words :: Feet Banks.
When you live in Canada and it’s suddenly hotter than Death Valley, you need a cooler that can really perform. And the Grizzly G40 certainly does that.
In late June 2021, British Columbia’s easing COVID restrictions meant we were finally able to party in large groups outdoors again, so we did. To celebrate their five-year wedding anniversary, my friends promptly invited 50 people to giv’r in their backyard, a sunny field in the beautiful Pemberton valley complete with a taco/poutine food truck and a world-class DJ who hadn’t played live in 16 months. Game on, let’s giv’r, BYOB.
Then the heatwave struck, and national temperature records began to fall. British Columbia was suddenly hotter than Las Vegas (not Vegas that day, hotter than Vegas had ever been). But partying had been a long time coming so, with the mercury pushing 45C/113F and the lawn sprinklers blasting, we convened in the shade of a huge cherry tree and let the good times roll.
And it was pretty freaking awesome, thanks in no small part to my Grizzly G40 (the 40 means it holds 40 quarts). With a single block of solid ice, and positioned in the shade of the DJ booth, the Griz kept me and all my friends in drinks long after everyone’s grocery store cooler, soft-sided satchel, or cube-ice-filled party bucket had turned into a swampy mess.
A week later I took the G40 camping for Canada Day. Again, a single block of ice kept the chili chilly, the whipped cream whippy, and the tenderloins tender for four straight days—with plenty of cool to spare when we finally limped back home. Plus, the thing is burly, strong, easy to carry (two handle systems!) and looks badass.
Apparently, the “keep it cool, but stay sturdy” factor comes from the construction, “rotationally molded linear low-density polyethylene pressure injected with up to two inches of polyurethane foam.” A bit of Google searching will explain why this all translates into top quality but so will the much-easier-to-understand, “Made in the USA, Lifetime-Warranty” or this page where they break it down for all to see.
The G40 has a plethora of other slick features: the aforementioned dual handles and an oversized 2” drain plug that screws in rather than snapping (this is huge because the plug will never get bumped or caught and unscrew itself, releasing all your cold air (and meltwater) into places you don’t want it to be).
What I like most though, is that the Grizzly feels like it’s for hunting/fishing/real outdoor adventure, not just hipsters drinking craft beer at the beach. Molded tie-down strap slots make it easy to secure this baby to your ATV or roof rack, an embossed 22” ruler on the lid makes it perfect for fishing, and perhaps most importantly where I live, the Grizzly is IGBC certified—which means Grizzly has done their damnest to ensure the cooler will not attract bears, and will be damn hard to open if a bear does come across it.
And mine is red, which makes it easy to find/differentiate from other people’s coolers at a scorching hot field party, and catches the eye of those other campers who scope out your gear and judge you on it. Back off suckers, and go back to your soggy wieners and skanky cooler pools. Over here we’re rolling with the Griz.
With any cooler, how you prepare and pack it makes a huge difference on how well it will perform. Are you precooling your cooler before a big trip? Never even thought of that? Grizzly includes a super helpful “Tips to keep your stuff cold longer” card with each cooler to ensure optimal performance. (Hint: Go for solid blocks of ice (not cubes) when you’re heading way out yonder, and stay cool for days on end.)
