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. If you want a backpack cooler, we recommend the Polar Bear Original Nylon Backpack Cooler.
For those who don’t know, Pelican is an industry leader in tough, dependable cases for storing and protecting everything from camera equipment and laptops to guns and drones. Like the venerable YETI Roadie above, Pelican’s 20QT Elite here is a lower-capacity option for day trips on the water, strapping to the back of an ATV, and other short outings away from home. Stacked up against the Roadie, the Pelican is $50 cheaper (albeit with slightly less storage) but comes with functional extras like integrated cup holders, easier-to-use latches, and a more robust carry handle.
And all of the colors come in a solid tone with little in the way of patterns outside of the vertical lines that adorn the body. They perform fine for an afternoon excursion or morning trip to the beach but if you are expecting a single batch of ice to coleman sundome stay frozen for 4 or more days then you will be disappointed. It does still contain the patented Thermozone insulation which helps prolong ice life some, however. And frankly, for a reasonable price, you can’t expect miracles in regard to ice life.
Our biggest complaint about this cooler is that its cords are barely over six feet long, which just doesn’t get you very far from the outlet. It’s also very expensive, but if you’re ready to take the plunge into the iceless world of powered coolers, the Dometic is consistently the best-performing model we’ve tested. In addition to pre-chilling, you can maximize ice life by always storing your cooler in the shade, limiting the amount of time you open it, and never draining the melted water.
These details perhaps don’t matter in the long run from a durability standpoint but go a long way toward making your expensive cooler look as impressive as its price tag and performance suggest. The Xspec 60qt, Engel, and Yeti Roadie 24 are some that buck the trend of popular T-grip closure mechanisms on high-end coolers. The Engel has part-rubber-part-metal latches, and the Xspec mixes plastic clasps with rubber straps coleman screen tent that ditch the brawn for a bit more finesse when securing them. After multiple years of use, we’ve noticed the Xspec rubber sections have tightened up over time. This makes them just as secure as ever but requires slightly more force to operate. The Roadie 24 has plastic and rubber latches similar to the Xspec, but both are exceptionally easy to use, requiring less finagling and feeling much stronger overall.
It costs extra, but we bought it, tried it, and now we can’t imagine life without it. We are impressed with the insulation performance of this rather inexpensive product. Up against models that are three or four times its price, the Coleman Xtreme 70 holds its own. Though it can’t match the premium models’ rotomolded insulation prowess and rugged durability, the Coleman clearly shows its worth and value, considering the massive chunk of change you’ll save. It’s also much lighter than the majority of the rest of the competition, even lighter even than several of the personal-sized models we tested. And to top it off, it has a deceptively large internal volume for a comparatively small overall size.
Still, others have specific slots to tie them down in your boat, backseat, or truck bed. And, no matter that, you can potentially buy up to 5 replacements before reaching the price of just one Yeti Tundra 45 Cooler. I’d like to run an updated version of this comparison in the future where I keep both coolers in my car trunk for the duration of the experiment.
You can pump them up just like your car or bicycle tires, giving you the freedom to run over the same types of terrain. While other models often have tiny wheels, rigid wheels, low clearance, or narrow, uncomfortable handles, the RovR is what a wheeled chest should be. Its broad handle has functional rubber grips on either end, so it’s comfortable to stroll down the sidewalk, through the grass, coleman ice chest and across the beach with this box in tow. The RovR also boasts solid, durable construction, hefty latches, and integrated hinges that we expect to last through countless picnics and get-togethers. You can put everything you need for the barbecue in and on this cooler and wheel it to the park with one hand. You can also pick up the handy bike attachment and tow the RovR behind your bicycle.