This cooler, when compared to the Pelican 45Q Elite and Yeti Tundra, has the smallest profile while still providing 45Q internal storage. It features rubber latches which I am a huge fan of for boating applications. When you are out on the water, people often sneak over to grab something from the cooler and may not latch it back up. With a hard plastic latch, you run the risk of brushing by the cooler and hitting your shin, which I have done and is awful. One of my favorite features though is the rubber wheels vs. the hard plastic wheels on the Pelican and Yeti.
Yeti Coolers, on the other hand, has a rock-solid reputation. Its ice life is among the best in the industry and its products are designed to last a lifetime. Depending on if you go with an Ozark ozark trail chair Trail hard-sided cooler or an Ozark Trail soft-sided cooler, you can expect different features. We will break down the specific features for each type of ice chest in the sections below.
One of the best selling points (pun intended) of Ozark Trail Coolers is their great asking price. You will find that nearly every model is extremely affordable. This is a big reason why this company has been so popular over the past few years and it makes it easier to overlook any issues that we may have with them.
The result is a cooler that doesn’t have quite the level of fit and finish as, say, a Yeti or an Engel. To achieve these asking prices, some shortcuts in manufacturing and quality were necessary. We will discuss these in greater detail in our reviews below.
In the realm of insulated water bottles, discussions around Yeti and Hydrapeak often surface, highlighting the meticulous engineering and design philosophies of both brands. Obviously, the best thing about bottles made by Yeti is their superior thermoregulatory capabilities, and this model is no exception. The dual-vacuum technology and the 18/8 stainless steel construction of this bottle work together to keep the cold beverages cold and the hot beverages hot. The model is particularly good at maintaining the temperatures of cold drinks, just as I expected. A. Wet a sponge or rag with a mixture of warm water and mild dish soap, and wipe down both the interior and exterior of the soft-sided cooler. Then dampen another sponge or rag with plain water and rinse.
Prior to purchasing the cooler I had read several reviews that said this cooler collects condensation around the drain spout. I didn’t think much of the comments until I saw the amount of water leaking from my cooler. We tightened the spout and it leaked three more times over two days, so the cooler went back to Walmart. This cooler claims that it keeps ice for more than 4.5 days in mild temps. We’ve found that in cooler temperatures, it keeps things cool for about 4 days but there isn’t any ice left after 4 days.
A cooler’s construction also plays a significant role in how effectively it keeps food and beverages cold. We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that’s designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.
For us, however, we keep our cooler in our car while traveling and we often camp in bear country. I don’t want any cooler water intermittently leaking and leaving food smells. The other downside to the ozark trail cooler is that it weighs 31 pounds empty. It’s definitely heavier than its more expensive friends on the market. The Pelican also features a different pull handle than the Yeti and Ozark coolers as well. I do think the Pelicans pull handle is the lowest on my list of the three.
And many of them utilize essentially the same construction techniques, features, and ice life. As is typical of most other cooler brands, the smaller coolers will utilize an overhead carrying handle while the larger coolers will stick to traditional side rope handles. We will go into more detail about the specific features later in this review.
All of these features combined turn the Yeti Cooler into one of the most rugged, leakproof, and easy-to-carry coolers you can get for your money. Personally, I think the Yeti cooler is the best product of this type on the market, better than the Ozar Trail Cooler, although some may not like its hefty price tag. Just like the other Yeti products I have analyzed in this comparison, the Rambler Mug also sports a very clean, modern, and appealing design.