• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Cooler Comparison

Doug Briggs

"Douche Bag Local"
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
7,483
Location
Breckenridge, CO
I like that setup. I've been cogitating about how to design a light weight camper system that is a cross between this:


and this:

 

nay

dirt heel pusher
Skier
Joined
Dec 1, 2015
Posts
6,476
Location
Colorado
^^^Adventure Trailers or similar. Full off-road capability in technical terrain, put a rooftop tent on it, fridge and all the other goodies, plus storage.

That way you don't have to live with it day to day, hook it up to the 4x4 for the trips. :wag:

image.jpeg

image.jpeg

Also, the Tacoma Habitat.

image.png
 

Doug Briggs

"Douche Bag Local"
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
7,483
Location
Breckenridge, CO
Good stuff, @nay

I'm thinking a combo of sorts. My Tacoma double cab with a pop-able space that I can still transport stuff on the topper/cap and a leave-able unit with more stuff and a base camp.
 

nay

dirt heel pusher
Skier
Joined
Dec 1, 2015
Posts
6,476
Location
Colorado
That Taco Habitat looks awesome. It's only 340 lbs and can support 350 lbs on the roof when closed.

http://expeditionportal.com/news-at-overland-announces-new-tacoma-habitat/

image.jpeg

You only need a cool 8 g's. Add a Chaser trailer and you could bring 4 of your best friends with you :D.

Seriously, some of these setups are so drool worthy. It's unreal what they build into some of those trailers. You can keep those things powered in the backcountry with solar once you've shut off the tow vehicle and it's charging system. I figure once your beer is kept cold by a solar powered off-road trailer fridge, and you have a slide out propane powered stove, you don't need anything else in life.

A bit much for the A-Basin beach, but for summer touring of whatever type, unbeatable. Yes, a pretty penny, but then we are talking about $400 coolers on this thread :).
 

Monique

bounceswoosh
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
10,561
Location
Colorado
For long trips I like to freeze large containers (gallon milk jugs and the like) to make blocks of ice that later become water. Most of the time I'm on a long trip I'll need fresh water along the way, so its a 2-fer. Block ice is much more effective at keeping a cooler cold than cubes.

Our parents left a bunch of prepackaged water bottles at the house. I've been freezing them and using them to cool the water in the CryoCuff cooler. Effective and far less messy than loose ice. I'll be using this approach on future trips. It's so nice not to have to retrieve a bag of lunchmeat or whatever from a pool of water.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Tricia

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
27,297
Location
Reno
This article is interesting. Its a Buyer's Guide for coolers for the Kayak world and includes some chat about the Yeti but the Yeti didn't make the cut.
http://www.kayakauthority.com/top-5-premium-coolers-kayak-sup/
*copying the full guide here because I had issues reading it with some of the share buttons on their page.

Top 5 Premium Coolers for Your Kayak or SUP

June 15, 2016

Last year in 2015, our team wrote a review article on the best smaller sized coolers that you could use on your kayak or stand up paddle board (SUP). At the time we wrote that article, there were really only about ten quality cooler brands that sold good all-around coolers (sometimes called ice chests). Since then, there are some new players to the game offering premium coolers and because of that, we decided to update our previous article for our readers.

Kayak-Authority-Buyers-Guide-Logo.jpg






Not only did we reexamine our previous list of the top rated coolers in 2015, we also reviewed and tested out 5 new coolers on the market in 2016 that we’re really excited about. We went ahead and created an easy to use buying guide and comparison chart summary of the Top 5 Premium Coolers in 2016 to help our readers find the best cooler for their yak or board.

Features and factors we considered and looked at included: Price, Quart Storage Capacity, Size, Design, Ease of Transportation, Components and Accessories, and Customer Service. We also factored in other expert and owner reviews and field trial experience!

You’ll probably notice that the YETI Roadie did not make our final list. We agree YETI makes superb products, however the price and quart capacity of the YETI Roadie did not compete with the other choices of coolers.

All of the finalist coolers on our list come highly recommended by us. They are ideal for daylong use for either camping, picnics, a day at the beach, fishing, kayaking, or standup paddleboarding. You can’t go wrong with your buying decision on any of these personal coolers. If you are in the market for the best cooler for your boat or paddleboard, hopefully this article will help to choose the best product for you.

Top 5 Premium Coolers for Your Kayak or SUP
PRODUCT RATING INTERIOR (QTS) PRICE
Grizzly 20
Kayak-Authority-Grizzly-20-Cooler.jpg
4.9 ~ 23.0 Check Amazon
RTIC 20
Kayak-Authority-RTIC-20-Cooler.jpg
5.0
Kayak-Authority-Editors-Choice.jpg
~ 22.6 Check RTIC Website
Bison 25
Kayak-Authority-Bison-25-Cooler.jpg
4.9 ~ 26.7 Check Bison Website
Pelican ProGear 20 Elite
Pelican-ProGear-Elite-20-Cooler-e1433785286889-150x150.jpg
4.8 ~ 22.4 Check Amazon
ORCA 20
Kayak-Authority-ORCA-20-Cooler-e1433785163505-150x150.jpg
4.9 ~ 23.3 Check Amazon
Premium Cooler Review Guide
Grizzly 20


This cooler was our Editor’s Choice winner last year. The Grizzly team offers great coolers and at fair price points. We were also very impressed with their customer service and how they truly valued their patrons. The cooler holds about 23.3 quarts (liquid) and is the perfect on the go cooler in the back of your truck. It fits twenty four 12 ounce cans and you can add a compartment divider as an accessory that doubles as a folding cutting board. This accessory is perfect for the fisherman or game processing as well. The cooler comes with a stainless steel handle as well as Grizzly’s Bear Claw latches and 2 inch drain as well. Read More at Amazon.

RTIC 20


EDITOR’S CHOICE: RTIC is a fairly new player in the premium cooler game. They market their coolers by saying they are half the price of a YETI and they hold more ice. We were skeptical at first but wanted to give them a chance and we’re glad we did. RTIC did not disappoint. By far the RTIC 20 is the best value you can get on a quality cooler. It offers all the same features as the other brands at a much better price. It features a good freezer grade inner seal, large deep cavity, and drain spout with a rubber washer to keep everything inside. It also is equipped with large footprint pads to help hold it in place and a stainless steel carrying handle. Read More at the RTIC Website.

Bison 25


This cooler is designed to take a beating and hold up well. It is made extremely durable. This is the only cooler on our list that has rope handles and integrated handles on the side that have a nice grip to them to prevent slipping. Each integrated handle has a notch to use a tie down on your truck or fishing kayak. This cooler has the greatest quart capacity on our list at about 26.7 quarts (liquid) and it’s surprisingly lightweight for its size. We like the four durable rubber feet on the bottom that are bolted on so you don’t have to deal with losing any of them. The cooler also features quality lid latches that latch easily and securely. Read More at the Bison Website.

Pelican ProGear 20 Elite


Pelican is the biggest company on our list and they offer a wide variety of products for sale. We like this cooler because of its basic design and price. It can store about 22.4 quarts (liquid) and features two sets of handles and rugged press and pull latches for a water tight seal. It utilizes stainless steel hardware, integrated cup holders, and a built-in bottle opener for function and convenience. It does not have a drain plug which can be a hassle when all the ice melts. Since there is no drain pressure, when you close the lid hot air will get trapped inside. When the temperature drops, pressure drops so when you have that hot air inside and it starts cooling down it causes a vacuum. This can make it difficult to open the cooler. This cooler is dry ice capable and has a thick, molded polyurethane insulation that offers impressive ice retention. Read More at Amazon.

ORCA 20


This cooler is very well made and offers various features and options for accessories. We know you’ll like this cooler. It’s fits on a kayak or board extremely well. It will store about 23.3 quarts (liquid) and is the perfect size cooler when out on the water. The premium insulation and lockable shell will insure you are not buying ice everyday on your next trip. These coolers have maximum ice/cold retention keeping your items fresh for up to 10 days following the manufacture’s recommendations. Each cooler has padded, extendable flex grip carrying handles for easier carrying options, an easy-flow drain spout, and integrated padlock ports. A lid gasket forms the perfect seal and a cargo net attachment adds extra storage for additional items. Ideal for fitting behind 3rd row seats in SUV’s as it is shallow in depth and tall. This cooler will fit a 750ml Camelbak bottle in vertically which some smaller high-end coolers won’t. The ORCA whale tail latches are very cool and perfectly functional. Read More at Amazon.




This article contains Amazon affiliate links at no additional cost to you.

Filed Under: Camping & Travel, MoreTagged With: Coolers
 

nay

dirt heel pusher
Skier
Joined
Dec 1, 2015
Posts
6,476
Location
Colorado
Last year in 2015, our team wrote a review article on the best smaller sized coolers that you could use on your kayak or stand up paddle board (SUP).

I'm stuck trying to visualize the use of the word "on".

I figure if you put your cooler on a SUP, you are pretty much going to be eaten by a large shark, lake monster, or other large toothed thing. It's too much like meat and condiments on a cracker.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Tricia

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
27,297
Location
Reno
Seen on a Yeti by @JeffB
TWO Pugski stickers! One square and one signed by Daron Rahlves.
img_0604-jpg.13423
 

SBrown

So much better than a pro
Skier
Contributor
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 8, 2015
Posts
7,846
Location
Colorado
Do we need a cooler quiver thread?

I have a Yeti 50 and love it; I was sold after reading a review from someone who had used one to jack up his jeep after getting stuck. I also have a slew of the soft-sided Mountainsmith cooler bags (which are a good size and sturdy but obviously don't keep stuff cold very long). I wanted something smaller and hard-sided, so I just picked up this 16qt Stanley. Haven't used it yet but it seems sturdy, and I like the spot on top for a thermos or something. Will report back.

stanley-adventure-cooler-16qt-navy.PT01.jpg

Reporting back: cooler is great except I despise the latches. They are way too hard to open, and seem to be getting harder,not easier....
 

Drahtguy Kevin

Après aficionado
SkiTalk Tester
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
1,817
Location
Northern Colorado
image.jpeg
I took delivery of this SOB a month or so ago. So far so go. I've never had much luck with soft-sides lasting. This seems more durable than the others. It's a day cooler (or weekend at most) because of it's 20-quart size. The Wife likes it's weight compared to a hard side.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Tricia

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
27,297
Location
Reno
View attachment 13430
I took delivery of this SOB a month or so ago. So far so go. I've never had much luck with soft-sides lasting. This seems more durable than the others. It's a day cooler (or weekend at most) because of it's 20-quart size. The Wife likes it's weight compared to a hard side.
@Justin Koski and I just picked up some silent auction items for the Hall of Fame event. One of the items was a Yeti Ice bucket.
When we started reading the creative things that this will hold, I thought of you.
Okay, it says 2 averaged sized leprechauns not midgets, but.....
IMG_0900.jpeg
 

BS Slarver

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Posts
1,527
Location
Biggest skiing in America
RTIC is our new cooler of choice here and there is a reason Yeti brought them to court - the two are almost identical.
I can say from some comparison testing that the RTIC stays colder longer.
We went with the largest size for the sprinter not only for a cooler but to double as a bench for booting up area and it was 1/2 the price of the Yeti.
When you get into the 100+ sizes that’s $100s for other gear or a season full of cold ones at tailgate time ogwink
 

BS Slarver

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Posts
1,527
Location
Biggest skiing in America
th

  • The YETI TANK® is a highly portable party machine designed for advanced beverage distribution :roflmao:
To late to get in on the auction ? I like advanced beverage distribution
 

Sponsor

Staff online

  • Dwight
    Practitioner of skiing, solid and liquid
Top