Here is an interesting and informative link on dry ice - what it is, how to transport, how long it lasts, fun things to do with it, etc. Hope it answers your question as well as a lot more. http://www.dryiceinfo.com/
Dry ice can actually burn you so you have to be careful around it. Often you have to find an ice company to buy it. There was a grocery store by me that used to sell dry ice but I never did buy any. It isn't a store I go into often.
I have never used it but my knowledge of it would be good to use for long term camping....if I went camping for a week I'd use it in my cooler. Since I camp only for the weekends a couple of frozen bottles of water and a bag of ice and I'm good.
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
Ice is made from Water - H2O - and is made frozen bu placing it in below freezing conditions (zero or below degrees Celsius). Touching it for extended time - over a min may cause damage to skin.
Dry ice is made from Carbon Dioxide - CO2 - and is made by releasing compressed LIQUID CO2 into a container/bag and can be had at most welding supply shops. Touch it with bare skin at any time for even a short time - in just seconds - could permanently damage your skin - prolong can destroy underlining muscles and cause other issues.
Transport Dry Ice in a vented cooler is best. (Warnning: totally sealed container can have it blow apart or blow the top open/off due to expanding CO2 gas forming) Can be in a paper bag (plastic get too brittle) but un-insulated bag will cause CO2 gas/smoke to form fast - thus less dry ice. Only handle with insulated gloves or use tongs/pliers to handle it.
We have used it many times when we need to keep things frozen solid for a few days. One of our larger camping trips requires food for 10 over 7 days. With Dry ice in one cool, we can keep meat frozen solid for 4 days before it starts to dissipate.
You do have to know how to handle it. That being said we use it in drinks for our Halloween Parties (again, we know how to use it).
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[quote author=athread678 link=topic=1897.msg16570#msg16570 date=1348852266]
Thanks for the info jfilz! I'm thinking is NOT something we would want to mess with while camping. I don't want to have to use tongs to grab a soda out of my cooler 😉
Tongs on soda can not needed. If a CAN of anything is right next to Dry ICE - it could and eventually FREZZE...AND EXPLODE in your cooler.... Not fun to clean up!
Dry ice does not cling to much of anything (or not for long in the open air). Put the ICE in the cooler fine - better to leave it wrapped in paper (newspaper is how I got it from my dealer) and/or in a vented bag- just don't handle this ice with your hand.
Dry ice on skin contact will feel much like something hot - your first reaction is to jerk away from it if you accidentally touch it. Prolonged handling of a few seconds will cause minor frost bite (just like in cold winter) - however holding it for very long time - will freeze the blood flowing to fingers or the skin area touching and will KILLING the tissue (sever frost bite and could cause gangrene). Dry ice when exposed to warm air will disappear (form back into gas) very quickly. So handling it to cause damage is rare - unless you do something stupid like swallow it or "do a dare".
Dry ice is great to keep things very cold or even frozen for days while camping - just don't play with it. I would take 2 COOLERS - one for Drinks/Snacks that is opened often - the other for food stuff to keep very cold/frozen with the dry ice. Put a few chunks of dry ice in the drink cooler when needed.
DO not mix Dry Ice with Water in your cooler - unless you like the spooky fog.......
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