2018 cooler showdown!

[Trial153]

Not taking anything away from the OP but, that example of the coleman extreme is not a cooler. It is a beach chest with wheels. I'm not sure what he expected to get out of it. The lids do not fit well, the lids are not insulated like the rectangular cooler etc. I have zero dog in the hunt as I've borrowed enough of the top dollar models to know where I'm spending my money. Coleman makes it and sells it so, he bought an "extreme" cooler. He just bought a joke of the example





If he had truly picked a 5 day extreme cooler and, it was new, it would have held ice very well. Put a year in the sun on it and forget about it. I mean no disrespect OP when I say that and, appreciate the test.

With all due respect except for the old Coleman lantern and stoves which put them on the map, all their other stuff is crap. I have no interest in it.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Did I miss the spreadsheet Travis? I bought a Canyon 70 in June after reading your two previous years tests. Just felt like it offered the most performance at a much lower price point than yeti or Orion. If I had the extra money I would have gone with Orion.

No you didn’t. Life has been in the way but sending it to the higher powers today to post.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Not taking anything away from the OP but, that example of the coleman extreme is not a cooler. It is a beach chest with wheels. I'm not sure what he expected to get out of it. The lids do not fit well, the lids are not insulated like the rectangular cooler etc. I have zero dog in the hunt as I've borrowed enough of the top dollar models to know where I'm spending my money. Coleman makes it and sells it so, he bought an "extreme" cooler. He just bought a joke of the example





If he had truly picked a 5 day extreme cooler and, it was new, it would have held ice very well. Put a year in the sun on it and forget about it. I mean no disrespect OP when I say that and, appreciate the test.

Thank you for your feedback. I have been asked in past tests to include a cheap cooler you could find at a big box store so that is what I did.
This Coleman in the test was brand new purchased by me at a “big box store” and it happened to be the Coleman xtreme 5 day cooler that was advertised at 50 quarts (what size most of these coolers are) so i think it fit the bill perfectly. Cheap-yes, box store sold-yes, Coleman-yes, same size as others-yes, happen to have wheels? Yes! That is a nice feature.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

I am on the fence. I have a 105, 110 an 45 yeti. I am thinking of selling the 105 and adding a 160. I like the Orion 85 but not really sure where it fits in. If they made a 125 -150 ish model it would be a no brainer for me pick up. I would really like to get it down to one big cooler for a boned out elk and then an 85 ish size for food and drinks. I am not sure the 160 will be big enough

My thought is 150 is too big for a cooler. Have you ever put one in the back of a truck empty by yourself? IT SUCKS haha. And once you load it full of meat, forget about moving it without 3-4 people.

My feelings is 2 85s is more manageable. You can load one by yourself and with help of a single person, you can move it loaded. You can also use a single 85 if you are hunting a smaller species. My thoughts anyways.

 

[Trial153]

My thought is 150 is too big for a cooler. Have you ever put one in the back of a truck empty by yourself? IT SUCKS haha. And once you load it full of meat, forget about moving it without 3-4 people.

My feelings is 2 85s is more manageable. You can load one by yourself and with help of a single person, you can move it loaded. You can also use a single 85 if you are hunting a smaller species. My thoughts anyways.

I guess I am tired of lugging around three coolers on any elk hunt I drive to. Granted I have the constraints for having a two day plus drive to any elk unit and warm bowseason temps to deal with.

 

[fatbacks]

Thought this would be a good place to relay my recent experience with Yeti customer service. Back in 2008 while deployed in Iraq I ordered a Yeti Tundra 120 as part of a float hunting package for my Aire raft. Been a great cooler for the past decade.

Fast forward to a trip on the Yukon river this summer and two of the rubber feet were rotted and finally ripped off. Emailed Yeti the photos and they said they were sorry and they no longer made those feet or that cooler. But, they sent me a shipping label to send my cooler back and that I had a brand new Tundra 125 on the way. I know people whine about the cost, but man they are great coolers and their customer service was on point.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Broomd]

Great test! Kudos!!

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Thought this would be a good place to relay my recent experience with Yeti customer service. Back in 2008 while deployed in Iraq I ordered a Yeti Tundra 120 as part of a float hunting package for my Aire raft. Been a great cooler for the past decade.

Fast forward to a trip on the Yukon river this summer and two of the rubber feet were rotted and finally ripped off. Emailed Yeti the photos and they said they were sorry and they no longer made those feet or that cooler. But, they sent me a shipping label to send my cooler back and that I had a brand new Tundra 125 on the way. I know people whine about the cost, but man they are great coolers and their customer service was on point.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That’s awesome to hear, I love hearing stories like yours and yeti seems to be apart of a lot of them.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Thank you for your feedback. I have been asked in past tests to include a cheap cooler you could find at a big box store so that is what I did.
This Coleman in the test was brand new purchased by me at a “big box store” and it happened to be the Coleman xtreme 5 day cooler that was advertised at 50 quarts (what size most of these coolers are) so i think it fit the bill perfectly. Cheap-yes, box store sold-yes, Coleman-yes, same size as others-yes, happen to have wheels? Yes! That is a nice feature.

I understand. Having fooled with one of those and several of their rectangular coolers, I was simply stating What I have found. However, It is hard to do so from this position without sounding like I didn't appreciate your effort.

With all due respect except for the old Coleman lantern and stoves which put them on the map, all their other stuff is crap. I have no interest in it.

No disrespect taken. I feel the same way about most of it. I also know what a coleman extreme cooler is capable of and no longer see the value in them after they age a bit. I was simply pointing out reality.

 

[Fatcamp]

Thank you for your feedback. I have been asked in past tests to include a cheap cooler you could find at a big box store so that is what I did.
This Coleman in the test was brand new purchased by me at a “big box store” and it happened to be the Coleman xtreme 5 day cooler that was advertised at 50 quarts (what size most of these coolers are) so i think it fit the bill perfectly. Cheap-yes, box store sold-yes, Coleman-yes, same size as others-yes, happen to have wheels? Yes! That is a nice feature.

Maybe next year you could use a Coleman that has similar thermal mass to the others. The one you used has really poor reviews. For another $20 you could have a much better tool.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Maybe next year you could use a Coleman that has similar thermal mass to the others. The one you used has really poor reviews. For another $20 you could have a much better tool.

I can’t win fatcamp. I get requests to use styrofoam to the most common cheap cooler, to the best cooler Coleman makes. I’m really trying to appeal to the masses.

 

[Fatcamp]

I can’t win fatcamp. I get requests to use styrofoam to the most common cheap cooler, to the best cooler Coleman makes. I’m really trying to appeal to the masses.

Sooooo, how did the styrafoam do?

I would be willing to spring for a Coleman that is more appropriate for our uses. If you intend to do this again next year, that is. Very cool comparison for sure. It's great to see so many American made coolers on the market. Yeti may have started it, but folks sure are following allow with improved and innovative designs.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Personally I don't view the results as winners and losers. I view the results as data or evidence which can be used to select the cooler which is right for YOU and that makes it a winning choice.

A lot of guys don't need or want a 7-day cooler. Some guys have other strategies which make the less expensive coolers a good choice for them. Giving us a range of coolers (as tested) makes perfect sense. Did anyone really think the Coleman was going to hose an Orion or Yeti? The cooler that wins the 'longest ice' test by a couple hours....does that make the rest of them losers? Does that make it the best cooler for you? Just maybe, the cheapest cooler in Walmart that holds ice for a day or two is perfect for you.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Personally I don't view the results as winners and losers. I view the results as data or evidence which can be used to select the cooler which is right for YOU and that makes it a winning choice.

A lot of guys don't need or want a 7-day cooler. Some guys have other strategies which make the less expensive coolers a good choice for them. Giving us a range of coolers (as tested) makes perfect sense. Did anyone really think the Coleman was going to hose an Orion or Yeti? The cooler that wins the 'longest ice' test by a couple hours....does that make the rest of them losers? Does that make it the best cooler for you? Just maybe, the cheapest cooler in Walmart that holds ice for a day or two is perfect for you.

Absolutely perfectly said.

 

[LostArra]

Not taking anything away from the OP but, that example of the coleman extreme is not a cooler. It is a beach chest with wheels. I'm not sure what he expected to get out of it. The lids do not fit well, the lids are not insulated like the rectangular cooler etc. I have zero dog in the hunt as I've borrowed enough of the top dollar models to know where I'm spending my money. Coleman makes it and sells it so, he bought an "extreme" cooler. He just bought a joke of the example





If he had truly picked a 5 day extreme cooler and, it was new, it would have held ice very well. Put a year in the sun on it and forget about it. I mean no disrespect OP when I say that and, appreciate the test.

Who puts an ice chest in the sun for a year besides a Florida fishing guide?

The big 120-150 qt Coleman Extremes especially the marine models are far different from the wheelie models. They keep ice frozen and elk meat cold for days and that's all I ask. I stack the big suckers in the shop until the next season. They're too big for casual weekend use. For cookouts they all suffer when opened every 10 minutes. I told my wife that's why I grab two beers at a time, saves ice.

 

[Kevin Dill]

....that's why I grab two beers at a time, saves ice.

Coolest idea ever. I'm switching back to Coleman so I have a reason to be a 2-fisted guy.

 

[Beendare]

Good test OP.....coolers in the sun....ouch!

 

[5MilesBack]

I guess I am tired of lugging around three coolers on any elk hunt I drive to. Granted I have the constraints for having a two day plus drive to any elk unit and warm bowseason temps to deal with.

The 160qt will work fine if you bone out the meat. I use a 200qt IRP Marine cooler filled with frozen milk jugs and it works great. I've also used two 120qt Coleman Extreme 6's and they work very well too.

 

[Justin Crossley]

The 2018 Rokslide Cooler Showdown is complete. Take a look to see what you missed and get Travis' final thoughts on this year's linup.

2018 Rokslide Cooler Showdown

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Who puts an ice chest in the sun for a year besides a Florida fishing guide?

The big 120-150 qt Coleman Extremes especially the marine models are far different from the wheelie models. They keep ice frozen and elk meat cold for days and that's all I ask. I stack the big suckers in the shop until the next season. They're too big for casual weekend use. For cookouts they all suffer when opened every 10 minutes. I told my wife that's why I grab two beers at a time, saves ice.

I'm no fishing guide but do a lot of fishing. I work in the woods and move from area to area. I am forced to carry food and water mobile so I can have cold drinks and food when I come out for lunch or finish for the day. My cooler stays in the back of my truck. On the rare occasions it leaves it, I take it out and put it on the driveway, to reload Sunday evening for the upcoming week. That's how it stays outside 365 days out of the year. And, you are right, a marine grade Coleman extreme is in a different universe then the wheeled or regular extreme version. They are made very heavy duty to support sitting and standing on them, white to reflect the UV, etc..... They are just a lot more resilient cooler. And, will hold ice with any roto molded cooler made. For years to come.