In the great spirit of American entrepreneurship, they came up with a line of coolers that have a bunch of premium features but are also affordable. RTIC coolers are the coolers most similar to Yeti but for a cheaper price. Lifetime coolers are made in the USA and are extremely similar to s in most aspects, including their low price. If, after reading this, you want to steer away from Ozark Trail coolers altogether then they are a few different cooler brands that are quite similar but still cheaper than Yeti.
Luke is a co-founder of bestcooler.reviews, a cooler expert and author of 70+ reviews on this website. Luke has a deep passion for sports and all-things-outdoors. From fishing to hiking, from family camping to solo bike trekking, Luke adores spending quality time enjoying nature, oftentimes checking out new coolers while doing so. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners.
RTIC Coolers can only be purchased from their website, which is why they say their price point is much lower than YETI. I made this purchase nine weeks prior to our vacation and the cooler is scheduled to arrive only days before we leave. That’s a little closer than I’d like but we need a better cooler.
Oftentimes, this basket doesn’t come with the cooler and costs extra as an accessory. So we appreciate Ozark trail going ahead and throwing that in free of charge. I was also impressed by how much ice this premium cooler can hold. In terms of build quality, this is a BPA-free mug made out of high-grade 18/8 stainless steel, so you won’t really have ozark trail canopy to worry about its durability. Unfortunately, it is available in a single color – burnished stainless steel – but hey, it’s four times cheaper than the Yeti Rambler 14 oz mug. In the realm of insulated water bottles, discussions around Yeti and Hydrapeak often surface, highlighting the meticulous engineering and design philosophies of both brands.
On the contrary, the premium soft coolers and particularly their hard-sided coolers have more of the traditional features we look for when we think of long ice life. So you can expect them to allow for much longer ice retention. Melting ice is the last thing you want to worry about when you’re out in the woods, on the boat or kicking back at the beach. Protection against the growth of bacterial odors and stains that is guaranteed to last the lifetime of the product.
The lower-end can models take a very traditional approach in styling. Also, there aren’t a lot of colors to choose from (3 is the maximum we have found for a particular model). The tote and cooler backpack look much more progressive but are limited to just one color choice.
However, if you’re on a tight budget and want something that’s pretty good for the price, then you can’t really go wrong with Ozark Trail. Another thing you want in a premium cooler is the ability to hold ice for extended periods. That means you need a thick and high-quality rubber gasket. Ozark have a freezer-grade gasket that’s pretty much like what you would see in your average high-end cooler. If you’re going to create a top tier cooler, it obviously has to be rotomolded. If you want your cooler to be both tough and durable, you can’t skimp on this one aspect of design.