But the best value doesn’t have to mean the least amount of money. It gave the lowest temperatures in the midsize cooler category, and low enough to play ball with the largest of coolers we tested. The performance of Magellan’s largest offering was very close to Cabela’s Polar Cap Equalizer.
The Xspec strikes a very happy medium, narrow enough for simple solo carrying, tall enough to fit an upright bottle of wine, yet shallow enough to find whatever you’re looking for easily. If you’re interested in a smaller capacity option, we’re big fans coleman ice chest of the exceptionally useful 40-quart volume and compact shape of the Orca 40. That said, there’s something a little bit extra about a plastic box that’s not only well-designed and durably built but also clearly shows attention to detail at every turn.
In open-cell foam, most bubbles (more than 50%) share walls with one another. These foams, which weigh around 0.5 pound per cubic foot, are light and easy to compress. It has taken us a few years to recommend a wheeled cooler simply because none have seemed built to last longer than a season or two—especially in the handle. Once loaded with ice, drinks, and food, a 37-pound cooler can more than double in weight.
That said, if ruggedness is something you need, the Coleman may not be the best choice. Its handles, hinges, and latches don’t inspire confidence in their ability to last the years in the same way as the high-end, IGBC certified, and rotomolded models do. Every time we’ve used it over the past several years, it seems to pick up numerous extra scratches and dirt, though it still works the same.
We’ve seen people start to think of their cooler as an investment that will last a lifetime rather than just a few years. If you have any questions about our products or your purchase, make sure to visit our customer service page. Here you’ll find our company details, answers to frequently asked questions and different ways to get in touch with us. If you’re an angler, you might appreciate a model with an integrated ruler across the top to measure your catch. Many of the options we tested have this feature, including the Pelican Wheeled, Arctic Titan, Xspec, and Igloo IMX. Still, others have specific slots to tie them down in your boat, backseat, or truck bed.