But for those on day trips or shorter overnight outings with access to new ice, an inexpensive cooler like the Coleman 316 Series or Igloo Ecocool is a fine option. In the world of coolers, Yeti pioneered the high-end concept, and the Tundra is its best-selling and most versatile model. This popular line features premium cooling and ice-retention capabilities with a thick, rotomolded build coleman screen tent that’s more durable and less prone to cracking than injection-molded options like the RTIC above. Further, you get a handy basket for dry goods, secure closures, and multiple tie-down slots to easily secure it on a boat or truck bed. What’s more, the Tundra is certified as bear-resistant (locks are sold separately for $30), which is great for those who plan to spend time in bear country.
If you’re wondering what kind of foam your cooler has, a good rule of thumb is to try to squeeze the foam with your fingers. If your fingers can compress the foam more than 75%, you’re probably dealing with open-cell foam. If the foam feels denser than that and doesn’t compress much at all, you probably have your hands on closed-cell foam. As with all coleman sundome 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.
Simply put, if you want a low-cost, relatively effective ice chest for most typical outdoor excursions then Coleman has just the product for you. Quite frankly, most people don’t need a cooler that can hold ice for 6 days and be able to survive a bear attack. Their ice chests are designed to last for many days and you can put them through the extremes that nature can throw at you and they coleman sundome will typically come out the other side unscathed. There are also some unique features exclusive to Yeti as well as some accessories that harness their power. But you will pay a very high asking price to enjoy this Yeti experience. Oh, and if you’ll be spending lots of time camping in a place where bears are a concern, then you’ll probably want to invest in a bear-resistant cooler.
This latest version of the Roadie includes numerous upgrades we love, including redesigned latches that let you easily open the lid one-handed and a flexible, webbing top handle. The Roadie 24 is just over 13 inches tall inside, which allows standard wine and 2L bottles to stand upright. The Roadie also outlasted all other personal-sized models in our insulation testing.
However, dry ice can be dangerous to touch (you have to wear heavy gloves to prevent frostbite), doesn’t last long, and many coolers aren’t even rated to handle it. All told, it might take some finessing to perfect your ice strategy, but we think a combination of crushed and blocks is the best (and safest) method. The RovR RollR, Arctic Titan, Yeti Tundra 65, and Igloo IMX all come with practical interior dry storage options, which is great for holding aside some clean ice for drinks or keeping sensitive food out of ice water.