We put 5 of the best camping coolers through months of field testing and rigorous experiments to test their insulation, durability, and camp-worthiness. Although expensive, it was the top performer in all of our categories. There are no latches since this is a soft-sided cooler, just a zipper. We put that to the test during our capacity evaluations, where the entire cooler is filled to the top with water, then closed. In its closed state, full of water, I sloshed it around without spilling a drop, so it’s safe to assume that leaks won’t be an issue. Our recent Magellan Outdoors soft-sided cooler (title holder for Best Soft-Sided Cooler) has the same zipper setup.
But, when compared to the much more expensive ice chests out there, there will be some noticeable differences in build quality and features. Though nothing broke during testing, the hinges and latches are a potential weak point. This indicates the freezer-grade gasket lid doesn’t actually seal shut.
Its broad handle has functional rubber grips on either end, so it’s comfortable to stroll down the sidewalk, through the grass, and across the beach with this box in tow. The RovR also boasts solid, durable construction, hefty latches, and integrated hinges that we expect to last through countless picnics and get-togethers. You can put everything you need for the barbecue in and on this cooler and wheel it to the park with one hand.
But the best value doesn’t have to mean the least amount of money. It gave the lowest temperatures in the midsize cooler category, and low enough to coleman screen tent play ball with the largest of coolers we tested. The performance of Magellan’s largest offering was very close to Cabela’s Polar Cap Equalizer.
There would be nothing to eat in nature and the takeaway food would taste bad due to the change of temperature. Even if you choose to take a conventional cooler with you, it would be heavy and inconvenient. Under such circumstances, coleman cooler is here to provide a solution to tackle these problems.
We are so genuinely impressed by this rolling icebox’s portability that we hardly even notice or mind its heavier initial weight. 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.
That’s all well and good, but I worried that a standard ice retention test on its own wouldn’t tell us the whole story. Sure, some coolers would probably keep the ice frozen for a lot longer than others, but using the melting point as your metric seems to disregard everything that comes before. I wanted to get a good sense of performance not just days in, but hours in, before any of the ice had even melted at all. The last time I tested coolers for this list, I had Cabela’s 60-quart version of this cooler listed as the best large cooler.
This, in part, is due to raised feet and its airtight seal created by the freezer-grade lid. Uniquely, it includes a release valve to alleviate the pressure created by the lid’s seal. Wirecutter is the coleman instant tent 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.
The rope handles are tied tight to bolted attachment points, and the rubber gasket inside as well as the rubber feet on the bottom are attached securely enough that we couldn’t pry them off. RTIC’s Hard Cooler finished as a close runner-up, lagging only slightly behind the Yeti in most of our tests. If that’s what you’re hoping for, your best bet might be to turn to Kickstarter and Indiegogo, where expensive, gadgety mega-coolers like the Coolest Cooler and the Infinite Cooler live in infamy. I say infamy because both of those cash-grabs have a history of production delays and decidedly unhappy customers.