Downsides are even more weight (the RovR and Igloo weigh around 35 lb.), bulk, and cost. Additionally, these wheeled beasts still struggle over rough terrain and may require carrying if you don’t have a defined path to follow. But for camping, days at the beach, or even tailgating, a rolling cooler can be a solid choice. For those who plan to carry or move their cooler with any regularity, weight should be an important consideration.
To that end, I carefully filled each cooler with water to the point that closing the lid would cause some water overflow. Then I measured out the exact number of quarts each cooler could hold — important information to have when you’re dealing with large quantities of melted ice. If anything, the smaller, cheaper models were mostly conservative in their estimates, with ones like the Coleman Xtreme and Igloo Latitude wheeled coolers coming in several quarts more sizable than advertised.
Coolers aren’t complicated, which is a good thing to remember in the face of all that advertising. After spending many years evaluating more than 40 cooler models, we’ve chosen eight that are well made, well insulated, and well suited for a range of outings. With a capacity for 54 cans, this insulated backpack cooler has ample space for all your needs. Made with Cool Riser Technology with an elevated design to improve cooling performance, its vertical profile allows you to fit tall and longneck bottles. We put each cooler through the wringer to see how they would hold up to serious abuse. We rolled each cooler around on the ground; sat, stood, and jumped on top of each one; and tried to pry the lids open to see how durable the components were.
It’s built rugged and tough enough to withstand those questionably-maintained roads you may find yourself driving down. And it is practically bursting at the seams with ridiculously convenient features and well-thought-out usability. Two internal baskets make loading and locating things that much easier, as you can lift coleman ice chest out the basket to find what you need. An internal light assists in finding that last beer in the dark, and a tall interior easily accommodates your celebratory champagne. A free app on your phone lets you easily control and monitor your powered cooler without having to get out of your sleeping bag or camping chair.
Go on, read through the comments on the Infinite Cooler’s Indiegogo campaign, which blew through a March 2019 ship date with nothing to show for it. I did my best to account for those size differences as I evaluated each cooler’s relative performance, but first, I needed to be sure that I had accurate measurements. That meant putting those manufacturer capacity claims to the test, and I wanted a better, more universal metric than just counting how many cans I could cram into each one. Not only will it keep your food cold for a very long time, but it’s also all but indestructible. If you’re really serious, you can even add a reflective material on the outside of your cooler (this is an excellent tip for camping in summer heat).
Wheeled coolers may appear astoundingly portable, but we found that their actual usefulness in this metric is wildly dependent on their wheel design and clearance. The RovR is the only one with actual rubber tires filled coleman ice chest with air (aka pneumatic tires), the same as a vehicle or bicycle. While competitors may point to this as a downside (more maintenance, the potential for flats, etc.), it makes for a vastly better pulling system.
The American Homebrewers Association breaks down the optimal serving temperature range for different types of beer, which we based this threshold on. Without a buddy to help you lug the fully-loaded coleman screen tent Engel HD30 to the beach, it can feel quite heavy while using its shoulder strap. We also discovered after a rainstorm that the external pocket isn’t waterproof, though this is a small gripe.
Still, we think the Tundra 65 is a useful choice for almost any vehicle-powered activity. Similar to any other true roto-molded cooler, the RTIC 65 is practically indestructible, which makes it great for tougher outdoor environments. In our testing, the RTIC 65 kept ice frozen for 10 days with some periodic draining.
There are two critical temperature thresholds we made a note of — 40º F, and 50º F. Based on FDA regulations, 40º F is the maximum acceptable temperature recommended to ensure food safety, as it minimizes the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Put simply, keeping refrigerated food items below 40º F greatly reduces the chance of food spoiling and making you sick. The handle and wheels on the Yeti Tundra Haul are the best we’ve come across.
For the ultimate in portability, the IceMule Pro is where we turn to. 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.