YES, even the kind of ice and how much you store impacts cold retention within a cooler. Don't underestimate the items that keep your drinks cold, as how they are formed distinguishes each one in keeping cool. Crushed Ice: The MOST readily available version of ice from any convenience store to a major supermarket. Their biggest advantage is that crushed ice can quickly get between your food and drinks for quick and efficient cooling. However, crushed ice is the easiest and fastest to melt among the kinds of ice. It would require you to restock your ice within the cooler daily, depending on how long your use is. Blocks of Ice: Blocks of ice are much MORE robust and take much longer to melt compared to crushed ice. However, these take up much more space around your cooler and don't conform to your food and drinks. These kinds of ice are best used with crushed ice to mitigate their disadvantages when used within a large cooler for efficient cold retention. Packs of Ice: If you are concerned about restocking, ice packs are a reliable option for your ice-related needs. Most big brands have their own takes on ice packs for their unique product lines without having to drain ice water repeatedly. However, they can be rather pricey and need refreezing when they begin to lose their chill, a major downside for camping and trekking trips for several days. Dry Ice: The final option to use is dry ice. The main component of dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide, which has NO WATER within it to melt. Dry ice is formed directly from a solid state to a gaseous state. Dry ice can be dangerous when touched without protection from heavy gloves. They also don't last long in the first place, and most coolers aren't made to handle dry ice.