The soft-sided cooler may not last as long, depending on how you use it, and it doesn’t have the IGBC approval. Some of Ozark Trail’s soft-sided coolers have suffered from broken zips after six months or so of use, but this isn’t always the case. It is priced low, so you might decide it’s worth taking the risk. The 110-Quart (104 Liter) is very large, ideal if you’re traveling in a large group or have a lot of stuff to carry. The 45-Quart (43 Liters) version is a nice medium-sized cooler, and the soft-sided cooler works well for picnics and day trips. Ozark Trail is known for being a cost effective alternative to more expensive brands, like ORCA.
First on the list is the 6 can cooler with an expandable top which is your basic soft-side cooler. The cooler at hand is definitely small, measuring 8.5 x 7 x 9 inches & weighing around 12 ounces straight out of the box. Accordingly, the variety will help you find a better match since they offer 5 different coolers with different potentials.
The hard coolers have a thick rubber gasket, which is actually very comparable to more expensive brands. These and the durable latches help to keep your cooler firmly closed, with no gaps for cold air to seep out. A cooler with wheels is really useful, especially if you’re carrying a lot of food and drinks, and Ozark Trail is known for being a great, budget-friendly brand. While the hard-side spectrum focuses on resilience and replaceable features, soft-sided Ozark Trail coolers take the higher ground via their impressive final layout. In the beginning, it was hard to believe that a Walmart brand can beat all expectations until we tested it ourselves.
How does this compare to some of the premium coolers on the market such as Yeti? We think it’s right up there with Yeti and at just a fraction of the cost. Depending on what you’re using the cooler for, the leaky drain spout might not be a big deal. For us, however, we keep our cooler in our car while traveling and we often camp in bear country. I don’t want any cooler water intermittently leaking and leaving food smells. The other downside to the Ozark Trail cooler is that it weighs 31 pounds empty.
Here the ice retention is pretty impressive if Ozark’s own numbers are to be believed. The smallest hard-sided cooler is supposed to last 4.5 days, the 52-quart one is supposed to last 7 days, and the largest one is supposed to last 9 days. The Ozark Trail 45 quart cooler is known for its convenience and durability, with an industrial-strength locking plate to keep it sealed tight and wheels for easy transport. Featuring a fish ruler and confirmed bear-resistant by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, it’s perfect for back-country adventures.
You can find out more about ice retention tests in this Ozark Trail Ice Life Retention Test video – that will give you an idea of how ozark trail chairs work. Not only does Ozark Trail offer you dependable high-performance coolers but they do so for a fraction of the price you’d have to pay for a more familiar title. Being a Walmart brand, Ozark Trail is often dismissed as a cheap option that is not meant for serious situations. However, hard-sided Ozark Trail coolers have managed to make a dent in the system by competing on the level of big names such as Yeti, Engel and others of the same caliber. Also, another practical aspect of these coolers is how easy it is to replace external pieces if damaged whereas other brands would give you no other option but to live with it. One of the hardest conclusions to digest was the fact that a brand like Ozark Trail can argue its rivalry to someone like Yeti.
For example, the capacity, the size, the ranging temperature, the brand, and the price of it. Bestcooler.reviews, established in 2015, is a leading blog-style magazine dedicated to reviewing and blogging about coolers. Both co-founders of the site, Luke and Greg, are two genuine cooler geeks and have been so for ages. Both guys share their passion on this website, covering different types of coolers, posting in-depth buying guides and reviewing tens of different products every year.
It won’t protect you against any damage while you’re using it, but the hard-sided coolers, in particular, are pretty tough, so hopefully you won’t have to worry about that. Well, evidently, the Ozark Trail Vs Yeti is an impossible solve, right? However, while ten times more expensive, the Yeti option is still superior when it comes to basic features like carry handles, finishing touches and overall premium-ness. Indeed, this is perhaps the only budget brand out there that truly rivals some of the best designs out there. Thus, forget about Igloo, Magellan and Coleman because Ozark Trail soft-sided coolers are dope.
It is very effective in arid climates or as a way to assist traditional air conditioning units. As you can see, they do a pretty good job and certainly deserve your consideration the next time you’re out looking for a cooler. The next time you want a premium cooler and have to stick to a tight budget, try an Ozark. Yeti is an industry leader, so there will always be die-hard fans who don’t mind paying an arm and a leg for a Yeti product. However, if you’re on a tight budget and want something that’s pretty good for the price, then you can’t really go wrong with Ozark Trail.