While this brand might not compare to something as legendary as a Orion, Pelican, RTIC…, it is still impressive how it successfully took over the budget cooler realm. The M30 also has 2 side handles for carrying with two hands when the cooler is full and heavy or for carrying with a friend. So if you want quality then you need to go with the Yeti, it is one of the most durable coolers out there – alongside the Engel HD30 – whereas the Ozark Trail is questionable quality. Ozark Trail coolers on the other hand are another story, they definitely aren’t known for their quality.
This is a much larger and diverse selection of products than the Ozark Trail hard-sided coolers. Also, you will find a larger variety of layouts and cooler types. For instance, ozark trail canopy you will have the small, simple coolers that are designed to hold people’s lunch for the day as well as higher-end premium coolers for those who are after longer ice life.
For this reason, the handles feel rather insecure and more prone to wear and tear. There are, however, customers that say they are sturdier than they look. The Ozark also features four cup holders, which means it also doubles as a table. Furthermore, the latches are secure, so the risk of them popping off is very low; the food will remain insulated for as long as you leave it there. Considering that this product received a bear-resistant certificate from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, you know for sure that your food will stay safe as you’re camping.
Having said that, it’s about half of the price of an equivalent YETI Cooler. Now that’s a lot of money you can spend on other gear you need. 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.
In this Ozark Trail soft coolers review we’ll look in detail at these soft sided coolers, the features and performance as well as do a deep dive into the build quality of these coolers. On the contrary, the premium soft coolers and particularly their hard-sided coolers have more of the traditional features we look for when we think of long ice life. So you can expect them to allow for much longer ice retention.
However, the build quality and durability is not comparable to Yeti and s come with no warranty. Smaller Ozark Trail soft-sided coolers have padded shoulder straps for comfortable carrying. Larger models often have wheels on the bottom and a telescoping handle, so you can easily pull the cooler to transport it.
Featuring a fish ruler and confirmed bear-resistant by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, it’s perfect for back-country adventures. Not to mention, it has a built-in bottle opener and four drink holders on the lid, so you can have a good time no matter the temperature. We have been receiving a lot of complaints as of late from people who are mentioning that the zippers on their soft-sided coolers are going out after 6 to 12 months. We are looking into this problem in more detail and may adjust this review accordingly once we get to the bottom of it.
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.
We’ve found that in cooler temperatures, it keeps things cool for about 4 days but there isn’t any ice left after 4 days. On hot summer days when you can’t get any shade or coverage for the cooler or the van you can count on about 48 hours where there’s still a little ice. (The less you open it, the longer it’ll last so keep the opening and closing to a minimum).
In the beginning, it was hard to believe that a Walmart brand can beat all expectations until we tested it ourselves. Our subject was the 52 quart, which is the best-seller in this line of coolers and one which pulled some impressive reviews online. One of the hardest conclusions to digest was the fact that a brand like Ozark Trail can argue its rivalry to someone like Yeti. Impressively, Ozark Trail has pulled the trick of the century in the realm of coolers when they managed to create highly dependable coolers for a budget cost. The smaller sized Ozark Trail coolers don’t have any handles other than the shoulder strap.