Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Roto Molded Cooler Advice

No skin off my azz if you hate Yeti. Some folks overlook things for a good deal on a good product, some don't. I have no skin in the game. I get pro deals on all of them. All work well enough.

I've had all the coolers mentioned (Yeti, ORCA, Grizzly, Pelican, Engel, K2, RTIC, Orion, Canyon, Mammoth) in sizes from 20 - 160. In real life use, ice retention is actually rather similar with all of them if you treat them the same and do the same chit with them. You can do "controlled" tests where one or two might outscore the others a fair bit but riding in the back of the truck, grabbing beers and food and opening them and using them and taking them down to the creek and in the tent and stuffing two deer in them and all the other stuff that happens, ice retention will be within a day for all of them. And since we’re talking a 50qt size, all will hold ice long enough that you will have gone through the entire contents of your 50qt long before you run out of ice.

Right now I run with a 26, 75 and 125 qt hard coolers and only the 125 might need to retain ice as long as it does. My smaller coolers all run out of food/drink long before they run out of ice, and any of the ones I've mentioned above would do the same. I use a Yeti Hopper 30 for day trips from base camp and feed it out of the Orca 75 or Yeti 125.

Of those, if we keep politics out of it, I'd buy all again except the RTIC and Pelican. RTIC quality is less than the others and I don't like the design of the Pelican coolers where the side handles stick out beyond the actual cooler walls, taking up space that doesn't actually hold anything.

You simply don't need 10 days of ice retention on a 50qt cooler. First, none will last that long when in actual use and a 50 qt won't hold more 3-4 days worth of food, depending on how many people are surviving out of it. At 75qt or less, all will do anything you could ever want and will hold ice more than long enough that you will need to re-stock provisions before you'll need to replenish ice.

Just as an aside, I like that 50 qt size you're looking at. I am not sure what the reasons for your space restrictions but having had about 20 different coolers like this, I'd say the absolute most versatile size (I'll use Yeti sizes, as most are familiar with them, then put the corresponding ORCA size next to it in parenthesis) is the Yeti 65 (ORCA 58). If I could only have one rotomolded cooler, it would be one of these for sure over a 50 qt size.

Give me two, and I'd go with a Yeti 45 (ORCA 40) and Yeti 125 (no corresponding ORCA, so probably the ORCA 100). The Yeti 45 is great for a day cooler and is perfect for three on the drift boat while trout fishing or going to tailgates, etc. I actually prefer the Yeti 110 (exact ORCA 100) because it is a bit easier to move around than the 125 but, if I am being totally honest, I hate moving the 110 around enough that I only use it when necessary and the 125 is still capable of being handled by one person so if I am going there, I might as well go slightly bigger and get maximum bang for the effort. The Yeti 125 is the largest cooler I can lift in and out of the truck by myself so I will not own anything bigger.

Give me three, and I go Yeti 35 (ORCA 26), Yeti 75 (ORCA 75) and Yeti 125 (ORCA 140). The 75 is great for grocery shopping and all but the heaviest duty, and the 35 is the perfect day cooler for almost any outing. The big coolers go deer and elk hunting as well as on long camping trips and to functions where I need to supply drinks of or food for many people.

Keep in mind when you get this cooler that you may end up with another. It could change your outlook on what the purchase should truly be.

Pelican makes great gun cases and the like for sure. I looked at Engels in a couple of stores and did not like that type of latch. It's a personal decision that each buyer makes. Until a couple of years ago I felt that the old "steel belted" green and white Coleman coolers with the heavier chrome latch were the gold standard in coolers. They were TOUGH! But now there are many that will probably serve you well. Another thing that I looked at was availability and cost of replacement latches and drain plugs. I really don't think you can make a bad choice. Oh... another thing that was important to me was the ability to lock my cooler to the truck or UTV while leaving the lid unlocked (I've had a couple of cheaper coolers stolen from the back of my truck before).

seattlesetters: Thanks for the thoughtful reply. The points you made are well-taken and you are correct. I do, however, like to have extra ice, which I utilize for ice water and single malt - beyond the need to use the cooler for food. Regarding the Pelican coolers, although durable, I agree that the molded in handles that stick out take up precious space, hence the bulky comment in my initial post.

I think the Engel 50 is the top contender right now due to my current size restrictions. Maybe the Orca 40, which I can get for about $30.00 less than the Engel. I think the Orca 40 is probably a good road trip size, but might be a bit small for a weekend camping trip. I'd like to get the Orca 58, but I feel that the cost is a bit too much unless I can find one on sale.

I'll probably end up with an Orca 40, which is only slightly smaller internally than the Engel 50. I can always get an Orca 58 at a later date if/when necessary.

Thanks again for your thoughts on the matter.

teamprairiedog: Pelican does indeed make great cases. I have not seen the Engel latches in person, so I cannot comment. I think the local Academy has the Engel Dry Boxes in stock so I'll swing by and take a look at the latches. And yes, security is a concern. I'd hate to spend a bunch of money on a cooler only to have it stolen.

this is why I went with pelican...….ice retention in most of these types of coolers are all pretty close...….bob

Lifetime is headquartered and makes all their products right here in Utah - about 15 miles from my house, in fact. I had a chance to examine their new cooler at an outdoors show this winter. They sold literally two semis full of them at that show. I may have been the only guy who left without one! Why? Because I'm waiting for their 30-quart model, which they said could be out later this year.

They make really good stuff.

All this for an afternoon on the lake with Bubba and Gerald in the pontoon boat. Hellllll yeahhh!!! Gimme uhnuther pbr.

This is spot on. And for a cheap boat or side by side version that would hurt less if someone with sticky fingers walked off with it..... The Ozark 52 quart from Walmart is embarrassingly handy and works just fine.

The ORCA 40 is a fantastic “day-and-a-half” cooler. You simply cannot go wrong by purchasing one.

You are indeed correct in assuming the ORCA 40 is a bit small for a weekend camping trip. However, in my experience the Engel 50 does not remedy the situation, either. Having enough room for Friday-Sunday really does start at the 60qt level (Yeti 65/ORCA 58/Grizzly 60) and a 75qt is even better.

I think an ORCA 40 would be a great cooler for you. Once you get s feel for it, you might even find yourself saving up for a 58 or, better yet, a 75 qt to handle the big jobs.

FWIW, I have very rarely heard anyone complaining that they bought too big a cooler like these. The reverse, however, I hear all the time.

Picked up a Lifetime 55 at Wally World yesterday. Gonna see how it does. I was thinking real hard about a Canyon 55 cooler. Lifetime was <1/2 the cost of the Canyon. Have friends that like them alot. Lifetime 55 isn't near as heavy as my Yeti 50. Initial impression is that the Lifetime isn't as tough as the Yeti or Canyon but at 1/3 and 1/2 the cost I wasn't really expecting it to be. 3 day camping trip this weekend so we'll see how does.

BobMt: I agree that the Pelican is a great cooler: ice retention, durability and those well-designed latches are all top notch. They do; however, have that bulky handle design, which is a space hog and I am limited on space.

RockyRaab: Good to know. I will take a closer look at the Lifetime 55. $97.00 at Walmart is certain a lot more palatable than the price of the other coolers we’ve been discussing in this thread. The exterior size is good for me, although the interior size is only slightly larger than the Orca 40. The Lifetime also appears to have a well thought-out latch design, though it lacks some features like a divider slot and as basket rail. I will run by Walmart to check them out – perhaps the interior looks bigger than the measurements would suggest.

aheider: Is the Ozark 52 (Walmart brand) made in China?

seattlesetters: I was thinking the same thing – that the Orca 40 would be a great cooler for road trips or as a “day-and-a-half” choice since it is only very slightly smaller than the Engel 50. I’m hesitant, though, to purchase the Orca 40 or the Engel 50 b/c as I suspected and as you confirmed, it’s just too small for a weekend camping trip. I also agree with your assessment that the Orca 58 is the most useful size. I’ll keep looking for an Orca 58 for a better price. I also agree with your previous assessment about weight when loaded – anything bigger than a 58 quart size would be too heavy for me to move by myself, so that is a consideration as well. In the meantime, I am going to look at a Lifetime 55 – I loathe Walmart, but they have them in stock. I also don't want to spend a bunch of money on a cooler that is too small and be faced with buyer's remorse.

magshooter1: Please report back with your thoughts/review of the Lifetime 55 you'll be using this wknd. Thanks.

Two 17 day trips down the Grand Canyon in July and August have convinced me that Canyon Coolers are pretty damn good.

I just looked at the Otter Box Venture 45 on the advice of a fellow forum member. They look like great coolers and the 45 is a good size and it includes a dry storage tray. The 45 has molded in handles similar to the Pelican, but they don't appear to be quite as bulky as the Pelican and it has well-designed latches . The external dimensions meet my requirements and the Internal measurements are only very slightly smaller than both the Orca 58 and the Lifetime 55. At $224.95 inc. shipping on the Otter Box website, I believe this just might be the cooler I've been looking for.

Steve: I looked at Canyon Coolers and they are indeed highly regarded. The size and the price for the 55 qt. is comparable to the Otter Box and shipping appears to be included. So now I have a decision to make between the Canyon 55 and the Otter Box 45 - interior dimensions are quite similar between the two with the Otter Box being only very slightly smaller.

I’ve used Canyon, too. They are good to go, right up there with the others.

Can’t help you with OtterBox, though.

I have 2 canyons, love them.

I've been putting off buying a roto molded cooler for well over a year now and just pulled the trigger on one of these coolers. Pick it up tomorrow afternoon and hope to fill it with some reds this summer.

I have this with no complaints

Engel (ENG50), USA/Philippines:

Used this weekend ice all weekend I’m the sand on th beach with people in and out of it every few mins. Sand soccer tournament.

Only reason I have it - Twas free with West Marine points

Today, I went to Academy with the intent of looking at the Engel Dry Box latches, which unfortunately are different (stainless draw clasp) from the latches on their roto molded coolers. I also looked at the Igloo BMX 52 qt (good size), the Magellan 25/75 (too small/big) the Magellan 50 was not in stock. While there I also looked at several sizes of Yeti. The Yeti 65 was a bit too big and the Yeti 35 was too small. The Yeti Tundra 45 (which I believe is actually 37 qts) was the closest to the size I’m looking for – I think a true 45-50 qt size (slightly bigger than the Yeti 45) would be good for me. I then went to Walmart and looked at the Lifetime 55 and the Ozark 52. I was not impressed at all with the Ozark - Specifically, I didn’t like the latches and it seemed cheaply made, but the performance is probably acceptable. The Lifetime looks like a good cooler for less cost than the Ozark, but it’s fairly gigantic – much too big for me right now due to my size limitations, but I do like the Lifetime latches quite a bit.

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seattlesetters: I’m going to give Canyon Coolers a closer look. The Otter Box 45 looks like it might be the one for me, but Orca and Engel are still in the running - too bad I cannot view them in person. Otter Box coolers are injection molded rather than roro molded. I may run out to Cabela's and take a look at their Polar Cap Equalizer coolers as they have received good reviews. Unfortunately they're not any cheaper than the coolers we've been discussing.

headhunter130: what size Canyons do you have and what specifically do you like about them?

AkMtnHtr: I think you made a good choice with the Lifetime. At $97.00 you really can’t beat the price if you have the space for a large cooler.

vacrt2002: Must be nice to get a free ENG50! Could you comment on the size (good size for a wknd camping trip or too small?), the latches, the overall quality and your impressions of this cooler?