We are just looking for enough ice retention to be serviceable at this price bracket. As with all soft coolers, you shouldn’t leave the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler out in the sun or resting on very hot surfaces like the back of a pickup truck or on top of a picnic table for a long time. Although the exterior of the cooler is made of a durable, thickly coated nylon—waterproof and tough—the sun and heat will degrade the material and slowly wear it out. It has taken us a few years to recommend a wheeled cooler simply because none have seemed built to last longer than a season or two—especially in the handle.
Most major brands have their own designs that work well in their coolers, and the best part is that you can use them repeatedly without ever having to drain melted ice. That said, ice packs are fairly expensive (YETI’s range from $15 to $30 depending on size) and require refreezing once they lose their coldness, which limits practicality for longer trips. Most of the hard-sided coolers on our list have drainage systems to help you empty out water once your ice has melted. Typically, this comes in the form of a screw-on or pop-off cap at the base of the cooler—simply take it off and let the water pour out.
This metric is also the source of many extraordinary claims from manufacturers. From models with “5-Day” in the name to stickers boasting up to 16 days of ice retention, it seems that just about every product out there will knock your socks off. While all these things will help extend the life of your ice and, therefore, the freshness of your food, it’s unlikely that every consumer will follow these stipulations for each use. So we tested these coolers the way that we, and most consumers, would use them. We bought some ice, filled each model about ⅓ full, and put a mixture of cold and room temperature cans in them. Then we simulated a hot summer trip by sealing them in a heated room for over a week while tracking and recording each unit’s internal temperature.
In the event you wish to send a product back to us, you may return most unused items for a
refund or exchange, minus shipping, within 90 days from the date of purchase unless noted below under
exceptions and exclusions. Refunds are issued to the original form of payment, unless returned in store
where some exclusions may apply. In the event you wish to send a product back to us, you may return most unused items for a refund or exchange, minus coleman ice chest shipping, within 90 days from the date of purchase unless noted below under exceptions and exclusions. Refunds are issued to the original form of payment, unless returned in store where some exclusions may apply. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves.
The RTIC models have visually similar rubber latches that are much more flexible. As such, they are easy to use, lacking the stiff stubbornness of many other latches. Still, more flexible rubber might have a shorter lifespan than denser rubber, though we haven’t had an issue after using coleman sundome these products. The Igloo IMX 70qt is similar, with exceptionally flexible, soft, easy-to-use latches, also giving us pause about how well they’ll hold up through years of use and UV exposure. However, this is just speculation and not something we witnessed during our extensive testing.
I just wanted to see how two coolers I already owned stacked up against each other under normal usage conditions. After the 6th day, the Yeti joined the Coleman Xtreme and was all out of ice as well. This combination of shade and sun is typical of what you might run into if you have a cooler with you out camping.
From picnics in the park to beach BBQs, we carted these models everywhere we went to learn which models were most portable and enjoyable to use. We also went through hundreds of pounds of ice and frosty cans in our rigorous insulation tests. Whether you’re setting out on a road trip or a hunting trip, we can help you choose your perfect icebox. These coolers are in the budget tier and even then are sometimes on sale where they can dip to an extremely affordable price.
Attachment is easy, and the flexible, pivoting arm allows for freedom of bike movement and no loss of turning radius or steering ability. We are so genuinely impressed by this rolling icebox’s portability that we hardly even notice or mind its heavier initial weight. That said, there’s something a little bit extra about a plastic box that’s not only well-designed and durably built but also clearly shows attention to detail at every turn.
The juddering of pulling hard-wheeled models over smooth surfaces, like city sidewalks, can quickly leave blisters on your hands from the vibration of the plastic wheels (this really happened to a tester). But pulling the RovR with its air-filled wheels lets you glide over imperfections in the ground and keeps your hands happy. We also considered the overall shape and size of each competitor as part of its usability score. Models featuring a compact, packable shape and handles that hide away easily are easier to pack into a vehicle for your next adventure.