Best coolers

[SoCalZero]

I know there was a couple threads on soft side coolers but what is everyones opinion for a regular hard cooler? I have been looking at Grizzly, Orion and Yeti. These things can get pricy for a cooler so what's the best bang for your buck? What do you use?

 

[Spudsbud]

bout the same great quality as Yeti at 1/2 the cost.
Costco, Walmart, Amazon.....

 

[plaster dave]

I just got this one on amazon and it worked awesome over Memorial Day weekend in havasu. 1-20lbs bag of ice and stuff was still cold with ice the next morning.
NorChill Soft Coolers 48 Can Soft Cooler, Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BV29O76/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_rhdpzb6YRYVMG

 

[copterzach]

Rtic

 

[Tackleberry]

The Coleman Extreme coolers are pretty good bang for the buck, Walmart has the 50 qt. with wheels and telescoping handle for $30, and the 70 qt. is $50 I believe.
[video=youtube;5m4asFxo8s8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m4asFxo8s8[/video]

 

[CLdrinker]

I have the 60QT RTIC. Same as YETI but half the cost. Only downfall is they are heavy, when full I can barely pick the dam thing up.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

The new AO coolers with the new liners are great. All day on the lake for 8 hours and still have ice in it.

Why someone would have a hard cooler on their boat these days is beyond me.

 

[Dan Lorenze]

Yeti 110 :rolleyes

 

[SoCalZero]

Yeti 110 :rolleyes

Hahaha. Try picking that thing up by yourself.

 

[SoCalZero]

The new AO coolers with the new liners are great. All day on the lake for 8 hours and still have ice in it.

Why someone would have a hard cooler on their boat these days is beyond me.

How new are these liners? I have one about two years old with holes and can barely hold ice for a half day. I loved my AO when it was new. I wouldn't have a hard cooler on the boat but great for everything else.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

How new are these liners? I have one about two years old with holes and can barely hold ice for a half day. I loved my AO when it was new. I wouldn't have a hard cooler on the boat but great for everything else.

New liner is good so far. More flexible and no holes (so far). I had my old one replaced because of holes. New one holds ice well. A little liquidy at the end of day but still ice chunks in it. So far so good.

 

[rvrrun]

How new are these liners? I have one about two years old with holes and can barely hold ice for a half day. I loved my AO when it was new. I wouldn't have a hard cooler on the boat but great for everything else.

Yes, enquiring minds want to know.

...and just saw your second post, Joe

 

[satellitemike]

New liner is good so far. More flexible and no holes (so far). I had my old one replaced because of holes. New one holds ice well. A little liquidy at the end of day but still ice chunks in it. So far so good.

I was talking to the AO guys today at the 4 wheel parts show in Ontario and they said you could bring in your old cooler and they would swap out your old liner for the new softer more durable one for $12, I think I might give it a try. They are in Corona.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

I was talking to the AO guys today at the 4 wheel parts show in Ontario and they said you could bring in your old cooler and they would swap out your old liner for the new softer more durable one for $12, I think I might give it a try. They are in Corona.

That's what I did but didn't have to pay $12. Brought in my old one that was leaking and they did it for free.

They are a great company and super nice people there.

They even gave me a loaner cooler while mine was getting done.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Coleman Xtreme is a great bang for the buck hard cooler. The 52 quart one can be had for under $45. It will keep ice for a couple days easily at the the river.

 

[IgnusInAqua]

I did a lot of research and I found the Polar Bear H2O bags. They are a soft bag that come in a 12,24, and 48. I bought the 24 and love it. It is waterproof and keeps ice incredibly well. We place it on the swim step and don't have to worry about it. A little pricey, but I can see us getting a lot of years out of it. Check it out.
http://www.polarbearcoolers.com/category/h2o-waterproof-coolers.html

 

[Backlash]

Igloo Sportsman 20 and Sportsman 70. I bought both of them from Sport Chalet when they were going out of business and got both coolers for around $200. I love them both and have no complaints. The 20 fits perfectly in the back of our Howard 19 and is light enough to tote around with ice and drinks. The 70 has to be loaded in the truck first and then topped off with ice unless you have a second set of hands. Sucker gets heavy pretty quickly. With either one, they stay so cold you can hardly stand to put your hand down in the bottom to grab a drink. No, they aren't one of the "Premier" coolers but I don't care. It's an ice chest.

 

[RiverDave]

I have two grizzly hard coolers for off reading etc.. these thing hold Ice long than I'd ever need them too. I'm dumping ice out of them four and five days later after off-road trips etc.

 

[2Driver]

I know this is for hard side but just have to chime in my AO is 15 years old. It gets used 2-3 times a week.

The zipper is just starting to be an issue

 

[Mr. C]

I didn't have sound so take it for what it is. But a liitle extra foam and a slightly thicker shell ..
Not sure worth an 350 to me.

 

[Jonas Grumby]

My AO is 20, no holes still works fine, the insulation is getting fluffy though.

 

[ltbaney1]

the best cooler is the one that is closest to me with cold beer. i have never cared if it was hard or soft sided, coleman or yeti. is it close and does it have cold beer after that who cares?

 

[ka0tyk]

best and practical are two different things. the yeti's etc will keep things colder longer but require a small crane to get in/out of the boat.

im more of a regular ol marine coleman myself. no gizmos or wheels, and will last longer in the sun than the regular red/blue ones.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

Another vote for Colman Xtreme 50qt.

Soft sided, I still prefer the AO Cooler.

I got a Yeti Two 20 with some Marriott Rewards points and it’s rugged, but I’m not wowed by it’s ice holding performance. No way it’s worth the money they charge. Maybe if it was made in USA, but it’s not.

 

[Rjt01]

I got the pelican 80q with wheels , love and would highly recommend it , same or better than yeti , would look better if I had a RDP sticker on it hint hint lol

 

[DLC]

I have literally a boat load of coolers.... they all do the exact same thing, it’s just some do it better and longer!

We bought tan RTiC coolers for the boat a 65 for drinks and a foot rest for my wife and a 20 for food, they are heavy and I load the cooler on the boat, empty water and never take it off the boat. Ice stays in these for days....

I have a bunch of AO coolers like 5-6 of them in different sizes they are my go to cooler as they are light and easy to work with off road, grilling burgers on the island, or hot tubbing w/ beer at my neighbors when he’s not there! They work great!

We use a 65 igloo cooler on wheels for hauling food and stuff back and fourth to Havasu got this at Costco easy to move to the garage and house refer

I also have 3 of the huge 160-180 igloo coffen type cooler we used these loaded up with beer ice when we hit up the desert for long weekends got these at Costco
We also have a few of the igloo marine type coolers, had these for years and work great, 20,40 and 75 and 100 they work good but are a little older

So we are coolers for different things and are all great, just pick one and roll with it!

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Another vote for Colman Xtreme 50qt.

Soft sided, I still prefer the AO Cooler.

I got a Yeti Two 20 with some Marriott Rewards points and it’s rugged, but I’m not wowed by it’s ice holding performance. No way it’s worth the money they charge. Maybe if it was made in USA, but it’s not.

The Coleman Xtremes are the best bang for the buck bar none. The only thing that sucks are the handles on the non roller versions.

The Coleman Extreme 52 is the perfect size for a full day on the water. The are about $45 shipped.

 

[Joker]

Boat US had a great article on how to make a cheap plastic cooler just as good as a Yeti.
They drilled 1/4” holes through the top edge and used the foam insulation in a can to inject and insulate the coolers since most are hollow cores. Their testing showed ice held as long as a 200.00 cooler.


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[River Runnin]

I have a Pelican 95, Yeti 45, rodie 20, Hopper flip 8, and Icey-Tek 120.... They're all good!...Pre-chill like the destructions say for the best chill'n results!

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

So my buddy has been raving about the 55 quart LifeTime cooler he bought from Walmart. Made in the USA by the way...he throws that out evertime he talks about it. So at $97, I bought 2 of them. Looks like same construction at yeti, a bit heavier than the standard cooler, but is solid. Whne you sit on it, it feels liek your sitting on concrete.

So we took it to the beach on Saturday, then the east county SD lake on Sunday. Same ice because I wanted to test it. I brought it home and had it in the garage on Monday and the entryway since. The damn thing still has ice. Probably has enough ice to last until Friday. Not too bad. Downside, pretty big for a smaller boat.

 

[boatdoc55]

The best thing you all can do is get away from ice and use what they call "Cooler Shock". There was a thread about it before and these work great and I don't buy or make ice anymore. They've paid for themselves in a year. If you don't watch out they will freeze your beer while in the cooler, don't ask my wife how she knows.

 

[farmo83]

For the boat I use a YETI roadie my in laws got me.

For everything else I use the Igloo Super Tough with wheels.

Love both !

 

[HPBoats83]

I bought a Pelican to put my elk in and it works very well. I’ve used it many times and left it in my truck several days on end in over 100*+ heat as it’s too heavy to move everyday.

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[Constant840]

I have a few soft Rtic, a Yeti Hopper and a bunch of leaky AO.
For the hard cooler I wanted made in the USA. Started with the Igloo Extreme 55. Quickly realized it wasnt large enough.
Had my sights on the Pelican 80, but wasnt thrilled with the molded handles. This is what steered me from the Cableas line.
Ended up with an Orca 75. This weekend will be the maiden voyage. I think this will be loaded on the boat and stay there while the boat is in the water. No more hauling the soft ones back and forth.

 

[Tank]

Best cooler is a filled cooler!


I bought this a few months back. Things awesome. More like a duffle bag. Has a zipper storage on each side that are also insulated and a zipper storage for the front that is not insulated. Holds prob a 30 pack and each side pockets carry another 6 pack each. Also has a large shoulder strap and the grab handle clicks together with a large rubber grommet that makes it easier to carry. $50.00 at west marine and I am more that happy with it. I've used it probably 10 times so far. no leaks.

 

[RiverDave]

For softside I have an igloo that I beat the shit out of and it's never let me down.. I love the way the AO's look, but I am cursed with the leaks.. Frozen water bottles stopped the leak problem though and work bitchen! Plus you can drink them throughout the day as they melt!

For straight up ice for days.. Any of the big dog coolers Yeti / Grizzly etc.. I have 2 grizzlies and as said before I'll go offroading, and empty the damn things 4-5 days later and they are still full of ice! LOL

RD

 

[JustGetIt]

This Igloo that came with my boat... Thinking it may have something to do with the seat cushion top to match the interior but it outlasts anything I've used in the past and what we have at camp (Marine/Extreme Coleman's & the popular soft sided brands).

Makes for a comfy seat too

 

[Stainless]

I see this thread started in ‘17 and I just skipped to the end to comment.
While the hard side Yeti’s and their knockoffs are probably best for keeping ice for long periods they are very heavy, have diminished capacity due to wall thickness and you need a forklift to move one full of beer, lol. Hell my 48 AO is more than I want to carry by myself when it’s full of beer and ice, and that’s not 48 cans of beer, more like 24 cans and ice.

 

[seanroberts]

I've had most out there, Yeti, AO, RTIC, Coleman you name it. Dollar for dollar, RTIC I have both the hard and soft coolers. Great for the price.

 

[Ultra912]

All (4) of my big AO leak discoloring the canvas. They probably went to the softer liner because the ones they had are obviously problematic. The small one is fine, haven't had a problem with it. Maybe I'll bring em home and take them to Corona to get fixed.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

So my buddy has been raving about the 55 quart LifeTime cooler he bought from Walmart. Made in the USA by the way...he throws that out evertime he talks about it. So at $97, I bought 2 of them. Looks like same construction at yeti, a bit heavier than the standard cooler, but is solid. Whne you sit on it, it feels liek your sitting on concrete.

So we took it to the beach on Saturday, then the east county SD lake on Sunday. Same ice because I wanted to test it. I brought it home and had it in the garage on Monday and the entryway since. The damn thing still has ice. Probably has enough ice to last until Friday. Not too bad. Downside, pretty big for a smaller boat.

FWIW, the $45 Coleman Extreme kept ice sitting on my patio for 5 days in May in OC. That was with direct sun for about 4 hours per day. To be fair, I only opened it for drinks day 1 and 2.

Those Lifetime cooled look to be very well constructed.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

This Igloo that came with my boat... Thinking it may have something to do with the seat cushion top to match the interior but it outlasts anything I've used in the past and what we have at camp (Marine/Extreme Coleman's & the popular soft sided brands).

Makes for a comfy seat too

View attachment 654438

I have an Igloo Marine 48 QT in my boat. It is not that great. Works fine all day, but that is it. I use it because that is what the boat was built to use.

The handles and hardware are robust and replaceable which is nice, and there is a provision for a tray which is very useful.

 

[WhatExit?]

Coleman Xtreme is a great bang for the buck hard cooler. The 52 quart one can be had for under $45. It will keep ice for a couple days easily at the the river.

With options like this Coleman and other economical coolers it just doesn’t make sense to spend a ton of money on a cooler that uses ice.

If you want better you can go with a good 12v cooler or cooler/fridge that can keep your beers cold and keep ice frozen for cocktails...

Here’s a link to a Home Depot product you should consider...

Whynter Elite 45 Qt. SlimFit 1.5 cu. ft. Frost Free Portable Freezer in Gray with 12-Volt Option


See this on Homedepot.com
OMSID#: 207065393
Store SKU#:

Qty: 1

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

With options like this Coleman and other economical coolers it just doesn’t make sense to spend a ton of money on a cooler that uses ice.

If you want better you can go with a good 12v cooler or cooler/fridge that can keep your beers cold and keep ice frozen for cocktails...

Here’s a link to a Home Depot product you should consider...

Whynter Elite 45 Qt. SlimFit 1.5 cu. ft. Frost Free Portable Freezer in Gray with 12-Volt Option


See this on Homedepot.com
OMSID#: 207065393
Store SKU#:

Qty: 1

I use a 40 Qt igloo 12V cooler like that for bringing food out to the river. It works great, just don’t plug it in backwards so it warms the food. I did that by accident once, it wasn’t pretty.

 

[SJP]

I have had pretty good luck with the AO soft sided in the boats. They make a flat version that lines the locker coolers perfect for quick load/unload. For the pool and pontoon about 5 years ago I converted to Yeti 65s. There were not the options of knock offs available. They are bulletproof and do not need to worry about them breaking. I had a pile of igloo coolers like 10 of them with hinge and handle issues / multiple rebuilds I gave away. The Hopper soft coolers are strong as well - I put in the RZR.

 

[CLdrinker]

I bought a Pelican to put my elk in and it works very well. I’ve used it many times and left it in my truck several days on end in over 100*+ heat as it’s too heavy to move everyday.

View attachment 654370


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Hope you can put an elk in it this fall. I’m going to Colorado hope I can fill that $680 tag....

 

[JBS]

Hope you can put an elk in it this fall. I’m going to Colorado hope I can fill that $680 tag....

This guy visits me all the time



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[707dog]

FWIW, the $45 Coleman Extreme kept ice sitting on my patio for 5 days in May in OC. That was with direct sun for about 4 hours per day. To be fair, I only opened it for drinks day 1 and 2.

Those Lifetime cooled look to be very well constructed.

got 2 coleman extremes a 100 qrt and a 56 qrt from wally world both with wheels the key is to prep/pack them right and shit holds the ice for days where i camp at sometimes a ice vendor ain't no where close... i prep mine with frozen water bottles before loading them up and most of the time come home the same ice i took.

 

[Stainless]

View attachment 654472

This guy visits me all the time



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That is a cool shot! Was it with a game camera or did it come in that close? I have a few mule deer that are regulars and stop in for water.

 

[JBS]

That is a cool shot! Was it with a game camera or did it come in that close? I have a few mule deer that are regulars and stop in for water.

No game camera iPhone. Have a group that live in the neighborhood. Here is the next picture

We also have 5 deer on a regular basis


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