We’ve seen people start to think of their cooler as an investment that will last a lifetime rather than just a few years. For retail purchases returned with a receipt, please return the unused and unopened item, with the
original sales receipt, for a full refund or exchange. All returns with a gift receipt will receive a store
credit for the amount of the item at the time of purchase. The handle and wheels on the Yeti Tundra Haul are the best we’ve come across. This cooler feels like you can roll it across anything without the handle straining or bending, or the wheels breaking.
But it is limited in features, size options, and it will be a bit more expensive than most other Coleman Coolers. Many of Coleman’s coolers have helpful little features or accessories built into the coolers to make things as convenient as possible. Examples of this include features such as molded cup holders, easy-access lids, multiple carrying methods, stacking capabilities, and much more. A lot of these unique twists and features you won’t find in many competing brands, and it goes to show that Coleman has a nice understanding of what it takes to make a viable cooler.
Now let’s compare that to most of the newer cooler designs on models like Yeti, RTIC, Orca, Cabela’s or Frosted Frog that have rubber T-shaped handles you have to stretch to secure the lid. I asked three other adults to secure these coleman sundome handles and out of the four of us, two were successful, one unsuccessful and the last successful only after an excessive amount of struggling. Performance is important, but design matters, too — and sometimes, it’s a deal-breaker.
The Tundra line also includes a plethora of other sizes, many of which we’ve tested — from small, personal boxes to behemoths. Like many of its competitors, the Tundra 65 has a tiny lip on the inside coleman ice chest of the bottom of the drain, so it is challenging to fully empty without flipping the cooler upside-down. Still, we think the Tundra 65 is a useful choice for almost any vehicle-powered activity.
Made of thick, waterproof material, this backpack cooler proved itself more than capable of holding its integrity through all our backcountry rough handling. A cooler’s latch or closure system is one of the defining characteristics of a premium model and plays a significant role in overall cooling performance. Among high-end hard-sided coolers, you’ll commonly find two rubber T-handles along the front that keep the lid locked securely in place. coleman instant tent These handles are fairly user-friendly, extremely strong, and minimize any openings for cold air to escape. At the other end of the spectrum, budget-oriented models like the Coleman 316 Series and Igloo Ecocool forgo latches completely and rely on a good fit between the lid and cooler body. This results in reduced insulating performance and means you need to keep a close eye on the lid to make sure it doesn’t pop loose or fall off in transport.
Discard the stem as it will not be used.Next, screw the pipe nipple onto the ball valve. Slide the pipe nipple into the cooler through the washer, outside nut and rubber washer. The other end of the pipe nipple should be visible on the inside of the cooler. Slide the 16mm washer over the pipe nipple and make sure the threads of the pipe nipple are visible. External patterns and color schemes and even attractive metal coolers are part of their vast selection.
It’s also become an expectation that your cooler should keep your food cold and ice frozen not just for one or two days but for at least a solid week. For retail purchases returned without a receipt, the refund will be issued as a store merchandise
credit at the lowest price within the last 90 days. Proper ID will be required in the form of a valid, state-
issued driver’s license or state ID card. In the event you wish to send a product back to us, you may return most unused items for a
refund or exchange, minus shipping, within 90 days from the date of purchase unless noted below under
exceptions and exclusions.
To help put this data in perspective, I broke down the coolers into separate size categories after peeling soft-sided coolers into their own category. That left me with small coolers (less than 40 quarts), midsize coolers (40-59 quarts) and large coolers (60 quarts or more). You can find the graphed data for each of those categories below, as well as our performance data on soft coolers (again, you shouldn’t expect a whole lot from coolers like those). For longer trips or events where more storage space is needed, look for Coleman Xtreme coolers.
Most of the contenders we tested also have a sloping channel behind the drain to help gravity pull water out. Still, several have unfortunately paired this with a large lip or other obstruction that then stops your drainage progress before it’s 100% complete. Models that we found the easiest and most thorough to drain include the RTIC Ultralight, Kenai, Xspec, Orca(s), Titan, and Tundra(s), which all feature either a tiny or sloped lip to make emptying your meltwater a breeze. The Arctic Titan has an oversized drain to decrease the time you spend emptying it.