My New Marine Cooler - Need Your Input

Hi Guys! Bought this beauty today at Walmart. For kayak fishing purposes of course. Because it is not cheap I want to ask you any opinions, maybe reviews while it is still eligible for return. In google I found only a couple small reviews, but nothing about kayak fishing. What I like it is lightweight and has these plastic mounts where the handles are, looks like may be good to use them to strap to kayak with bungees. The most I like this small door on the top lid, I think should be very suitable to put fish inside, no need to open whole cooler, also helps to not allow too much cold gets out. The bottom has some plastic protection. Overall, looks very good. But I am wondering maybe there are some hidden cons that I am not seeing. What do think? I appreciate any opinions. Thank you in advance)

I like the looks of it, what are the dimensions and cost? Looks a bit large, how does it fit in your yak?

I've got a little one like that that fits inside a slightly oversized milk crate and I like it for tackle, drinks and food but don't put fish in it.

Would be cool to get one that would fit salmon, lings, etc.
I use a 42" kayak catch bag for that on my TI but it's not as easy to mount and access on my OK Tetra 12.

IslandHoppa- thank you for response! Sorry, forgot about size. It is not big - 9.5x22 inches, height is 10 inches. About price 39 something + tax, I paid 43 in total. It also has shoulder strap and front pocket.

I use this one from Trader Joe's because it flattens out, cost about $19 at TJ's or Amazon, and has good insulation...21" wide, 9" tall, opens to be about 6" thick...

http://www.amazon.com/Trader-Joes-Insulated-Reusable-Grocery/dp/B00DCEM32O

I strap a hard-side cooler in the rear cargo area of my kayak, but the disadvantage of hard-side coolers is that they stick up pretty high and catch a lot of wind.  I've been looking for a lower-profile, well-insulated, rugged soft-sided cooler which is long enough to handle fish in the 30 inch range, and longer if you bend them.  This soft sided cooler is fairly long and low, and would probably be pretty good for medium sized fish.  It doesn't look as well-insulated as a hard-sided cooler, but it would certainly keep fish cold for a long day of fishing.  I like that it's white - I've never been able to figure out why anybody makes dark-colored coolers.  I'd be concerned about how well the lining would hold up to fish teeth and spines, so I'd put a couple heavy garbage bags containing ice in it.  That would also reduce the amount of fish gook which gets in the cooler. All things considered, this could be a pretty good option for keeping medium sized fish cold.  And if you chop the heads and tails off larger fish and bend them a bit, it could handle bigger fish.

I use this one from Trader Joe's because it flattens out, cost about $19 at TJ's or Amazon, and has good insulation...21" wide, 9" tall, opens to be about 6" thick...

http://www.amazon.com/Trader-Joes-Insulated-Reusable-Grocery/dp/B00DCEM32O

+1 - except I have the costco-branded one. pretty much the same cooler, though a little larger, and $6.99. i don't feel bad if it inevitably gets beat up by crab, fish spines, etc...

I use this one from Trader Joe's because it flattens out, cost about $19 at TJ's or Amazon, and has good insulation...21" wide, 9" tall, opens to be about 6" thick...

http://www.amazon.com/Trader-Joes-Insulated-Reusable-Grocery/dp/B00DCEM32O

+1 - except I have the costco-branded one. pretty much the same cooler, though a little larger, and $6.99. i don't feel bad if it inevitably gets beat up by crab, fish spines, etc...

And I use one for freezer items on the car ride home but that's getting upgraded with a new costco bag next trip and the old ones going in the fishing supplies. Thanks for the tip DWB123

+1 - except I have the costco-branded one. pretty much the same cooler, though a little larger, and $6.99. i don't feel bad if it inevitably gets beat up by crab, fish spines, etc...

yep, those Costco bags look like basically the same thing, assuming they open up to make a rectangular cooler and are not just 'flat', at a lower price, excellent..

Did you look at the straps?  Are they sewn well?  Are there too many or too few stiches per inch to hold, when the bag is full?  Have you tested it for holding water without leaking?

That's what's important, and also where a crappy bag fails.

This looks like a decent cool bag, but what can anyone tell from photos?  Test it a bit and you'll know if you scored.

And where does one find these Costco bags?  Costco, sure, but I didn't find it in their online catalog.

Did you look at the straps?  Are they sewn well?  Are there too many or too few stiches per inch to hold, when the bag is full?  Have you tested it for holding water without leaking?

That's what's important, and also where a crappy bag fails.

This looks like a decent cool bag, but what can anyone tell from photos?  Test it a bit and you'll know if you scored.

And where does one find these Costco bags?  Costco, sure, but I didn't find it in their online catalog.

they're not on their website or in the catalog, but i've seen them in each of the several costco's i've visited, always near the registers.

And where does one find these Costco bags?  Costco, sure, but I didn't find it in their online catalog.

they're not on their website or in the catalog, but i've seen them in each of the several costco's i've visited, always near the registers.
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Aw, crap.  The nearest Costco is two hours away...  The joys of the South Coast!

FYI - the Costco bags leak. 

I have been using them because of their size/shape and price. I use 3-4 frozen water bottles and throw them in the bag.  I have mostly been targeting Kokanee of late, and to keep the meat perfect they are best put in a nice ice bath  So what I want to do is put my ice bottles in there and then put about 6 inches of water and put my fish in.  No go.  The water all leaks out.  So it may be solved with a garbage bag liner etc. but I have found those often leak as well.

I am in still in process of finding the right solution.  If you don't fill it with water maybe it will work fine, but just an FYI.

Good luck.

FYI - the Costco bags leak.  I have been using them because of their size/shape and price. I use 3-4 frozen water bottles and throw them in the bag.  I have mostly been targeting Kokanee of late, and to keep the meat perfect they are best put in a nice ice bath  So what I want to do is put my ice bottles in there and then put about 6 inches of water and put my fish in.  No go.  The water all leaks out.  So it may be solved with a garbage bag liner etc. but I have found those often leak as well. I am in still in process of finding the right solution.  If you don't fill it with water maybe it will work fine, but just an FYI.

Fish keep better in crushed ice than they do in water, even very cold water.  Do some googling.  It would be better to just put ice in a garbage bag in your Costco bag, to not to add water to the ice, and to drain out any melt water periodically.

Fish keep better in crushed ice than they do in water, even very cold water.  Do some googling.  It would be better to just put ice in a garbage bag in your Costco bag, to not to add water to the ice, and to drain out any melt water periodically.

+1

Thank you all guys for responses! You are right about teeth and spikes - it might be an issue ,I totally forgot about it. I think some food container the same size that goes inside maybe a workaround, but not sure if there are any on the market.