Large soft cooler / kill bag

[Chode223]

Hey everyone, heading to Montana in late October for general elk/deer.

Wondering if anyone uses / has used a large soft cooler or fish “kill bag” for meat transport?

We’ve taken a few hard coolers with us in the past (suv not truck) and they were a huge pain to deal with. Thinking the soft cooler might be the ticket as they collapse down much smaller and can easily expand to 200+ qts. When the time comes.

Looking at something like the Opah, Reliable, AO, Smith, or others.



I assume ice retention won’t be as good, and leaking might be a worry but has anyone used one of these large “kill bag” style soft coolers for big game hunting?

 

[PathFinder]

I'm really interested as well. Would be great for space and weight savings.

 

[Netherman]

I haven't used any of the brands listed, but me and a buddy flew two mule deer home in 48 can polar bear coolers. Each one was right at 50lb with meat a ~2lb of dry ice. would probably need 2.5 for the two deer, but we left some meat with my brother for letting us crash at his place and borrow his truck for the week. We froze the meat before we left and it was still frozen when we got home (DEN>DTW). I think flying is where they shine particularly when coupled with the 50lb limit.

I don't think you'd be saving much going with soft coolers as you'll still need the volume on the way back. For two guys with combo tags we typically bring four coolers. Two 150qt and one 120qt for meat and a fourth 65 orion for frozen meals/cold food and drinks. With the meat coolers, we fill one full with ice jugs, one with shelf stable food, and the last one with gear on the way out.

Negatives I see with the soft cooler are ice retention and inability to easily drain water/blood. Pro tip on SUV life if you do go hard coolers, make sure the drain valves are closed while in the vehicle (cleaning blood out of your wife's headrests and floor liner sucks).

 

[Chode223]

Just to clarify a bit. I’m looking at a really large soft cooler. Something that’s about 200qts - 60x30x18.

 

[Tmac]

I have used soft sided insulated fish bags to bring meat home for several years. I’d bring two medium bags over one 60” bag, so I could lift it. Anyway, we hang the animal at least over night, bone it, place the meat in scent free tall kitchen size plastic bags, put in soft cooler with at least two bags/blocks of ice on top. I also put the ice in bags too. Works very well.

 

[geterdone]

I have used reliable and wps kill bags a lot. We use them for tuna fishing primarly, but one or two come to hunt camp and a transport bag for meat. They both are great, reliable has a larger bottom, so the same size bag in reliable has more capacity. Wps will make custom sizes also, they are located in Oregon.

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[Chode223]

I have used reliable and wps kill bags a lot. We use them for tuna fishing primarly, but one or two come to hunt camp and a transport bag for meat. They both are great, reliable has a larger bottom, so the same size bag in reliable has more capacity. Wps will make custom sizes also, they are located in Oregon.

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Any issues or concerns with leaks? What sizes do you use or recommend?

 

[geterdone]

Any issues or concerns with leaks? What sizes do you use or recommend?

They all leak a little, just the nature of the bags. I have 24x48 and a bunch of 30x60. 30x60 will fit a quartered out elk.

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[Chode223]

They all leak a little, just the nature of the bags. I have 24x48 and a bunch of 30x60. 30x60 will fit a quartered out elk.

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Awesome. That’s the size I am looking at. Do you use these because you already have them? Would you buy one specifically for hunting?

Any big downsides to these vs 2x 150qt coolers that we haven’t mentioned?

 

[geterdone]

Awesome. That’s the size I am looking at. Do you use these because you already have them? Would you buy one specifically for hunting?

Any big downsides to these vs 2x 150qt coolers that we haven’t mentioned?

I do use them because I have them, but I would buy one for hunting if I didn't already have them. They store flat and out of the way, which a pair of 150qt coolers do not store as well.

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[Felix40]

I’ve been wondering about these to take on hunting trips on the motorcycle.

 

[JC_68Westy]

A soft cooler seems like a great idea. I have similar issues when I go to Canada for geese. The hard cooler takes up a lot of space. I will have to check these out.

 

[WildernessWill]

I have the Opah 6 and plan on taking to Idaho for a month in 2 days. The Opah has a drain and much more insulation than Reliable bags. Rolled up it will fit in my extra cab. I’m hoping I have to use it and will report back.


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[Weldor]

Anyone use them in 90 degree weather ? Looks like a great idea for short transport. I usually do a Texas deer hunt in Dec. weather can vary but it is 50-90 depending. Our 150's are a pain to transport and store all year. If they keep ice for 24 hrs in a truck bed I'm in for sure.

 

[WRO]

Just to clarify a bit. I’m looking at a really large soft cooler. Something that’s about 200qts - 60x30x18.

We had 3 antelope and 2 elk in this reliable kill bag with room to spare, goats were skun and elk quartered.

Kept them cold for 48 hours. It’s 42x90. Completely awesome


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[Marshfly]

Reliables are awesome. I have three from when I lived and fished on the gulf coast. Do not put it in an SUV with an animal inside unless you plan to strip the carpet and replace it. Yes, they leak.
I see WRO's huge one. Don't do that if you will need to move it full. It will take a tractor or forklift. Get multiple mid sized ones.

 

[WRO]

Reliables are awesome. I have three from when I lived and fished on the gulf coast. Do not put it in an SUV with an animal inside unless you plan to strip the carpet and replace it. Yes, they leak.
I see WRO's huge one. Don't do that if you will need to move it full. It will take a tractor or forklift. Get multiple mid sized ones.

Yeah it was an unloveable object, but I think it’ll great overall for multiple critters in camp.


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[Fordguy]

I used one for for a few years on deer and antelope. As others have said, they work great, until they leak. Lol

 

[Fordguy]

Anyone use them in 90 degree weather ? Looks like a great idea for short transport. I usually do a Texas deer hunt in Dec. weather can vary but it is 50-90 depending. Our 150's are a pain to transport and store all year. If they keep ice for 24 hrs in a truck bed I'm in for sure.

It was nearly 90 in wyoming the last time I used one for antelope. It performed better than I expected for the 30 hours that it took to get home for continued processing. Everything was cold and I still had ice the next day when I got home (some water). I shot the antelope in the afternoon, added as much ice as the bag would hold. The next day I drained it and refilled with ice and then drove 14 hours home.

I think once you have the meat cooled to near freezing you should be able to keep ice for 24 hours, though it will melt slowly.

Double bag it with contractor drum liners if you need to keep in inside a vehicle. It's strange that it sat overnight the first night with no leaks, and then started leaking slowly on the drive home. Luckily I had bought a removable poly liner for the back of the Mazda.

I can't remember what brand the bag was. My girlfriend tried to take the insulated liner out to clean it and ended up throwing it away. It had a fish skeleton on the outside if that helps.

 

[SDHNTR]

I’ve put all sorts of game in my Reliable kill bag. Works awesome. They are pretty leak tight when new, but after you move em around and with a bit of age, the corners wear out and theyall leak.