A cooler without a hardliner is more prone to having its stored items be damaged while moving. 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. 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. 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.
Being made from heavy-duty PVC, I could tell it’s a quality product suitable for all kinds of adventures without worrying about it breaking or tearing. However, one downside I noticed was that the air valve’s location made inflating it somewhat inconvenient. I was able to fill the Lifetime High Performance Cooler with 62.4 quarts of water without causing it to overflow when I shut the lid. The performance data on this little cooler is excellent, with the lowest temperature reached and the lowest average temperature of the bunch.
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. This can include things such as premature leaking, warping of the lid, and stitching coming undone.
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. The lower-end can models take a very traditional approach in styling. Also, there aren’t a lot of colors to choose from (3 is the maximum we have found for a particular model). The tote and cooler backpack look much more progressive but are limited to just one color choice. We would welcome some additional color choices and perhaps a slight facelift to the more plain-looking models in the future.
Compared with cheaper chairs of its kind (like those from Walmart), the REI Co-op chair functions better and will last much longer. The Helinox Chair One is the best chair for anyone who needs a lightweight, portable chair. Testers with knee and hip issues reported that when they were getting in and out of this chair, its armrests felt more stable than those of ozark cooler any other model.
A higher price tag should mean a higher quality product, right? No, that is not always the case and any outdoorsmen, gear junkie, or general abuser of products will tell you the same thing. Every so often a brand will fly under the radar producing products that are not only a great value but also great quality as well. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).
Testers consistently ranked this chair as one of the most comfortable models (typically second to the Yeti Trailhead, which costs almost four times as much). The few testers who didn’t like it often preferred the Kijaro Dual Lock XXL Chair, which costs a little bit more but provides a roomier seat. Our testers consistently said the King Kong chair was the most heavy-duty-feeling model of all the chairs we tested.
Also, there is nothing in the way of custom colors, decals, etc. This is a much larger and diverse selection of products than the Ozark Trail hard-sided coolers. Also, you will find a larger variety of layouts and cooler types. For instance, you will have the small, simple coolers that are designed to hold people’s lunch for the day as well as higher-end premium coolers for those who are after longer ice life. 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.
I recently tried the Ozark Trail 12 oz Double Wall Can Cooler Cup while attending an outdoor event. The first thing that stood out to me was its sleek design, which reminded me of the brand’s tumbler — both made of 18/8 stainless steel. The double-wall insulation, along with the screw-on top, made it easy for me to enjoy my cold beverage without worrying about it heating up too quickly.