And don’t think that just because Coleman makes an extra-large cooler and also a personal cooler that they approach both in the same manner. I was able to fill the Lifetime High Performance Cooler coleman screen tent with 62.4 quarts of water without causing it to overflow when I shut the lid. The previous title holder for this category was one of the cheapest coolers we’ve tested to date, the Coleman Stacker.
So for those of you who want something that looks as good as it performs then you should be covered. That being said, they do still keep their highly-regarded and conventional cooler designs such as the Coleman Chest mostly unaltered to appeal to the old-school crowd. Some specific attributes and qualities would benefit one size more than another, and Coleman has a good understanding of what modifications to make to their design based on its size. It is refreshing to see them put thought into the applications of their products.
It won our Top Pick award for backpack-style coolers in our review of the best soft coolers. Though the number of backpack-style soft coolers has continued to increase, this one is the only one we truly find comfortable to carry for serious and longer distance hikes. Its walls coleman ice chest can be inflated or deflated to match your load, body, and preference and its shoulder straps are soft and flexible. It offers solid insulation to keep your peak-bagging beverages chilled until you reach the summit and an easy roll-top design that’s beyond simple to use.
Yeti is one of the most recognized names in the game for a good reason. The Tundra 65 boasts one of the most impressive performances out of any cooler we tested. Through numerous rounds of our intensive insulation testing, the Tundra 65 continued to outlast most others in keeping contents at safe temperatures for consumption. This is one of many chests we tested with a bear-resistance certification from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC). It also comes with a removable dry basket inside the top to keep sensitive items out of melty ice water and can be outfitted with loads more accessories for all kinds of activities. The Tundra 65 is a reasonable weight for its size, and its low profile makes the last beverage easy to find.
Whether you are trekking gear to the beachfront or headed out for a hiking day, having free hands is always a bonus. The backpack has lots of straps and hitching points, too — I imagine the target demographic is more hiking-oriented than day-at-the-beach, but in either case, you’ll be able to secure extra stuff. The temperature down in the ice would have been roughly the same in all of the coolers, leaving retention as the only real variable.
In its closed state, full of water, I sloshed it around without spilling a drop, so it’s safe to assume that leaks won’t be an issue. Our recent Magellan Outdoors soft-sided cooler (title holder for Best Soft-Sided Cooler) has the same zipper setup. It’s also worth considering whether or not your cooler is sturdy enough to sit on, something that comes in handy when you’re out camping. Most of the coolers that I tested were, but some took things even further.
While each of these coolers has subtle differences, they are all high-end solid coolers that will keep your food cold much longer than a standard cooler. They’ve successfully disrupted the market and changed the way that consumers view coolers with aggressive marketing and extremely high-quality products. Note that RTIC coolers are not IGBC (International Grizzly Bear Committee) certified. If that’s necessary for you, here’s IGBC’s list of certified bear-resistant products (PDF). Since I’m beginning the move from extract to all-grain brewing, I really wanted to document how I made my beginner equipment for others. When I begin investing in top-notch equipment, I will definitely want to include QD’s and more stainless parts.I’m sure there are a million ways to put a valve on a cooler.