Cooler Talk!

[Scuba Steve]

I'm currently awaiting delivery of my first Yeti cooler! Should be here Tuesday. I know the forum rules let's keep the NRA stuff out of it, please. 

 

I have a few other Yeti, RTIC, Ozark, and Pelican products that I have been very happy with. I was able to get the $249 Tundra 35 for $199 thanks to the military/first responder discount program they have, so that was greatly appreciated. 

 

Honestly, I have the income, and didn't want to settle. I didn't mind spending the extra $100 to get the bad arse cooler I've always wanted.

 

Anybody reading this care to chime in on their favorite cooler and why? Any Yeti Tundra owners out there? What size works best for your fishing needs?

[haggard]

Yeti. Pricey yes, but quality comes at a price. No regrets. I use my Yeti mugs every day (commuting, at work, at home) - always filled with ice water - and they (and a Yeti cooler) come with me on every trip to camp and every outing on the boat. Their customer service in my experience has been excellent. The 30 oz. rambler is my new favorite. Bigger size means less opening of the soft cooler to replenish with ice and water.

 

[Scuba Steve]

39 minutes ago, haggard said:

Yeti. Pricey yes, but quality comes at a price. No regrets. I use my Yeti mugs every day (commuting, at work, at home) - always filled with ice water - and they (and a Yeti cooler) come with me on every trip to camp and every outing on the boat. Their customer service in my experience has been excellent. The 30 oz. rambler is my new favorite. Bigger size means less opening of the soft cooler to replenish with ice and water.

 

Completely agree. My original stainless 30 oz has been with me literally every day since they debuted. I have not had to deal with their customer service yet but I hear very good things. I'm excited to put it to work! 

[Bluebasser86]

I've got a large Ozark Trail cooler I found on sale for $60. Keeps ice for days too. Nicest cooler I've ever owned by far.

[FishinBuck07]

I am with Bluebasser86, I have the Ozark and it keeps ice for days.  

[Scuba Steve]

52 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I've got a large Ozark Trail cooler I found on sale for $60. Keeps ice for days too. Nicest cooler I've ever owned by far.

 

45 minutes ago, FishinBuck07 said:

I am with Bluebasser86, I have the Ozark and it keeps ice for days.  

You guys have that rotomolded Ozark? The $75 ish one?

[Bluebasser86]

20 minutes ago, Scuba Steve said:

 

You guys have that rotomolded Ozark? The $75 ish one?

I have this one, I paid have price for it brand new.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-52-Quart-High-Performance-Cooler/49229404?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=5307&adid=22222222228039166247&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=92176420097&wl4=aud-566049426705:pla-183840542657&wl5=9023835&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=49229404&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn_LrBRD4ARIsAFEQFKtNDHtSqa6dLWNadI4icPQhg_zZbsy8U8mvYb3K0itVLOkgGu-dFAEaAhGREALw_wcB

[Scuba Steve]

51 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I have this one, I paid have price for it brand new.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-52-Quart-High-Performance-Cooler/49229404?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=5307&adid=22222222228039166247&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=92176420097&wl4=aud-566049426705:pla-183840542657&wl5=9023835&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=49229404&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn_LrBRD4ARIsAFEQFKtNDHtSqa6dLWNadI4icPQhg_zZbsy8U8mvYb3K0itVLOkgGu-dFAEaAhGREALw_wcB

Oh ok very cool. I checked that one out too. 

[jbsoonerfan]

I have a nearly new Tundra 45 I am trying to sell locally for $200. I like it, it is just too big for our needs. The 20 fits in the Tahoe much better.

[Scuba Steve]

28 minutes ago, jbsoonerfan said:

I have a nearly new Tundra 45 I am trying to sell locally for $200. I like it, it is just too big for our needs. The 20 fits in the Tahoe much better.

Aside from it being too large were you happy with it?

[jbsoonerfan]

Yea, it works great, especially for fall hunting trips. In the middle of the summer sitting on the boat or bank and being opened many times a day all day I wouldn't say it is much better than most coolers. It will need more ice the next day. The key to these coolers is to put what you need in them, and open them as least amount of times as possible. Great for food storage for camping, not as great for throwing a 30 pack in on a 100 degree day and get one out every 15 min. lol

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Ya if u need to keep something that cool.for that long defiantly go big or go home ....the fish i catch and the drinks i drink are gone in 1 day ....with ice left  over ive had best luck with igloo marine coolers 

[Boomstick]

I bought a 73 quart Lifetime at Walmart earlier this year for $150. It kept ice for a 5 day camping trip where the coolest day was 88 degrees and still had some ice left a week later, so it's worked very well for me. I considered Yetis too, but looking at the construction of this thing, it's nearly identical and a fraction the price and works quite well.

 

The cooler I use for a day trip or for a weekend of fishing is a cheapo 50? quart cooler that my dad gave me. Ice retention is not great, but it's smaller and holds enough ice for a weekend so it works for what I use it for.

[Drew03cmc]

Honestly, I don't see a value in a $250 cooler. To me, it is a waste of money that could go to another trip, a new rod, reel, things for the kids or whatever have you. Yeti, to me, is one of the biggest rip offs of our time. If I were to get that type of cooler, Ozark Trail for me. 

[Scuba Steve]

7 hours ago, Drew03cmc said:

Honestly, I don't see a value in a $250 cooler. To me, it is a waste of money that could go to another trip, a new rod, reel, things for the kids or whatever have you. Yeti, to me, is one of the biggest rip offs of our time. If I were to get that type of cooler, Ozark Trail for me. 

Keep going... ?

[nosdog2]

I have a MILEE 45 quart that I have been using for the past 2 years.  It's a beast and keeps ice as long as I need.  It is sturdy as hell too, I use it as a transition step on my boat and it has some heave duty rubber feet that prevents it from sliding at all. Comes with extra features not found on other brands as well.

 

Pre-chill is key with these type of coolers and keeping ice the longest. 

[Scuba Steve]

26 minutes ago, nosdog2 said:

I have a MILEE 45 quart that I have been using for the past 2 years.  It's a beast and keeps ice as long as I need.  It is sturdy as hell too, I use it as a transition step on my boat and it has some heave duty rubber feet that prevents it from sliding at all. Comes with extra features not found on other brands as well.

 

Pre-chill is key with these type of coolers and keeping ice the longest. 

Yeah pre chilling is important. Those milee coolers look pretty nice too. 

[scaleface]

My Ozark Trail cooler was a waste of money . It doesnt hold ice any better than a cheap Igloo  .

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, scaleface said:

My Ozark Trail cooler was a waste of money . It doesnt hold ice any better than a cheap Igloo  .

Coleman - I have the 16qt C-Tec Excursion cooler, fits under the 'work table' in the canoe. Bag of ice in the morning, and there's still ice the next day even in 80^o weather

[NorcalBassin]

I've been happy with the Yetis we've purchased (up to 30% off with Kittery Trading Post sitewide sales), and I use them to keep BBQ/smoked foods hot nearly as much as I use them to keep things cold. If someone is willing to put in a little extra time for prep to pre-chill them then it's worth the investment for a cooler that should last you your whole life, but if you just want to throw some ice on top of food and beverages as you're walking out the door then you're probably better off with a traditional Coleman/Igloo cooler. 

[Scuba Steve]

19 minutes ago, NorcalBassin said:

I've been happy with the Yetis we've purchased (up to 30% off with Kittery Trading Post sitewide sales), and I use them to keep BBQ/smoked foods hot nearly as much as I use them to keep things cold. If someone is willing to put in a little extra time for prep to pre-chill them then it's worth the investment for a cooler that should last you your whole life, but if you just want to throw some ice on top of food and beverages as you're walking out the door then you're probably better off with a traditional Coleman/Igloo cooler. 

I had a similar thought... if my plan is to keep it for literally my whole life, why am i going to skimp on $100 now to end up with a cooler I don’t really want? Maybe I have a different mindset than most. Im fortunate enough to have the $200 to drop on the Yeti so why not? Just because I don’t have $200 to spend on an avid right now doesn’t mean I’m going to settle for a $130 premier. Still a fine rod. However if $70 is the deal breaker, maybe don’t spend the $130 to begin with? Do we need avids? Iphones? Silverados? Isn’t it all relative?

[schplurg]

14 hours ago, Scuba Steve said:

Keep going... ?

 It's a valid opinion. I would not spend anywhere near that on an ice chest either.

[DanielG]

I needed a cooler for camping. We don't often camp in one location for long but sometimes we do. i.e. a bluegrass festival here in Maine, nine days. Regular coolers aren't that good. Better coolers are expensive. After looking at Yeti's I decided to make one.

2" of dense insulation and 1/4" plywood walls with framing lumber wood for the trim. All held together with glue and silicon. Alone it weighs 4 lbs. I use six 2 liter soda bottles with frozen water in them for cooling. After 9 days of camping all 6 bottles still had about 50% ice.

A digital freezer thermometer (you can see it via small round window on the side) always registers about 40-43 degrees.

Cost: About $40

 

 

[kayl.]

21 hours ago, scaleface said:

My Ozark Trail cooler was a waste of money . It doesnt hold ice any better than a cheap Igloo  .

Strange, I got a 52qt one and it was awesome on a trip out west this summer. Definitely held ice like a champ!

[Maxximus Redneckus]

A tweek for all the igloos and colemans drill 1/2 holes accordingly around top edge about 6 or 6 inches apart and use the spray insulation that doesnt swell up fill all sides ...