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. For a leak-proof, easily transportable cooler with excellent build quality, the 35-quart Ozark Trail premium is ideal. It also has lots of nifty features for versatility, from a waterproof interior light that can be removed for use as a flashlight to multiple tie-down points. Among hard coolers, if you’re using your cooler for something like grocery shopping, small weekend gatherings, or barbecues, 50 to 55 quarts is plenty.
Arguing over a few hours difference of ice melt between high-end coolers after several days of testing is just not that interesting or informative. Canyon Coolers makes a similar model to our pick called the Pro 65 Quart Cooler. These upgrades would seem to exceed the needs of most people, but you may prefer the extra performance. Consider this one an updated version of the cooler everyone’s parents had in their attic. The Coleman steel-belted cooler is sleek, stylish, and effective, and the company claims this model can keep ice cold for more than four days. It won’t go for days, but this backpack cooler is more than capable of keeping your picnic cool until it’s time to roll out the picnic blanket.
We purchased four bags of ice – two for each cooler – and got started. The Ozark Trail held ice one day longer than the Coleman and in general, the cooler felt cooler inside than the Coleman. Unfortunately, the deal breaker is that it intermittently leaked water from the drain spout. Prior to purchasing ozark trail chair 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.
On hot summer days when you can’t get any shade or coverage for the cooler or the van you can count on about 48 hours where there’s still a little ice. (The less you open it, the longer it’ll last so keep the opening and closing to a minimum). All in all, it’s a pretty solid ice chest and a major upgrade from some of the stryofoam and even Rubbermaid coolers of yore.
These coolers are available in 26-quart, 52-quart, and 73-quart and fall somewhere in the intermediate to lower premium price tier. You will find both low-cost models as well as a “premium” lineup. The low-cost model won’t wow you with features, build quality, or long ice life but instead tries to find a happy medium while still being extremely cost-effective.
The ice melted in the Coleman in 39 hours and the Ozark Trail in 73 hours. The water turned warm in both coolers fairly quickly after the ice melted. Several weeks ago we finally purchased an Ozark ozark cooler Trail 52-Quart High-Performance Cooler from Walmart. I was so excited to get it home and run a test to see if it really holds ice longer than my Coleman 60 Quart Performance Wheeled Cooler.