Camping Cooler Recomendations

RTIC for the win. They put them on sale all the time.

 

For day outings and an occasional three day camping trip , 45-65 qts will be adequate. If you'll be carrying food as well as beverages, get one with a basket (two baskets are better). Get a brand that has spare parts (hinges, latches, handles, drains) readily available. If you go with a rotomolded unit, this is less critical because the hardware is typically much more robust in these. Still, I would prefer a brand with reliable aftermarket support. I don't like wheeled coolers but don't have a need to move one around after its loaded very much either. Because of the way I carry my cooler, I prefer a drain on the right side and one that can be emptied by attaching a garden hose - may not be important to you. Tie down points are critical if it will be carried in the truck bed as is the ability to secure it with a cable lock. Non-skid pads are nice - I keep one of mine (73 qt Ozark Trail) in the bed at all times and I'm often repositioning it depending on cargo needs. Do you camp in bear country? If yes, then definitely go rotomolded and one that is Grizzly Bear certified (to keep the rangers happy).

My Coleman Xtremes served me well for many years and I still use them from time to time but now prefer one of my rotomolded models but because of durability more than ice retention. I would not go rotomolded for anything smaller than 40 qts - too much trade off in size, weight and cost for capacity. What brand rotomolded? I have a 73 qt and a 110 qt Ozark Trail, a 45 qt Pelican and a 20 qt Yeti. The OT's were given to me for testing when I was on their Consumer Evaluation team and the Yeti was also free (from my brother because of the capacity vs size and weight thing). The OT's are a good value but not quite of the same quality as the mid and upper level rotomolded offerings. RTIC's seem to get mostly good reviews but are pricier than the OTs. Bison makes the best tumbler I've used - no experience with their coolers. If cost were no object, I'd recommend Pelican because their latch system is so much better than anything else I've used. Warranty may or may not be important if you have to pay freight both ways to get it repaired or replaced.

 

Thanks for all the feedback guys!

 

I was in the same position a couple weeks ago, and I found this piece pretty helpful.

This quote sums it up nicely - "Most people do not need a roto-molded cooler. They’re big. They’re heavy. They carry less than other coolers the same size because of the amount of insulation they’re packed with. In short, they’re impractical for most pedestrian needs—a fact that has stopped absolutely none of us from buying them in record numbers."

I ended up going with the $47 Coleman 70QT, and now I have an extra $200 to spend on beer, ice, firewood, etc ... no regrets!

 

Yeti. Worth the $. No Rtic isnt the same.

Only thing better than a Yeti is a fridge setup.

 

Great information and food for thought

 

Another alternative to YETI that has worked quite well for me is oddly enough from Monoprice

https://www.monoprice.com/Product?p_id=31232&seq=1&format=2

 

Yes I love the Igloo brand as the per-pound efficient cooler, mine was in the $80 range. It's perfect in Alaska's low-high temp ranges, keeps the ice for about 5-6 days. If anyone is interested I can take a pic, but I couldn't find the model number easily. Mine is about the same model as this, just diff color scheme

 

I’ve been scouring too- the lifetime brand beat the Yeti in several different tests. I’m going lifetime 55 for 97.00

 

https://youtu.be/l-cNBKA75O8

 

I ended up buying the Lifetime today. It’s big.

 

I have the same one. It's worked well for me for the past 2 seasons.

 

I went with Canyon Coolers. Been in shootouts with Yeti and they are less than half the price. Plus they have a lifetime, no questions asked warranty. Bonus to me is they are based in AZ, so I like to support the local business.

https://canyoncoolers.com/products/outfitter-55

 

I'm not sure how many of you on this forum know this about Yeti, but Yeti is a vocal about being anti- second amendment. They are in favor of taking everyones gun rights away. I was told this seconds before buying one and I ended up buying an Orca. I am very pleased with the Orca and they are not against gun rights.

 

I dont remember the sizing off the top of my head but I have a large RTIC that I love and use for parties and activities with friends. I found a medium Yeti on sale so I grabbed it and I use it more often just because of its size. I will say that RTIC and Yeti have very similar qualities, and if I needed another cooler I would probably by RTIC.

But do yourself a favor and buy a Yeti Colster. These can holders seriously keep your soda/beer cold for hours. I have been seriously impressed with the colster.

 

The all new Rtic 52 arrived today! It came with a basket and divider that doubles as an ice pack. Stoked to get to use it this weekend on a short camping trip!

 

Thinkin this is a Canadian only brand but for those looking for a somewhat cheaper top quality option this Kailani brand created in my home province is pretty wicked. https://kailanisports.com
Went with the 45QT model. Took it camping Friday night and left the ice in it from getting back on Sunday, still ice cold with a chunk of ice in it and it's late Wednesday.