Indeed, while most Ozark Trail coolers are reliable for day to day use, they are not exceptional as you would expect, given their price tag. Thus, it is definitely worth it to consider the higher end line as it offers significant value for much less than most premium “brands” out there. Similar to major brands, Ozark Trail also features two separate lines of products that are clearly distinct in quality as well as price. The Ozark Trail 45 quart cooler is known for its convenience and durability, with an industrial-strength locking plate to keep it sealed tight and wheels for easy transport.
There have also been some other sizes available over the years but we are going to focus on these models. If you have a boat and bring kids or friends on the water, you know that once you leave the dock the requests for drinks start rolling in fast and furious. Sure, you can load a cooler out each morning packed with fresh ozark trail chair ice, but it is just so much easier to cut down all that work with a cooler than can keep ice for days on end. As soon as we realized the Ozark Trail was not going to work I got online and ordered an RTIC. RTIC Coolers can only be purchased from their website, which is why they say their price point is much lower than YETI.
There is a large insulated area in all of the soft coolers and also plenty of pockets, both on the front and the sides. The pockets on the front have a zipper while the side ones are mesh pockets. We have been receiving a lot of complaints as of late from people who are mentioning that the zippers on their soft-sided coolers are going out after 6 to 12 months. We are looking into this problem in more detail and may adjust this review accordingly once we get to the bottom of it. While these aren’t “budget” coolers, compared to their competition, Ozark Trail ice chests are a bargain. And many of them utilize essentially the same construction techniques, features, and ice life.
Melting ice is the last thing you want to worry about when you’re out in the woods, on the boat or kicking back at the beach. Protection against the growth of bacterial odors and stains that is guaranteed to last the lifetime of the product. The product also features a wire basket, 4 drink holders, a built-in fish ruler and heavy-duty handles with comfort grip for easy rolling. A. Ozark Trail hard-sided coolers are the best option if you go camping regularly. They offer greater capacity than soft-sided models, so there’s plenty of room for the food and beverages you need for a two- to three-day camping trip.
An example of the color choices for the popular 24-can soft cooler is shown in the image below. But you can anticipate the walls to be between 2.5” and 3” thick. Yeti soft sided coolers are actually one of these best soft sided coolers out there. I’m not saying that Ozark Trail soft sided coolers are horrible.
As is expected, the larger hard-sided coolers had a clear advantage over the soft-sided coolers. They are not only larger but utilize thicker insulation, rubber gaskets, and an overall more ice-friendly design. Yeti coolers are more expensive but there are likely going to last you a heck of a lot longer than ozark trail canopys will.
The pockets on the front will be zippered while any on the sides will be open and mesh. These are perfect for sticking your cell phone, keys, wallet, or anything else that you don’t want to get potentially cold and/or wet in the insulated area. There are also molded drink holders (4 on the 52 and 73-quart models and 2 on the 26-quart model). In terms of size election, having three sizes is a bit lackluster. But Ozark Trail has managed to incorporate sizes that are most common for people to want. You have a small cooler, a medium cooler, and a large cooler.