When fully loaded, the IceMule Pro carries 39 cans — and makes us wish it had a weight-bearing waist strap. But for what we most like to carry for a daytime adventure, it’s not bad. Still, for bringing some cool refreshments and a chilled lunch for a few friends on a longer walking journey, this comfortable backpack cooler is our top choice. The most crucial aspect of any wheeled model is how easily it gets you there, which the RovR does spectacularly. That said, it lags a little in the insulation department compared to some intense rivals, which is likely due to the imperfect seal between the top of the body and lid. It is important to remember that you’re probably not interested in taking a wheeled chest on a ten-day rafting trip or a three-week road trip, but rather to the picnic down the road or a tailgating party.
It costs extra, but we bought it, tried it, and now we can’t imagine life without it. We are impressed with the insulation performance of this rather inexpensive product. Up against models that are three or four times its price, the Coleman Xtreme 70 holds its own. Though it can’t match the premium models’ rotomolded insulation prowess and rugged durability, the Coleman clearly shows its worth and value, considering the massive chunk of change you’ll save. It’s also much lighter than the majority of the rest of the competition, even lighter even than several of the personal-sized models we tested. And to top it off, it has a deceptively large internal volume for a comparatively small overall size.
This cooler has been rigorously tested and has shown an impressive ability to stay below 40 degrees for eight days. Not once did this impressive cooler leak, and it gave an impressive performance when rolled around and jumped on. Whether you’re heading out on a multi-day adventure or just want coleman ice chest to keep your snacks cold during a day trip, the Cabela’s Polar Cap cooler is an excellent choice for all your cooling needs. As we prefaced above, if your cooler must-haves include easy mobility, large capacity, and maximum ice retention, it’s best to consider a rolling hard-sided model.
That being said, a high-end build like RTIC’s 52 Ultra-Light stacks up favorably to top rotomolded coolers in overall toughness. Many injection-molded designs also allow for various mounting locations for accessories like tables, cup holders, and cutting boards—something you don’t typically get with rotomolding. Boasting a lightweight frame but keeping a 50-quart capacity, the RTIC Ultralight has found the perfect balance between size and weight. Its rope straps extend far above the cooler, making it possible to carry it without slamming your hands against the frame. These were particularly useful for loading onto the counter or into the car. The market for ice chests continues to grow over the years, resulting in some extremely close competition and hard-fought rivalries.
As committed cooler enthusiasts know, the type of ice you use heavily impacts how much you’re able to store and how long it stays cold. Crushed ice is the most readily available—you can coleman ice chest find it at most gas stations and supermarkets for fairly cheap. The major draw is that it easily fills the gaps between your food and beverages, cooling them quickly and efficiently.
Our biggest complaint about this cooler is that its cords are barely over six feet long, which just doesn’t get you very far from the outlet. It’s also very expensive, but if you’re ready to take the plunge into the iceless world of powered coolers, the Dometic is consistently the best-performing model we’ve tested. In addition to pre-chilling, you can maximize ice life by always storing your cooler in the shade, limiting the amount of time you open it, and never draining the melted water.
And all of the colors come in a solid tone with little in the way of patterns outside of the vertical lines that adorn the body. They perform fine for an afternoon excursion or morning trip to the beach but if you are expecting a single batch of ice to stay frozen for 4 or more days then you will be disappointed. It does still contain the patented Thermozone insulation which helps prolong ice life some, however. And frankly, for a reasonable price, you can’t expect miracles in regard to ice life.
We set accident-prone friends, young children, and hefty humans loose on them to see what they’re made of by pushing them in ways more typically spread across many years of use. We filled each model with water to see how well their seals worked (or if they worked at all) and left them all out in the scorching midday desert sun for hours on end to see what would happen. Several of our top-performing contestants have been in regular use for several years now, and each season we update their durability and performance information, documenting how they change over time. The 316 Series coolers can also keep your drinks cold for up to 5 days, so it’s ideal for a long trip to the beach.