This Coleman steel-belted cooler is supposed to be able to keep ice cold for more than four days. This soft side cooler is ever-popular online and perfect for a day outdoors. This high-end backpack cooler goes toe-to-toe with Yetis, where ice-retention is concerned, but leaves the competition at basecamp when you start to hike. Yeti coolers—the most sought after and Instagram-visible brand in the cooler market—can run up to $800, depending on size and model. That’s pretty steep, even for a product that even we noted is pretty darn awesome.
Coupled with a health-conscious PP plastic lid that ensures a 100% airtight seal with its quarter-turn technology, spills and leaks are things of the past. It’s as strong as a comparable Yeti cooler, at a better price. This is the hardest cooler category to test and ultimately choose a pick within. All high-end roto-molded coolers are increasingly coalescing into a single position, with similar price, performance, and construction. The three that currently rise to the top are from RTIC, Canyon, and Yeti.
Larger Ozark Trail coolers all feature an oversized drain on the side or bottom that makes getting rid of melted ice easy. The drain stopper is even attached to the cooler by a chain, so you don’t have to worry about losing it and dealing with leaks. Its insulation can keep ice solid for up to 12 days, and can even keep drinks cold without it for up to 9 days in the best conditions. So, in that sense, the Ozark Trail Cooler can hold ice ranging from 12 hours to 10 days depending on the model of the cooler. Whereas the 52/73 quart coolers come with high-performance side handles. According to users, the zipper is actually fairly sturdy, and it is also leakproof.
Sure, if we were to fill the cooler up to the brim with nothing but ice, never open it, and leave it in a cool/dark area, the ice life would go way up. Their low-cost, soft-sided ozark trail canopy cooler options don’t have a lot of storage volume or insulation to help them out. Having structure is important for protection in soft-sided coolers.
The AO is one of the easiest to pack as well, opening nicely for easy loading. The REI Pack Away and Arctic Zone Deep Freeze 30 also impressed us with their storage features and capacity. The Pack Away has gear hooks scattered throughout the pack, so there is no need to ditch the travel mug or bottle opener at home. The Deep Freeze holds up to 30 cans, and its ribbed inside helps keep them settled ozark trail canopy in place. Additionally, it has stretchy mesh side pockets and a bungee cord for holding a blanket or jacket. Among the many tote and messenger style options we tested, we have our favorites.