Norgie M2 Cool/Hot-box

[littlebiglane]

I just got hold of a supergrade one (about £25) and I have used it for three days of warm weather. Its a great piece of kit, robust, insulates alot better than some commercial budget models I have used, its built like a tank and is a useful seat. Gets the thumbs up from me.

Luckily where I got it from is getting some more hand-picked supergrades in so I might have to get another since at 18 litres I could do with some extra space. Having two may be easier to pack and manage too.

Thanks for putting me onto them.

LBL

Toddy, the British Army "Norwegian" hot/cold box is well worth the money. These things are built like a battleship. They will keep frozen food frozen for 3 to 5 days and cool and fresh for at least a week. Good for keeping beer cold, or just filling with ice. They make a good camp stool too.

They are also heat proof, they can be used for keeping hot things hot for a long time. That's more useful than it sounds. They have a big spring clamp on the lid which keeps em water/air tight and are designed to also carry and dispense boiling liquids. The British Army use em to fill with soup, tea and coffee and then transport it in bulk out to the lads. The lids of the Norwegian even have a tap for this purpose.

You can pick em up for £15 to £20 in used condition. But beware, the inside of the box is cream coloured and the used ones have almost all got very heavy staining from British Army teabags and Army issue curry powder.

It's rare to see em for sale in unissued condition and if you do see em, they are usually quite a bit more expensive.

This is typical of the issued ones...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRITISH-ARMY-...Collectables_Militaria_LE?hash=item5191f26822

The recess in the lid is for a ladle, which is often missing on the surplus boxes. They are also issued with 2 matching 10 litre tupperware inserts per box, which are also often missing or in poor condition.

If you're interested and plan to use it for food, then TBH I'd pony up for one like this...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-BRITISH-A...Collectables_Militaria_LE?hash=item3a59221f47

The only caution I would give is that they are pretty heavy even empty and if stuffed with ice, drinks and frozen stuff then they become a serious lump to carry.

 

[Shewie]

Has Kev got them in LBL ?

 

[littlebiglane]

Now that would be telling

 

[MrEd]

i did an experiment with mine and filled it with food and went camoing for 2 days in wales, i put a thermometer in it that had the readout on the outside and it stayed at around +3c for the whole 2 days with just ice blocks for cooling. cracking bit of kit........

 

[dave53]

hi guys cant find it regards dave

 

[MrEd]

hi guys cant find it regards dave

huh? cant find one?

here is an ebay one with liners for a reasonable price
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MILITARY-COLD...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5193fc8c81

whatever one you get give it a good soak in milton and dismantle it as much as you can and it will be like new

 

[nolightweight]

Anchor Supplies at Ripley (Derbyshire) and Nottingham have them in. No mail order though.

Edit: Just had a look at their website and it does mention delivery. I'd ring and check first.

Hope that helps.

 

[littlebiglane]

The place I got mine will be getting some in soon. Supergrade apparently. They do mail order. I'll let everyone know when these stocks arrives. But it will be one or two weeks I expect.

 

[Humpback]

Anchor Supplies at Ripley (Derbyshire) and Nottingham have them in. No mail order though.

Edit: Just had a look at their website and it does mention delivery. I'd ring and check first.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for this thread LBL
Thanks too to Nolightweight. I called the Nottingham branch and have just fetched one without staining for £35 including ladle and all bits which now sits soaking in Milton after only needing a light clean.
They have a dozen in total ranging from £15 to £65 in what looks like unmarked unissued condition. Its nice to be able to examine before purchase.

When its sterilised and put back together I shall compare its performance to my large Coleman extreme which keeps ice all week but takes up to much room in my canoe! They look bomb proof, as has been stated so hope the cooling performance is similar.
Alan

 

[TinkyPete]

I have one and I find them bomb proof great for hot and cold stuff and I have been using them for years

I was chuffed when I finally got my own

 

[littlebiglane]

I have had a Coleman Ultimate Extreme and it performs much better than the Norgie. But this does not make it a bad performer by any means - the Ultimate Extreme can keep things cold/frozen for 6 days! I would put the Norgie at best performance (pre-chilling box plus addition of frozen goods, minimal opening and minimal re-filling with warmer items) at c.3, maybe 4 days at a push in UK summer conditions.

 

[Humpback]

That would be about right from my scientific tests this weekend I put four cheap ice blocks in an empty Norgie at room temp 21C. The blocks reduced this to 4C. Over the weekend the temp rose by 0.16C per hour average (without opening the box).
So 3 days should be reasonable with the box pre-chilled and full of stuff.
I shall try it out for real with a few days worth of supplies next weekend.
My box scrubbed up nicely too.

 

[SCOMAN]

Just bought one recently from Anchor supplies for my Outer Hebrides exped, not a great version but after a severe scrub, dishwashing and Miltoning it's looking great. I even got the old sticky tape stuff off the outside. I enquired about them new from a company called Hawkmoor (they had a sticker on the one I got) near Devon and they charge £429! And I thought I'd overpaid from Anchor! there is one on sale on ebay here ending v soon

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....117401&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_584wt_1102

Not connected to seller etc

 

[JohnC]

Nooo, I was hoping my bid would last undetected.....

 

[SCOMAN]

Ooops sorry buddy

 

[JohnC]

That's ok, I won it... Only posting tounge in cheek about detected bids etc.. I'll see how we get on with t he cleaning etc.

 

[SCOMAN]

A good scrub and Milton fluid as recommended on here seems to have worked for me. I was slightly concerned that it smelt really strongly of Milton when I dried it but it seems to have gone now after an airing.

 

[greenwood]

any one know where i can get some of these?

 

[peaks]

Try Anchor Supplies - http://www.anchorsupplies.com/

 

[Dave]

After doing some research amongst the sea fishing community I recently got one of these:

Looking a bit dated now, but cost over £200 a few years back. Going for less than £90 now.

It can keep ice frozen for 5 days and nights in 90 degree heat. So even longer in typical british summer weather.
Perfect for keeping sea bass fresh for a few days, or taking 'fresh' on your canoe trips..