The most affordable models, the non-premium soft-sided coolers, come in a very safe, solid color. There may be some subtle grays or white pieces of fabric but, for the most part, the primary color will dominate. The hard-sided coolers are designed to try to compete with the top-tier of the premium cooler world. They have attractive features and sharp edges which all but catch the eye. There are orange accents on the latches and handles which definitely give them a premium look. In terms of color options, however, you only get silver and white.
RTIC Coolers can only be purchased from their website, which is why they say their price point is much lower than YETI. I made this purchase nine weeks prior to our vacation and the cooler is scheduled to arrive only days before we leave. That’s a little closer than I’d like but we need a better cooler.
In the great spirit of American entrepreneurship, they came up with a line of coolers that have a bunch of premium features but are also affordable. RTIC coolers are the coolers most similar to Yeti but for a cheaper price. Lifetime coolers are made in the USA and are extremely similar to s in most aspects, including their low price. If, after reading this, you want to steer away from Ozark Trail coolers altogether then they are a few different cooler brands that are quite similar but still cheaper than Yeti.
It’s compact yet has plenty of room for a meal and a drink. Even the smallest hard-sided coolers are too large to make an effective lunch box. Smaller Ozark Trail soft-sided coolers have padded shoulder straps for comfortable carrying. Larger models often have wheels on the bottom and a telescoping handle, so you can easily pull the cooler to transport it. Ozark Trail also offers backpack and tote soft-sided coolers, which allow for hands-free carrying. Ozark Trail soft-sided coolers usually have a durable polyester exterior and an FDA-compliant polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA) hard liner that’s fully waterproof to prevent leaks.
The more capable premium models should keep ice for up to a day and a half. Lastly, being able to safely and comfortably transport the cooler is extremely important. And when you fill it up with drinks, food, and ice, it can weigh 100 pounds or more! You will find an overhead stainless steel handle with a comfort grip on the 26-quart model and the 52/73-quart models will come with heavy-duty side handles with comfort grips. But can its performance match that of the much more expensive Rambler bottle?
The old Pelican coolers were some of the heaviest coolers with the old 35-Quart weighing in at around 33 lbs. But they have since been redesigned to be lighter and more in line with other coolers. The 52-Quart version weighs 31.1 lbs when it’s empty and the 73-Quart versions weights even more at 35.3 lbs. The Ozark Trail has really mixed opinions when it comes to ice retention. Ozark Trail don’t have any coolers around the 40-Quart range.
Ozark Trail plastic coolers are extremely easy to clean, too. Ozark Trail’s lineup of soft coolers tries to adhere to their “affordability first” approach. This includes simple lunch boxes and tiers up to premium totes and cooler backpacks. Specifically, you will find 6-can, 12-can, 24-can, 36-can, 42-can, totes, and cooler backpacks.
There are very few head-to-head comparison tests between the Ozark Trail and other coolers like Yeti, so it’s hard to tell exactly where it stacks up in terms of ice retention. But from what I can see it’s one of the lower performing roto-molded coolers when it comes to ice retention. ozark trail cooler Its insulation can keep ice solid for up to 12 days, and can even keep drinks cold without it for up to 9 days in the best conditions. I’m in the south with high temperatures and it kept ice For 4 days. And the drainage spout makes it a breeze to drain and refill.
(The less you open it, the longer it’ll last so keep the opening and closing to a minimum). All in all, it’s a pretty solid ice chest and a major upgrade from some of the stryofoam and even Rubbermaid coolers of yore. We have been receiving a lot of complaints as of late from people who are mentioning that the zippers on their soft-sided coolers are going out after 6 to 12 months. We are looking into this problem in more detail and may adjust this review accordingly once we get to the bottom of it.