Ozark Trail 73-Quart & 26-Quart High Performance Roto-Molded Coolers - "Real World" Test

Appears Ansuo might be the actual manufacturer.

http://jxlefu.en.made-in-china.com/...ce-Cooler-Box-Fishing-Ice-Box-ANSUO-50L-.html

 

all i know is my cheap ass igloos suck ass. went camping with 2 of them friday, came home sat night, unloaded them sunday am. very little ice left in one, cold water in the other. in the market for something better, deciding on size, 50 or 70

 

I'm in for a group buy if anyone sets one up. haha

 

I know, right! At $82 a piece for 10+...just wonder how much more shipping would be after FOB.

 

They also make a 75 quart which is a much more useful size.

 

Ozark Trail Replacement Parts

 

I was in gander mountain over the weekend they are using this as their house brand coolers......

 

The 70L is available, for only slightly more:

http://jxlefu.en.made-in-china.com/...ulated-Cooler-Box-Fishing-Box-ANSUO-70L-.html

 

As much as I love my yeti I want a K2 20 to keep in my truck and beat up. I was just on their site and they have a scratch and dent section that's awesome! 216 for a 150qt on there

 

And 100s and 120s. And what I really need is a 120. Woohoo!
http://www.made-in-china.com/produc...&order=0&isOpenCorrection=1&word=Ansuo+cooler

 

Find A Store

• Weekly Ad
• Gander Mtn Mastercard
• Gift Cards
• Help Center

• Log In
• Register

• Apparel
• Footwear
• Guns
• Shooting
• Hunting
• Archery
• Camping
• Fishing
• Boating
• Home & Gifts
• Sale & Clearance

Home >Boating >Cabin, Galley & Exterior >Cabin & Galley >Coolers


ROLL ON TO ZOOM IN
VIEW LARGER

• ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 3.7 out of 5 stars. Read reviews.
  3.7
  
  (7)
  
  
  Key Features
  
  • Thick polyurethane insulation
    
    
  • Refrigeration D-seal for maximum ice retention
    
    
  • Lid lock integrated hinge
    
    
  • 2" drain plug
    
    
  • 5-year 100% guarantee
    
    
    Our Price $349.99
    Rebate Available
    Perma Chill 70L $75 Giftcard
    Good Through 6/4/2016
    Availability: Backordered
    Expected back in stock 06/06/2016
    
    
    Quantity
    FIND IN STORE
    
    ADD TO WISH LIST
    
    
    Prices, promotions, styles and availability may vary by store and online.
    

 

Another Ozark Trail cooler forum review, including flashlight gap test:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...il-quot-High-Performance-quot-cooler-any-good

Also, it does appear Gander Mtn is the go-to place for parts:

http://www.gandermountain.com/search/PermaChill Cooler

 

It makes enough difference that it's worth it. The mass of the cooler insulation is part of why it works so well. It doesn't have to be difficult - fill a couple 2 liter bottles or gallon drinking water jugs 2/3 full with water and toss in the deep freeze. The night before you pack up, toss them in the cooler. When you're ready to pack, pull them out and toss them back in the deep freeze.

Ice temperature actually makes a big difference as well. Maybe a bigger difference than pre-cooling. I try to pull bags out of the back or less-used side of the ice machine at the gas station. Hard, cold ice works much better than the warmer stuff exposed to the air every time someone reaches in to grab a bag. Lots of people think ice is the same temperature as long as it's solid. It's not.

 

Sounds to me like minitruck needs to use a cooler for longer than a tailgating party. Unless his tailgaters last a week.

I've prechilled coolers two different ways. If you can find dry ice put a couple big pieces high in the cooler on wood blocks. I don't know if the wooden blocks are necessary but I didn't want to risk cracking the coolers. The other way is to fill the cooler with ice and water then add a lot of salt to make a brine. The ice itself will melt and of course doesnt get any colder but the water temperature will super cool to the temperature of the ice (-5F to -18F depending on where you get the ice) instead of remaining around 33F. All that super cold water in contact with the cooler will drive the temperature right down.

Then, of courss, prechill or freeze everything you can before loading the cooler.

 

Precooling is necessary (or at least very helpful) on these type coolers because they aren't "coolers", they're insulators. Like a thermos if they have hot inside they'll try to keep it hot. Therefor if you put ice inside a hot rotomolded cooler it will do its absolute best to melt that ice. Pre cooling will prevent the ice you're putting in from having to cool the "cooler" so it will do the job you want it to do (keep stuff cold).

To the OP, no I meant a general person reading my reply, not you personally. No offense intended. At all. I do a poor job reading the printed word I write in anything other than my own viewpoint. What sounds perfectly reasonable to me may (probably does) sound like the braying of a jackass. Sorry about that.

Thank you for taking the time to do this test AND relating it to us. Another forum I belong to has a long standing feud running between the "name" purchasers of outdoor gear (be it coolers, trucks, guns, scopes) and the "working class hero" guys who spend their money MUCH more conservatively. I probably let some of my feelings from those conversations bleed over into my posts here without the requisite background that would temper the reactions to my words.

 

Yeah I I think I get it now. Just a crazy concept to me I guess. I'm used to putting ice in the cooler and going. Not preping it the night before and then putting shit in the cooler the next day

 

Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't sure what your intents were and that's what makes it so difficult with the written/typed word...the lack of emotion (facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, etc.). I even had to tone down my initial response to you as well because after rereading it, I sounded like an ass which isn't what I was trying to do.

Thanks for your contributions to the thread and assisting others make an informed decision with their hard earned money. After the findings here as well as input from others who own "the competitions" products, I'm not entirely sure which direction I'll be going myself.

 

Walmart online still "out of stock" on these coolers. I have to admit, I don't need a $200 cooler but if it works as well as a $500 cooler...I'm in.

 

@JimboAnz I have a Pelican 35- made in USA with lifetime warranty.

 

End of Day 7

The 73 was done around 5pm today which is when I took the second pic. There were a couple stray ice cubes but not enough to make a difference. I'll wrap this test up with a summary post and put all the info in it either tonight or tomorrow. Thank you everybody who participated and/or followed along!

Morning:


Now (5pm):