An esky full of soggy sandwiches and lukewarm drinks is an Aussie rite of passage, but it is avoidable. How you pack matters as much as how much ice you bring. Here is the method we use at Freeflo: block below, gear in the middle, cubes on top.
The Freeflo esky packing method
1. Pre-chill everything
A warm esky and warm drinks eat ice before your trip even starts. The night before, put a bag of cubes or a spare block into the empty esky, and chill or freeze whatever you can (drinks, meat, even water bottles) before it goes in.
2. Block ice goes on the bottom
A big block melts far slower than loose ice because it has less surface area. Make yours at home with a Freeflo block ice tray: fill with water, freeze it flat and plan ahead, because a full 5.5kg block takes around 48 hours or more to freeze solid. Our block ice can last up to a week in a well insulated cooler.
3. Gear goes in the middle
Pack the food and drinks you want coldest on top of the block, and the things you will reach for last at the bottom. Keep raw meat and seafood in sealed containers, away from ready-to-eat food and drinks, and aim to keep perishable food at 5°C or colder.
4. Cubes fill the gaps on top
Air is the enemy. Empty space inside the esky warms up fast, so fill every gap around your gear. This is where Freeflo reusable ice cubes earn their place. They are sealed, so there is no meltwater soaking your food or watering down your drinks. Our cubes are also bigger than the competition’s, so they last longer while still fitting easily around your gear.
5. Keep it closed and keep it shaded
Every time the lid opens, warm air gets in. Park the esky in the shade, throw a damp towel or blanket over it, and use a second esky for the drinks everyone dips into all day.
How much ice do you need?
The longer the trip and the warmer the weather, the more ice you want. For longer trips, add more cube bags rather than topping up with bagged ice. A Max bag (130 cubes, 5kg) is built to last 72+ hours in a quality insulated esky, and more bags means longer cold. Combine a block with cubes and the complete setup is built to stay cold for 10+ days.
Esky packing checklist
- Pre-chill the esky and everything going in it
- Block ice on the bottom
- Coldest food and drinks next, in sealed containers
- Reusable cubes filling every gap on top
- Lid closed, esky in the shade
- Separate esky for drinks
FAQs
Should I drain the water out of my esky?
With sealed cubes and block ice there is far less water to deal with. If you do have meltwater, keep food in sealed containers so it stays dry and safe.
Is block ice better than cubes?
They do different jobs. Block ice lasts longest at the base, and cubes fill the gaps and keep everything around your gear cold. Using both is what gives the best result.
