The Yeti Hopper Backflip 24 was the first backpack-style cooler that we tested, and although its overall performance wasn’t stellar, there were things I did like. Whether you are trekking gear to the beachfront or headed out for a hiking day, having free hands is always a bonus. It’s also worth considering whether or not your cooler is sturdy enough to sit on, something that comes in handy when you’re out camping.
If there are stubborn stains on the cooler, make a paste with baking soda and warm water, and rub it over the stains until they lift. For outdoor activities like camping, picnics, beach trips, and tailgating, having the right cooler to carry your food and beverages is key to enjoying your day. If you want a cooler that’s really going to keep your groceries cool, though, it’s important to choose one from a brand with a solid reputation. Ozark Trail is known for its durable, effective, and affordable coolers. Also included in the 52 and 73-quart models is an internal wire basket. Oftentimes, this basket doesn’t come with the cooler and costs extra as an accessory.
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. But even if you do deal with a minor quality issue, the amount of money you’ll save compared to comparable coolers is huge. Maybe you’ll get lucky and receive one without these problems. You get to enjoy one of the best cooler bargains in the industry right now. And Ozark Trail’s diverse selection of coolers means that we are going to have results that are all over the place.
Most of these cheaper alternatives don’t quite come as close to the Ozark in terms of price (with the exception of the Lifetime cooler maybe). Ozark coolers don’t come with wheels but for just under $40 you can buy a wheel kit that is easy to install and use. It’s available for the 2 largest sizes of coolers (you don’t really need them on the small size) and they are a great addition to the cooler.
Thankfully, Ozark Trail includes a removable hard liner in most of their soft-sided coolers. And the premium cooler backpack and cooler tote take this up a notch by having an EVA compression molded base. While the Ozark Trail Hard-Sided Coolers are mostly designed to compete with the premium coolers of the industry, their soft-sided coolers are more balanced.
Hiking refreshes me, my mind, and keeps my body reasonably fit. So far I have walked three Camino routes and many other long distance hikes in the UK, Canada, and around the rest of Europe. Seeing as not many outdoor enthusiasts actually buy and use these things, my analysis of this (and Ozark Trail’s) lowball will be brief. You also might want to check out other Yeti coolers, such as the Yeti Soft Cooler or the Yeti Hopper Backflip Cooler.
We must admit that the huge price cut and supposed similar ice retention and features are tempting. But you can anticipate the walls to be between 2.5” and 3” thick. This is about average among premium coolers that we have tested in the past. And these thick walls are coated in a UV-resistant layer that helps to protect the cooler from sun damage over time. Depending on if you go with an Ozark 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.
If I’m trekking into the woods for a weekend with a couple of pals, I’m going to take the Rovr, no question. If I’m headed to the beach with the family for a day, I’m probably going to opt for the Igloo. To do that, I started with a modified version of the ice retention test. Instead of a full load of ice in each cooler, I went with ozark trail canopy an amount of ice equivalent to 10% of each cooler’s total volume. If you want great performance with a friendlier price tag than its competitors, you can feel safe picking up this RTIC. CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.
However, sometimes you want to be able to easily slide your cooler around your camp site, caravan or slide it in and out of the back of your truck. The rubber feet grip to the ground so well you often don’t have to worry about tying down the cooler. The ruler has inches only (no cms) and appears on all sizes of the Ozark coolers. Ozark have solved this by adding 4 shallow cup holders to the corners of the lid on the larger sizes, and 2 shallow cup holders in the corners of the smaller size. The Ozark overall is a pretty similar cooler to Yeti, but does have a few unique features that Yeti coolers don’t have. A lot of WalMart’s brands are private label brand, which means they are manufactured by one company but sold under another company’s brand.
If you would like to read about how not to pack a cooler click here to read about it. After traveling and working with an old Igloo cooler for the last year and a half my parents surprised us with a brand new cooler and we are loving it! Here’s our take on the Ozark Trail 26 Quart Cooler which we think is perfect ozark trail cooler for van life. The coolers remained in the same location for the duration of the 6 day test, only being opened to snap daily progress pictures. 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.