Sometimes you don’t need that much space, but you do need excellent performance. The rugged Roadie has a beefy, integrated hinge, and the sturdy rotomolded exterior protects contents from the trials of all your outdoor adventures. It’s built to be a seat when you finally reach your destination (Yeti even sells a seat cushion to go with it, though we haven’t tried that out).
With a simple pull-open lid and no latches to slow you down, the Coleman is one of the most natural-feeling chests to use — like opening your fridge at home. Coleman coolers are perfect for camping trips, fall tailgate parties, trips to the park, and more. You can’t go wrong by choosing any of these hard or soft coolers, either!
From our picks above, the RovR Products RollR 45, Igloo Trailmate Journey, Pelican 80QT Elite, and Coleman Xtreme have rear wheels and tow handles, and YETI’s Tundra series also includes the wheel-equipped Haul. Downsides are even more weight (the RovR and Igloo weigh around 35 lbs.), bulk, and cost. Additionally, these wheeled beasts still struggle over rough terrain and may require carrying if you don’t have a defined path to follow. But for camping, days at the beach, or even tailgating, a rolling cooler can be a solid choice. We’ve tested soft coolers for many years, and the Engel HD30 continues to impress us.
Models we reviewed that are IGBC certified include the Yeti Tundra 65, Orca 58 and 40, Pelican Wheeled 80 and Elite 20, Engel 65, Arctic Zone Titan 55, and RovR RollR 60. These products proved to be very durable, despite the fact our team was unable to find a grizzly bear willing to test each of them rigorously. I’ve owned both and under different circumstances at different times my Yeti kills the Coleman especially on the lake on a hot day. I love Coleman products but when it comes to coolers if the end goal is a cold drink or cold food Yeti is my preference. You see, Yeti, Engel, RTIC, etc are all great coolers, but they’re very expensive – anywhere from $200 to $500+.
On the flip side, those products with large handles and awkward shapes that are difficult to Tetris into the back of the minivan, along with everything else you need for the party in the park, don’t score as well. Of course, the internal dimensions and capacity also make a big difference in what you can bring with you in your icebox and how many extra coleman screen tent bags and boxes you’ll need to bring along. And the proportion of these dimensions to one another also makes a big difference. A low and long model is easy to find things in but harder for one person to carry. On the flip side, one that’s too narrow and tall is easier to carry but harder to locate items that have wormed their way to the bottom.