry. We use them as geocache containers and they hold up really well for being outside in the weather.

Thanks Brad, that's exactly what I was looking for.

[yellowstang]

We use that blue ice or other frozen shit to put in the cooler, not real ice. No water!

[Jose]

We use that blue ice or other frozen shit to put in the cooler, not real ice. No water!

The only problem with that is a couple of my camping trips will be 4-5 days and I doubt they will stay frozen for that long. Usually I'll supplement the ice by freezing most of the water as well and drinking it as it melts. And a couple of our longer trips we have used dry ice but that can sometimes lead to freezing your stuff and having to thaw it out and also having trouble finding it wherever we are going.

[ceyko]

Besides containers and all the other stuff, have you considered just draining the water?

I use as large of ice blocks as I can. When I go fishing on Texoma I go Friday evening and come back Sunday (sleep on the water...etc) - which clearly is not the same as a 4-5 day fishing trip. However, my cooler is used as a beer/water cooler as well AND for packing extra ice for the fish cooler. (hate stopping to go buy ice)...plus there is no shade on the lake, so the cooler works pretty hard.

The larger the block of ice, the longer it seems to be able to last. At the end of the trip when back home it seems like 3/4 of it are ready - while the smaller blocks 1/4 are ready.

Additionally, I have a bunch of PVC tubes with water in them that are frozen. I'll bring the cooler inside and put as many of those I can fit as well. Drops the plastic/cooler temps quite a bit so ice is not wasted cooling down the cooler.

If you got shade at camp site...that'll help.

Really though if you have a way to make large blocks of ice, or use milk jugs filled with water and frozen, that will help too.

I also noticed that not all ice machines out there are the same.

1. If a lot of use the ice is warmer which makes it slushy/melt sooner
2. Some of those once that dispense the ice dump too much water with it and you can tell it's going to melt a bunch before finished.

Again...ice at home is best...then can do the salt or whatever makes you feel better too.

I've also been thinking about these...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0053GVRWQ/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3U863LZ74LYWO&colid=8W01ESIVW698

However, I think they are too expensive for what they do and for most coolers they are as inefficient as a milk jug.

Anyway - just some ideas on how I prolong ice (and often drain it - is great to take sort of a afternoon washdown with. Colder then heck to cool off with). Maybe one or two will help you with what you're already doing. Frozen bottles of water...etc...etc.

[Chili]

I try to avoid cube ice if I can. I keep 5 or 6 one-gallon jugs of water in the freezer for this purpose. The trick with these, to keep it cold for a longer duration, is 'conditioning' your cooler first. When we go on the Colorado trip, for example, I will bring the cooler inside the night before and fill it with cube ice. Then when I am ready to load the food I will empty most, if not all of the cube ice and put my ice jugs in it with the food. I still supplement with a little cubed ice, mainly for drinks or after a few days up there, but I don't feel obligated to keep the water in the cooler at that point, and drain it regularly. Even after the 8 days or so we are gone, those jugs are still at least partially frozen.

We also try and freeze anything not being used the first couple days (primarily bottled water and meats).

[Chili]

Besides containers and all the other stuff, have you considered just draining the water?

I use as large of ice blocks as I can. When I go fishing on Texoma I go Friday evening and come back Sunday (sleep on the water...etc) - which clearly is not the same as a 4-5 day fishing trip. However, my cooler is used as a beer/water cooler as well AND for packing extra ice for the fish cooler. (hate stopping to go buy ice)...plus there is no shade on the lake, so the cooler works pretty hard.

The larger the block of ice, the longer it seems to be able to last. At the end of the trip when back home it seems like 3/4 of it are ready - while the smaller blocks 1/4 are ready.

Additionally, I have a bunch of PVC tubes with water in them that are frozen. I'll bring the cooler inside and put as many of those I can fit as well. Drops the plastic/cooler temps quite a bit so ice is not wasted cooling down the cooler.

If you got shade at camp site...that'll help.

Really though if you have a way to make large blocks of ice, or use milk jugs filled with water and frozen, that will help too.

I also noticed that not all ice machines out there are the same.

1. If a lot of use the ice is warmer which makes it slushy/melt sooner
2. Some of those once that dispense the ice dump too much water with it and you can tell it's going to melt a bunch before finished.

Again...ice at home is best...then can do the salt or whatever makes you feel better too.

I've also been thinking about these...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0053GVRWQ/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3U863LZ74LYWO&colid=8W01ESIVW698

However, I think they are too expensive for what they do and for most coolers they are as inefficient as a milk jug.

Anyway - just some ideas on how I prolong ice (and often drain it - is great to take sort of a afternoon washdown with. Colder then heck to cool off with). Maybe one or two will help you with what you're already doing. Frozen bottles of water...etc...etc.

I have a couple of those water bricks, but I just use them for water. I have a spigot on one and that is our 'tap'.