Kayaking feels a whole lot better when you have the entire needed companion to make it a worthwhile experience. One of those things that makes kayaking different for everyone is their kayak cooler choice. With a good kayak cooler, you can enjoy kayaking as you have never done before. With this cooler, you are able to sip a drink as you go fishing in a kayak. Think of not just getting a kayak cooler, but getting the best. In this discussion of the best kayak cooler, we shall be providing you with our top 10 best coolers for Kayaks. We shall also be bringing to you the basic considerations to note when getting one.
Do you really want a quality kayak cooler that is durable and fit just for you? Then you should read this detailed discussion up till the end.
How Did We Pick the Best?
Different brands and companies have different views on what the best coolers for kayaks are. While some consider cheap kayak coolers, others consider the best cooler for kayak fishing. In this kayak cooler review of ours, we have decided to take a look at various kinds of kayak coolers from the cheap ones to the kayak soft coolers as well as the kayak deck cooler among others. Considering this, it is important for you to know how we picked and arrived at our top ten best kayak coolers.
First, we are a company that is known for excellence especially in paying attention to every detail. This we did when picking the best cooler kayak. We read through different analyses, writings, and discussions of several experts on what the best kayak coolers are. Also, from this in-depth research of ours, we were able to know what to pay attention to when looking for the best coolers for kayaks. We took note of all them and made our top ten pick a reflection of them.
Also, we understand that no hood review is possible outside what the customers themselves think of the cooler kayak. So to strengthen our pick, we also read through the reviews and ratings of customers on each cooler kayak selected. We read their positive views on these cooler kayaks as well as their negative views. We also got a tale on each from what they say about using one. Customer review was very much helpful in our picking the best cooler kayak.
Then, we also took the many experiences our team has had using any of these cooler kayaks at one point or the other. This was also helpful in order to avoid being biased while we provide you an excellent review.
Our Top 10 Best Coolers for Kayaks
After a careful analysis of the basic factors to consider when buying a kayak cooler, we have come to a conclusion of what our top 10 best kayak cooler picks are. Don't forget that opinions of experts, manufacturers, and reviews of customers informed our selection.
Other Notable Brands & Tested Models
Let’s take this space to mention other notable brands and their popular kayak coolers:
Wilderness Systems (Oval Orbix Hatch, Thrive Baitwell), Surf to Summit (Fish Bag), Jackson Kayak, Perception Kayaks ( Splash Seat Back), Vibe, Hobie (Catch), Orion (35 quart), Pelican, Ice Mule, K2 Coolers (Summit 50), Ascend (H12).
Other hot sellers:
Castaway Customs, Arctic Zone, MIER, Earth Pak, Red Suricata, TCYC, Skog Å Kust, ThinkFit, Hap Tim, Athletico, Igloo, Plano, Under Armour, Feelfree, Enthusiast Gear, Pactrade, Luck route, Chinook, SAE99, Polar Bear, Byers, AO Coolers,Intex, COHO, Camco, Outrav, Skywin, Seattle Sports, TOURIT, PERMIAN, Shoreline, Lifewit, Driftsun, PROYAKER, SEEHONOR, Precision-Pak, Buffalo Gear, YakGear, Coleman, Aqua Quest, MARCHWAY, Turtlebox, FORICH (Cooler Backpack), yodo, KastKing, Skog, REYLEO, Extreme Sport Outfitters, OlarHike, Frabill, GARDRIT, Tan Live, Columbia, CleverMade, AIEVE, Reliable Fishing Products.
Why Use a Kayak Cooler
A kayak cooler is a tool that is used to store drinks, sodas, and water as you kayak. They are best for fishermen and long-distance travelers as well as anyone who simply picks interest in kayaking. Having such a device in your kayak is beneficial to you in a number of ways some of which includes:
- With something really cold, kayaking feels better: Making use of a kayak cooler will give you a very chilled experience while kayaking. This way, kayaking doesn’t feel like a boring experience, but a pleasurable one. It feels just like being at home and not on the water.
- You can save some drinks to enjoy when you get back home: With a kayak cooler, you are able to store up some drinks be it beer, water or soda. This gives you all the assurance you need that you can get something to fall back to when you get back home.
- No other options store them better than kayak coolers: While there are a number of cooler options available to users, kayak coolers have proven themselves to be the best both for fishermen, long-distance travelers, and any other person.
What Type of Cooler Is Perfect for You?
Kayak coolers are of various types and it is important for you to know how to carry each type on your kayak so as to know which of these coolers is best for you.
First, we have a box or bag of coolers. The box kayak cooler comes in a box like a look and is popular among water and scuba divers. This cooler type is known for its relatively large space and durability. The bag coolers come in a bag like look and have their history traced back to the military. They were worn for long-distance journeys and were mainly used to store water for these journeys. Today, it has become very much popular among fishermen as well as long-distance travelers.
The bag coolers are known to be more suitable for narrow kayaks with limited space. This is because the bag coolers are designed to come in more compact sizes than the box kayak coolers. The box kayak coolers, on the other hand, are best for recreational inflatable kayaks. This is because of the large storage capacity the recreational kayak offers the user.
So if you are a fisherman who goes out fishing in a kayak just by yourself and for yourself out in the ocean, lake or sea, the bag cooler might be the best cooler choice for you to go for. They are more like fishing backpacks. On the other hand, box coolers with rod holders would make an anglers’ tasks easy. You can use the holders for stacking other accessories like ordinary kayak crates. Likewise, if you are a long-distance traveler who would need a lot of chilled drinks to keep yourself together as you journey, then the ice box kayak cooler type will give you all the space you need and more.
Kayak Cooler - A Comprehensive Buying Guide
When buying the best cooler for kayaks, there are certain basic considerations that are necessary for you to be sure you are buying a kayak cooler best for you. These basic factors are what are responsible for the differences in selection and purpose of use. Once you’ve made your selection, there comes the question of how to carry a cooler on a kayak.
However, you have to know what you want first before taking this basic consideration to note when buying a cooler kayak. A number of the things to be considered when buying a cooler for kayak fishing includes:
1. Type
What is the best cooler for a kayak in terms of size and design? Cooler kayaks come in various types and designs. It is very necessary for you to know the different types first, before knowing what type is suitable for you. With the types of kayak coolers already provided for above, there will not need to repeat it here again. However, it is very important you know what you want of a cooler kayak, then know what type of cooler will be best for such purposes. If it falls within your proposed budget, then you can go for it.
2. Size and Capacity
Choosing the size and capacity of a kayak is important before you choose the size of your cooler. Here, you should take note of two major things. The first is the size of the necessary goods you want to be contained in the kayak cooler as well as the size of the kayak itself. The shape may also differ. You have the options to choose from a box, canoe-shaped (can be pulled behind), small square, spherical, and backpacks. Depending on the shape you can set them anywhere in your kayak. Most common positions are beneath the seat and behind the seat.
Remember that kayak comes with a different built-in storage capacity which should be noted when thinking of the best kayak cooler to buy. There are small, medium and large coolers. A good kayak cooler that doesn't fit in well into the kayak to be used is as good as useless.
3. Material
So what are the best coolers in terms of construction material?In terms of kayak cooler material, they either come as soft-sided or hard-sided kayak coolers. These two materials serve different purposes and are also limited in a number of ways as well. While the soft-sided kayak cooler material is known to be flexible and less expensive, it has a major drawback of not being durable at all. The hard-sided kayak cooler, on the other hand, is not so flexible, they are quite expensive but they are very durable. Know what you want the kayak cooler for first, the space they have to occupy in the kayak before going on to choose the material.
4. Ice Retention
Some kayak coolers are known to be more qualified than others, especially in their ice retention ability. For users conversant with kayak high chest, you will know a lot about ice retention especially as it has to do with kayak coolers.
Look out for a kayak cooler that suits your ice retention desire of one. Don't get caught up in a high budget, there are affordable kayak coolers with good ice retention.
5. Purpose
The purpose of buying a kayak cooler is so very much important when buying a kayak cooler. People differ in their desires. While some people want a kayak cooler that can offer them a cold drink, beer, or water as they enjoy kayaking, others simply just want something that can help them ice their drinks. Some look for a cooler for camping or fishing in remote and exotic areas. As an angler, you’ll be at home with your beer during the long day of casting and tackling big games.
It doesn't matter as to why you want a kayak cooler, what matters the most is that as a pro angler you know it. This is quite helpful in the precision of choice. When you do not know the purpose for which you need a kayak cooler, every single one in the market looks like what you want.
6. Closure
Regardless of the ice retention quality of a cooler kayak, if it has a bad closure, you are just going to have a hot or normal drink and not an iced one. Imagining a bag with a bad closure, everything that is in it is most likely to fall off. This is the same as a cooler's closure. Zippers have been known to be a good option as much as latches are. Whether you are going for zippers or latches, just pick a closure you will be comfortable with.
7. Keeping Temperature
The kayak coolers ability to keep temperature is a thing to consider when getting one. What cooling temperature do you want? When you know this, run an analysis on a number of kayak coolers and be sure the one you are selecting can keep temperature.
8. Waterproof Feature
It doesn't matter whether your kayak cooler is an inflatable one or a steel one, what matters the most is it's being waterproof. The best cooler for kayaks is not one with an expensive price tag, but one that is impervious to water.
Coolers used for kayaking are most likely to come in contact with water more often than not, as such they should be waterproof.
9. Insulation
The insulation of a kayak cooler also differs from another. It is your choice to make sure you are picking a kayak cooler with very good insulation. This way you are able to keep yourself safe at all times while in use. Insulation of the cooler requires no shade or canopy over them, so you are good to go under any weather condition.
10. Handle
When buying a kayak cooler, taking note of the handle is also necessary. Make sure to go for a cooler with a very strong and quality handle. When you go for one with a less quality handle, you might just have to replace it sooner than you expected.
11. Maintenance
Maintenance of the kayak cooler is the only way to keep it in good working condition. However, we have some coolers with high maintenance requirements and some others with a low maintenance requirement.
It is best to go for those kayak coolers with a low maintenance requirement so as to save yourself the time you do not have maintaining coolers.
12. Cost-Effectiveness
How cost-effective is the kayak cooler when compared to its quality? You do not have to go for the expensive kayak coolers to think they are the most qualitative ones. All you need to do is to plan your budget right and take note of all the basic considerations based on your preference. Not all kayak coolers that are expensive are quality, and not all quality kayak coolers are expensive. In fact, you can apply DIY methods to make your own cooler at a minimum cost, if you don’t really want to spend much. However, a DIY option cannot go in par with a highly engineered model in terms of ease of use, efficiency and longevity.
Tips on How to Keep Your Cooler Cool!
The fun of having and making use of a kayak cooler is knowing how to keep it cool always. You will always want to have drinks stored in the kayak cooler chilled always and this can be done by ensuring your cooler is cool always. Here are helpful tips that can help you keep your kayak cooler cool always.
- Make sure the kayak cooler’s temperature is adequate at all times: While making use of the kayak cooler, it is important that you always keep an eye on the temperature to be sure it is on the average. Every kayak cooler has an average temperature to function to keep it cool.
- Ensure it is properly insulated: Prior insulation is also very necessary and important to ensure your cooler is always cool. This is why it is always advised that you go for a kayak cooler with insulation that suits the water type you are operating on.
- Proper maintenance of the kayak cooler is also very important: A poorly maintained kayak cooler is likely to get damaged easily. When the cooler is damaged, it is most likely to lose its cooling ability. To prevent your kayak coolers from damaging, you have to maintain it properly and regularly.
Final Words
With this detailed guide on the best kayak cooler already provided, you have to read through carefully. Take note that you have to know the purpose the kayak cooler will be serving first, the budget you have to obtain one before going for one.
When in the market to buy one, it is important you don't get caught up by the sight of many cooler kayaks. Take note of the basic considerations to take note of when buying provided in this comprehensive guide. You could read more reviews about these kayak coolers and many other types to be sure you are well informed.
