Coolers for travel. Wheels? No wheels?

Joined
Sep 3, 2023
Messages
48
I’m looking to buy a cooler for when I travel. Mainly asking about airplane travel. Will the wheels help or hurt? Worrying about them being damage or paying more for the weight. But it sure would be nice to wheel through airports without needing a cart. Any experience out there? Thanks.
 

Neckbone

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 21, 2022
Messages
131
I did my first fly to hunt last year, cooler without wheels. Wound up not being a big deal but did have to rent a cart several times. If I had a buddy with me I prob wouldn't have had to get the carts. If you are solo and can find a cooler that will fit your need with wheels, Id go for that.
 

TreeDux

FNG
Joined
Jun 23, 2023
Messages
75
Location
North Carolina
Going in, I can offer no insight but we’re about to test the wheeled cooler theory. We plan to use them for 2 of our bags going to Wyoming. The 60qt with wheels is almost exactly 60 inches in airline terms and I think the wheel weight is pretty negligible. If the airline can manage not to break them it seems like wheels would be beneficial. I will try to remember to update when we come back.
 

billday

FNG
Joined
May 23, 2023
Messages
15
Going in, I can offer no insight but we’re about to test the wheeled cooler theory. We plan to use them for 2 of our bags going to Wyoming. The 60qt with wheels is almost exactly 60 inches in airline terms and I think the wheel weight is pretty negligible. If the airline can manage not to break them it seems like wheels would be beneficial. I will try to remember to update when we come back.
Very curious to read an update from you, when you get a chance. Hopefully your hunt went great and you got to fill your coolers with meat!
 

TreeDux

FNG
Joined
Jun 23, 2023
Messages
75
Location
North Carolina
Very curious to read an update from you, when you get a chance. Hopefully your hunt went great and you got to fill your coolers with meat!
Our hunt went great, thanks, and I will absolutely endorse the wheeled coolers. Specifically, igloo makes aversion that is either 60 quart or 54 quart depending on the exact model. It meets the size requirements for standard check baggage with frontier, so it’ll probably be fine on the other airlines as well. Going we used 2 for luggage. When we came home, we checked four of those coolers and by stacking them each person was able to navigate two coolers to the baggage check. It worked for us.
 

Snowwolfe

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 28, 2016
Messages
235
Location
Alaska
Most airlines limit your luggage to 50 pounds before overweight charges start to get serious. Don't buy more cooler than you need.
 
Joined
Jul 1, 2015
Messages
1,135
Location
Colo Spgs
Wheels fall off roller bags that are made for traveling.

Coolers wheels (that I’ve had or seen) aren’t made for more than from the vehicle to a pavilion (20 feet).

Just pay $2 to rent the cart at airport. Or find a free cart set aside to use.

Besides - when the cooler gets tossed during air travel and flight changes - those wheels will bust


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Mt Al

WKR
Joined
Dec 16, 2017
Messages
1,258
Location
Montana
IMHO, wheels make the trek so much nicer. They're obviously not made to go over anything except smooth surfaces, even a bit of sand or gravel and they're useless. Just not made for that, but airports they're great.

If they bust off through cheapness or rough handling, then rent a cart.
 
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