Whether you’re heading out on a multi-day adventure or just want to keep your snacks cold during a day trip, the Cabela’s Polar Cap cooler is an excellent choice for all your cooling needs. For those who plan to carry or move their cooler with any regularity, weight should be an important consideration. Even when empty, hard-sided options weigh anywhere from pounds for low-capacity models up to 50+ pounds for premium designs with 75+ quarts of storage. Once loaded down with ice, food, and beverages, that number skyrockets. And despite including carry handles, they’re simply too hefty to travel with for long distances.
While each of these coolers has subtle differences, they are all high-end solid coolers that will keep your food cold much longer than a standard cooler. They’ve successfully disrupted the market and changed the way that consumers view coolers with aggressive marketing and extremely high-quality products. Note that RTIC coolers are not IGBC (International Grizzly Bear Committee) certified. If that’s necessary for you, here’s IGBC’s list of certified bear-resistant products (PDF). Since I’m beginning the move from extract to all-grain brewing, I really wanted to document how I made my beginner equipment for others. When I begin investing in top-notch equipment, I will definitely want to include QD’s and more stainless parts.I’m sure there are a million ways to put a valve on a cooler.
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. Your level of enthusiasm for using a product can be affected by small details. Some features make a product easier to use, less burdensome to carry, or more compatible with your lifestyle.
We like the recent upgrades that Coleman has done on their Marine Coolers. This is particularly true in the Offshore Pro Series which cranks up the ice life and toughness. Also, many of the weak hinge issues they suffered from in the past have been corrected. Outside of the somewhat weak handles, these are solid-performing ocean-friendly ice chests that can be had at a reasonable price.
A soft-sided cooler is easy to pack, fits easily in your vehicle, takes up little space, and keeps your food and drinks cold. We’ve tested Polar Bear coolers for seven years now, buying them or receiving test units from Polar Bear. Recently, however, we’ve been let down by the lifespan of its soft coolers (though not this backpack in particular).
We previously noted that Yeti had suspended sales of our backpack pick, the Hopper M20, due to a potential safety issue with the closure, which could fail, releasing magnets, which would be dangerous to ingest. We’ve removed that pick and are continuing to monitor the situation. If you want a backpack cooler, we recommend the Polar Bear Original Nylon Backpack Cooler.
It has an adequate amount of storage space for a small excursion but don’t expect this to hold ice for very long. In particular, the Coleman Xtreme Cooler Series and the larger sizes of Coleman Marine Coolers can promise impressive ice life. But in terms of toughness, they aren’t quite on the level of a premium cooler. coleman sundome All sizes are optimally shaped, meaning that you should be able to use a vast majority of the storage volume. There is a pretty good selection in regards to sizes and price points so definitely browse around in our reviews and we are sure you’ll find a particular product that aligns with your needs and price point.
Even after several years of use, the Tundra 65’s latches are virtually the same as the first day we bought the cooler. The best powered cooler we have tested is the seriously impressive Dometic CFX3 45. It won our Editors’ Choice award in our review of the best powered coolers.
Whether you are trekking gear to the beachfront or headed out for a hiking day, having free hands is always a bonus. The backpack has lots of straps and hitching points, too — I imagine the target demographic is more hiking-oriented than day-at-the-beach, but in either case, you’ll be able to secure extra stuff. The temperature down in the ice would have been roughly the same in all of the coolers, leaving retention as the only real variable.
All that said, if you just need a reliable cooler for days at the beach or packing a lunch on the road, it’s probably a good idea to save your cash. But if you consistently head outside for days at a time, the investment is well worth it. Rotomolded coolers like Yeti’s Tundra above are made out of a single piece of continuous plastic, which is great for durability but means they typically lack built-in features and mounting locations. Tack on a price that undercuts the similarly sized Tundra 65 above by a considerable $135, and the Xspec stands out as a very well-rounded design at a great value. This makes it more comfortable to carry but also frequently positions the handle in a way where it inhibits opening the lid.