SeaGreen cool boxes range

The colourful range of SeaGreen cool boxes first came to my attention through social media some time ago and I’ve been looking forward to getting my hands on one for a little while. The colours really pop and are unlike anything I’ve seen, though they do remind me of the kind of finish you’d see on a kayak. No two colour schemes are identical and although there are set colour schemes, each finished box is quite unique.

 All SeaGreen boxes also feature UV protection on all exterior and interior surfaces. The finished article looks fantastic, but I’m going to have a closer look and find out exactly what they’re all about. There are numerous sizes available, but I believe this 9.5L model is going to be of the most interest to shore anglers who will want to be taking a few packs of frozen bait and perhaps a selection of live baits on a trip to the coast.

With a full RRP of £139.99, this appears to be the king of cool boxes but undoubtedly won’t appeal to everyone, or in particular, everyone’s pocket, but in an age of very much getting what you pay for, I’m curious to see what lies behind the lumpy price tag.

The first thing that I notice is just how substantial the box is. It does feel extremely rugged throughout and it’s clear to see that the focus here has been on strength and durability. Cheap lightweight cool boxes will do the job, but are often poorly insulated, prone to the lid not sealing properly and even cracking if subject to some abuse.

The SeaGreen is a Roto moulded unit, meaning that it is far stronger than a conventional cool box. The walls of the unit are injected with polyurethane to aid insulation, in much the same way as your home might be insulated with cavity wall insulation.

The 9.5L model measures 17.3inches x 12.5inches x 11.4inches externally, and 10.1 x 9.3 x 5.2inches internally. The official weight of the box comes in at 9.9lb, and although I did make it a few ounces heavier on my scales, I’m willing to accept that they could be a little out.

Upon opening the box, you’re very aware of just how industrial everything about it is. To open the box you first need to pull the handle over. Unlike a lot of cool box handles, this one takes a little more effort to push over, but this is definitely a good thing. The handle has a location recess where it sits snugly, and the added bonus is that the box won’t pivot and swing at the handle like some might do.

The heavy duty rubberised catches on either side of the lid are unlike anything I’ve seen on a cool box before and ensure that the lid stays fully closed, something that’s essential in the design of a cool box but an area that is surprisingly often overlooked. A neat little touch is the stainless steel lock plates on the two facing corners of the box that can also be used as a bottle opener, if you’re that way inclined, but could be locked with a small padlock if you’re travelling with the box. The vast majority of cool boxes on the market feature a plastic lid that makes contact with the box offering no real protection against cold air escaping, or even warm air getting in. The Seagreen range features a freezer style sealing gasket, ensuring the box remains air tight, something that is hugely important when it comes to keeping the contents frozen solid. When the lid is closed and the catches are locked in place, it really is sealed exceptionally well and it would be practically

impossible for the lid to open on its own. The underside of the lid features an ice pack plug. The wall thickness of the box is evident when you actually get inside and see the storage space within when compared to the physical size of the box from the outside.

This is where the box undoubtedly comes in to its own and offers that incredible insulation. Remember that not only are the walls of the box really substantial, they’re also filled with polyurethane which further adds to the overall insulation.

When it comes to practical storage space, although this box is pretty compact, I really liked the shape of the interior space. It’s rectangular, meaning that packets of frozen baits such as mackerel and bluey have ample space and don’t have to be bent or even snapped at the beak in the case of blueys to fit comfortably inside. The capacity is actually very decent for a box with these dimensions and I managed to cram in no less than twelve packs of frozen bait.

The fact that they are crammed in means that there are very few gaps in-between each packet of bait and if you know anything about keeping frozen baits frozen, air is the enemy and filling any voids will certainly help to keep the frozen contents of a cool box rock solid. Twelve packs of three mackerel or bluey would equate to 36 separate fish and a large number of average size baits. As the SeaGreen range of boxes have been designed to keep the contents frozen for days rather than just a matter of hours, I can see huge potential for those angler fishing further afield.

Many anglers now travel the length and breadth of the country and without investing in some kind of fridge for your vehicle at the cost of several hundred pounds, this cool box would make an excellent alternative at a fraction of the cost.

Keeping bait frozen is one thing, but for how long really is the ultimate test and one that that I was keen to carry out with this SeaGreen 9.5L. Travelling for a few days fishing means that without power, you are reliant on a self sufficient cool box to do its job. Two days ago I loaded the box up with twelve packs of bait and when I finally lifted the lid today, I was blown away.

The bait wasn’t just cold, it was still rock solid with no sign whatsoever of any of the packs of bait starting to defrost. It was literally still in tip top condition and good enough to go back in to the freezer. I know for a fact that the cheaper cool boxes and bags that I own would’ve failed this test and on particularly hot days I’ve seen them let me down in just a matter of hours.

When it comes to being heavy handed with kit, sea anglers are notorious for throwing their gear around, but I’m confident that even given the test of time, these SeaGreen cool boxes will still be standing proud. It is claimed that they can bet sat on, and indeed they can, but I thought I’d take that a step further and stand on mine, stomping and jumping.

Admittedly I’m no heavy weight, but I did give the box some serious abuse and it refused to give up. Again, in terms of travelling, this is a huge bonus and when it comes to airport travel where baggage handlers are known for chucking cases around, I’d be confident that the SeaGreen box would cut it. The sheer strength of this box is immense, but that does involve some trade off in terms of weight. Personally I’ll be using this one when travelling in the van from A to B, and then decanting bait in to something a bit lighter to take to the mark.

But the fact that I’d be able to do this over the course of a long weekend without fear of the bait defrosting is seriously worth every penny of that price tag and it’s unlikely that any other cool box would allow for bait to be kept in such pristine condition for any serious amount of time. Not one that I’ve seen, anyway.
The SeaGreen certainly is the king of cool boxes, it’s a well engineered product that will go above and beyond when it comes to taking care of your bait and if you’re a serious angler who has spent thousands on rods, reels and accessories, this is but a small investment that will see a huge improvement to your angling in practical terms.