Featuring a fish ruler and confirmed bear-resistant by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, it’s perfect for back-country adventures. Not to mention, it has a built-in bottle opener and four drink holders on the lid, so you can have ozark trail canopy a good time no matter the temperature. So imagine our joy when we stumbled upon this little gem of a brand. The Ozark Trail cooler brand is sold mostly in Walmart stores. We think this is one of the best coolers for camper van life.
I’m using my North facing deck as the staging area which receives direct sunlight at almost all hours of the day. I also placed a small weather system on the deck rail to help get a sense of how hot surface temperatures are in the area. On one of the hottest days, the remote sensor reported temperatures exceeding 107 Degrees Fahrenheit while the air temp was in the high 80’s. Depending on what you’re using the cooler for, the leaky drain spout might not be a big deal. 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.
Rather, they are a good companion for a lunch outing or small picnic. Specifically, the smaller models will have ice life that starts at just a couple of hours and creeps up to around half a day. The more capable premium models should keep ice for up to a day and a half. Their low-cost, soft-sided cooler options don’t have a lot of storage volume or insulation to help them out. And while we are on the subject of the premium soft-sided coolers, there are a few additional features specific to them. They include built-in bottle openers, daisy chain attachment points, compression strap, thicker insulation, and a wash-friendly 600D outer coating.
This model also contains a wire basket, four cup holders, and easy-open latches. For a high-end roto-molded cooler, the Ozark Trail 52-quart is the way to go. If you’re planning a summer road trip, this premium cooler has the ultimate storage space, along with side handles and anti-skid feet for transportation. 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.
Also, the stainless steel hardware and orange accents on the latches and handles look very sharp. We hope that in the future, Ozark Trail decides to expand on the color choices and perhaps have some customization options as well. Ozark Trail, despite their best intentions, doesn’t quite live up to the level of ice retention and toughness of a Yeti. While they do have many of the same features, there are more notable quality issues with Ozark Trail models.
Unfortunately, I realized a little too late that I purchased the wrong size and the larger size won’t be available until after we leave for vacation. A couple other interesting features that can be found on most soft-sided Ozark Trail coolers are bottle openers, chain attachment points and compression straps. Being a Walmart brand, Ozark Trail is often dismissed as a cheap option that is not meant for serious situations. However, hard-sided Ozark Trail coolers have managed to make a dent in the system by competing on the level of big names such as Yeti, Engel and others of the same caliber. In that respect, we think that Ozark Trail hard-coolers have successfully blended with high-end products as they exhibit a rich look with flattering colorful bits on the locks & handles.