Making the case for adding a cooler to your kayak trailer

submitted by Steven Carroll 

Cold drinks, secure food, and fresh bait are some of the reasons why someone would consider adding a cooler to their kayak trailer. For me it started out wanting to keep my frozen baits fresh for fishing, but I found so many other benefits once I really started to utilize everything the Orion cooler had to offer. First and foremost was ensuring that my investment would not be stolen while fishing, and I found that the corners of the Orion provided the perfect mounting bracket for routing a 5/16”x18” J-Hook around which bolts into the trailer frame below. This provided the security I was looking for while also ensuring the cooler could not possibly come off on the highway while still allowing me to open the lid whenever I needed. The four corners also provide bottle openers which has been quite the nice touch especially after a long warm day on the river.

Adding the cooler to my trailer tongue required a 3ft tongue extension which was easy enough to do with a welder but could have easily been accomplished with a “break-away” tongue adapter which can be picked up online relatively cheap. The tongue extension alone was worth the upgrade since lengthening the trailer improved handling tenfold. I’ve found that the Orion’s lid padding makes a great tabletop for everything from preparing food or staging gear at the perfect working height. This makes tying on new leaders and lures at the ramp a breeze. Having an additional tabletop is extremely helpful especially when getting ready to launch for an early morning tournament.

The Orion cooler came with a side mounted cup holder which easily holds my Hydroflask or other drinks without getting in the way of the lid opening. This is one of those things that you really learn you simply cannot live without once you start using it. So far, I’ve put close to three thousand miles on the trailer with the cooler mounted and I’ve not had a single issue with either the cooler or the trailer which is important since I’m often driving though rough terrain to access my favorite fishing spots.

The single largest benefit of adding a cooler to the trailer has been the accessibility, I no longer worry about lugging a bulky cooler in and out of my rig whenever I need access since it’s exactly where I need it all the time. I simply swing by the grocery store and load up with ice and food stuffs and head out for a full weekend on the river without straining my back. The Orion cooler has been built tough and it shows with the robust hardware and the durable shell which also adds a stylish touch. If I’m ever worried about someone getting into my cooler while I’m away I can also simply throw a keyed lock onto one of the corners and have peace of mind on the water. If you’re working through a kayak trailer build of your own, then you should seriously consider adding an Orion cooler as well.