Though these won't last you an entire week in the desert (unless you chill the cooler and its contents beforehand combined with mostly ice), it is an excellent option for weekend trips or day excursions. By the time the cubes were entirely gone on Monday night, with outdoor temps falling into the mid-70s, the air temperature in each had risen to the low 40-degree range: 42.4 for the Yeti and 44.8 for the RTIC. All of our products are labeled or marked with their country of origin. That said, it's also just a bit larger outside. This feat is made even more impressive by all the bouncing you'll be doing with the enormous wheels over debris on your way to the party. 49-$178.00 $ 178. And with motocross-style rubber handles located on the edges of the sides of the wide trolley handle, it's clear that this product is designed with the user in mind. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Pack a bag, fill a cooler, and get on out there. Free Customization on Yonder Water Bottles, advice on which cooler is best suited for you, questions you'll have when comparing YETI hard coolers, how to handle and use dry ice in YETI Hard Sided Coolers, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Still, you could purchase three or four of these coolers for the same price as some of the competition, and it works to keep your goods cold for days. All trademarks property of their respective owners The most crucial aspect of any wheeled model is how easily it gets you there, which the RovR does spectacularly. Welcome back, we're happy you're here. Because of the large number of variables, as well as the lack of an industry standard for measuring ice retention, claims that place a definite time (5, 10, 14 days) are often based on testing conditions and not real-life situations. By Saturday afternoon (20:00), they were dead even, at a still frigid 34.5 degrees each, and by Monday afternoon (64:23), when it was a scorching 97 degrees on the stone patio, they'd each climbed to 43.9 degrees for the Yeti, and 44.5 for the RTIC. The RTIC has a soft foam handle to help ease the pain of carrying this relatively large, fully-loaded cooler. Ice chests. Best Overall: Yeti Hopper Flip 18 Insulated Cooler at Amazon Jump to Review Best Wheeled: Igloo Trailmate Journey 70-quart Cooler at Amazon Jump to Review Best Tote: Hydro Flask 20 L Tote. A low and long model is easy to find things in but harder for one person to carry. 2023 YETI COOLERS, LLC. It walls off all of the air permeability and adds a thick blanket that prevents heat from penetrating, maintaining the cold ecosystem inside the cooler, no matter what's happening beyond its walls.RTIC came along a bit later (and got sued by Yeti for copying its process a bit too closely), but both brands are working along similar, scientifically proven lines. Ultimately, the person who knows best about which YETI hard cooler you should buy is, well, you. Create an account now and enjoy awesome benefits. Yeti Yonder Review: I Tried the Non-Insulated Water Bottle - Field & Stream Still, we wanted a setup that was pretty much worst-case: You're out on that boat in the ocean or parked at a National Park campground, and there's strong, consistent solar exposure. It also has indents to accept cross-lashing of ratchet or other strapping, too. Personalize his gift with one of our limited edition designs. Tumblers are sized to fit in standard sized cup holders 14 Best Coolers and Cooler Bags in 2022 | HGTV When it comes to high durability and above-average insulation and usability, the Ultralight 52 is a fantastic example of a high-value item. You know that exhale-like "gasp" that a fridge makes when you open it? This bear-resistant box provides top-notch insulation and superb usability, making it our team's go-to companion for longer trips. And if you are so inclined to make additional purchases, the RovR can be mounted to the back of your bicycle like a tiny, ice-filled wagon. Free Gear Friday: Win a Backpacking Pack and Tent From Mountain Equipment Company, Build It and They Will Ride: New Adaptive MTB Trails Open Up the Sport, Bike First, Electric Second: Velotric Thunder 1 ST E-Bike Review, Patagonia Sues Nordstrom, Alleges Counterfeit Clothing Sold at Rack Stores. Let us know! The RTIC Ultralight 52 has nearly everything you could want from a cooler. The rugged Roadie has a beefy, integrated hinge, and the sturdy rotomolded exterior protects contents from the trials of all your outdoor adventures. Every hard cooler we make is over-engineered and built to outperform. A combination of low weight, small size, and large carrying handles help make this possible. If you don't often need a small ice chest, we think the Igloo BMX 25 is a better value for your money, but if your cooler comes with you everywhere and needs to be the best and withstand the most, there's no other personal icebox we'd recommend more for the task than the rugged Yeti Roadie 24. DayTrip Insulated Lunch Box Regular price $109.95 Sale price $109.95 Unit price / per . Every product is carefully selected by our editors. On top of that, we added a layer of loose ice, followed by 21 beers and non-boozy soda in the Yeti, and 24 in the RTIC, with a mixture of tallboys and 12-ouncers. Still, several have unfortunately paired this with a large lip or other obstruction that then stops your drainage progress before it's 100% complete. Customized Hard Coolers and Rambler Drinkware are a game-day must-have. Small size? Though the number of backpack-style soft coolers has continued to increase, this one is the only one we truly find comfortable to carry for serious and longer distance hikes. Built ultra comfortable and with a waterproof layer to repel whatever comes its way. A Rambler 36-ounce bottle acts as a mini cooler (or insulator) and keeps your beverages at the ideal temp. To help you find the right model, we tease apart performance differences between contenders, implementing specific tests spanning five exhaustive, mutually exclusive metrics. The 10 Best Yeti Cooler Alternatives That Are CheaperBut Just as Good I own. Built ultra comfortable and with a waterproof layer to repel whatever comes its way. YETI Tundra Cooler: The ultimate all-purpose cooler comes in a variety of sizes to fit all your outdoor needs. Custom collegiate coolers for grads ready to hit lifes rugged roads. It's also narrow enough for a single person to load into a truck. True to our word, Tundra and Roadie Hard Coolers are built with up to three inches of polyurethane foam insulation, combined with a freezer-style sealing gasket to ensure a design conducive to ice retention. From being thrown into vehicles, dropped from waist height, jumped on by a 200 lb tester, dragged across hot surfaces, yanked on, jerked around, and otherwise abused, these chests have seen it all. After years of regular use, this durably constructed soft-sided model looks and works just about the same as the day we first bought it. This lower-priced (yet over-performing) model has been handily getting the job done for weekends full of summer fun, all while being kind to the wallet. We gauged how easy each cooler was to open and close whether or not the lid fully shut after closing, latch maneuverability, ease of loading, capacity, and if it included any convenient features like dry bins. The market for ice chests continues to grow over the years, resulting in some extremely close competition and hard-fought rivalries. Offer valid until 6/30/2023 at 11:59 P.M. CT. Exclusions apply.See details. This indicates the freezer-grade gasket lid doesn't actually seal shut. Bike attachment (sold separately) is seriously awesome. Cooler in Winter? 3 Ways to Get More From Your YETI Gear That's awesome; it means that if you've got a power failure at home when it's not hot, you could rely on either model to prevent food rot. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. Other features that are still useful but are more specific to certain styles of use received lower scores. Yet, because it's so small (relatively speaking), we hardly miss those extra features. Maelstrom Cooler Backpack,35 Can Backpack Cooler Leakproof,Insulated Soft Cooler Bag,Camping Cooler,Beach Cooler,Ice Chest Backpack,Lightweight Travel Cooler Lunch Backpack for Hiking,Shopping (1817) $39.99 . Welcome back, we're happy you're here. You'll find like-new items at reduced prices. This, along with her never ending love for the outdoors, gives her the necessary skills to create honest and trustworthy gear reviews. It offers some of the coldest achievable temperatures and above-average insulation. This cooler also includes two drain spigots. Of course, the internal dimensions and capacity also make a big difference in what you can bring with you in your icebox and how many extra bags and boxes you'll need to bring along. Provide your account email address to receive an email to reset your password. If you spend enough time car or van camping, you might consider upgrading from the old ice chest to a powered cooler that uses the energy from your vehicle or camper to keep things cold exactly like your fridge at home might. . While we can't control how much you plan on throwing in the cooler, it was noticeably lighter than the competition when empty. Chances are, you own a vacuum-insulated coffee mug. The Igloo IMX's wire basket is a tighter wire weave, which helps keep smaller items contained. Put good gear back to great use with barely used and slightly bruised coolers and cargo. This review is led by Senior Review Editors Maggie Nichols and Genaveve Bradshaw. Hydro Flask Vs. Yeti: Who Makes the Better Bottle? Plus, a . While competitors may point to this as a downside (more maintenance, the potential for flats, etc. Customize your Yonder Water Bottle in color and we'll cover the cost. The corners unclip, allowing the top to open quite far for swift loading and locating items. The Tundra 65 boasts one of the most impressive performances out of any cooler we tested. Even after regular use over several years, the Tundra 65 performs just as well as the day we bought it. YETI: Founded in 2006 by brothers Roy and Ryan Seiders out of Texas, YETI was built upon a single guiding principle to design and build the ultimate everyday cooler. It's a simple design that does what it's meant to do. This review covers 18 of the top ice chests available today. It's our favorite personal model, but it's not perfect. Camp-Zero coolers are a solid and affordable alternative to YETI coolers, especially when you're looking at the smaller models. The Roadie 24 has a flexible webbing strap that more comfortably facilitates an over-the-forearm carry. But its an interesting statement from the brand that pushes the bar on cooler manufacturing. (One way to avoid that is to make a map of the content locations and duct tape it to the lid of the cooler; that way, you can open, grab, and shut.). Its taller, narrower shape is also more comfortable for a single person to carry from the car to the beach. In 2006, YETI Coolers was founded with a simple mission: build a cooler that you could use every day if it existed. Does it Fit a Wine or 2L Bottle Standing Upright? In general, we gave higher scores to more universally useful features, such as a tether for the drain plug (so you don't lose it), internal baskets or dividers to keep your food fresh, and the ability to hold dry ice, which extends the cooling capacity. This cooler has been rigorously tested and has shown an impressive ability to stay below 40 degrees for eight days. GearLab is reader-supported. Amazon.com: YETI Hopper Flip 8 Portable Cooler, Charcoal : Sports Arrive is our third-party partner for resale. On the flip side, one that's too narrow and tall is easier to carry but harder to locate items that have wormed their way to the bottom. Checkout the unique features of some of the top YETI cooler styles. Discover the stories from our best days out. We've tested over 40 coolers since 2016 in search of the best, most well insulated models. Not once did this beefy cooler leak while being toppled around. The Coleman Xtreme, Cabela Polar Cap, and Pelican coolers have leashes attaching their drain plugs to the body of the chest. Tundra Haul Wheeled Cooler. Feeling fancy? Mid-sized model insulation performance, comparing results of our rigorous insulation testing in units with capacities from 35 to 54 quarts. An old-school look with revolutionary cold-holding tech. However, this is just speculation and not something we witnessed during our extensive testing. The Orca 40 is one of our favorite medium-capacity contenders. Basically, the manufacturer sucks the air almost completely out of the space between the two walls of the vessel in this case, a cooler. The webbing top handle is a bit short. But they're both bulky and heavy. Unlike the rubber latches of many of their competitors that you stretch into place, Pelican's latches are a simple push design, featuring a release button in the middle that 'unlocks' the lid, allowing you to lift the latch away from the body and raise the top. The reason both RTIC and Yeti, whose coolers cost hundreds of dollars, even have a reasonable business model is that if you're going anyplace where buying ice will be impossible (a river trip; an off-road adventure; out in the ocean for a few days of sailing) a craptastic cooler is a surefire recipe for warm beer and spoiled grub. The average daily temperatures hovered around 90 degrees, and where the sun was relentlessly overhead for about six hours, from 10 am to 4 pm. The Polar Cap is a massive cooler that can be a bit cumbersome to move around but makes up for it with its unbeatable durability. That said, many manufacturers offer some exceptionally handy add-ons that, should you choose to purchase them, can easily turn a product into your perfect hunting companion, tailgating buddy, or camping friend. Shop Now LIMITED EDITION Next Roadie 24 Hard Cooler $250.00 Add to Bag LIMITED EDITION Personalize his gift with one of our limited edition designs. Every time we've used it over the past several years, it seems to pick up numerous extra scratches and dirt, though it still works the same. Nov 3, 2022,12:57pm EDT Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The Stanley and Yeti brands have their own cult followings, and when put head-to-head, people have thoughts. After golfing a true links course, Pro Surfer and Ambassador Mick Fanning knows why Irish guides are smiling. We wish it had exterior pockets. Yeti says it can hold up to 28 cans of refreshing malt beverage. The lid also accommodates ratchet straps, which, if you're going 4x4'ing, is a must your contents might be shaken, but they'll stay inside the cooler and inside your rig. All in all, this big cooler bag is our favorite thanks to excellent insulation and great features like rounded handles and a removable bottle opener. 11 Best Yeti Cooler Alternatives 2020 | The Strategist - New York Magazine No ads. Yes, this part required a bit of eye-balling to get a fair battle (since the RTIC holds more than the Yeti), but the goal was a two-can mid-layer of liquid refreshment in each cooler. Even after several years of use, the Tundra 65's latches are virtually the same as the first day we bought the cooler. Meanwhile, outside, each day blazed above 90. It also attaches to the side of the interior with a simple hand screw, which means it won't move during transit like all the other baskets are wont to do. By entering your email address you agree to receive marketing messages from YETI. We also only ranked contenders based on the features they come with and not on all the accessories you could choose to purchase for an additional charge. Not once did this impressive cooler leak, and it gave an impressive performance when rolled around and jumped on. Yeti's Beloved Double-Wall, Vacuum-Insulated Rambler Mug Is on Sale in It also lacks a rubber gasket around the top or lid. 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,849. (That person might even proceed to drink one on the ride, even though it's 5:30 am). The Tundra 65 is a reasonable weight for its size, and its low profile makes the last beverage easy to find. Whether you have a type of ice chest in mind or are just browsing for an upcoming camping trip, youll find something worth the investment and one thatll last you season after season in the wild. Both models are rotomolded with freezer-style gaskets designed to keep cold air in and hot air out. The V. YETI vs. RTIC: Which Cooler Is Better? | HiConsumption We love the Pelican's easy to use latches. 25+ Gift Ideas for the Outdoorsman in Your Life, The Best Sun Shirts for UV Protection Outdoors. The Yeti Tundra 45 comes in six colors and is made of rotomolded plastic with injected polyurethane foam insulation infused into extra-thick, three-inch walls. Best value: Coleman 316 Series Insulated Portable Cooler; Best splurge: BrMate BrTank Rolling Cooler; 6 Best Lunch Coolers and Lunch Bags of 2023 - Reviewed Up against models that are three or four times its price, the Coleman Xtreme 70 holds its own. We are so genuinely impressed by this rolling icebox's portability that we hardly even notice or mind its heavier initial weight. Beyond that, here are a few best practices for keeping ice longer in your cooler. They're big enough to bring everything you need without being so big that they require two people to lift them out of the car. While the Cabela Polar Cap 80 boasts impressive features, there are some areas where it falls short. The Cabela Polar Cap 80 takes one of the top spots in our insulation tests with temperatures lasting below 40 F for eight days. We then dumped out that first load of ice, and as Yeti suggests, lined the floor of each with chemical ice packs.