I've long lusted over some of the Roto-molded premium coolers you see everywhere these days (think YETI) but the cheap side of me has never been able to stomach the price. I just ran across a company, RTIC Coolers, that is trying to disrupt this market in a big way.

They are making a cooler that is strikingly similar to a Yeti and marketing it at half the cost. I haven't found the "catch" yet, other than the fact its a generic clone. They are offering a longer warranty and a better return policy, 90 day free returns if you don't like it and they pay the shipping back. I've pre-ordered one of the 65's, hoping its as good as it looks. The reports of people that have them have been very good.

Interesting, thanks for the link.

I have a couple Yeti-like coolers and they do a comparable to better job (Engel has beat the Yeti in tests) for lesser price. Our larger cooler is an Engel and our small every day cooler is a Canyon. Living an hour from where we get groceries, we use coolers every week of the year, not just camping. It is so nice that we have not had to buy ice anymore, nor deal with the mess of melted ice.

The Canyon was an even better price, and I like it a bit better. Here's a link to it and a picture just to show folks another good option:

Canyon Cooler

I had my sights set on the Canyon 75 but at $350 I just cant justify it when this Rtic is $200 for the 65. I do like the Canyon design better, but not $150 better.

I suppose this could be a case of "don't knock it until you try it", but I just can't justify spending that kind of money on a cooler when a $30 Coleman or Playmate would do just fine. Maybe someone can help me understand the value of having a cooler of that caliber, but I don't know how you could.

quote Jackfish: "I suppose this could be a case of "don't knock it until you try it", but I just can't justify spending that kind of money on a cooler when a $30 Coleman or Playmate would do just fine. Maybe someone can help me understand the value of having a cooler of that caliber, but I don't know how you could. "

I thought the big point of their product is ruggedness and that it is bear proof. So a $30 Coleman wouldn't cut it.

quote SevenofNine: "I thought the big point of their product is ruggedness and that it is bear proof. So a $30 Coleman wouldn't cut it."

Biggest thing for me is ice retention.

I thought the big point of their product is ruggedness and that it is bear proof. So a $30 Coleman wouldn't cut it."

Bear proof cooler??? Really? If your $32,000 Toyota Tundra isn't bear proof - how can a $350 cooler be?

Just askin'.

Old Hoosier

quote Old Hoosier: "I thought the big point of their product is ruggedness and that it is bear proof. So a $30 Coleman wouldn't cut it.

Bear proof cooler??? Really? If your $32,000 Toyota Tundra isn't bear proof - how can a $350 cooler be?

Just askin'

Old Hoosier "

Okay, since you're askin'. Bear resistant, not bear proof, but if one locks it, it is very bear resistant. However, more important than that (at least to me), is indeed durability. Try sitting, let alone standing, on a Coleman or Igloo and see how that goes, (trust me; not well), or dragging a full one up a gravel bar by the handle. The handle will remain attached to the cooler for about seven steps (again, BTDT).

Rotomolded coolers certainly aren't for everyone. I can't tell you how many people have complained about throwing in three thirty packs and a bag of grocery store ice and been disappointed when they didn't have a giant popsicle on day seven. However, in my case they make sense because of the way I use them. I had to swallow mighty hard before I pulled the trigger on one, but $100+ a year for replacement big box store coolers or $400 for one cooler that my family, friends and I can abuse the heck out of and it will still (and does) look almost new after five years? I know what makes more sense to me, but others' mileage may vary depending on their needs.

As I said, they're definitely not for everyone.

quote Ragged: "Biggest thing for me is ice retention."

Honest question... how long do you need your ice to last to justify buying a cooler and paying 10x the price of a "standard" cooler?

quote Jackfish: "

quote Ragged: "Biggest thing for me is ice retention."

Honest question... how long do you need your ice to last to justify buying a cooler and paying 10x the price of a "standard" cooler? "

Most of the guys who really use these things the way they're intended are white water river trippers doing long expeditions like private Grand Canyon trips. They'll take several coolers and tape them shut to be opened in order so they still have cold food/drinks and cocktail ice on day fifteen. Some folks even go so far as freezing in each day's meals in layers of water, and you can do things like have ice cream on day seven because the roto coolers can handle dry ice. They really do have their place, but your suspicion is correct. Lots of people who buy one don't really need it. However, I repeat, ice retention is only half the equation and in my case the less important half.

quote Ragged: "I had my sights set on the Canyon 75 but at $350 I just cant justify it when this Rtic is $200 for the 65. I do like the Canyon design better, but not $150 better. "

Ragged, before you pull the trigger do be sure to carefully compare ACTUAL capacities. They can be very misleading. Not saying RTIC's are necessarily, just saying pay careful attention to that.

quote Jackfish: "Honest question... how long do you need your ice to last to justify buying a cooler and paying 10x the price of a "standard" cooler? "

I don't know if 10X is a real honest number Pete, I wouldn't even consider a $20 65qt cooler serviceable, sort of like comparing a garbage bag to a CCS pack. I don't think there is any magic number but what I do know is if I want to have ice for the day I'm coming out I need a really good cooler or a bunch of ice in cheaper ones. The problem with the cheaper cooler/more ice solution is you only have so much room in your car or boat and weight is also a factor, especially in the boat when you have camping gear as well.

Do I think everyone needs a $200 cooler? Absolutely not, in fact most don't. But for some people they are pretty useful and almost necessary.

quote Jackfish: "Honest question... how long do you need your ice to last to justify buying a cooler and paying 10x the price of a "standard" cooler? "

Two week bowhunting elk trip w/ daytime temps into the 70s. At the end, you could barely tell any of the ice in my 125 qt. Yeti had melted. Having dairy and fresh meat the entire trip was nice!

quote DeuceCoop: "Ragged, before you pull the trigger do be sure to carefully compare ACTUAL capacities. They can be very misleading. Not saying RTIC's are necessarily, just saying pay careful attention to that. "

I know what you are saying Yetis "65" is something like 58qt, the Rtic is a true 65.

I guess if I saw a Yeti cooler at a garage sale for $40 I would surely pass it up, but then I am one of the ones who doesn't need it either. I do however need all that other high tech/high priced crap that most others don't seem to have a use for ;)

quote PortageKeeper: "I guess if I saw a Yeti cooler at a garage sale for $40 I would surely pass it up, but then I am one of the ones who doesn't need it either. I do however need all that other high tech/high priced crap that most others don't seem to have a use for ;)"

If you see one for $40 buy it and I'll give ya $60!

Done my share of looking and handling in store, Yeti's common, Engle is more difficult to find, RTIC looks good on paper or screen.
But, "Biggest thing for me is ice retention." is also my buying criteria.
Bearproof??? If using a cooler that heavy, it will be out of a vehicle based camp, so that is not needed. Coleman and Igloo make coolers that retain the cold as well in standardized tests. It came down to me some of the best coolers I have seen/used were on charter fishing boats, invariably thicker insulated Colemans and Igloos in white. 1/2 the empty weight and keep ice for a long time. Cooler envy, I'll admit they do look great. I bought an Extreme 58 quart Marine, and am happy with that!

butthead

I know of a company that built the tool and shoots the blow molds some of the competitions coolers. They make ones from small to ones that would fill the back end of a pickup for a base camp. I know that there is a lot of road lime that goes in to stretch the plastic. While I know its an industry standard.....just doesn't sit right with me. The customer gets what they want.

I will say that Yeti has the marketing thing going for sure, from the little ice packs to insulated cups. Very good marketing if you ever pick up one of their catalogs.

I personally have had an Igloo Maxcold that I bought at wally world probably 15 years ago for $19.99 (the sticker is still on the side). I have always been surprised when I come out on an 8 -10 day trip that while the ice has all melted, the gatorade & ice tea is still very cold. I have had to replace a hinge and a latch This last time, I made them myself from metal. Oh you know William how we toolmakers can over do it engineering for ourselves sometimes. ;-)

quote Jackfish: "

quote Ragged: "Biggest thing for me is ice retention."

Honest question... how long do you need your ice to last to justify buying a cooler and paying 10x the price of a "standard" cooler? "

Well, here's the break down for me. My wife bought the Engel for me last year so we've owned it two "Seasons" but use it most weeks of the year. It cost less than $250 on sale. My smaller Canyon cooler sold for about $150. It gets pretty hot and humid in the Ozarks in the summer, so "Commercial" ice lasts about a day in a regular cooler. These coolers keep me from the expense and hassle of re-supplying.

Also, the toughness. Never had a bear try to get in one yet, but have lost food to raccoons with standard coolers. I've also had coons drag coolers off. They won't easily do that with these and they are NOT breaking into one.

Engel

But lets discuss expense of ice. How much does it cost nowadays? I haven't purchased ice for two years. I pre-cool them with some reuseable ice packs (some came with it) and I may put a couple frozen bottles in there. I don't have to buy ice for up to 4 days (the most I've had mine out) and that saves money in the long run. I'm pretty sure I've already re-couped that expense? If not, in another season surely?

I am way behind. I admit to never taking a cooler canoe camping, even in Florida.

But we do use one for car camping and its an el cheapo some 20 years old. Frozen 2 liter soda bottles work well, no mess and ice keeps four days ( in a block. those useless cubes three days). I just throw a wet terry beach towel over it.

I wonder if I put insulated wrap inside my York box if that would work nicely. Essentially a York Box is a watertight wanigan made out of plastic.

quote Jackfish: "I suppose this could be a case of "don't knock it until you try it", but I just can't justify spending that kind of money on a cooler when a $30 Coleman or Playmate would do just fine. Maybe someone can help me understand the value of having a cooler of that caliber, but I don't know how you could. "

I thought the same thing, then I found a yeti for about 1/2 price and picked one up thinking I could sell it for more if I didn't like it. I'd never give it up at this point. Not sure I'd pay full price but they sure do work well.

i use it as another refrigerator on fishing trips, parties/get togethers, on the way to the BWCA/Quetioc trips (playmate or Coleman don't do well for me) etc...

Anyone who has been on a trip with me seems to have one themselves by the next trip :)
Could I live without it....sure, but glad I don't have to. I'd also say if the cheaper brands do meet your needs you'd be crazy to spend the money on one.

T

Ragged I did a search and the only negatives I saw were soem supply issues. That could be good because they are in high demand or bad because the company is not financially sound and waits to get paid before making product--if they go under before you get product then you are out of luck.

T

quote yellowcanoe: "I am way behind. I admit to never taking a cooler canoe camping, even in Florida.
But we do use one for car camping and its an el cheapo some 20 years old. Frozen 2 liter soda bottles work well, no mess and ice keeps four days ( in a block. those useless cubes three days). I just throw a wet terry beach towel over it.
I wonder if I put insulated wrap inside my York box if that would work nicely. Essentially a York Box is a watertight wanigan made out of plastic."

It's all relative to how you get started. Had I started paddling in Maine or Northern MN initially, and if I had to deal with portages all the time, I would probably never have used coolers canoe camping either? But I started paddling where coolers were used 100% of the time, temperatures pushing or exceeding 100 degrees and portages nonexistent. A COLD drink and fresh food is mighty nice on the river. When I trip up north, I never used a cooler for years, although; sometimes I do take a small soft one now.

Opinions are like arses, we all have one. If someone wants to spend 4K on a canoe, good for them. Just because it doesn't suit MY idea of a "Need," so what? If someone has to buy a fancy chair for sitting in up in canoe country while I find passable piece of granite just fine, so what? That's what makes that person happy.

The OP shared a link for a cooler that will be the "Cat's meow" for some folks at a more affordable price. I think that original message is getting pushed to the wayside in favor of folks questioning why anyone "Needs" this cooler? Does anyone really NEED a $4K Swift Canoe in a premium layup when you can buy a perfectly suitable Grumman or Alumacraft? Does anyone really NEED a Lexus or Infiniti to drive around in when they can find a perfectly suitable Fiat?

Thanks, Ragged, for the link and the info!

No need to justify your choices..no need to get all het up.Your trip is not my trip.. even in Florida where we are headed soon.

quote timatkn: "Ragged I did a search and the only negatives I saw were soem supply issues. That could be good because they are in high demand or bad because the company is not financially sound and waits to get paid before making product--if they go under before you get product then you are out of luck.

T"

I think they are small and demand is higher than they can keep up with. I'm not worried about getting burned, PayPal would yank that money back in a heartbeat if I said they never sent product. They are very upfront about long lead times. I'm sure to keep costs down they are shipping on the slowest of slow boats from China. I'm thinking of it as more of s Kickstarter.

Ozark- great post, this was just a heads up on a half price Yeti clone coolers, not meant to be a debate on are they worth the money. I do find it odd and a little hypocritical that some have no issue buying a $230 quality packs for canoe trips they do once a year but can't understand the need for a quality cooler that you may use frequently throughout the year. I could get a cheap duffle bag at Walmart, the isle is right next to the cheap coolers, but no way I'd do that when I could buy a CCS.

As ozarkpaddler said, thanks for the link. It is intriguing at that price. When ya get one let us know what ya think of it.

T

FWIW-
I have a large Igloo Marine Cooler-- guessing 150qt. I picked up a cheap 48 QT Coleman cooler at the local thrift for $5 a few years back , and it fits perfectly inside the Igloo. Properly packed-- I have kept items solidly frozen with very little ice pack melt for 4-5 days with high temps in mid 70 to low 80's-- inside the two layer system.

I have come very close to getting a Grizzly on any of the coolers mentioned above, but , the above has worked for me for several years now.

Thanks for the link, Ragged .

I bought the Gander Mountain Permachill roto molded cooler a couple of seasons ago. It has some very nice little add ons that make life convenient, like switchable non stick, or gripping feet depending on where you want to use it, etc. Kinda cool but not a huge selling point.

The main factor, of course, is ice retention. As others have mentioned, I pre-cool the inside overnight with ice packs. I only use one gallon of block ice in a milk jug for a 7 day fishing/camping trip, and it keeps ice for the entire time. Keep in mind that this is being opened to grab food at least 4 or 5 times a day. I bet it would keep ice for 10 days if it was pre-cooled and left shut.

The only real downside for me is that it is heavy, and on a trip with my 10 year old, I do all the heavy lifting. Other than that, I wouldn't go back to my old Igloo or Coleman.

Well here's the deal......

If you don't have access to ice and absolutely have to have it for extended periods then the Roto molded coolers are required.

I own 5 or 6 starting at 20qt and ending at 65qt. Why so many? I offshore fish for 4 to 5 days at a time and need ice to last. I learned the hard way after spending lots of time and money securing fresh bait only to have my ice melt 1/2 way through a trip. One cooler will house 11 dozen ballyhoo for brining, one cooler will house grunts caught on the way down, one cooler will house speedos and gogs etc. etc. I ilke my guys to have a good and productive time, fresh bait is essential for success.

Any larger than 65qt and you will have a hard time lifting the beast when it is filled with ice. An awesome cooler for securing a catch is the Great White from Igloo. It will set you back close to $700 but you can stuff a deer into the thing. Holds ice great and 1 guy can drag it as long as it's empty.

Here is an important trick for getting the best of the Roto molded coolers. I highly suggest throwing a bag of ice and some water in the night before their use. Dump the contents before employing the cooler and minimal ice will melt. This preparatory step will help much.

As per bear proof.......don't bet on it. Sure they might not be able to crush one but a determined bear is quite likely to pop a latch especially on the Tundras.

My take is the Engels hold ice better because of the latch system but the Tundras "strap system" for closure is more or less indestructible. If you are rough on stuff then the Tundra would be a better choice.

I think they are only considered bear resistant when using the padlock

quote Jackfish: "I suppose this could be a case of "don't knock it until you try it", but I just can't justify spending that kind of money on a cooler when a $30 Coleman or Playmate would do just fine. Maybe someone can help me understand the value of having a cooler of that caliber, but I don't know how you could. "

Ice retention. My Yeti recently kept ice for 13 days on an extended hunt. It was in the 50's and 60's outside. It was opened and closed a few times a day.

Also, when car camping at primitive sites for a long summer weekend with the family, we had to make ice runs every day with the cheap coolers. That's not necessary anymore. Those $6 20lb bags of ice add to the cost of using a cheap cooler. The YETI isn't magic, but it will keep ice MUCH, MUCH longer.

Not to mention the dry ice compatibility. Many cheapo coolers will crack with dry ice.

quote Ragged: "I think they are only considered bear resistant when using the padlock "

Good observation ragged.......that changes the equation considerably.

Update


Just wanted to update this thread as I have finally received the cooler. I have only been in possession of the cooler for 22 hours, so no performance evaluation or long term durability observations but let’s face it, these things are not very complex and much can be judged pretty easily from the get go.

From what I can tell, I’m going to be very happy with this cooler. It's build quality seems to be on par with the likes of Yeti, there are even some features that appear to be slightly improved from the Yeti’s, like the finger groove for opening the lid. Everything seems to be on the up and up and I got exactly what I thought I would. The only downside was the massive wait time that did get moved back once after buying it. Hopefully as they become more established this time will go down, but for me the wait was worth getting a kick butt cooler for half price.

The RTIC is made in China, my Yeti was made in Wisconsin. That may explain the price difference

Ragged, did they charge your card before the cooler shipped? For that price point, I may try one of the soft sided ones. I hope it works out for you.

I have the Yeti 45 but when Ragged first posted this I pulled the trigger on the smallest RTIC model comparable to the YETI roadie.

I think the RTIC will be fine but 3 things I don't like
1. The wait time... Makes me nervous. I use PayPal and my account was charged immediately even though it took 4 months to get the cooler,
2. The closure. The locking mechanism is not as tight as my yeti it's almost like the latch straps aren't tight enough. There is a tiny bit of play in the lid. I swear I read this on this site as well form another poster.
3. The seal. The Yeti seal is continuous and very high quality material. The RTIC has a small gap and the material seems more flimsy to me--not as bad as my Dads Coleman YETI knockoff though.

This is very nitpicky but none the less there is a difference.

I have no idea if this will affect performance or not, I suspect it will be unnoticeable so I don't have any buyers remorse, especially at the lower price. If I had paid the same price I'd be upset, but then again I could return it if I didn't like it so that is a plus.

T

quote DeuceCoop: "Try sitting, let alone standing, on a Coleman or Igloo and see how that goes, (trust me; not well), or dragging a full one up a gravel bar by the handle. The handle will remain attached to the cooler for about seven steps (again, BTDT). "

I'm laughing because my 2 Coleman's (one a Lil' Oscar, the other the size nearly everyone has) are 40 years old and I use them as a chair all the time (I weigh 205) and I use them as a step when washing my vehicle, working on car, and lots of other things.

In fact, when I used to solo my tandem, it was used as the seat in the center. I travelled Quetico and BWCA for about 15 years doing that.

I use old bicycle tire tubes to wrap around them to secure them shut when I go on whitewater.

If you say you need a $300 cooler, well I guess you need it.
I have a general policy not to drag anything across a gravel bar, just common sense. I would be even less likely to do it with a $300 cooler, whether designed to do that or not.

But you are certainly free to do that if you like.

quote ZaraSp00k: "

quote DeuceCoop: "Try sitting, let alone standing, on a Coleman or Igloo and see how that goes, (trust me; not well), or dragging a full one up a gravel bar by the handle. The handle will remain attached to the cooler for about seven steps (again, BTDT). "

I'm laughing because my 2 Coleman's (one a Lil' Oscar, the other the size nearly everyone has) are 40 years old and I use them as a chair all the time (I weigh 205) and I use them as a step when washing my vehicle, working on car, and lots of other things.

In fact, when I used to solo my tandem, it was used as the seat in the center. I travelled Quetico and BWCA for about 15 years doing that.

I use old bicycle tire tubes to wrap around them to secure them shut when I go on whitewater.

If you say you need a $300 cooler, well I guess you need it.
I have a general policy not to drag anything across a gravel bar, just common sense. I would be even less likely to do it with a $300 cooler, whether designed to do that or not.

But you are certainly free to do that if you like."

Not too many forty year old Colemans available for purchase these days, or Igloos or Rubbermaids for that matter. If there were the high dollar coolers probably wouldn't have made such inroads. I know I wouldn't have bought one if I had found a suitable alternative, but you are certainly free to drag up a six month old comment to brag about how much wiser you are than those of us who did.

As for not having to drag one up a gravel bar, if you can lift and carry a 120 full of ice, food and drinks without one of the handles ripping out I'm impressed, and get back to me after you've used one of your Colemans as a seat on a few WW trips or put dry ice in it.

As I said before, not everyone needs a rotomolded cooler. Congratulations on being smart enough to remain among that number. I guess the rest of us suckers will be laughing at purchasers of other innovative products forty years from now.

quote DeuceCoop: "

quote ZaraSp00k: "

quote DeuceCoop: "Try sitting, let alone standing, on a Coleman or Igloo and see how that goes, (trust me; not well), or dragging a full one up a gravel bar by the handle. The handle will remain attached to the cooler for about seven steps (again, BTDT). "

I'm laughing because my 2 Coleman's (one a Lil' Oscar, the other the size nearly everyone has) are 40 years old and I use them as a chair all the time (I weigh 205) and I use them as a step when washing my vehicle, working on car, and lots of other things.

In fact, when I used to solo my tandem, it was used as the seat in the center. I travelled Quetico and BWCA for about 15 years doing that.

I use old bicycle tire tubes to wrap around them to secure them shut when I go on whitewater.

If you say you need a $300 cooler, well I guess you need it.
I have a general policy not to drag anything across a gravel bar, just common sense. I would be even less likely to do it with a $300 cooler, whether designed to do that or not.

But you are certainly free to do that if you like."

Not too many forty year old Colemans available for purchase these days, or Igloos or Rubbermaids for that matter. If there were the high dollar coolers probably wouldn't have made such inroads. I know I wouldn't have bought one if I had found a suitable alternative, but you are certainly free to drag up a six month old comment to brag about how much wiser you are than those of us who did.

As for not having to drag one up a gravel bar, if you can lift and carry a 120 full of ice, food and drinks without one of the handles ripping out I'm impressed, and get back to me after you've used one of your Colemans as a seat on a few WW trips or put dry ice in it.

As I said before, not everyone needs a rotomolded cooler. Congratulations on being smart enough to remain among that number. I guess the rest of us suckers will be laughing at purchasers of other innovative products forty years from now. "

Sigh. I'm sure I "Pinch" a penny where some of you'all "Splurge?" SO what! I won't look down my nose and think "Sucker" when I see you wearing your $200 sunglasses while I have my Chinamart "Specials" on my head or you using your $200 rod & reel while I'm using my old Garcias from the same discount store? But if it makes you feel better, go right ahead with your "Superior" attitude. GEESH!

Here you'all go, now I'm outta here. Life's too short and I'm too sick right now to try to "Reason" with those who feel the need to feel "Superior."
Cooler

but you use your cooler for other things like grocery transport. Its not a matter of superiority but usefulness.

Your cooler to me, would just be expensive furniture,

my cooler at Rendezvous will be on wheels! And you might not need my wheels..

geez its is wash out the knotted knickers day.

quote yellowcanoe: "but you use your cooler for other things like grocery transport. Its not a matter of superiority but usefulness.


Your cooler to me, would just be expensive furniture,


my cooler at Rendezvous will be on wheels! And you might not need my wheels..


geez its is wash out the knotted knickers day."

Ha! If I see your wheeled cooler I'll beat it up with Terry's Canyon cooler!

I'll admit I'm kind of a sensitive feller, but it just stuck in my craw that someone went to the trouble of resurrecting an informed comment, made six months ago based on experience and offered in hopes of helping someone make a good decision, for that. Unless he was just trolling. In that case, carry on.

quote timatkn: "I have the Yeti 45 but when Ragged first posted this I pulled the trigger on the smallest RTIC model comparable to the YETI roadie.


I think the RTIC will be fine but 3 things I don't like
1. The wait time... Makes me nervous. I use PayPal and my account was charged immediately even though it took 4 months to get the cooler,
2. The closure. The locking mechanism is not as tight as my yeti it's almost like the latch straps aren't tight enough. There is a tiny bit of play in the lid. I swear I read this on this site as well form another poster.
3. The seal. The Yeti seal is continuous and very high quality material. The RTIC has a small gap and the material seems more flimsy to me--not as bad as my Dads Coleman YETI knockoff though.


This is very nitpicky but none the less there is a difference.


I have no idea if this will affect performance or not, I suspect it will be unnoticeable so I don't have any buyers remorse, especially at the lower price. If I had paid the same price I'd be upset, but then again I could return it if I didn't like it so that is a plus.


T


"

I agree, the RTIC straps seem a bit softer than the Yeti, they seem to be a TPU where as the Yeti has a more rubber like strap. It was on here that you read that, it was in the Yeti vs Engle thread, I believe.

The Paying up front didn't bug me, they were upfront with it and I knew what I was getting into.

The tests show they hold ice just as long so the seal must be working somewhat, but I agree, it seems just slightly cheaper.

quote Grouseguy1: "The RTIC is made in China, my Yeti was made in Wisconsin. That may explain the price difference

Ragged, did they charge your card before the cooler shipped? For that price point, I may try one of the soft sided ones. I hope it works out for you. "

I do think Yeti has moved a large percentage of their production off shore.

They did charge it right away, very upfront about it, but you can cancel for full refund at any time.

quote DeuceCoop: "

quote yellowcanoe: "but you use your cooler for other things like grocery transport. Its not a matter of superiority but usefulness.



Your cooler to me, would just be expensive furniture,



my cooler at Rendezvous will be on wheels! And you might not need my wheels..



geez its is wash out the knotted knickers day."

Ha! If I see your wheeled cooler I'll beat it up with Terry's Canyon cooler!

It comes attached to an RV! You beat it up and I have two electrodes handy....imagine..

This is all new to us.. Days of camping in flooded Ozark campgrounds with water all around.. and the air mattress afloat will be but memories.

Remember I have never seen the Buffalo not in flood or post flood.

At least I have the sense now not to bring couscous.


I'll admit I'm kind of a sensitive feller, but it just stuck in my craw that someone went to the trouble of resurrecting an informed comment, made six months ago based on experience and offered in hopes of helping someone make a good decision, for that. Unless he was just trolling. In that case, carry on.
"

I didn't resurrect a 6 month old thread, somebody posted on this the day before I did.

Everyone has their opinion, you said a Coleman wouldn't hold up, I have one that is 40 years and still going, I was only giving an alternative opinion.

BTW, I do have 2 of each, I inherited a pair my my father, his are prettier because they haven't seen as much use, I'm guessing he mostly put sammich's and beer in his.

Maybe I should put them up for sale, if people are willing to pay $300 to keep their food in a cooler, I'll take $150 for the both of them, and throw in some used bicycle tubes for safety straps to keep the lid on. Those tubes cost me $4 each when new, so you're getting quite a bargain.

quote ZaraSp00k: "I didn't resurrect a 6 month old thread, somebody posted on this the day before I did.


Everyone has their opinion, you said a Coleman wouldn't hold up, I have one that is 40 years and still going, I was only giving an alternative opinion.


BTW, I do have 2 of each, I inherited a pair my my father, his are prettier because they haven't seen as much use, I'm guessing he mostly put sammich's and beer in his.


Maybe I should put them up for sale, if people are willing to pay $300 to keep their food in a cooler, I'll take $150 for the both of them, and throw in some used bicycle tubes for safety straps to keep the lid on. Those tubes cost me $4 each when new, so you're getting quite a bargain."

Your Coleman coolers (given, they're much cheaper) wouldn't come close to the performance of a Yeti or similar. If you think otherwise, setup some sort of comparison test.

We understand that you can get a decent cooler for cheap, this thread is about the coolers that can hold ice for 10 days, have a 300 pounder stand on top of them, etc.

I dig those old steel belted coleman coolers. They're nice. They're not in the same class as what we're discussing here though.

When you say "if people are willing to pay $300 to put their food in a cooler", you obviously don't get it. Some of us NEED their coolers to go for 5 full days (or more), under the sun, while maintaining ice. We DO NOT have access to more ice, and will lose food (or wild game meat, fish filets, etc.) to spoilage without a cooler that will perform.

Do your old Colemans handle dry ice?

We went up to Canada this past January for some fishing and forgot our cooler so I had to buy a $5.00 styrofoam cooler at the grocery store. We left it outside the first night and I forgot to put the lid on tight but the the ice and food was still frozen in the morning so that's going to be my go to cooler on my August trip.

Lots of cooler test out there, and some results are surprising.
Ice retention and cost are my choice criteria, others have different needs. Still have not even dented my large Coleman or Igloo by sitting or standing on them and I go 200lbs.

butthead

quote ZaraSp00k: "I didn't resurrect a 6 month old thread, somebody posted on this the day before I did.


Everyone has their opinion, you said a Coleman wouldn't hold up, I have one that is 40 years and still going, I was only giving an alternative opinion.


BTW, I do have 2 of each, I inherited a pair my my father, his are prettier because they haven't seen as much use, I'm guessing he mostly put sammich's and beer in his.


Maybe I should put them up for sale, if people are willing to pay $300 to keep their food in a cooler, I'll take $150 for the both of them, and throw in some used bicycle tubes for safety straps to keep the lid on. Those tubes cost me $4 each when new, so you're getting quite a bargain."

I didn't say you resurrected a six month old thread. I said you responded to a six month old comment and did so for the express purpose of conveying your perceived superiority. You clearly have nothing of value to contribute to this conversation so I'll close with this bit of advice for you to ignore. If you want to attain the moral high ground over us suckers you might start by quoting us accurately.

quote butthead: " Lots of cooler test out there, and some results are surprising.
Ice retention and cost are my choice criteria, others have different needs. Still have not even dented my large Coleman or Igloo by sitting or standing on them and I go 200lbs.


butthead
"

Butthead, your requirements may be different than the OP, but they match what a lot of folks need. The video you linked proves something I thought may be true. I bought a Coleman Xtreme cooler on my trip to Alaska (hotels, not wilderness). It kept ice similar to a rotomold cooler. I bought it for a price I considered to be "donate to someone picking up a rental car as I return mine". Maybe $40? I liked it so much I checked it empty as baggage.

It does not lock, it does not have the durability or build quality of the Yeti or similar. It is not koala proof yet alone grizzly proof. But, if you want to keep some sealed beverages and ice cold for cheap, I need to hand it to Coleman on this one.

It has the same disadvantages of any other 5-8 day cooler: thick walls. You look in and are disappointed at the interior space.

As for the rest of this thread, I apologize I went off topic from the OP, and you folks are sure entertaining.

quote butthead: " Lots of cooler test out there, and some results are surprising.
Ice retention and cost are my choice criteria, others have different needs. Still have not even dented my large Coleman or Igloo by sitting or standing on them and I go 200lbs.


butthead
"

not a complete test, they forgot to test drag them across gravel

quote butthead: " Lots of cooler test out there, and some results are surprising.
Ice retention and cost are my choice criteria, others have different needs. Still have not even dented my large Coleman or Igloo by sitting or standing on them and I go 200lbs.


butthead
"

Good comparison, just realize those aren't your $30-40 igloo and Coleman models you get at Walmart. They are the higher end models. That igloo they tested costs 130-150 bucks for example and the Coleman is $80-100. Still a better deal than some of the molded coolers if you don't need the functions they add, but not cheap either.

I am surprised at the durability people are getting out of their igloo/Coleman. I've gone through 2 already in 8 years. To get 20 years out of one is awesome. One the lid came apart and the latch doesn't work anymore, the other delaminated/disintegrated at the seams in extreme heat conditions. Neither is usable anymore. Maybe I just got some duds or the newer models are made less sturdy?

I wouldn't stand on those cheaper coolers--they aren't made for that, I think they say that somewhere they aren't safe to stand on from the manufacturer? Saw a dude do that at a tailgate party last year and went through, cut him up bad on one leg. We couldn't get the bleeding to stop, had to get an ambulance. EMT's said it is isn't an uncommon, but usually the injuries are from falling---don't usually see cuts like this dude had. He was trying to reach higher on his truck and had all the weight on one foot.

T

I read this whole thread and I'm no closer to understanding it than when I began.....

So let's just say this......

As the government says with gas mileage “Your mileage may vary”. People are always posting here how their Hiker water filters are crap because they can’t even last one trip. Mine is over 15 years old and still going strong.

If I knew why some people ruin things 10 times faster, or have to spend 10 times as much to get it to work the same I’d reveal the secret. To me the answer is common sense, some people just don’t have any.

I kid you not, I use my cooler to sit on while I work on my cars (two sports cars) wax them, work in my garage, etc. I can understand why they say not to stand on them, they can tip over easy or collapse. But if you use common sense, that ain’t gonna happen.

Oh, and keep the cooler out of the sun and not in a vehicle with rolled up windows.

Like I said ....

quote ZaraSp00k: "

quote butthead: " Lots of cooler test out there, and some results are surprising.
Ice retention and cost are my choice criteria, others have different needs. Still have not even dented my large Coleman or Igloo by sitting or standing on them and I go 200lbs.



butthead
"

not a complete test, they forgot to test drag them across gravel"

True, but in addition to being certified bear resistant they're troll proof. Now I understand your aversion to them.

Wow..Zara...lots of judgements, assumptions, and looking down on others. Not really how you normally post so I hope whatever you are going through get's better. If it makes ya feel better to talk down to others I hope I have helped you.

T

Zara, please post about these sports cars so we can nitpick on their purpose and performance.



Back on subject, I got two of the dry baskets for my RTIC 65 today. Now I can keep the lunch meat out of the water, even double zip locked I've had water in there from time to time, slimy cheese is no good!

Soda bottles filled with water and frozen..screw the tops on and voila

No more icky cheese. Even in my Goodwill cooler.

What gizmo is next? A dry basket? That is a new one on me. Looks like a dishpan!

Where did ya get the dry basket? I am assuming that is something like a wire shelf I see in many coolers?

T

quote yellowcanoe: "Soda bottles filled with water and frozen..screw the tops on and voila


No more icky cheese. Even in my Goodwill cooler.


What gizmo is next? A dry basket? That is a new one on me. Looks like a dishpan!"

It's not that simple, ice lasts longer if it gets away from water, and draining a bunch of bottles every day would get old fast, and there is still "drink" ice in cube form that will also be creating water constantly over the week. We have modified coolers in the past (a buddies) but it's nice to have the molded ledge and perfect fitting basket, I couldn't buy a dishpan and modify it for a cooler for thd price they charge ($9 shipped)

T, they are just the wire baskets, same as Yeti has, simple coated steel.

There are some great videos these days on cooler tests. I ended up with a canyon cooler after watching.

YES there is a video of a bear trying to get into a locked roto molded cooler (he fails)

quote pastorjsackett: "I read this whole thread and I'm no closer to understanding it than when I began.....

So let's just say this...... "

What kind of rolling cooler doesn't have a car stereo and speakers built into the side?

I dont understand how ice lasts longer if it gets away from water.

Water has a specific heat of 1 calorie per gram C. This is greater than for any other substance

In our world the air can get to 80 degrees more quickly from 32 than the water can.

If you doubt come to my house!

My frozen bottles( 2 two liters) last about three days in a cooler in the heat. I get a couple of more days if I cover the cooler with a wet cotton terry towel.

I'm from the desert originally.

There are ways to get extra cooling from a cheap cooler.

Whether you think the little extra work is worth it, up to you . You are paying dearly for convenience.

quote yellowcanoe: "There are ways to get extra cooling from a cheap cooler."

I think the lid seal has a lot to do with it. Foam rubber gasket and a latch maybe?

quote yellowcanoe: "I dont understand how ice lasts longer if it gets away from water.


Water has a specific heat of 1 calorie per gram C. This is greater than for any other substance


In our world the air can get to 80 degrees more quickly from 32 than the water can.


If you doubt come to my house!


My frozen bottles( 2 two liters) last about three days in a cooler in the heat. I get a couple of more days if I cover the cooler with a wet cotton terry towel.


I'm from the desert originally.


There are ways to get extra cooling from a cheap cooler.

Whether you think the little extra work is worth it, up to you . You are paying dearly for convenience."

Water is a much better conductor of heat than air, ice will last longer when it's not surrounded by water, this is a fact. I'm surprised someone from the desert wouldn't know this. I'm not sure what your issue is with a nice cooler. You have how many canoes? I know every hull has different performance characteristics and one could say you have "paid dearly" for those differences. To each his own. None of your tricks are going to change anything, a cheap cooler is just that. Those same tricks will only extend ice retention further on a better cooler.

Some of the haters are totally missing the point. I have cheap coolers, they work most of the time. My $30 Walmart white Coleman marine will still be my most used cooler as I see no reason to lug around a 40lb beast when I need to hold ice for a day. But come July when I take an 8 day fishing trip it will be nice to have this cooler. If you want to see ice melt fast stick your cooler in one of the National Parks bear boxes, dark brown, never in the shade, they get oven like inside.


Gaskets will help but the main thing cheap coolers are missing are the thick well insulated walls, hard to find anything close for under $100

Water is a much better conductor of heat than air, ice will last longer when it's not surrounded by water, this is a fact.

Scientific fact--If Water and Air are the same temperature, an ice cube will melt faster in the water. The molecules in a liquid are more densely packed than the molecules in a gas, which means that the ice cube makes more contact with molecules in water than in air.

To put this in laymens terms--- your having a snowball fight in late March/ early April on a cloudy day near a partially open/ice covered body of water. Air temp is 38-39F.The wind is calm- body of water is glass. Water temp is the same (38-39F) do to the turnover (mixing) aspect--- (though this could be more technical , but for this purpose it works) -- of how lake ice melts. A wayward snowball goes into the water along with many others that have fallen on the shoreline. Which one(s) melt faster?? The one in the water-- or those on shore??

Not even close. h20 removes heat energy up to 40 times greater(depends on the movement of the object in the water, then air does-- everything being equal. All comes down to the density of the said molecules. Same thing can be seen in the opposite way--- Citrus farmers during a cold snap spraying fruit trees with water to help prevent a freeze and loss of fruit-- which is really latent (hidden) heat being used to try and keep the crops from freezing. Water (vapor) is an interesting deal in all of its phase changes.... Physics 101.

Sorry not read all the posts. In our fourth day of travel our three soda bottles of ice are still frozen. The food is a little more gone and Dry. The soda bottles in effect act as a dry basket in reverse. Water never touches the food the bottles act as mini blocks of ice. The wet terry on top acts as sweat. Sweat cools. My old cooler is latch less to boot

Yes water does transmit heat which is why cold water is more dangerous than cold air. I did not write well

We have another 500 miles to go today

quote yellowcanoe: "Sorry not read all the posts. In our fourth day of travel our three soda bottles of ice are still frozen. The food is a little more gone and Dry. The soda bottles in effect act as a dry basket in reverse. Water never touches the food the bottles act as mini blocks of ice. The wet terry on top acts as sweat. Sweat cools. My old cooler is latch less to boot


Yes water does transmit heat which is why cold water is more dangerous than cold air. I did not write well


We have another 500 miles to go today"

I'm still confused why this is such s big deal to you, I don't like ice packs for long term trips where I have to go 5-8 days without ice. You seem to be under the impression they are some home brew secret that I have never used. They don't have the cooling or staying power of ice. Heck I don't even use store ice most of the time, I make my own clear ice. The baskets are really nice because they keep stuff away from the wet ice as well as make it easier to get at lower items with out totally unpacking the top half of the cooler. I especially don't like home made ice bottles as you describe because they are about the most inefficient shape there is, hard to pack around. Glad it works for you, but it's not for me.

quote Jackfish: "I suppose this could be a case of "don't knock it until you try it", but I just can't justify spending that kind of money on a cooler when a $30 Coleman or Playmate would do just fine. Maybe someone can help me understand the value of having a cooler of that caliber, but I don't know how you could. "

I tend to agree Jackfish. I'm not opposed to spending money on quality equipment, (e.g., Kevlar canoes, carbon-graphite paddles, etc.), but $200.00 or more for a cooler is hard to swallow.

When not taking trips with portages, especially river trips, I always like to take a cooler. It's great to have fresh food for meals and a few "cold ones" at the end of the day.

I spend a lot of time on the lower Wisconsin River, because it's near my home and it's allows for some great primitive camping opportunities. Anyone who is familiar with the lower Wisconsin River knows it's like a hot griddle in the summer. The lack of tree cover, and being surrounded by all that water and sand can really magnify the effects of the sun. Ice gets zapped pretty fast on a summer weekend on the lower Wisconsin River.

I've found that the Coleman Xtreme Coolers work quite nicely for the tandems. Despite their size, the capacity is greatly reduced because of the wall thickness.

36 Quart Xtreme® 5 Cooler

For the solo canoes, the Stanley Adventure Coolers work great too.

Stanley Adventure Cooler

That being said, DeuceCoop makes a good point that many of the users that purchase the Yeti coolers, or other similar "premium" coolers, probably don't really need the extended cooling capacity that a river guide would require for a lengthy raft trip.

On most rivers I paddle locally there are usually several opportunities to re-load the coolers with ice after a few days, not so on an extended raft trip out west. I also found this to be the case when paddling the Ozark Rivers, (i.e., the Current River, Jacks Forks, and the Eleven Point)

Nevertheless, as Ozark Paddler mentioned, if you have the money to spend on a "premium" cooler, and that's what you want to spend it on, have at it.

There are friends of mine who are not avid paddlers, but enjoy getting out paddling for an afternoon in their little roto-molded kayaks. They have a hard time understanding why I would spend more for my carbon graphite-paddles than they have spent on their kayaks. To that I said, to each their own.

Hans Solo

quote HansSolo: "

quote Jackfish: "I suppose this could be a case of "don't knock it until you try it", but I just can't justify spending that kind of money on a cooler when a $30 Coleman or Playmate would do just fine. Maybe someone can help me understand the value of having a cooler of that caliber, but I don't know how you could. "

I tend to agree Jackfish. I'm not opposed to spending money on quality equipment, (e.g., Kevlar canoes, carbon-graphite paddles, etc.), but $200.00 or more for a cooler is hard to swallow.

When not taking trips with portages, especially river trips, I always like to take a cooler. It's great to have fresh food for meals and a few "cold ones" at the end of the day.

I spend a lot of time on the lower Wisconsin River, because it's near my home and it's allows for some great primitive camping opportunities. Anyone who is familiar with the lower Wisconsin River knows it's like a hot griddle in the summer. The lack of tree cover, and being surrounded by all that water and sand can really magnify the effects of the sun. Ice gets zapped pretty fast on a summer weekend on the lower Wisconsin River.

I've found that the Coleman Xtreme Coolers work quite nicely for the tandems. Despite their size, the capacity is greatly reduced because of the wall thickness.

36 Quart Xtreme® 5 Cooler

For the solo canoes, the Stanley Adventure Coolers work great too.

Stanley Adventure Cooler

That being said, DeuceCoop makes a good point that many of the users that purchase the Yeti coolers, or other similar "premium" coolers, probably don't really need the extended cooling capacity that a river guide would require for a lengthy raft trip.

On most rivers I paddle locally there are usually several opportunities to re-load the coolers with ice after a few days, not so on an extended raft trip out west. I also found this to be the case when paddling the Ozark Rivers, (i.e., the Current River, Jacks Forks, and the Eleven Point)

Nevertheless, as Ozark Paddler mentioned, if you have the money to spend on a "premium" cooler, and that's what you want to spend it on, have at it.

There are friends of mine who are not avid paddlers, but enjoy getting out paddling for an afternoon in their little roto-molded kayaks. They have a hard time understanding why I would spend more for my carbon graphite-paddles than they have spent on their kayaks. To that I said, to each their own.

Hans Solo
"

I lied; I came back to this thread. Love the Wisconsin river and that's a dandy boat, that Sawyer Shockwave!

I cannot seem to get the point across, that over time the COST IS LESS. I NO LONGER BUY ICE. ICE CAN GET EXPENSIVE. And on the river I don't have to resupply.

Plus, I don't care what ANYONE says, you cannot compare Maine and Minnesota weather to the Ozarks in summer. Deuce and I live here and recreate here. These are WORTHWHILE TO US.

We tried to give feedback on OUR EXPERIENCE. If I only had a Coleman canoe in the barn, I damn well wouldn't be telling folks they're wasting their money on kevlar Bells, Swifts, Hemlocks, and that a Coleman was all any prudent person needs? 'Nuff said.

Yellowcanoe said--
There are ways to get extra cooling from a cheap cooler.

Yes-- this is one.
Back to not wanting water in your cooler (or at least keeping your ice OUT of any water that forms) due to the above facts-- some people actually add salt to their ice to to melt it-- but mostly for those using coolers just for canned beverages (pop/beer) etc. Some use it to keep- (or even freeze foods Freeze Foods with no power? ) frozen foods even longer, but I have not experimented with frozen/freezing yet foods-- just beverages. Now I know this kind goes against the science above-- but bear with me--
Here is why-

For starters -- you need several cups of salt for this to work depending on the size of cooler, which is not always practical -- and this is really just for camping 1-2 nights-- not any longer.

This process is actually how Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit developed the 0F point on his Fahrenheit scale.

When salt is added to water it lowers the freezing point. Salt allows water to exist as a liquid at a temperature lower than 32F (This is the important part that’s relevant to pop/beer coolers.) When salt is added to ice it lowers the melting point. In other words, the ice begins melting at a temperature lower than 32F. This is why salt is added to ice on the roads in the winter and antifreeze in our cars. I know what your thinking -- read on. It causes ice, that would have otherwise remained as a solid in sub 32F, to turn to water. Note that the temperature of the water-- that was ice- has not changed. It’s still at a sub 32F temperature but, as mentioned above, the salt allows it to remain as a liquid at the lower temperature.

But why would you want to create more melting quicker from that precious ice-- and add more of that evil water I mentioned above that is not good for longevity of ice??
#1-- it chills the beverages quicker.

An important part of chilling beverages fast is to maximize how much of the can/bottle’s surface area is in contact with the chilling agent, whether it’s ice, water, or cold air.(I learned that in college- outside the classroom :O)-- though many times the effect stayed with me in the classroom. HA! Salt-water lets you chill a warm beer/pop really fast — much faster than a freezer. Pour cold water, ice, and salt into the cooler to create a salt-water-ice bath. Why does it work? The ice will be at a temperature near 0F from a household freezer. The ice will cool the water down and the salt will allow the water temperature to drop below 32F. (28.4F is freezing of point seawater,, but you can get around the mid teens F hours AFTER your warm beverages have nearly frozen-- and even below 0F before anything warmer is added- with a salty concentration more then seawater.. The beer/pop will then be fully submersed in sub-freezing water, maximizing the surface area in contact.

*** too much salt and low alcohol beer/ pop = slushy beer/pop quicker then you think--- from experience :O)-- ***

Without salt, the water will remain at a temperature slightly higher than 32F even though you have 0F ice cubes floating in it. If you only put ice in the cooler then less of the beer’s/pop surface is touching the chilling agent (ice) since ice cubes are irregularly-shaped. It won’t chill the beer/pop as fast as salt-water.

#2 keeping beverages cold

If your goal is to keep the beverages cold for a long time 1-2days (ie. if you go camping or on a picnic) it’s still a good idea to add some water and salt to the ice because it will make your beverages colder initially which means they’ll stay cold longer. The salt will make the ice melt as well but the resulting water will still be very cold. The specific heat capacity of water is double that of ice, which means the sub 32F (must be water below 32F-- hence salt water) water will stay colder longer than plain ice will. Technically, you could argue that the starting temperature of ice is much lower (0F) than sub 32F water (which again is right around 28.4F for water with a salt content that of the oceans- as mentioned, common to get temps in the mid teens F after several hours of cooling beverages etc), or that adding salt to the water does lower its heat capacity by a tiny bit. So it’s a bit of a tradeoff, but more +'s then -'s for just chilling and keeping beverages cold. The key is getting the right measure of salt/water/ice for both chilling and longevity. Fun experiments to do at your next camp out!!! Of course a top tier insulated cooler will only prolong this cooling effect.-- but this chilling effect is not magic-- all a person is doing is releasing heat energy quicker that is stored in the ice by adding salt then it would normally melt without , and as mentioned,, is really on suitable for chilling/freezing things quickly in a cooler. For long term cooling-- large chucks of ice (dry) properly placed among your objects is your best bet.

The funny thing (well, one of the funny things) about all this? I'm no longer in possession of a rotomolded cooler! I sold my Yeti to a buddy at a really good price because he bought a new raft with a really high floor and the older Yetis have a lower profile. I plan to get a Canyon but haven't gotten around to it yet, partly because I can't stop dithering between a 75 and the new Prospector which is a really cool 103 designed to sit directly on raft frames (leaning toward the 75, but like I said, dithering) and partly because I just bought Little Deuce a new kayak and don't want to incur the wrath of Mrs. Deuce just yet. Will have to do something before July as we received a permit for a San Juan trip with a 7/8 launch and a good cooler is critical for a summer desert river trip. I'll be sure to consult ZS before I pull the trigger. :)

FWIW, I only claimed that my Coleman was just as good to sit or stand on, And as for daggin' over gravel or rocks, my policy is don't.

but y'all have fun with your $300 coolers, I'm sure they do keep things colder longer than my Coleman

as long as I got your attention, how long will one of these fancy coolers keep things from freezing in the winter? I'm thinking in addition to sitting on one I could use it as a toboggan to slide down hills

I'm confuzzed. Are you looking for something to keep you from freezing while you slide down the hill? If so, yes, there is probably a cooler that will meet that need, but it will have to be a really big one so you can get inside and have someone latch it from the outside.

While you ponder that why don't you consider whether you'd rather change your signature or start practicing it.

BTW, I'd love to be able to get the cooler I need for $300.

Ever consider an Igloo Sportsman or Yukon? The RTIC does look great but long lead-time. While I have no problem with lower cost coolers, I can see reasons for roto-molded, heavy duty, long term investment.
Cold retention though can be accomplished easily in cheap standard styles, not hard to add insulation and dry ice (yup can do in cheap coolers), block ice, frozen bottles, and my personal fav water sealed in vac bags and frozen in sheets. Some of the best cold retention coolers I have used/handled are simple inexpensive styrofoam frozen goods shipping containers, think Omaha Steaks.

butthead

If you're asking me whether I've tried a Yukon or Sportsman the answer is yes and no. The rotomolded Sportsman series and the Yukon series aren't any less expensive than Canyons and the Canyon guys are a class act. I did buy a 100 quart non-rotomolded Igloo Sportsman at a big box store several years ago for $100. It kept things cool just fine, but there was a big warning stamped on it not to sit on the lid, the latches tore after a few uses and the handles ripped out while a buddy and I were carrying (not dragging) it. As for dry ice, can you put it directly on the bottom now, or must it be wrapped in something? If directly on the bottom that's new.

I know there are all kinds of ways to make cheap coolers keep things cold for a long time. That's been discussed ad nauseum here and on every other outdoors forum on the internets, not to mention around many a campfire. For me it's a matter of durability and function. If the latches and handles won't stay on (and yes, I know they can be replaced and southern engineered) and I can't even sit, let alone stand, on it I have no use for it. OTOH, if there's something available that will meet my needs for decades and then my daughter's needs for decades and on and on that's what I want.

So, is $400 a lot of money to pay for a cooler? Sure. Ridiculous even? Maybe. I don't know. What I do know from personal experience is there's nothing else on the market NOW (not 1963 since I don't have a time machine) for less money that can withstand the treatment I dish out. This is a fact. $100+ every couple of years for something that doesn't really meet my needs to begin with or $350-$400 once? I know what makes sense to me.

Thanks DeuceCoop!
Lot more info, I hardly need more than 60 Qt. capacity so that size and the failure you mention seldom co-exist. Still I have looked and am considering as much a $200 for a new cooler and the RTIC sure looks good. Will be looking for more usage comments from Ragged!

butthead

PS; I do fully understand the idea of quality as a great bargain, boots being a good example. bh

quote butthead: "Thanks DeuceCoop!
Lot more info, I hardly need more than 60 Qt. capacity so that size and the failure you mention seldom co-exist. Still I have looked and am considering as much a $200 for a new cooler and the RTIC sure looks good. Will be looking for more usage comments from Ragged!


butthead


PS; I do fully understand the idea of quality as a great bargain, boots being a good example. bh"

Yes, that's a very good point and one that's been overlooked I think. Things like lid cave-in and handle failure are far more likely with the big boys.

Ordered the RTIC 65 last night, my buddy has the 65, 45 and a large softpack. He loves the coolers! I was getting tired of running for ice all weekend long when at the cabin.

I just read this whole thread and was highly amused. Thanks a million for that. The OP was about learning and sharing info about a product he was interested in, and it seems he proved his point how it would be be beneficial to him for the cost. He did to me anyway. I love spook how he says he sits on his cheap cooler while polishing his sports cars. Alluding to, it seemed to me anyway, he has at leas more than one, kind of fancy car thing going on. So he can spend his dough on cars, but another guy is a clown for wanting a $200 cooler. How many $200 parts go into a 'sports car'? Why waste your money on a sports car? You could drive any beater. It might not keep you as warm in the winter and as cold in the summer, but it gets you around, right? Only 500 miles to go. What a stretch.

Search Rotomolded coolers on Alibaba.com

quote Canoeup: "I just read this whole thread and was highly amused. Thanks a million for that. The OP was about learning and sharing info about a product he was interested in, and it seems he proved his point how it would be be beneficial to him for the cost. He did to me anyway. I love spook how he says he sits on his cheap cooler while polishing his sports cars. Alluding to, it seemed to me anyway, he has at leas more than one, kind of fancy car thing going on. So he can spend his dough on cars, but another guy is a clown for wanting a $200 cooler. How many $200 parts go into a 'sports car'? Why waste your money on a sports car? You could drive any beater. It might not keep you as warm in the winter and as cold in the summer, but it gets you around, right? Only 500 miles to go. What a stretch."

When I read spook's first response I got my panties in a wad, but as he continued to make ridiculous comments I determined he was just deliberately pushing my buttons, which I find humorous and appreciate. After reading some of his responses in other threads I became even more convinced of this and decided to play along. Still haven't bought my Canyon yet.........

Just don't drag that sports car across that gravel road...
Sorry, it's just too easy.
I also like the guy who is enamored with his styrofoam cooler and is planning on bringing it in the BW. Good luck with that. If he is planning on leaving no trace, he better plan on picking up a million tiny styrofoam bubbles with his tongue unless he brings a DustBuster with him or something. ( do they still make the DustBuster?). This thread was classic for a public forum. Which made it entertaining, so thanks for that.

Good luck with your cooler search. May your beverages stay cold and your spirits always high. Cheers.

Walmart has the Ozark Trail rotomolded coolers that are less expensive than the other pvt. label Chi-Com imports.

Looks like they even got linked up with the yeti suppier in China and have all the tumblers and colsters now. Instead of $30-$40, it's $7-$10 though. Says "Ozark Trail" instead of "Yeti" or "RTIC". Otherwise identical according to printed specs.

The bubble seems to have burst on the Chinese rotomolded coolers.

Rtic tumblers use thinner metal. I bought one and it came delivered with a dent in it. Was sent a replacement and using it one night out at the fire and I put a dent in that one. Bought a Ozark one from Walmart and you can definitely tell there is a weight difference. The Yeti and Ozark ones feel to be the same weight, but the Rtic one is much lighter. The Rtic one I can flex the stainless steel, but not on the Yeti or Ozark. Another way to tell that's its thinner is by looking at the radius on the bottom outside edge on the cup. The radius on the Rtic is much smaller, which tells me thinner metal.

At work I did a test to see how long ice lasts between the Ozark and Yeti and it was a tie, or a very slight edge to the Ozark. I own a few of the Ozarks in the 32oz and 20oz tumblers and just bought another 20oz in the last half hour at Walmart.

Be careful when buying the Rtic's, as they are not the same quality. I am the guy who posted on the other thread about the Rtic cooler issues and I plan to give an update this weekend in regards to the coolers.

I read on another forum where an employee from Grizzly Coolers posted that Rtic went to there vendor over seas and is buying there soft sided coolers and having them labeled with Rtic. The Grizzly employee said he has all the documents and drawings to show that they were working together to come up with the design.
I contacted Grizzly a month ago and asked when they would have there soft sided coolers on there website and it sounded like late summer or fall. I'm guessing that Rtic is buying the early revisions of the soft sided coolers. Be interesting to see what Grizzly comes up with for there final design.

quote JoshP: "


Be careful when buying the Rtic's, as they are not the same quality. I am the guy who posted on the other thread about the Rtic cooler issues and I plan to give an update this weekend in regards to the coolers.


."

I don't know if I’d say "be careful" as much as I would say have proper expectations. I never thought for a moment that it would be exactly like a Yeti, it’s a half price knock off, it won’t have the same exact same fit and finish.

The rubber latches are a little softer as you noted BUT it’s actually hard to compare to the Yeti because their groove is so small that you can’t push up with enough force like you can the RTIC, would need a force gage to properly measure, for my use I don't see it being an issue at all.

The seal is not as nice, it’s simply adhered with a double sided tape much the same most freezers are, the Yeti is barbed and fits in a molded slot, much nicer for sure but my gut says that's a VERY small part of the ice retention equation. If the seal comes off at some point I'll just get out a roll of 3M VHB and it will never move again.

The ropes and handles on the side are not as high quality as the Yeti but RTIC ones are completely functional.

Clearly some minor detractors but there are also some improvements such as the ledge for opening and the true sizing on capacity, also the RTIC warranty is longer and the return policy better and lets not forget, $200 less.

Canoeup
If you were referring to my post you might re-read it, leaving the lid off in mid January in Canada won't affect the ice or frozen food if it's in a card board box.

quote Ragged: "

quote JoshP: "



Be careful when buying the Rtic's, as they are not the same quality. I am the guy who posted on the other thread about the Rtic cooler issues and I plan to give an update this weekend in regards to the coolers.



."

I don't know if I’d say "be careful" as much as I would say have proper expectations. I never thought for a moment that it would be exactly like a Yeti, it’s a half price knock off, it won’t have the same exact same fit and finish.
"

I mean't be careful in regards to the tumblers, not the coolers. There not all the same in quality.

I didn’t buy a Yeti, as I think there overpriced and the reviews didn’t satisfy me as much as those for other manufacturers.
I will say the biggest problem with the Rtic for me was no basket. I don’t care how much I have to spend for a cooler, it better have a basket to keep things dry. Spending this much I wanted a basket from the manufacturer versus shopping around to find one that may or may not fit, or even a correct fit.

When I did my tests for pulling up on the lid with my father, the Rtic lid feature didn’t make as much difference for testing with how I positioned my hand. I can tell you it worked much better with the Yeti latches on the Rtic than the standard latches that came with it. The Rtics latches are softer and stretch farther. I also tested it by filling up the Rtic 45 cooler not even half full with a bucket of ice from the ice maker in the fridge and 2x 2-liters, few condiments and not much more and placed the cooler on its back. The lid on the version I had opened up 1/4 to 3/8” in the front. If ice had melted I would have water everywhere.

Another big issue I have with it is the placement of the latches. All of the other manufacturers I seen place there latches/ latch rod as high up as possible in the latch slot in the lid. The Rtic’s seem to all have a gap in-between the top of the rubber latch and the top inside of the latch slot on the lid. By having it higher you create more tension, keeping the lid closed tighter. The other thing this kind of helps with is when the lid is open the latches stay out of the way versus swinging freely like they do on the Rtic. It can become bothersome when closing the lid and the latches swing in the way of closing it. This is due to the friction that created by being mounted high in the slot. I called Rtic about this and they were not aware of the issue and a phone call wasn’t good enough where they asked me to write a detailed follow up on what to fix. I don’t work for them.

I did add water to the ice that was in the cooler to test and see if I could get the lid to seal from suction like I have read people having this problem with other brands, but that didn’t happen to me probably because it wasn’t in the sun. I was surprised to see a few hours later that most of the water in the cooler turned to ice. That was pretty cool to see. This test was done in the house since it was winter. In the end they were gracious enough to allow me to return it.

I put a lot research into picking my next cooler by watching all kinds of videos and reading many forum threads and reviews. In the end I thought the best for my situation would be an Engel. I bought the Engel cooler 25 with one basket and a divider, and also a 65 with two baskets and a divider. I found a coupon code (OCT15) for 15% off. After I received it and opened it up, I knew immediately that I bought the right cooler and thos that have seen the Rtic I owned and the Engel’s I have agree. The gasket, which I agree isn’t the biggest thing, is much better. It’s a rubber bulb seal gasket, not some rubber flimsy thing. The latches on the Engel are my favorite since I can unscrew and slide the latch to adjust the tension. The keeper for the latch on the lid also serves as a bottle opener if you need that. I usually don’t need this, but hey it’s there.

Incase your interested, the best cooler I found is called Frigid Rigid. Bar none the best, but lots of ($,)$$$.

Take care.

I picked up a 26qt Ozark Trail High Performance cooler for $96 today at Walmart. It's similar to the Yeti Roadie. They also had a 52qt and 70qt. Priced at $140 and $199. I would have bought one of the larger ones as well, but I already have a Yeti Tundra 65qt

These are a better buy than the RITC. Just my two cents.

I actually saw the Ozarks in person for the time today, nice, but I don't think they are as thick of plastic as Yeti and RTIC, could be wrong but it just felt thinner to me.


I'm glad this got bumped as I made a boo boo above.

I originally thought my seal on the RTIC was adhered on and not stuffed in a molded slot like Yeti. I thought this because my seal was wavy and any slot would be molded in straight. After looking closer they are just like the yeti, mine was simpley not pushed in all the way so it looked funny.

quote Ragged: "I actually saw the Ozarks in person for the time today, nice, but I don't think they are as thick of plastic as Yeti and RTIC, could be wrong but it just felt thinner to me.



I'm glad this got bumped as I made a boo boo above.


I originally thought my seal on the RTIC was adhered on and not stuffed in a molded slot like Yeti. I thought this because my seal was wavy and any slot would be molded in straight. After looking closer they are just like the yeti, mine was simpley not pushed in all the way so it looked funny. "

Which size Ozark did you look at? the 26qt does have thinner walls, by design. It's only rated for half the time as the larger ones (4.5 days)

I did notice mine has tiny holes cleverly hidden on the outside where the foam must have been injected. They're not blemishes, as the pin size holes are in the exact same places on each side, and you can see a tiny bit of foam coming out. Never noticed those on my yeti. They're probably under the seal.

I'll do an ice retention test this week. For well under half the price of a yeti roadie I didn't expect an equivalent fit or finish. I did inspect the cooler before buying it.

My wife and kids were out of town this week. Was yard work/morel hunting/house duty week for me. On Monday, I filled my yeti 65qt with a few 6 packs of beer, and a modest amount of ice. Today there's only 6 beers left, but a good portion of the ice is still there. It's been opened at least 42 times over the past few days, and it's been in my warm garage

Grouseguy--

let me know how your test goes. I watched one on you tube (not all that impressive-- but only one test)-- but couldn't tell if it was 26 or 52qt.

quote WhiteWolf: "Grouseguy--


let me know how your test goes. I watched one on you tube (not all that impressive-- but only one test)-- but couldn't tell if it was 26 or 52qt. "

Will do. There's not many reviews out there at all, and they're very hard to get. I've been looking for a while. Checking store inventories, on the notification email list, etc.

Finally it said there was one 52Qt in stock at a store, and when I called they actually said they had one of each size.

We had been in the market for a smaller one anyways, as my wife often runs to different grocery stores in one trip and likes to use a cooler to put groceries in so there is never a "rush", she buys foods that need to be kept cold at each location, for cost savings reasons on various items. We wanted to go with a rotomold type for the flat out durability. Use as a step stool, seat, use for base camping BWCA trips, long road trips in our smaller vehicle, etc., etc. Basically, every cheap cooler we've ever bought had broke in some way or another. Sick of coolers being consumables.



I was close to pulling the trigger on all sorts of other brands, but the best prices I could find were about $180 for a similar size, or wait 3 months from RTIC, with no knowledge of their customer service or return/exchange times. I know that I can walk into any Walmart with or without a receipt and return this thing any time.

If in 4 years and 11 months from now, I find a defect, I can walk in and exchange it on the spot, assuming they have regular inventory by then.

One thing to think about, quality of the foam used in various brands. Being in the sealant industry, I can assure you that the R value and real world performances range dramatically with different grades of foam. That's one way to get the cost down.

It's now a race to the bottom in the rotomold cooler business. So many companies have decided to go shop for a private label cooler in China, and they act as nothing more than an importer/distributor.

Well guess what? Walmart has more money and can buy larger quantities than anybody. They're a competitor that is going to benefit us consumers. I still say buy USA, and do whenever possible, but I was really curious about these coolers and figured if it sucked I would just return it.

I'll do a video test, create a "gear review", and link it to this thread. I tried to add a bunch of photos, but it said this site is "currently under maintenance"

.

quote Grouseguy1:






My wife and kids were out of town this week. Was yard work/morel hunting/house duty week for me. On Monday, I filled my yeti 65qt with a few 6 packs of beer, and a modest amount of ice. Today there's only 6 beers left,



"

:O)-- though the previous version of 2 cases was better....

quote WhiteWolf: "

quote Grouseguy1:








My wife and kids were out of town this week. Was yard work/morel hunting/house duty week for me. On Monday, I filled my yeti 65qt with a few 6 packs of beer, and a modest amount of ice. Today there's only 6 beers left,




"

:O)-- though the previous version of 2 cases was better...."

I read my post, remembered my wife lurker here a bit...and you hung me out to dry. I really hope this is recycling week.

The fast food wrappers have already been deposited in a local dumpster. McD's for Breakfast, Taco Bell for Lunch, and Qdoba for dinner. No kidding.

If the conversation is still about a good quality cooler, you might also look at K2 out of Louisiana. We use a lot of their coolers down south. They are extremely heavy, like a YETI, but are at least $100 bucks cheaper. I own a K2 50 and 20. Like other people have posted, It makes a HUGE difference on how you prepare your cooler prior to using it whether it is a Coleman or a Yeti. If you get on K2's website, they also have a "clearance" section that will bring the price down even more. I believe they also come with a 7 year warranty.

FYI. This isn't really new news but I don't recall having seen it posted here. Ruh Roh

quote DeuceCoop: "FYI. This isn't really new news but I don't recall having seen it posted here. Ruh Roh "

Yep, I always wondered why RTIC made it look the same, and used the Yeti name all over their website. Yeti is also suing walmart for the tumbler and colster copies.

Bottom line, these rotomold coolers cost like $50 or less to make in China. We should continue to see a race to the bottom as far as pricing. I imagine quality will be all over the place, especially with the R value of foam used.

quote DeuceCoop: "FYI. This isn't really new news but I don't recall having seen it posted here. Ruh Roh "

I saw this last fall when it happened, its actually how I found out about RTIC lol I think the best they will do is get them to stop using the name on their website when comparing, they will likely just switch to some wording like brand "Y

quote Grouseguy1: "

Yep, I always wondered why RTIC made it look the same, and used the Yeti name all over their website. Yeti is also suing walmart for the tumbler and colster copies.


Bottom line, these rotomold coolers cost like $50 or less to make in China. We should continue to see a race to the bottom as far as pricing. I imagine quality will be all over the place, especially with the R value of foam used. "

For how much Yeti makes on each cooler I'm sure they have a sizable fund to use on lawyers

quote Grouseguy1: "

quote DeuceCoop: "FYI. This isn't really new news but I don't recall having seen it posted here. Ruh Roh "

Yep, I always wondered why RTIC made it look the same, and used the Yeti name all over their website. Yeti is also suing walmart for the tumbler and colster copies.


Bottom line, these rotomold coolers cost like $50 or less to make in China. We should continue to see a race to the bottom as far as pricing. I imagine quality will be all over the place, especially with the R value of foam used. "

Canyons are "mostly" made in Murica. Components are sourced from several places around the country. I forget exactly what/where but I know the foam comes from Alabamy and something else from Joisey. There is some foreign involvement; assembly I think.

quote Ragged: "

quote DeuceCoop: "FYI. This isn't really new news but I don't recall having seen it posted here. Ruh Roh "

I saw this last fall when it happened, its actually how I found out about RTIC lol I think the best they will do is get them to stop using the name on their website when comparing, they will likely just switch to some wording like brand "Y

quote Grouseguy1: "


Yep, I always wondered why RTIC made it look the same, and used the Yeti name all over their website. Yeti is also suing walmart for the tumbler and colster copies.



Bottom line, these rotomold coolers cost like $50 or less to make in China. We should continue to see a race to the bottom as far as pricing. I imagine quality will be all over the place, especially with the R value of foam used. "

For how much Yeti makes on each cooler I'm sure they have a sizable fund to use on lawyers



"

Any company would/should use lawyers when someone makes an identical copy of their product, and then uses their name all over the website. There's plenty of other, new rotomold companies that have avoided similar lawsuits. All you have to do is make yours looks a little different.

Not saying I wouldn't buy an RTIC on principle or anything crazy like that. Who doesn't enjoy a good knockoff? All I'm saying is that the lawsuit is justified (in my, non-lawyer opinion) and small aesthetic changes should be anticipated by RTIC.

I would have got my mom a RTIC hopper for mothers day if they were in stock anywhere. Only place they are in stock is ebay, and then people want Yeti type prices.

If I had an RTIC, I may even put a Yeti nameplate on it, or a yeti sticker over the RTIC nameplate.

I did just that with my cheap Ozark Trail Yeti knockoff tumblers, just for shits and giggles

Yeti won in court. RTIC has to stop selling the current models, and paid a large sum of cash to Yeti

quote Grouseguy1: "Yeti won in court. RTIC has to stop selling the current models, and paid a large sum of cash to Yeti"

RTIC has changed their website messaging and is rolling out newly designed hard sided coolers in May. Their soft sided coolers remain as is since they were not part of the lawsuit.

They may be 'knock offs' but I would buy an RTIC 45 for $175 1,000x over a Yeti for $350 and soft sided 20 for $99 rather than a yeti soft sided for $300.