Cool box ice estimator
A guide, not advice. Check your kit maker's figures before you buy or pack.
The calculator needs JavaScript. The worked example, sum and figures below show exactly how it works, so you can do it yourself. A guide, not advice.
Short answer
Enter how much ice you used on a similar trip, how long that trip lasted and the length of this one. The estimate scales your own daily use and adds any allowance you choose. It is not a typical rate: heat, shade, pre-chilling, box insulation, drainage and lid opening all affect the result.
Worked example
| You enter | Value |
|---|---|
| Ice used on a similar trip | 4 kg |
| Days on that trip | 2 |
| Days on this trip | 3 |
| Extra allowance for changed conditions | 25% |
Plan for about 6.0 kg of ice
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Ice to plan for | 6.0 kg |
| Your measured daily use | 2.00 kg/day |
Show the working
- Measured rate: 4 kg ÷ 2 days = 2.00 kg/day
- Trip: 2.00 × 3 × (1 + 0.0025) = 6.01 kg
How it works
- Measured daily use = ice used on a comparable trip ÷ its days
- Trip estimate = measured daily use × trip days × (1 + your extra allowance)
This scales your own measured ice use. It is not a typical rate: ambient temperature, pre-chilling, box insulation, food and drink, shade, drainage and how often the lid opens all change ice use.
Keep food at a safe temperature and follow food safety guidance; an ice estimate does not confirm that chilled food is safe.
Our figures (adjustable)
These are our planning allowances and, once checked, typical figures with their sources. They aren't facts about your kit: change any of them in the calculator.
This calculator has no built-in defaults: every figure comes from you or your kit's own label.
What to buy
Shopping links will appear here once our retailer partners are confirmed. We don't rank kit by testing it: see our spec-based kit guides.
FAQs
How much ice does a cool box use per day?
It varies with the box, weather, contents and how often you open it. Use your own experience from a comparable trip as the starting point; this site does not assume a typical rate.
Does enough ice guarantee food stays safe?
No. Keep chilled food cold and follow current food safety guidance. The estimate does not measure the temperature inside your box.
Guides that use it
How to keep a cool box cold
How to keep a cool box cold on a campsite: pre-chill, pack cold food first, spread ice packs through the box and keep the lid shut.
Best cool boxes (UK)
Best cool boxes (UK): calm, practical help for UK families and first-timers, from the Canvasdale team.