For a non roto molded cooled, the Igloo provided impressive ice retention ability. On the front of the cooler, Igloo advertises up to 4 days of ice retention. In our testing, the Trailmate crushed these numbers with 8 days of ice retention. Every day during our test, the lid temperature of the Trailmate was 100°+. To be fair, the cooler was filled to capacity with ice, as we do with all of our ice retention tests.
Since there is only one size to work with (70 quarts), we decided to vary how much ice we put inside. As you probably would expect, the tests using more ice did better. The core metal igloo soft cooler parts of these coolers are made of marine-grade strength aluminum. This material provides very good strength and is rust-resistant while still managing to stay relatively lightweight.
But we still would encourage you to be cautious with storing items that are particularly sensitive to wet environments, even if you are putting them in the dry storage bin. While we always prefer more size options, if we had to choose just one size, a 70-quart is pretty good. It is large enough to fit all of the food and drinks for a decent-sized group while still not being overly large to the point that it is a challenge to transport and store. But for someone after the maximum storage space, the 70-quart model may prove to be a bit limited.
It truly is trying to be the “all-in-one” cooler entertainment package that you are looking for. And while all models will come with the features listed above, there are a couple of additional features you will find on certain models and not on the others. Seeing how the primary way to transport this cooler is by rolling it, having a handle that is designed to allow you to tow or push it is essential. This handle is a special Igloo Glide Design that allows you to pull your load up to 50% easier. This is accomplished by the added leverage that you get from the handle. In addition, the handle locks are telescoping and adjustable.
Also, despite all of these additional features, you will still find that the Trailmate is typically more affordable than a similarly-sized Yeti. If you go with the Trailmate Liddup or Trailmate Marine models you will only have a single color to choose from. The Liddup comes in a gray/red combo and the Marine comes in white (similar to all of Igloo’s other marine-inspired products). The combination of the aggressive wheels and the rigid exposed metal makes for a very tough and intimidating look. And the layout of this cooler is unique and is sure to stand out from the crowd.