I just returned from a week long trip to the Smokey Mountains. Every day I kept wishing I had a cooler to store beer, water, ect. In the past, I have used a soft cooler bag and used a bungee cord to secure it to my luggage rack. Didn't work so well with having to unsecure the bag every time I want to get into it and the soft cooler only holds ice for a few hours on a hot day. I have a trailer hitch and have looked at receiver cooler racks. My concern with them is that it looks like the cooler will cover the exhaust and quite possibly hide my turn/brake signals. What other options are out there? Any advise for this thirsty traveler?
Beverage Coolers
- Thread starter Rainman
- Start date
Would you recommend this saddlebag cooler? Will it hold ice for half the day at least?
Check out the Yeti Hopper Cooler on Amazon, these are supposed to be the best. Read some of the reviews,
You can buy one almost identical to the Harley bag he posted for about half the price at several online retailers. I bought a Hopnel brand one, from Direct Cycle Parts, and it fits the saddlebag perfect. Depending on outside temps, a half a day is doable. All day ice would be a stretch.
I'm sure this would work great however it is more than I want to spend. Plus with my luck, it would get stolen.
In my research, I am seeing cheaper options of the Harley brand. Not sure if I want to donate a saddle bag to just a cooler but interesting idea. Leaning towards something to rest on my rear rack I think.
I saw that, will it fit in the saddlebag?
My daughter have me a nice yeti, haven't used it yet
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I tried this a few weeks ago. Some observations: 1) The saddlebags have the cooling properties of an easy-bake oven. 2) The "climb" effect of the melted ice was fairly noticeable when going around curves. Maybe I needed more "drinks" and less ice in the bag to offset that feeling.
Yeah, I was thinking more on the short-term idea when I posted. I had a nice cylindrical-type cooler I bought on the road one time that worked fairly well. Someone liked it more than I did and it disappeared earlier this Summer.
Get the King luggage rack and put a yeti cooler on it. Lot's of money, but you'll have all day ice!
I cut and notched out a piece of 3/4 Styrofoam insulation and installed it in the bottom of the left saddlebag, which is cooler than the right because of the exhaust. Then purchased a $10-$15 Wal-Mart drink cooler. Fill it with 6 -8 beers. The rest ice. Keeps most of the day. Also zippered pouch on top if you need to store meds in a cool place. Ahhh..cold beer!
I tried one of those cheaper solutions....it leaked water all over the place...kept having to dump my saddle bag when the ice melted. I usually have my tour pak on for times I need a cooler and just put the cooler in there...keeps ice a lot longer than in a saddlebag or on the back seat and I don't have to worry about strapping it down.
I like this solution, but still not sure I want to sacrifice a saddle bag for my cooler. Think I will just buy something to mount on the rear rack. Seems to be the best solution (for me).
I have had a small, soft cooler for about 10 years (I was actually using it as a first aid kit bag when I was coaching softball), paid $8 for it at Wally. I freeze a couple of bottles of water, cooler holds 4- 5 cans, or Gatorade, takes up less than half of the left saddlebag, and I always carry tools, gloves, etc. Lasted about 500 miles on a very hot ride (98-101) to Portland last year. I don't use ice- too messy. If I'm that thirsty, it means it's time to pull over, gas up, stretch the legs, have a smoke, etc.. Everybody I know who has bought the HD cool- bag has experienced leakage.
