I hate that my Yeti has no cup holders so I’m really glad Igloo incorporated this feature. These keep the cooler firmly in place but also elevating the cooler can increase ice retention. In my article on how to keep ice longer in a cooler I talked about how lifting your cooler up off the ground can create airflow and minimises heat transfer from the hot ground. For every 4 lbs of weight in the cooler you are only lifting 1 lb of weight in order to pull this cooler behind you. That means even when completely full you’re only lifting a quarter of the weight, which can be done by a single person. Most of the best beach coolers with wheels still struggle on really soft sand, but the is the exception to the rule and still moves easily over soft sand.
It won’t be on the level of toughness as an IGBC-certified rotomolded cooler but it will still be more than capable in most settings. In the case of the Trailmate Marine, it comes with special UV inhibitors built into the wall. They help to protect against sun damage (which can be a major concern in marine settings). You will also find an antimicrobial liner that helps to offset bacteria growth and is very easy to clean up as well.
“The Waterfall Hunters” are what me and my family call ourselves as we love finding new waterfalls to explore, swimming holes to dive in or beaches to surf at. I also love the wide range of gear that allows us to travel further and eat and drink better while we are out exploring. If you don’t need all the features of the Igloo then check this out. It has some similar features to the Trailmate – but not quite as many and the features aren’t quite as good. Now no cooler is going to be completely similar as the uniqueness of the Trailmate means you can’t really match it. But all-in-all I think Igloo is onto something here with this cooler and I know for a lot of people this will make the perfect cooler.
Why we didn’t quite reach the 4-day mark that Igloo suggested, it wasn’t far off. Most people aren’t going to use this much ice as it would take up way too much valuable storage volume. The wheels, which are essential to the operation of these coolers, are made of tough plastic so you don’t have to worry about them popping.
If you are simply after an ice chest with the longest ice life and most impressive build quality (and have a very large budget), then stick to Yeti. But if you need something more mobile and plan on doing a lot of entertaining, the Trailmate should be on your list. A few factors are holding these coolers back from significantly longer ice life. They include
a lack of rotomolded insulation, a lack of thick rubber gasket, and lack of a more advanced latch system that creates a tighter seal. If you want to see more of the best wheeled coolers then check out my article on coolers like Yeti with wheels. Another brand that offers quality coolers with standards that are as high as we’d like them to be is the Vibe.