Yeti Coolers, on the other hand, has a rock-solid reputation. Ozark Trail, despite their best intentions, doesn’t quite live up to the level of ice retention and toughness of a Yeti. While they do have many of the same features, there are more notable quality issues with Ozark Trail models.
If getting a great cooler at a great price means making some sacrifices, like not having it made locally, we know there are people who are willing to pay that price. One of the best selling points (pun intended) of ozark trail coolers is their great asking price. You will find that nearly every model is extremely affordable. With a hard plastic latch, you run the risk of brushing by the cooler and hitting your shin, which I have done and is awful. One of my favorite features though is the rubber wheels vs. the hard plastic wheels on the Pelican and Yeti. Not only will the rubber allow for a slightly smoother roll when you are pull this cooler along, but it will also be quieter.
Basically, you have a small cooler, you have a medium cooler, and you also have a fairly large cooler. They also have some great but more mainstream designs for the tightest of budgets, by the way. Now, the general assumption here is that this cooler brand is actually owned by Walmart since they’re mostly sold at their stores. However, we cannot definitely say whether Ozark Trail is a Walmart company or not but it looks as a private label brand of Walmart. It’s not as expensive but it’s also not as good both in terms of build quality and performance.
Ozark Trail’s medium and large hard-sided coolers are equipped with an interior wire basket to help organize your food. Ice life refers to how long a cooler can retain the ice you place inside. Ozark Trail’s larger soft-sided coolers usually offer a maximum of one to one-and-a-half days of ice life, which is plenty for a picnic. Ozark Trail soft-sided coolers are all designed to have multiple storage options.
Ozark Trail coolers have similar features to the Yeti Hopper Flip coolers with thick insulation, a waterproof zipper and shoulder strap. They don’t keep ice quite as long as the Yeti but still hold ice for about 2 days. However, the build quality and durability is not comparable to Yeti and Ozark Trail coolers come with no warranty. Several weeks ago we finally purchased an Ozark Trail 52-Quart High-Performance Cooler from Walmart.
For a more on-the-go option, the $88.00 Ozark Trail 26-quart high-performance cooler offers the perfect size and capacity. The heavy-duty, one-piece construction and ozark trail canopy blend of polyurethane insulation keeps ice frozen for days. This cooler is also made for easy carrying, featuring a stainless steel handle with a comfort grip.
It doesn’t have a drain plug so emptying it of water can be a hassle. It has 2 cup holders on the lid and a large, easy-carry handle. It is also made with the same durable fabric as the Yeti coolers and the majority of the seams are RF welded to help reduce breakages. For me the quality just isn’t there so I wouldn’t invest in an Ozark Trail but would instead buy another brand like Yeti, RTIC or Engel. The only area where Ozark Trail is better than Yeti is in the price. There is a great video where a customer who owns both a Yeti Hopper and an Ozark Trail does as ice test on them and compares the performance side by side.
Each Ozark Trail hard-sided cooler also has walls that are between two-and-a-half and three inches thick for excellent insulation. Best of all, Ozark Trail hard-sided coolers all feature a thick, freezer-grade rubber gasket that creates an effective seal for the lid. They utilize strong T-style latches to keep the lid securely closed, too. 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. Ozark Trail hard-sided coolers are made of plastic that’s durable, lightweight, and fully waterproof. Ozark Trail plastic coolers are extremely easy to clean, too.