OT: Insulated Cooler Recommendations

[PNW]

It’s the time where I’m done with the Coleman coolers I’ve been buying that don’t keep ice for even a few hours. I’m looking for recommendations on a few brands that I’ve narrowed it down to. My company is covering it so cost isn’t an issue.

Yeti Tundra 65
Grizzly 60
Otterbox Venture 65
Canyon 55

Opinions are welcomed from those who have experience with any of the brands!

[sfghbiker]

I just got a grizzly and am very happy with it. the key thing for me was that i needed a shorter cooler so that it would fit in my truck bed under the cover. if I didn’t have this limitation I would have purchased an orion cooler. they are certainly worth putting on your list especially if someone else is paying...

[PNW]

Originally Posted by sfghbiker

I just got a grizzly and am very happy with it. the key thing for me was that i needed a shorter cooler so that it would fit in my truck bed under the cover. if I didn’t have this limitation I would have purchased an orion cooler. they are certainly worth putting on your list especially if someone else is paying...

What’s their warranty like? What do you like about them?

[sfghbiker]

not sure if you’re asking about the orion or the grizzly but the orion coolers:
made in the us
10 year warranty
look awesome (this is open to interpretation)
some features that I find useful included like non slip top, dry rack and a bottle opener. they also have some pretty cool accessories that would be particularly useful if you use them on a boat/fishing (not my situation)

[PNW]

Originally Posted by sfghbiker

not sure if you’re asking about the orion or the grizzly but the orion coolers:
made in the us
10 year warranty
look awesome (this is open to interpretation)
some features that I find useful included like non slip top, dry rack and a bottle opener. they also have some pretty cool accessories that would be particularly useful if you use them on a boat/fishing (not my situation)

Yes sorry, the Orion. Grizzly is lifetime and also made in the US. The Orion stuff looks great...I’m intrigued.

[jimcav]

I believe the 35 can size, but they have various models. I got it on sale during their black friday or cyber monday, one of those. It is great and keeps things very cold for 3 days, in hot (90s) weather. I might have got a pelican cooler if i was more into fishing as they have the integrated ruler--from what i've seen most are made with the same kind of insulating foam and gaskets and the diff is where it is made and hardware or nice add-ons like openers and wheels (pelican has latches like their non-cooler cases, whereas RTIC has the rubber stretching T-shape catches). All these are pretty heavy, my only complaint with my RTIC is in this smaller size it has a metal bucket-style handle that is not comfortable to carry. I should have gotten a bigger size with a handle on each side, but it is mainly me solo so I didn't need the volume. If I used it a lot, I'd definitely splurge for the pelican version with wheels

[gasman]

I've used a Yeti for years. It keeps things cold for a long time especially if you use dry ice and pre-cool it with ice then you can get 4 days in hot weather. The downside I keep running into is the thick insulation really cuts down on the actual storage volume I still unconsciously expect when heft it around. Oh well ,can't have it all.

You'd be fine with all the other choices and they will last forever last forever from what I've seen.

[Louis]

RTIC vs Yeti:

https://www.thecoolerzone.com/rtic-v...ltimate-guide/

[11.4]

Those tests can be very slanted. To maximize the cooling capacity of a cooler, you want to pack it with cold ice (deep frozen ice) for a couple days before you need it. That way you don't have warmth in the cooler itself melting the ice inside. When you do so, there's next to no difference between the top coolers, as far as maintaining ice goes. Another matter is that the larger the cooler, the better it cools. So no surprise that smaller capacity coolers don't hold it as long. If you strip out all the bogus data you basically see that when you compare the hard coolers from RTIC and Yeti, they basically perform just about identically. To add to that, consider Canyon Coolers. And there are people who love Pelikans as well.

We have a dozen or so biggish coolers (45 to 230 liter) scattered across all the brands. This is what we've found:

1. The seals on the Yeti last the longest; those on the RTICs last the shortest.
2. The base of the Yeti can stand being dragged a couple miles down the road behind a truck; the Pelikan and RTIC have thinner rotary molded wall thickness, so if you potentially abrade it (e.g., allowing it to slide around the back of a truck on long drives), the Yeti will outlast the others.
3. The drain is much nicer on the Yeti than on any of the others. Hands down. And they make a couple low priced drain options that let you design the drain to your particular needs.
4. The Yeti has marginally less capacity for a given weight. You may be getting less capacity because it has more insulation or more protective rotomolded skin, or the design isn't quite as refined; I couldn't tell you which, but the difference is really small.
5. The Canyon has very sturdy straps, the best of any of them. The straps on the Yetis we have have never failed us. Ever. We've had to replace some on the RTICs.
6. The RTICs are a bit cheaper and more often on sale.
7. If you're using a cooler in any weather up to 90+ degrees, any of these top brands will hold your ice for days if properly conditioned ahead of time. In 110+ degree weather, the Pelikan fails first, the RTIC a good bit later, the Canyon still later, and the RTIC just barely longer (all measuring a 65 liter or the nearest size we had to it).
8. If your cooler has seen some use, the quality of cooling can be as much a matter of the newness of the locking tabs. The biggest contributor to cooler performance is starting with deep iced ice. If your ice is cooled only to freezing, it starts to melt right away and the inside will never be below 32 degrees F. Water freezes at 32 degrees (allowing for conditions, altitude, and other geek issues) but once it freezes it can get colder and colder. If you find a place that freezes it down to -25 degrees Fahrenheit, it'll last twice as long because the contents start from a much colder temperature. 7Eleven ice doesn't work well, but if you find a liquor store or some other place where a thermometer in the ice shows it's much colder than 32 degrees will pay you huge dividends.
9. If you need parts, Yeti wins hands down. Same for warranty claims. RTICs are common in certain parts of the country unheard of in others. Canyons are mostly unknown except by those who shop for specialty coolers.
10. Each brand has a few distinctly-shaped coolers. If one of those rocks your boat, that's the one to get.
11. Yetis have by far the best resale value. You can't find a good deal on a used Yeti in decent condition.

If I were buying another one today, I'd try to get a Yeti. If I were using other people's money, I'd definitely get a Yeti.

[Mikej]

I got a yeti 45 yesterday, my local outdoor store has a points system and my sister just bought a ski package, so I got like a hundred off! One up Racks has various Grizzly coolers on sale if you like custom red and graphics. Shipping might be a bear....

https://www.1up-usa.com/product-category/sales/

Oh just looked and the grizzly site is way cheaper

[CDollarsign]

Orca is made in the USA, keeps ice longer, and is cheaper than yeti. Only negative is the sizes. They tend to be taller than yeti, but actually fit the volume they state.

[Wolfman]

We have a Yeti 75. I like the rope handles and don't particularly mind the rubber latches; but I think that if something's gonna give, it's the latches, though I have no data and certainly no bad experience to support that.

We did get a bro-deal through a friend's company, so didn't pay full price, but aside from the size and needing 2 people to move it fully loaded, it's been great.

I think that like others have said, all the top end stuff is pretty comparable, so get what speaks to you.

[PeregrineA1]

Do you have 12v and/or 120v power available? If so, get an ARB fridge freezer. Never need ice.


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[skiezo]

I have both grizzly 20 and 40 that I got from work for ordering a set amount
of product from Hilti.
I think any of the high end coolers are very comparable. If you go with any of top name brands you will be happy.

[JAGI410]

My Igloo failed me big time on a road trip. Stopped at REI for a Yeti 45 (it was 20% off coupon season too) and I've used it a few times since. Worth every penny. Plus with REI, there's the dividend and the no worries return policy.