Five of the Best Coolers for the Great Outdoors

Starting off with the original, the Yeti Tundra 45 is a durable cooler that keeps your stuff cold and can withstand the rough and tumble life we live as outdoor enthusiasts. It is rotomolded, meaning it is made with the same materials and methods used to make serious kayaks. The outer shell is a plastic composite that is molded extra thick, surrounding an insulating core that is up to two inches thick. This helps with durability and ice retention. This 45-quart model can hold up to 26 cans of beverages, with a 2:1 ice to contents ratio. Rubber t-handles keep the lid on tight and the top is textured so you can stand on the Yeti, and your big feet won’t slip off.

Many don’t associate Igloo with higher end coolers, and I’ll admit, I too fell into that trap. Then I got my hands on one, and let me tell you, I was wrong! Igloo’s roto-molded coolers are every bit as good as the competition, just without the extreme price. This cooler is a whopping 70 quart capacity beast that will retain ice for 6-7 days. The price will astound you, as well. You can grab one up for around $200, which makes this cooler the best buy going.

Most of you know Pelican from their amazing hard cases, backpacks and phone cases. Their coolers are everything you’d expect from the company as well. This model has true 50-quart internal volume and serious ice retention – like leading the category retention. The exterior and latches unbelievably durable, too. Pelican molds their carry handles right into the cooler, so they are easy to use and very durable. The Pelican Elite has four molded cup holders on the lid along with a ruler in both standard and metric, just in case the CO asking about your fish just happens to be Canadian. If you need serious ice retention, this is the cooler for you.

The Cordova 50 is a sweet cooler and one of our favorites. The outside of the cooler has a smooth feel unlike anything else on the market. It has the same rotomolded construction of other coolers, however they use what they call EcoFoam for the insulation, which provides similar cold retention, but at a lighter weight. That’s not all that Cordova does differently. The rubber T-handles pull up that fold in when not in use, meaning you won’t get your fingers smashed by a falling lid. The Cordova handles are our favorite as well. Instead of rope, the Cordova handles are machined aluminum with built in bottle openers. The handles are extremely durable and make tying the cooler down very easy.

TheGrizzly 40 is another great, rotomolded cooler that has a 40-quart capacity. What sets the Grizzly apart from other similar coolers are the latches. The Bear Claw latch creates a very solid and secure seal. Most rotomolded coolers have been tested using bears to see if they can find their way into the cooler. The Griz was developed to meet those same standards with a latch that is harder to knock loose.