For more background information, see our cooler comparison table and buying advice below the picks. The RTIC Ultralight and RovR RollR are two more of our favorites among the crowd for their ease of use. The RovR has a sizable dry bin and tall interior with nearly vertical walls. 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. It also boasts one of the tallest internal heights of any cooler we tested, so you can rest assured that your chilled Pinot Grigio will stay that way all day. The RTIC offers a similarly simple interior that’s spacious enough to bring a ton of food with you on your hunting trip or camping adventure.
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.
As committed cooler enthusiasts know, the type of ice you use heavily impacts how much you’re able to store and how long it stays cold. Crushed ice is the most readily available—you can find it at most gas stations and supermarkets for fairly cheap. The major draw is that it easily fills the gaps between your food and beverages, cooling them quickly and efficiently. However, crushed ice is also the fastest to melt and you’ll likely need to replace it fairly frequently. Blocks of ice, on the other hand, take much longer to melt than crushed ice.
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 coleman ice chest 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.
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).
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.
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, 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.
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. coleman ice chest 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.