Technically less insulating than closed-cell foam, open-cell foam performs fairly well for most applications as long as the cooler isn’t left in the open sun. The Original can do exactly what you need it to do, which is to keep things cold for the day while you focus on the fun at hand. It has taken us a few years to recommend igloo cooler with wheels a wheeled cooler simply because none have seemed built to last longer than a season or two—especially in the handle. Once loaded with ice, drinks, and food, a 37-pound cooler can more than double in weight. When someone then tilts the cooler up, all that weight goes into the wheelbase or leans into the handle hinge.
As we prefaced above, if your cooler must-haves include easy mobility, large capacity, and maximum ice retention, it’s best to consider a rolling hard-sided model. Downsides are even more weight (the RovR and Igloo weigh around 35 lbs.), bulk, and cost. Additionally, these wheeled beasts still struggle over rough terrain and may require carrying if you don’t have a defined path to follow.
Rotomolded coolers like YETI’s Tundra above are made out of a single piece of continuous plastic, which is great for durability but means they typically lack built-in features and mounting locations. Tack on a price that undercuts the similarly sized Tundra 65 above by a considerable $135, and the Xspec stands out as a very well-rounded design at a great value. This soft cooler bag has a very good ice life for a semi-affordable soft top. Also, there is plenty of storage and helpful features such as the top-access lid and padded shoulder strap. Our only minor complaint lies with the somewhat weak zippers and sometimes questionable stitching near the shoulder area. Most cooler manufacturers provide a “claimed ice retention” spec in their product listings (YETI is one major brand who does not).
They have been around for such a long time they make many more types and sizes of coolers than your new cooler makers. Igloo makes coolers for every budget level, size, and with varying weights. The ice life, for the price, is not bad at all and we like the mobility of it.
And, to the MaxCold’s credit, it’s both comfortable to carry and sturdy enough to sit on, which makes it a pretty good pick for a camping trip. They make coolers for every style and price range and we know you will find them to be the best choice. There are many factors that can affect this like the temperature outside or how much ice is in the cooler. If you cool the cooler before you add the ice also makes a huge difference. We have some coolers that my wife and kids cannot or do not lift even empty.
These are excellent for fishing and work great for an extra bench. We have used these coolers for years to go salmon fishing. They are large enough to keep your fish cold or to take everything you need for a large get-together or reunion. This cooler weighs 16.4 pounds before you put anything igloo cooler with wheels into it. Some people reported some damaged after it was shipped because the shippers were a little rough. If you are looking for a family-size cooler that is better than your lightweight coolers but does not weigh a lot before you put anything in it this is going to be your best cooler.
If you are making Gatorade with the powder or some homemade root beer which is my favorite, you will find this cooler useful if you have a larger group. We use this style of cooler often when camping and at birthday parties with large groups of people. It has over a thousand reviews and almost 90 percent of them are 5-stars.