We will break down the specific features for each type of ice chest in the sections below. 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. In addition to this, Ozark Trail also has some more mainstream designs for those who are simply on a tight budget and looking for a product to pack their lunch or picnic in.
I do think the Pelicans pull handle is the lowest on my list of the three. The Ozark Trails Cooler is perfect for your camper van adventures due to it’s rugged nature and size. 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!
I’ll be totally honest, I was not expecting this cooler to be as nice as it was. It’s easy to get caught up in brand perception and often times very difficult to break away from what you think you know about a brand. I used the word “think” intentionally, because what I thought I knew about Ozark Trail was not correct. Ozark Trail is proving to be a really solid competitor for outdoor products. This cooler has a number of features that you would find on more expensive coolers and a few that you won’t find. While these aren’t “budget” coolers, compared to their competition, Ozark Trail ice chests are a bargain.
These coolers are available in 26-quart, 52-quart, and 73-quart and fall somewhere in the intermediate to lower premium price tier. The hard-sided coolers are designed to try to compete with the top-tier of the premium cooler world. You may be familiar with brands like Yeti, RTIC, Engel and Pelican which are all big names in the cooler space. Each of these companies ozark trail cooler make their own soft sided coolers and the Ozark Trail is Walmart’s attempt to compete with these and sell their own brand. For a cooler of more manageable size and only $97.00, the Ozark Trail 35-quart hard sided cooler is a great choice. Its premium insulation makes for impressive ice retention, and the freezer-grade gasket is removable for quick cleanup.
Both co-founders of the site, Luke and Greg, are two genuine cooler geeks and have been so for ages. Both guys share their passion on this website, covering different types of coolers, posting in-depth buying guides and reviewing tens of different products every year. Unfortunately, however, you won’t be getting much choice in terms of color. You also don’t get too many options to customize your cooler with a decal or a custom color or something like that unless you opt for a third-party accessory. As for mobility, you also get a shoulder strap with plenty of padding.
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. Actually, premium Ozark Trail soft-sided coolers are built within an EVA compression molded base, giving them that premium look and efficiency. Consequently, not only do these coolers look good but they are also highly resilient, reflective and heavily padded. Indeed, this is perhaps the only budget brand out there that truly rivals some of the best designs out there. Thus, forget about Igloo, Magellan and Coleman because Ozark Trail soft-sided coolers are dope. Whichever you go for, you will enjoy the numerous storage options you get.
I don’t want any cooler water intermittently leaking and leaving food smells. The other downside to the ozark trail chair is that it weighs 31 pounds empty. It’s definitely heavier than its more expensive friends on the market. 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.
You have a small cooler, a medium cooler, and a large cooler. At BestReviews, we make choosing the best products easy with our in-depth research and testing. If you’re ready to buy an Ozark Trail cooler, our shopping guide has all the information you need. It can keep drinks cold for several days and the wheels on the bottom are great for hauling it from place to place. It has anti-microbial properties and it’s strong enough that a bear can’t break into it. The ice retention of this cooler makes it top-tier for road trips or camping.
Yeti is an industry leader, so there will always be die-hard fans who don’t mind paying an arm and a leg for a Yeti product. However, if you’re on a tight budget and want something that’s pretty good for the price, then you can’t really go wrong with Ozark Trail. We know how premium Yeti Tundra coolers are, so the question is whether Ozark Trail coolers can match up. Because of this, their coolers are certified bear-resistant by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) and join the club of other well known, bear-proof coolers. That means you don’t have to worry about a grizzly bear gaining access to your cooler contents. If you’re going to create a top tier cooler, it obviously has to be rotomolded.