I’ll be totally honest, I was not expecting this cooler to be as nice as it was. It’s easy to get caught up in brand perception and often times very difficult to break away from what you think you know about a brand. I used the word “think” intentionally, because what I thought I knew about Ozark Trail was not correct. Ozark Trail is proving to be a really solid competitor for outdoor products.
All though I’ve been hiking for years, my hikes have been short ones no more than a mile or two. Normally they took place at a green space or a nearby park. For these outings it was ozark trail canopy carrying a Nalgene bottle of water in a pocket or on a strap and large jug kept in the car for the drive home. But over the last few years my wife and I are into longer hikes.
Has a hip belt to displace the load off your shoulders. Includes a place to connect your hydration bladder. For most cases, the backpack that comes with me for hikes and longer trips is the Gregory Baltoro 65L. Today I immediately loaded it up and went out for a few hours. For water and OJ I use Vapur anti bottles which aren’t bulky at all. My glucose meter and keys went in the small outside pocket.
I bought this pack recently on a whim while shopping Walmart. I needed a day pack and didn’t really have lots of time to search at REI for the various styles provided having only gone to one store. This daypack ended up being the cheapest after a quick perusal.
Yeti has clearly set themselves apart as the biggest player in the cooler space. Since they launched, they have carved out an incredible market share delivering products across the board from coolers to dog bowls. This cooler, when compared to the Pelican 45Q Elite and Yeti Tundra, has the smallest profile while still providing 45Q internal storage. It features rubber latches which I am a huge fan of for boating applications. When you are out on the water, people often sneak over to grab something from the cooler and may not latch it back up.
If you need a large pack, or are heading on a days-long adventure, this pack won’t work for you. This is the Russian Doll of the bag world, the bag going inside of the bigger bag. It ozark trail chair also comes with a removable, drawstring style daypack. However, I have found that bag to be rather small, and instead, keep a collapsible daypack in the bottom of my pack instead.
Estimated shipping time is approximately 3-5 business days from the time your order is placed and is subject to change. When it comes to the seal, I was again very impressed by this cooler. Cracking this thing open sounds like you are opening the airlock on a spaceship.
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. You won’t wake the neighbors up when you are pulling this down your dock.
Essentially, the rain fly for the Ozark Trail was integrated into the tent directly. Size is perfect for day trips, smaller individuals, and teens. Great for hiking in warm weather, thanks to the breathable construction, mesh straps, and hydration bladder hook up. Material is durable and will stand up to heavy duty use. The pack size and weight is good for all my day hiking to any shower. I’m not sure if it is durable enough to hold any of my camera equipment.