The Cabela Polar Cap 80 is a top-of-the-line cooler that has been designed to keep cold for days on end. With a large 68-quart capacity, this cooler can store plenty of food and drinks — even an upright wine bottle could fit in this unit. The Polar Cap cooler is constructed with a rugged rotomolded body and coleman ice chest a freezer-grade gasket lid, ensuring maximum durability and ice retention. 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.
Therefore, the jump to hard-sided coolers was a logical progression. Like the venerable Yeti Roadie above, Pelican’s 20QT Elite here is a lower-capacity option for day trips on the water, strapping to the back of an ATV, and other short outings away from home. Stacked up against the Roadie, the Pelican is $50 cheaper (albeit with slightly less storage) but comes with functional coleman sundome extras like integrated cup holders, easier-to-use latches, and a more robust carry handle. We also like the unique assortment of multi-toned colorways that add a nice dose of flair. 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.
Just scroll down a bit and look at the graphed-out data for yourself. The performance wasn’t close enough for me to pretend like I could name another victor even if I wanted to. Each cooler was opened only once per day to photograph where the ice level was and how well each cooler was doing. For this test, I placed each cooler in direct sunlight for approximately half of each day and then in shade for the other half. This test is just a practical, real-world test of how people actually use similar coolers. It still has high-end cooling capabilities but at a much cheaper price than the big boys.
Closed-cell foam is considered a better insulator than open-cell foam because the tiny bubbles of gas in closed-cell foam remain independent from one another. Air bubbles that do not share cell walls and in effect stay insulated from one another are better at reducing the overall transfer of heat through the foam. Closed-cell foam is also much more expensive to produce than open-cell foam. The resulting product is strong and especially rigid feeling, and typically it weighs more than 1.7 pounds per cubic foot with more than 90% of its air cells closed to one another. Closed-cell foam is also water-impermeable—so it’s an ideal material for, say, surfers’ wetsuits.
Throughout her time earning multiple science degrees, she has been trained in taking a non-biased approach to research. This, along with her never ending love for the outdoors, gives her the necessary skills to create honest and trustworthy gear reviews. This team of dedicated testers and reviewers understands the power of a great cooler’s value, whether for off-grid living, celebratory summit beers, road trips, or backyard barbecues. The Xtreme Series has recently undergone some updates and the new look is much more attractive.
This review is led by Senior Review Editors Maggie Nichols and Genaveve Bradshaw. Maggie has been playing and guiding in the outdoors for over fifteen years, from backpacking the Tahoe Rim Trail to kayaking the Caribbean. She is an avid camper and even lived in her teardrop trailer for several seasons. Genaveve is an avid climber who spends day after day in the hot desert sun chasing the next pitch. In these conditions, a campsite cooler that actually keeps things cold is a must. Lastly, our team includes Rebecca Glades, review editor and research analyst.
This particular market includes a huge range of prices that make one wonder if a plastic ice box could be worth that much money. In some cases, that extra cash does bring excellent insulation performance, greater utility, and convenience. In other cases, you can spend far less without a substantial drop in overall performance. It’s also helpful to consider how often you find yourself needing the cooling and insulating services these ice chests provide and how burly and rugged you need your gear to be. 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.
Refunds are issued to the original form of payment, unless returned in store
where some exclusions may apply. In the event you wish to send a product back to us, you may return most unused items for a refund or exchange, coleman ice chest minus shipping, within 90 days from the date of purchase unless noted below under exceptions and exclusions. Refunds are issued to the original form of payment, unless returned in store where some exclusions may apply.
With room to fit up to 223 cans, go ahead, invite more friends and family to barbecues, tailgate parties, and camping trips. Choosing the right Coleman cooler really depends on what type of trip or event you are taking your cooler to. For example, if you’re taking a picnic lunch to a park in town, perhaps a soft-sided Coleman cooler is all you need.