While they have solidified their place as a brand, they have not gone beyond some of their original design features which has allowed competition to come in and provide a few more core offerings. This cooler, when compared to the Pelican 45Q Elite and Yeti Tundra, has the smallest profile while still providing 45Q internal storage. It features rubber latches which I am a huge fan of for boating applications. When you are out on the water, people often sneak over to grab something from the cooler and may not latch it back up. With a hard plastic latch, you run the risk of brushing by the cooler and hitting your shin, which I have done and is awful. One of my favorite features though is the rubber wheels vs. the hard plastic wheels on the Pelican and Yeti.
For breakfast, I had Starbucks Via instant coffee added to a liter of cold water and a ProBar Meal bar. Lunch was mostly another ProBar, Primal Strips vegan jerky, and Kitch Fix granola. Dinner was freeze-dried hiking food from Backpacker’s Pantry, Patagonia Provisions, and Food For The Sole. I mailed food resupply boxes to Bushy Creek Lodge and The Landing in Van Buren. Surprisingly, you don’t have to spend a lot to get a decent packpack to get you started. If you are building out your gear on a budget, the Ozark Trail 40L Eagle is a bargain internal frame backpack.
This cooler is not only smaller in its overall size but also a fraction of the price of the competition. I spend a great deal of time on the water every summer boating and fishing in Northern Michigan. I will often load a large cooler up at the beginning of the week and leave it on my Pontoon packed with drinks and ice. If you have a boat and bring kids or friends on the water, you know that once you leave the dock the requests for drinks start rolling in fast and furious. Sure, you can load a cooler out each morning packed with fresh ice, but it is just so much easier to cut down all that work with a cooler than can keep ice for days on end.
I only walked about a mile away on a dirt trail to the showers but it was not a flat surface and the equiptment on my back was stable. Fast and easy to adjust and all buckles and webbing are in good quality. For the second overnight hike in which I used the pack, I left the hammock at home and stuffed an REI Stratus insulated pad and lightweight bivy inside. I was a little concerned with how the straps would distribute weight.
I did instantly notice the difference of carrying a lighter bag. I also don’t really prefer single compartment stuff bags, but, this works for what I need. Fit and finish were pretty good ozark trail canopy — no loose seams or stitching. Stitches appeared evenly spaced and of uniform distance from the fabric edges. There is a lack of reinforcement on the pack’s taffeta bottom, though.
“I was surprised that Missouri could have a wilderness that still gives a feeling of solitude. I was also surprised by the amount of trail maintenance on such a ‘less talked about’ trail,” Tils said. On the small side, so it won’t work for hikers who need a spacious pack. Try out unlimited access with 7 days of Outside+ for free. Because it’s basically a single compartment stuff bag, I did have to make sure the items inside were distributed properly.
Temperatures can swing from chilly mornings to sweltering afternoons. Consider bringing several sets of clothing so you have options for hiking and spending time at camp. Wear layers to be comfortable in any weather, and pack rain gear to stay dry. Yeti has clearly set themselves apart as the biggest player in the cooler space. Since they launched, they have carved out an incredible market share delivering products across the board from coolers to dog bowls.