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You may know a polar bear tube is a PVC pipe with water inside it and the ends sealed. You store them in the freezer and put them in your cooler when it’s time to go. They are a reusable, space-saving, high-efficiency, no-mess solution to keeping your food cold while camping. You can make SUPER polar bear tubes by adding ½ cup salt per gallon to the water in those tubes. The salted water freezes at a lower temperature so the ice in the tubes lasts longer.
To make your own Polar Bear Tubes, measure the internal dimensions of your cooler and determine if you want the tubes to run the long way or the short way in the cooler – you may want some of each. Also measure the internal dimensions of the freezer where you’ll store the tubes when not in the cooler! You want them to fit easily in the freezer, too.
Cut PVC tubes one inch shorter than the length you measured. Use either 1 ½-inch or 2-inch PVC pipe. Remember, the larger the mass of the ice inside the tube, the longer it will last, so larger tubes will stay cool longer than smaller ones.
With an appropriate sized cap and PVC cement, seal one end of the tube. Follow directions on the cement for drying time, then fill the tube just over ¾ full (80 percent is about right) with salted water. The empty space allows expansion of the freezing water without breaking the tube. A mix of ½ cup salt per gallon of water will result in a solution just a bit more salty than seawater. It will freeze at about 28 F rather than 32 F.
Carefully seal the open end with cap and allow to the cement to cure with the tube standing upright so the water doesn’t reach the cement. Decorate the tubes anyway you see fit. Make them unique, because you want to keep track of your SUPER tubes. Once the cement is cured, put the tubes in your freezer, and they will be ready for your next outing.
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