Roto molded coolers - thoughts

[thrifty bill]

I avoid the Yeti "tax" and get the Ozark Trail (Walmart) instead. Less than half the cost, more like 1/3 the cost. Ozark Trail also has knockoffs of the Yeti tumblers. $10 for a 30 ounce tumbler, versus $40 for the Yeti.

I bought the 26 quart OT cooler for $96. The smaller Yeti 22 quart is $250!! Ozark Trail has bigger sizes as well. Biggest problem is finding one in stock. They go fast.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Tra...&wl13=&veh=sem

[Eddie Longest]

Igloo Sportsman, Costco has the 70 Qt. in local stores for $199. Sam's has dropped the 50 Qt. to $179 in local stores this spring.
Eddie

[Paul O.]

Originally Posted by Kai in Seattle

It's been so long since we got this cooler as a free gift with a pop-up tent trailer that I can't remember what the instructions said--but I know you're right. We sold the trailer but kept the cooler.


It must've instructed us to keep the water, too...I'm not even sure the cooler has a drain, but if so it's for clean-out when you're all done, rather than to keep it "dry" inside.


Paul hates fishing around in the melted water for food...hence the utility 0f little plastic baskets to, um, "lift and separate." And lock-tite baggies or other ways (such as original hot dog packaging) to keep water and food separate.


If desperate, you could drink the cold water. Maybe you wouldn't even have to be desperate. And the dogs could drink it...


Back when I was a kid, if you had a body of water near your camp or picnic area you could put cans of drinks into the water and leave it a while--it would chill them. Lakes, rivers, etc. So why hot the liquid water in your own cooler? Less chance of floating downstream that way!


BEST
Kai

"lift and separate." <<< That sounds so 1980's, or do I have the decades mixed up?

Let's call it "float and separate". As somebody already pointed out, do not pour the cold water out. With adequate mixing it does not start warming up above the freezing (triple point of of water) point until all ice is gone.

Thanks for doing a great experiment and reporting.

[ZachO]

I think it was a 90's bra. I could be off too, though.

I will sometimes shop for the cheapest possible version of something, but there are often legitimate reasons for buying the "real thing". Without knowing who Yeti uses and what kind of wage they pay to build their coolers, and what their actual production costs are, I can't say if their price is worth the difference over the competition.

But it's worth considering.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by thrifty bill

I avoid the Yeti "tax" and get the Ozark Trail (Walmart) instead. Less than half the cost, more like 1/3 the cost. Ozark Trail also has knockoffs of the Yeti tumblers. $10 for a 30 ounce tumbler, versus $40 for the Yeti.

I bought the 26 quart OT cooler for $96. The smaller Yeti 22 quart is $250!! Ozark Trail has bigger sizes as well. Biggest problem is finding one in stock. They go fast.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Tra...&wl13=&veh=sem

I E-Mailed Walmart about where their Ozark Trail cooler is made.
( I refuse to pay $200 for a cooler Made in China ).
Surprisingly Walmart called me back. If you feel you can believe Walmart ? , some Ozark Trail coolers presently are made in China and some are made in the USA but starting shortly ALL Ozark Trail will be manufactured in the USA.

Yeti currently has a patent infringement lawsuit against Walmart for selling copies of the Yeti tumbler under the Ozark Trail label.

If Walmart is telling the truth ? , I will be giving the Ozark Trail Cooler a lot of consideration. I like the Yeti cooler but it is overpriced IMHO and I don't like paying extra for a designer label .

[Kai in Seattle]

Paul and Zach,


Was wondering if anyone else would remember. That phrase may even have been the 70's or 60s. Possibly 1973, the era of our amerigo.


We left the water in the cooler for the experiment, and this gives me more ammo to encourage Paul to NOT drain it every day.


You're most welcome; very glad it was useful.
I was very curious after the first posts in this thread and watching the video...what could our old Coleman do?


Thinking now we'll consider buying an Ozark Trail (if you can believe Walmart) if and when we decide to upgrade.


This thread has been of great interest. And interestingly enough, very little contention. (Unlike the notorious sawdust toilet thread of great strife.)

[Paul O.]

Kai wrote: Was wondering if anyone else would remember. That phrase may even have been the 70's or 60s. Possibly 1973, the era of our amerigo.

I googled a little bit, and then realized the subject is ageless...

[MyronL]

In 110 degree heat we been having here my old Walmart Rubbermaid just couldn't do it for me. Leaking air and water. Just took delivery of a roto-molded Engel50. It's heavy, but hoping (spirits) to be lifted by among other things a nice slot for separating, ice and food.

[Newfang]

We have a couple of Yeti (Yetis?) Ultimately there were the only brand that had large capacity options still short enough to fit under the tonneau cover of our truck, but liked the Yeti regardless. After watching the ice challenge video I'd consider others as well, but will most likely stick with Yeti to match what I have. Last campout we used one for a freezer and one for refrigerator. We needed a third for drinks and used our old Coleman unit (nice for it's day, but probably a $60 unit by today's standards). That thing drove us nuts having to constantly buy ice at the campground (we gave it away after that trip).

We love what dry ice can do in a roto-molded cooler (had two blocks last 5 days on a road trip from FL to CO). I kept our Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls in the basket at the top of the cooler for easy access....we gained a little weight on that trip.

[keekers]

Myron, I just posted my 45 qt Tundra Yeti for sale on Craigslist. Just too heavy for me. Suggestion, make a cover out of reflectic for extra sun protection.
Enjoy your travels.
Patti

[minke]

Today at the COSTCO in Colorado Springs they had gray Yeti Tundra 65's for $300. Still a lot of moola but that is 25% off.

[WanderingFrontier]

I bought a Maluna off of Kickstarter and have really loved it. The price point is a little lower than Yeti, but not as low as the Walmart knock off's. They have a unique hinged lid design that allows the lid to be pinched down evenly across the whole cooler, which is supposed to make it 20% better than Yeti's.

The rotomoulded handles that are built into it make it a LOT easier to handle and carry than any rope handle on a yeti or other roto cooler. Also has a cool feature with a thermometer in the drain plug to check your internal temp.

The company owner Scott Hoyt has been extremely responsive on the maluna facebook page, and there is a FB group community much like this one that he is actively taking feedback in, so it's been cool to see ideas from customers get built into the next iteration of his products.

[Al and Cindy K]

^^^^ Thanks for posting Kyle. I checked the Maluna website and it appears to be a very well thought out design. For those questioning the cost of roto-molded coolers, there are some good videos of the process there. If it takes an hour to produce just the case and lid and the oven can only handle a single unit at the time, their price point is actually pretty amazing.

The cooler market seems to be constantly evolving. On a recent visit to our local Wal-Mart, I noticed they had a new line of coolers, Lifetime, which are priced 30-40% less than their Ozark Trail brand. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lifetime-...3843#read-more At first glance, these appear to be roto molded but a closer look shows them to be blow molded. Time will tell I suppose.

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by Al & Cindy K

^^^^ Thanks for posting Kyle. I checked the Maluna website and it appears to be a very well thought out design. For those questioning the cost of roto-molded coolers, there are some good videos of the process there. If it takes an hour to produce just the case and lid and the oven can only handle a single unit at the time, their price point is actually pretty amazing.

The cooler market seems to be constantly evolving. On a recent visit to our local Wal-Mart, I noticed they had a new line of coolers, Lifetime, which are priced 30-40% less than their Ozark Trail brand. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lifetime-...3843#read-more At first glance, these appear to be roto molded but a closer look shows them to be blow molded. Time will tell I suppose.

That's interesting, they made a blow molded cooler that looks like a rotomolded cooler. Marketing.....

[Ourescape19]

We have had great performance from the Yeti and our large blue Coleman with wheels, both last 2-3 days with blocks of ice. We have had poor performance with the smaller red coleman. When ever trips are planned I freeze blocks of ice in containers.

[Rich G. and Val F.]

We have had good experience with our 40 quart "Orca" brand cooler. Might be worth a look if you are in the market for a new cooler.

[Mike Magee]

I have continued to look at, and think about, new coolers. My Coleman Xtreme deposits moisture on the floor (in my case, carpet) during travel and I haven't figured out if it is leaking a bit at the drain cap (which just snaps on) or if it's sweating. I had decided that, were I to buy a rotomolded cooler, I'd get a Canyon. They are decently priced and I especially prefer the cam buckle closure vs. the rubber T straps so often utilized by other mfrs.


Well, today I looked at Canyon Coolers' website again, and they are having a sale on several sizes. So I ordered a Canyon 55. It is under $200 (about 8% off) plus they gave me a coupon code for another 5% off as I signed up for their email newsletter. I also ordered a basket to go inside. Shipping is free. I told my wife that I just ordered my Christmas present from her to me; it makes her shopping experience very easy!


The sandstone color of the cooler should go well with my Hauley.

[Kai in Seattle]

Mike Magee:
Your new cooler, AKA Christmas present, sounds super.

Kathleen
"K"

[Donna D.]

Doncha love Santa? I have an RTIC, it's smaller than yours. But I know once it's full, I can barely pick it up. I can't imagine how much a 55qt would weigh. When you get it, you may want to do a 'test run,' to check it out. In the end, you may need a 'permanent' place to leave it in Lil Hauley when it's full because you won't just simply be moving it around. Have fun!

[Mike Magee]

You're right, Donna, I won't want to be moving it around; it weighs 25 lbs empty. It will be my 'refrigerator' and stay in the trailer. I usually leave my cooler to the left of the rear door all the time. That way I can open the trailer door, raise the lid, reach in and grab what I want.