When it comes to tough, well made, practical ice boxes, purpose made for fishermen, the Chilly Chest Ice Box can’t be beaten.
Starting at 50L and running up to a massive 1100L, the Chilly Chest has both the recreational angler and the professional fisherman covered. The design in the smaller sizes is very well thought out and practical. A tough UV stablilised polyethylene outer, combined with very thick insulated walls, means the ice retention with this ice box is better than most by a long shot.
It is a one piece mold which means that there are no joins or welds in the body of the box. The polyethylene outer utilises food grade materials. The insulation is polyurethane injected under pressure. This means the insulation is very dense…equating to better ice retention! The walls, base and lid on this box are the thickest we have ever seen.
The stainless steel latches are recessed so there is nothing protruding. This is an important feature as the latches are far less likely to scratch surfaces they come into contact with, as well as being far less likely to break off. They are also more reliable than bungee loops which have a high rate of breakage.
The handles are a similar design. They are fully recessed and incorporated into the ice box mold itself. This has clear advantages over boxes with externally-mounted, pop-rivetted or screwed handles. These can weaken over time and break off. The recessed design means strength and easy loading.
The Chilly Chest incorporates a heavy duty refrigeration-grade seal. This is thicker and wider than most and therefore better at retaining it’s flexibility. Again, this means better cold retention. Both 50L and 100L boxes were tested in summer heat last summer. The 50L achieved 11 days ice retention while the 100L attained an amazing 16 days!
The threaded bung drain is conveniently located at the lowest point in the box and allows connection of a garden hose for remote drainage — very handy feature.
The base of the Chilly Chest has white skids. The advantage of this is that the box base won’t be compromised by dragging. Being white, they are also far less likely to mark a boat’s surface.
The hinges are another interesting feature. They are chemically bonded and plastic welded over a large surface area. Most ice boxes use pop rivets or screws on hinge plates. Again, these can weaken over time and break, especially if they are fastened to a malleable material such as polyethylene. This process means that the hinges are fully self supporting and stronger than most. No unsightly internal rope restraints are required. All of these features make this ice box the benchmark when it comes to hard-wearing, practical food/fish/drink storage, especially given the very competitive RRP price and 7 year warranty! These boxes are available Australia wide.
These boxes are generally a portion of the price of similar boxes, especially considering how much more raw material goes into the thicker walls and lid, giving better ice retention. Most 100L boxes are around 8-13kg. The Chilly Chest 100L is 16.25kg, demonstrating just how much thicker they are. Remember, the thicker the box, the better the ice retention.
Chilly Chest Jumbo Range The Chilly Chest Jumbo Range is for the serious or commercial fisherman. These boxes range from 400L through to an impressive 1100L. These boxes are elevated on legs with skids so you can move them with a pallet jack or forklift. The walls and lid are extremely thick and filled with polyurethane and the lid incorporates two refrigeration seals to retain ice better.
They are fully lockable and have tie down receptacles for external transporting. Rope restraints inside the lid stop excess pressure being placed on the hinges. A threaded bung drain on the lowest point also aids easy drainage. Stainless latches provide a constant pressure to the lid seal.
Trunk Locker Tool Boxes Storage Cases The same people who brought you these smart ice boxes also make a range of very tough polyethylene tool/tackle boxes or storage cases. The tough UV stabilised polyethylene outer means that you don’t have to handle these with kid gloves. The material is strong HDPE which is obviously not prone to rust! They are strong enough to be able to hard bolt the Trunk Locker into the back of a ute and are the preferred brand of many mining companies Australia wide due to the strength. The smart design allows for stacking multiple boxes, and has lockable heavy duty latches so you can store your stuff securely. Heavy duty XOS hinges mean that the lid is self-supporting. There is no need for chain restraints inside the box.
A dust seal is located inside the lip of the lid, which means that the contents of the box should be unaffected by dust and the elements. A handy lift-out storage tray fits inside the lip of the locker and allows organisation and storage of smaller items in the top of the box. A range of great colours should keep everyone happy, from the tradie to the fishermen to the 4WD owner. How/Where Do I Get One? Available through retailers Australia wide. Big Terrain welcomes any retail enquiries and is seeking retailers. With depots in all capital cities, freight is not really an issue. There are a range of virtual tours on the site showing product features, ice retention tests as well as strength tests. You have to see the video of the ice box being dropped from 2 metres plus 8 times, only resulting in a few surface scratches. It blew us away!
Contact Big Terrain on (08) 8162 3800 or take a tour via the website. www.bigterrain.com.au