Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). 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). The RTIC 65 weighs 36.5 pounds and measures 32 by 17 by 18 inches on the outside.
This large cooler holds up to 80 cans of your favorite beverage, and the insulated walls will keep ice frozen for days. One of the newest and most innovative Igloo coolers available, it has a lightweight design, can hold up to 105 cans, and will keep your ice cold all day. Plus, lgloo Cooler it has built-in cup holders, a fish ruler, a bottle opener, and even a wire basket so you can keep the inside of the cooler organized! Plus, the basket is suspended so you can put food in the cooler without having to worry about it getting wet when the ice starts to melt.
I can still remember the springiness of the button on my family’s swivel-top Playmate cooler and the pinch it gave my clumsy little fingers if my timing was off. When it wasn’t collecting dust in our suburban Houston garage, it was sitting in the Port Aransas sand or under the bleachers at the ball field. The Capri Suns that kids of my generation so desperately craved after Little League igloo cooler with wheels and soccer could never have come from a yet-to-be-invented Yeti. Texans know the heat of their environment like Alaskans know snow, and every year we battle hot weather in all its forms. The creators of Igloo and Yeti felt that way and forged their well-known brands right here in the Texas crucible. There are two critical temperature thresholds we made a note of — 40º F, and 50º F.
Whether you’re headed to the beach, tailgating before your favorite sporting event, or camping in the wild, there’s a good chance you’ll want to keep your food and drinks cold. Thankfully, the market is packed with high-quality coolers that excel at everything from short day trips to week-long adventures. Below we break down our favorite hard-sided designs of 2023, including budget-friendly Coleman models, ultra-premium YETIs, and popular offerings from brands like RTIC, ORCA, Pelican, and more. For more background information, see our cooler comparison table and buying advice below the picks.
Hard-wearing, chill-keeping, strategically sized ice chests that can hold up to the needs of life on (and by) the water. Wipe interior and igloo ice chest exterior surfaces clean before storing and between uses. Tougher stains may be cleaned with diluted solution of baking soda and water.
After multiple years of use, we’ve noticed the Xspec rubber sections have tightened up over time. This makes them just as secure as ever but requires slightly more force to operate. The Roadie 24 has plastic and rubber latches similar to the Xspec, but both are exceptionally easy to use, requiring less finagling and feeling much stronger overall. The IGBC specifically states that this does not mean the product in question can’t be opened or destroyed by a bear, nor does it mean the product is leakproof. That said, even the minimum construction standards required to deter a hungry 10 foot long, 900 lb grizzly lend a lot of credibility to the durability of a product. Models we reviewed that are IGBC certified include the Yeti Tundra 65, Orca 58 and 40, Pelican Wheeled 80 and Elite 20, Engel 65, Arctic Zone Titan 55, and RovR RollR 60.
Downsides are even more weight (the RovR and Igloo weigh around 35 lbs.), 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.
Rotomolded coolers like YETI’s Tundra above are made out of a single piece of continuous plastic, which is great for durability but means they typically lack built-in features and mounting locations. Tack on a price that undercuts the similarly sized Tundra 65 above by a considerable $135, and the Xspec stands out as a very well-rounded design at a great value. In our testing, the Coleman Xtreme kept ice frozen for a full week (170 hours), 30 hours longer than the Igloo MaxCold (140 hours).