It's time to upgrade my ~28 year old Igloo 54, which is still in decent shape after several hinge/clasp replacements over the years, but ice retention is marginal at best. After extensive research, my top 3 choices are:

Engel (ENG50), USA/Phillippines: Ext: W24"xD17.5"xH18.5", Int: W18"xD11.875"xH13.25"
Pelican IM Elite 50qt, USA: Ext: W20.3"xD:20.4"xH20.3", Int: W17.5"xD11"xH13.7"
Orca 40qt/58qt., USA: 40qt:Ext: W26.25"xH17 5/8"xD:18.8", Int: W18 15/16"xH11 7/16"xD11 7/8"
58qt:Ext: W27"xD19 7/16"xH19 3/8", Int: W19 7/8"xH13 1/8"D13 7/16"

My requirements are as follows:
1) Longest ice retention
2) Trimmest dimensions possible
3) ~ 50 qt capacity
4) Price - budget is ~250.00 (I can source all of these coolers for around this price)

My top choice is probably the Engel as it has the longest ice retention (tied with the Pelican for longest ice retention) and is the trimmest dimensionally.
I really like the Pelican 50qt, but it's quite bulky.
I also really like the Orcas but they do not offer a 50qt. the 40 is a bit too small and the 58 is a bit to big in external dimensions.

Does anyone have any experience with these coolers?

Coleman extreme marine pro.

I've been looking into these.

Lifetime.

Huh, first time I’ve seen those. In a decent price range as well. Makes perfect sense they make everything else out of molded plastic. Wonder when Costco will carry them.

Doesn’t quite meet your criteria, but an Rtic 45 can be had for $190.00 ($30.00 or so off on sale). Hard to beat....

Thinkin next summer.

FatCity67: The Coleman is certainly a great value, however, ice retention falls rather short when compared to my choices above and the dimensions for the 58 quart are not quite what I'm looking for (width) as I have a specific area that it need to fit when traveling.

If I may elaborate: 60 qt coleman marine pro, throw in extra block of ice, spend remaining $175 (approx) on good bourbon, beer and bullets.

I should have mentioned that anything made in China gets a much lower rating for me. I've looked at many, many brands including Lifetime and Rtic, both of which are manufactured in China.

ORCA rules all. If the prices are close, look no further. The ORCA 58 is an outstanding all-around cooler...same size essentially as the Yeti 65. The ORCA 40 is about the same size as a Yeti 45, which is like a day or day-and-a-half cooler, at best. If that's all you need, it rocks.

If you need to save a small bit of money, try Grizzly. Sign up for their newsletter and watch for sales. USA-made and just a very small touch under ORCA and very near equal to Yeti in all aspects.

Yeti is also closing out their Yeti 50. Not sure how much of a discount you can get but worth a look.

MikeL2: Duly noted.

Seen some YouTube tests with the extreme side by side with your list above and the extreme was just about as good.

But hey just a suggestion.

Yup, I always tried to skate by with the cliff notes in High School.

The lifetime i saw at the Walmart’s was made in USA

My cooler is a seed corn Igloo. Good enough for a country boy.

RTIC is what you seek

seattlessetters: No offense meant, but screw Yeti. I've looked at Grizzly, which seems to be a great cooler, but ice retention is not near the Engel Pelican or Orca. The Orca 40 is too small internally. The Orca 58 would probably be a good choice for me, but the external dimensions are a bit bigger than I wanted - the best price I have found so far on the Orca 58 is about ~$280.00, which is a bit much for a cooler even if it is worth the price. Perhaps I can find an Orca 58 on sale.

I'll look into that. I read somewhere that Lifetime coolers were manufactured in China, but I could be wrong.

I spent quite a few hours reading reviews of coolers before I bought one. I wanted one made in the USA with a good warranty also the design of the latches and hinges was important to me. I wanted a 40 to 45 quart and my budget was around $150. The Orca 40 was my pick and I got one for $167 shipped during the factory black Friday sale.
I came close to buying an RTIC but on the reviews that I watched comparing Orca with RTIC the Orca did better over all and is US made and has a lifetime warranty (for whatever that's worth now days).

teamprairiedog: Made in the USA is important to me as well as the latch design. I think Pelican probably has the best latch design of them all and Pelican is 100% US made. It would be nice if Orca offered a 50 quart model as the 40 is just too small internally for me and the 58 is too big externally. I watched and read plenty of reviews as well and the Pelican, and Engel were the best overall with the Orca a very close second. RTIC was about middle of the pack in terms of overall performance. Maybe I will call Orca and ask if they have any plans to produce a 50 quart.

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.

***
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?

Anyone tried a Wal mart, Ozark trails 50 qt roto cooler? $137.00 bucks?

TBREW401: I believe aheider above has one and he seems to like them. I looked at the Ozark 52 today - you can see my comments above.

I bought a 75 qt Pelican a year ago and a 165 qt Igloo a few months ago but on the next western trip I am buying those Coolers. DOes anyone think that the Yetti or other Chinese made cooler is any better ? Honestly

I have read so many tests that the results are all conflated in my mind. They all seem to come to slightly different retention results. This is the bottom line. Ice retention will be good enough no matter what high end cooler you go with. Real world durability will likely be similar as well. It may boil down to the exterior shape or size for the place you anticipate keeping it. If you are going to strap it down somewhere does it have tie down points. What about rubber feet if you may be keeping it on the deck of a boat and don't want it to slide if you don't tie it down.

I have an Ozark Trail and it has been great in the short time I have owned it. If I had to do it all over again, I'd go with the Lifetime and then the Igloo Sportsman.

FWIW

https://www.fieldandstream.com/arti...n-12-top-end-coolers-ranked-and-reviewed

Oldelkhunter: I looked at the Lifetime 55 and the Ozark 52 today, I would purchase the Lifetime ($97.00) before I would consider the Ozark. The Ozark latches were not at all easy to manipulate. The Lifetime is USA made and the latches are a much better design and are easy to operate. As far as the high end coolers being "better" the answer is clear-cut in my mind; however, it may be somewhat subjective for others. In head-to-head testing, there are clear winners, which include Pelican USA, Orca USA, Engel USA/Phillippines, Otter Box USA and Canyon USA. But as seattlesetters stated, real world results are likely fairly close for all the high-end coolers. Compared to Ozark, coolers such as Yeti, Orca, Canyon, etc. are made with considerably more attention to detail i.e. the mold seams on both the Ozark and the Lifetime were not trimmed flush and the lid did not fit as snuggly and as flush as with the more expensive coolers. I also noticed that the lids themselves were not as rigid as the more expensive a coolers, which may be a concern if you plan on using it at a platform or a seat. The more expensive coolers are trimmer, have more features such as divider slots, dry baskets, bottle openers, freezer grade seals, a provision for tie down and locks, etc. What it all boils down to is are you willing to pay a premium for premium quality or are you willing to settle for a cooler that is built to a price point and is made in China - would you rather have a Mercedes or a Yugo - both will get you from point A to point B (well, that's debatable with a Yugo). I learned long ago to purchase the best quality I could afford, which has served me well over the years.

Additionally, Canyon, Pelican Otter Box, and Orca coolers have a lifetime warranty and are made in the USA, both of which are important to me.

I avoid anything made in China if at all possible. Every single time I have purchased a product made in China I've been terribly disappointed. Perhaps your experience with Chinese-made products is different than mine, but I have been burned way too many times by Chinese products, which fail with alarming consistency. While some of the Chinese made coolers may last for a season or two, if I am going to spend more than a hundred dollars (or over $200.00) on a cooler, it damn well better perform for as long as I care to use it, something I could not rely on a Chinese made cooler to accomplish. Since you've owned a Pelican cooler I'm not sure you'd be happy with a lower-quality Chinese made cooler, but of course, only you can determine the answer to that.

I still own the Pelican Cooler , let me repeat I see no difference in the quality between any of the Chinese coolers. I was not aware of Lifetime coolers and glad to see they are built in the US. If Otter box builds coolers like they build Iphone cases I want no part of that product.

Oldelkhunter: I mean you no offense at all, but if you cannot see the difference between a Chinese made cooler, such as the Ozark and the more expensive USA made coolers such as the Pelican, Canyon, Orca, etc., then nothing I or anyone else can say will make the differences obvious. Obviously, there is a market for Chinese made coolers and if you think you'll be happy with a Chinese made cooler then go for it. USA made, lifetime warranty, build quality, features, etc. are more important to me than saving a few bucks on a Chinese made cooler that I'd be afraid to rely on over the long haul.

I have the Lifetime and the Ozark Trail. Used the Ozark Trail for a year, just never really liked it. Wish I had used the $137 towards an ORCA or something similar. I've had the Lifetime about 2 months. Like the lighter weight, latches seem ok, footprint in the truck bed is good. Ice retention seems ok, would like one more day of ice but for the money.

Read this thread.

I am spent.

Mine leaks rain water through the lid seal, which makes next useless to me.

Yep, you get what you pay for. Personally, I'd rather pay more for premium quality, buy once, and not have buyer's remorse.

My top contender right now is the Canyon Outfitter 55: USA made, lifetime warranty, very sleek/trim design. Essentially the same size as the orca 40, but it has 14 additional quarts of capacity. The price is decent as well - $229.00 including shipping. I've not seen another cooler that has the same or similar capacity with such small (relatively) exterior dimensions.

Where did I say that I saw no difference between a chinese cooler and a US made cooler?

The Pelican is made in USA. The way in which you composed the above sentence makes it seem that you see no difference between the USA made coolers and the Chinese made coolers, but I see now that I may have mistaken your meaning. To me, there are definite and obvious differences between an Ozark (Walmart brand made in China) and a Pelican or Canyon, for example.

I read that Yeti, RTIC and Cold Bastard coolers are made "overseas", which generally means made in China. There's definitely a difference between a Yeti and Ozark coolers as well, if in fact, Yeti is made in China.

Just picked up my Lifetime cooler, seems very well constructed and isn't all that heavy for a roto molded cooler. I'm planning on throwing a couple bags of ice in it and leave it in the garage for a few days to see how long the ice holds up. The latches are super easy to use and the rope handles are more comfortable than I thought they would be. For $97 this one seems like a no brainer so far.

AkMtnHntr: I also like the latches on the Lifetime 55 and it's definitely a deal for $97.00. Please report back on your ice retention test.

***

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a Canyon. I'm probably going to get the 55, which is only 4 inches wider than the 35.

When I was at Academy yesterday I thought the Yeti 45 (37 quart capacity) looked like a fairly good size but I felt it was a bit too small, not to mention too expensive at more than $100.00 more than the others I have listed below. I've been comparing the dimensions of the Yeti 45 with the Canyon 35 and 55 and the Orca 40. The only two coolers in the running right now are the Canyon 55 and the Orca 40 - the Orca 58 is too tall and a bit too expensive for me right now. I think the Otter Box and the Pelican IM Elite are too bulky, while the Canyon and the Orca have a more trim/sleek design, which is preferable if space is limited.

In order of preference:

1) Canyon Outfitter 55 (55 quarts) $239.00 inc. shipping
Ext. W 27 1/2" x H 16.25" x D 15 1/4"
Int. W. 21" x H 13" x D 10 1/2"

2) Orca 40 (40 quarts) $229.98 inc. shipping
Ext. W 26 1/4" x H 17 5/8" x D 18 1/8"
Int. W18 13/16" x H 11 7/8" x D 11 7/16"

3) Canyon Outfitter 35 (35 quarts) $199.00 inc. shipping
Ext. W 23 3/4" x H 17" x D 15 1/4"
Int. W 17 1/2" x H 12.5" x D 9.75"

Yeti 45 (37 quarts) not in the running - only listed as a reference for size
Ext. W 25.3/4" x H 15 3/8" x D 16 1/8"
Int. W 18 3/8" x H 10 5/8" x D 9 3/8"

As you can see by the internal measurements, The Canyon 55 & 35 and the Orca 40 are all very close. Perhaps the Canyon 55 would be the best choice since it offers a true 55 quart capacity - at least that is what I'm thinking...

I got a 100 quart Grizzly with airline points and it works great

I’ve looked several times at the lifetime cooler. Doesn’t seem to have the heft of rotomolded. Esp the lid.

The from googling the canyon is made in Thailand. Not quite China, but close.

BigDave39355: I'm glad you pointed that out. I originally thought Canyon coolers were made in the US of US materials. Canyon coolers are constructed from American made materials but are assembled overseas. This is highly disappointing and will likely influence my decision to purchase one as I want a true made in USA roto molded cooler. Canyon does, however, offer a lifetime warranty.

Also, I too noticed that the Lifetime lid wasn't very rigid at all and it made me wonder if it might warp.

Too bad Orca doesn't make a 50 quart.

I'll probably end up with an Orca 40, but I'll look around a bit more.

One Lifetime plant right here in Tennessee too.

Yeti is not made in China. Some are made in the USA and some in the Philippines.

I went the Canyon Cooler way as well. Ice retention is superb but what I really like the most is the shape of the cooler: darn near perfect rectangles and squares. They just plain fit in tight constraints. That, and the actual stated volume is real. Yeti’s are known to be a fair bit smaller on the internal volume than advertised.

I have the 125, 75, and 55 Canyons and I figure I’m good for the rest of my lifetime for coolers. I also have a Yeti hopper 30 for Brisket Transport and local things. Good times!

I bought an Ozark last year to use as a cooler seat in my boat. I put hydro-Turf on the top. Maybe they made changes but the cooler I bought is bombproof. It’s heavy. Fit and finish is nice. The latches are heavy duty. The drain plug is beefy. I weigh 225 and stood on top of it all summer and it hasn’t budged. The lid carries my weight and hasn’t dented or deformed in any way. I can’t complain and would recommend it to anyone looking for a cooler that won’t break the bank.

There’s tons of average joe reviews on all the coolers mentioned on you tube,and if you just google rotomolded cooler reviews there’s lots. I was set on a lifetime cooler until I watched a review where hey compared it to a ozark trail and the life time cooler leaked out the lid when turned over. So I bought the ozark and am happy with my purchase.in my research I stumbled across a thread where a guy bought the ozark trail and his buddy had a yeti and busted on him about the ozark, well they were out wheeling and they came back and the yeti got stollen and they never touched the ozark...

I don't know about the cooler you looked at but the one that I bought seems stout as hell and I don't see how it could possibly warp. I looked the cooler over pretty good to see how thin/thick the plastic shell is and it appears to be just as solid as any other roto molded cooler I've looked over. Going to start my ice test this afternoon and see how it holds up and will report back here with the results.

If there's anything someone wants me to try just post it here.

Check this out:

Techni Ice Signature 47

Made in Australia, sleek design (easy to pack into limited space), 3 easy to operate stainless steel draw clasps, lifetime warranty. Weight is a reasonable 24.3 lbs. Reviews are stellar.

***

I'm still waffling. Canyon 55, Orca 40/58, Techni Ice Signature 47, Pelican, Engel... They're all excellent quality. What it will all boil down to is what I can find between these models for the best price. I'd like to have one in hand by the beginning of July, so I have a bit of time to find a good price on one of these...

AkMtnHtr: Glad to hear that your initial impressions of the Lifetime are positive. I only took a quick look at the Lifetime so I could very well be mistaken about the lid rigidity.

Ive got canyon, orca and yeti. The canyon ive had for 3 years now, it lives 24-7-365 in the bed of my work truck. I fill it with drinks and ice on Monday and by Thursday Ive still got drinks that are cold but the ice is gone. The orca I use when I go to Canada in August. I freeze bottled water and use that for ice. 5 days after leaving home, if you want a bottle of water to drink you have to sit it out to thaw or else a few swallows are all you get. The yetis work just as well. Overall, ice retention has to go to the yeti or orca, the canyon just isn't quite as good in that respect. Toughness wise, its a toss up between the 3 because Ive yet to have an issue with any of them.

Went to Cabela's today and looked at their Polar Cap coolers (made in USA) they are nice but the design is quite bulky. The 60 quart is very large (externally) and won't work for me since I'm limited on space. The 40 quart model is $249.00, but it's way too bulky as well.

I have an Otter Box 65 coming. Kentucky Gun has them on "sale" for $249 with free shipping. I thought I'd try it. It will be my first high-dollar cooler.

I read a few reviews and write-ups before ordering, and it seems to get good ratings.

People that buy a Yeti cooler must be really stupid. But I really like my Yeti, it’s a 65.
I hunt doves quite often and the temps can be 80 or much more.
I pre cool my yeti, fill it with beverages, food and ice.
I try to keep it in the shade and manage the frequent opening of it.
The ice lasts substantially longer than any other cooler I have ever owned.
My only criticism is it is very heavy.

I freeze my cooler along with what I put in it before a trip...last meal goes in 1st etc...last a couple weeks......every other year or so I do the same with my beat up / tired cooler ....he becomes a colorful fire the last nite...

The Pelican are nice but they're HUUUGE

I have an RTIC 65 that I'm happy with, other than that it weighs a ton. I bought it right when their legal trouble with YETI was coming to a head and it was basically half price.

I sort of regret buying it. Not because it doesn't work well,it works great, but because it's so big and heavy. There's really only once a year that I truly use it to it's full potential and honestly, the trade off the rest of the time isn't worth the trouble.

I recently bought a RTC. I thought it was made in the USA, but I just read it is made in china. So I screwed up there. It is super heavy, and the walls are pretty thick giving a moderate storage for its size. It held ice, but not as long as I would expect.
My friend just gave me an heavy duty soft sided from walmart I guess, and I like that better.

Huntaholic: I’m surprised to hear that your Yeti and your Orca beat out the Canyon in ice retention. Beased on the reviews I’ve seen/read I would have thought that the Orca and Canyon were on par and would both hold ice considerably longer than the Yeti. As some have pointed out in this thread, real world performance is often different than what you might think.

257heaven: The injected-molded Otter Box coolers look great and I think you got a good price. I too have read the excellent reviews, but IMHO all their custom add-ons are a little preposterous. I also don't particularly like all the interior slots and ridges in the Otter and the Pelican. Unfortunately, like the Pelican IM Elite line of coolers, they’re just too bulky for the limited space I have available.

Dale06: Glad you like your Yeti, but they're off my list due to their political agenda. I know what you mean about it being too heavy, which is why I’m looking for a slightly smaller/lighter cooler.

atvalaska: You must have a huge freezer, but I’m sure your procedure increases ice retention.

cas6969: Yep. Everything I’ve read about the Pelican IM Elite coolers indicate that they’re extremely durable, extremely bulky, extremely heavy, and hold ice for an extremely long time. Too bad I don’t have the space for one. While looking at these coolers, I discovered that Bed Bath and Beyond carries them. Although their price for the 50 is a bit high at $300.99, I believe you can use the 20% coupon they send out, which lowers the price to a more reasonable $240.79.

Terryk: Unfortunately, these days you really have to investigate before making a purchase. I don’t know if this is the case with RTIC, but often a company will state that an item is “designed” in the USA, which leads one to believe that it’s also made in the USA, but I’ve learned that “designed in the USA” is code for “made in China.” I never really considered the RTIC because in the tests I’ve read/viewed, the RTIC ranked towards the bottom of the pack in terms of ice retention, as you discovered. Perhaps you could sell your RTIC and recoup some of your costs and then put that towards a better performing cooler, such as an Orca 58.

***

I’m currently looking for the best deal I can find on the coolers that I am interested in purchasing.

The Techni Ice Signature 47, the Canyon 55 and to a slightly lesser extent, the Orca 40 all have a practical sleek/trim design (nothing sticks out) that is best for packing tightly with other gear into limited/tight spaces.

As much as I like the Pelican and its great latches, the Otter box, or the Cabela’s Polar Cap, the handles that stick out are not small-space friendly at all – they are extremely bulky and heavy – and the handle design, although far superior to rope handles for carrying and moving is just too bulky for my intended usage.

The top contenders right now are the Techni Ice Signature 47, The Canyon 55 and the Orca 40. So far, the best price I can find on the Canyon Outfitter 55 is $229.55 (inc. shipping). The best price I can find on the Orca 40 is $229.98 (inc. shipping). There's a slight chance I may be able to get the Techni Ice Signature 47 for around $150.00 (inc. shipping), which is a helluva deal on a ~ $300.00 cooler, and if that is the case, I’d be hard pressed to pass up that deal. If not, then I'll probably get the Orca 40. We shall see.

The Siberian Alpha is another cooler that consistently ranks at the top in terms of ice retention and durability. I like their trim design, their easy to use latches and their lifetime guarantee. Unfortunately, these are another cooler designed in the USA and made overseas - I'm not sure where - probably China so I think that their $300.00 price for the 45 quart is too high for a cooler that is probably manufactured in China - even with a 25% off coupon I found online.

I called Canyon Coolers today and I spoke to Adam, who was very helpful and he answered all my questions. I confirmed that their coolers are made in Thailand, but he said they are producing the 150 qt here in America and they have plans to slowly move production of all their coolers to the US. He also said real world usage would provide a minimum of 5 days of ice retention, which could be considerably more, depending on conditions. I was concerned about the neoprene seals Canyon uses on their coolers as I've had neoprene degrade fairly quickly so I asked him about the seals they use, which differs from many of the other high-end coolers that have silicone or freezer grade seals. He said that in the 4 years he has worked at Canyon, he's never had a call about a failed seal or seen a problem with the seal. He told me that the neoprene seals are manufactured in New Jersey b/c they could not find an overseas supplier that could provide the quality they required.

I just ordered a Techni Ice 47 quart. 47 true quarts, dual seals (one freezer grade & one flex seal), lifetime warranty, made in Australia, free internal basket, 3 recessed stainless steel latches, oversize 2" recessed insulated bung, ~3.5" lid and bottom, 2.9" walls, elevated feet, and everything is recessed and the cooler is square with nothing protruding, so it will pack well with other gear where space is limited. Price: $156.69 including shipping. Helluva deal on a cooler that has a retail price range of $239.00-$289.00 if you ask me and certainly a much better cooler and cheaper than the $165.99 Walmart brand Ozark. Touted by Techni Ice as the best cooler in the world today, and the reviews are stellar. I'm very happy with the price.

Thanks to everyone for their input. I will report back once I receive the cooler and get a chance to test it out.

If I need a larger cooler in the future, I may get a Orca 58, but I suspect that this Techni Ice 47 will serve my needs well for the foreseeable future.

I see them for over $200, who has the deal?

Thanks

Allen

hemiallen: Techni Ice USA is offering the 47 quart (as well as other sizes and accessories) on flea-bay with a starting bid of $109.00 +$45.00 shipping. I was the winning bidder at $111.69. The price for the 47 quart Signature series on the Techni Ice website is $289.00. Amazon has them for $239.00.

THIS!!! Otter is making some amazing new products. Ive never owned a better cooler, and i have had many. Up in the high country right now with my Otter, going on 6 days with just two small 8 lb bags of ice.

Duck911

That Kentucky Gun otter box deal is a Screaming deal!!! It actually easily beats my wife's employee discount - I highly recommend jumping on that for anyone still in the market after this thread. We may buy another one from them as well.

Also, as most of you know, there is an art to getting the most out of a cooler. Pre-chill the intended contents, AND the cooler, plus use a block of ice or frozen gallon(s) of water. That will add almost a WEEK to the ice holding capacity.

I don’t think they can be beat at that price point.

I believe that the Pelican IM Elite and the Otter Box are great coolers, but as stated, they're too bulky for my intended usage. As you can surmise from this thread, I did a great deal of research and I'm happy with my purchase/informed decision to get a Techni Ice 47, the price I paid would be extremely hard to beat for a super premium cooler.

Congrats! I would say you will be very pleased! I came back to clarify a few things after reading some of the replies. My Canyon is the 35qt model I think and like I said, it lives in my work truck bed. Sometimes its in the sun and sometimes its in the shade. On work days it probably gets opened at least a dozen times and it doesn't always get latched back shut. 4 days on a bag of ice and still having cold drinks is fine with me. The Orca is a 140qt model and its used for storing frozen meals on hunting trips. The Yeti is a 65 qt and it gets used for drinks on hunting trips. I AM NOT a cooler snob, out of the 4 I have, (I also have a 50qt yeti that's never had anything in it) I only bought ONE of them, the Orca. The rest of them I have won at QDMA and NWTF events.

Huntaholic: Thankyousir. I'm sure your're correct that I'll be happy with the Techni Ice for many years to come. Good to know that your Canyon performs so well for you. Opening the cooler that many times during the day and leaving it unlatched speaks to it's efficiency if you're able to get 4 days of ice retention under such conditions. Under more favorable conditions (keeping it latched and limiting the number of times it's opened during the day), I'm confident that ice retention would increase a few days at a minimum.

tag

My Walmart 55 qt Lifetime has a made in USA sticker--and I did not put it there so I assume it's made is made is USA--$100.00 price tag. I will be putting it to the test in a few days. I cannot bring my self to pay $250.00 for a coolie. I am sure they are high quality but that is quite a bit of money for a cooler. Yes I realize they go (price wise) up from there-I saw a 200 qt the other day for $900.00+ -can't remember the brand however.

Philos: Yes, I was incorrect about Lifetime coolers, they are indeed made in America. I agree with you that anything above about $250.00 for a cooler is bordering on the ridiculous. After much searching to find the best price on the coolers I was interested in purchasing, I'm happy with the price I found/paid for my Techni Ice 47, which is only a bit more than the Lifetime and IMO the Techni Ice is a much better cooler. I could not find a comparable price on Orca, Canyon, or Engel.

If anyone is interested, below is the comparison sheet I used to help me make my decision. Perhaps it will help some fellow forum members. The prices represent the best I could find:

Cooler Comparison Sheet

Techni Ice Signature 47: This is the cooler I purchased
Ext: W 26.4” x H 18.1” x D 16.9”
Int: W 21.1” x H 11.8” x D 11.4”

• Made in Australia
• Lifetime warranty
• Stellar ice retention
• 47 true quarts
• Dual seals (one freezer grade & one flex seal)
• Includes a dry basket
• 3 recessed stainless steel draw clasps
• Oversize 2" recessed insulated bung
• ~3.5" thick lid and bottom, 2.9" walls
• Elevated feet
• Everything is recessed and the cooler is very square with nothing protruding, so it packs well with other gear where space is limited
• Techni Ice touts their coolers as the best in the world today
• Retail price: $239.00 - $289.00. I paid $156.00 delivered

Orca 40 (40 quarts) $229.98 delivered
Ext. W 26 1/4" x H 17 5/8" x D 18 1/8"
Int. W 18 13/16" x H 11 7/8" x D 11 7/16"

Orca 58 quart $276.98 delivered
Ext: W 27" x D 19 7/16" x H 19 3/8"
Int: W 19 7/8" x H 13 1/8" x D 13 7/16"

• Made in USA
• Lifetime Warranty
• Excellent ice retention
• Rubber latches
• Freezer grade seal
• Fairly trim design
• Cargo net attachment on back of cooler

Engel (ENG50) $249.99 delivered:
Ext: W 24" x D 17.5" x H 18.5",
Int: W 18" x D 11.875" x H 13.25"

• Made in USA/Phillippines
• 10 year warranty
• Excellent ice retention
• Trim design
• Latches are fair – many do not like Engel latches and they can open under harsh circumstances
• Freezer grade gasket

Canyon Outfitter 55 (55 quarts) $239.00 delivered
Ext. W 27 1/2" x H 16.25" x D 15 1/4"
Int. W. 21" x H 13" x D 10 1/2"

Canyon Outfitter 35 $199.99 delivered
Ext: W 23.75” x H 17” x D 15.25”
Int: W 21” x H 13” x D 9.75”

• Made Thailand
• Lifetime Warranty
• Very good ice retention
• Trim design that packs well with other gear
• Latches – no complaints
• Neoprene gasket manufactured in New Jersey
• Currently the 150 quart model is made in USA and Canyon has plans to move production of all their coolers to the USA

Pelican IM Elite 50 $240.00
Ext: W 20.3"x D 20.4" x H 20.3"
Int: W 17.5" x D 11" x H 13.7"

• Made in USA
• Lifetime warranty
• Very bulky/heavy
• Excellent ice retention
• Some have mentioned that the drain plug is sub par

Lifetime 55 $97.00
Ext: W 26.8” x H 17.25” x D 17.67”
Int: W 20.4” x H 12.5” x D 11.5”

• Made in USA
• Good ice retention
• Seems fairly large/bulky in person
• Great latches

Otter Box 45 $224.00
Ext: W 31.39” x H 18.83” x D 18.76”
Int: W 19.3” x H 13.3” x D 11.67”

• Made in USA
• Lifetime warranty
• Excellent ice retention
• Very bulky

My ~28 year old Igloo Legend 54
Ext: W 24” x H 16” x D 14”
Int: W 21.5” x H 10.5” x D 12”

Other coolers such as Grizzly, Bison, Cold Bastard, Orion, Yeti, Kong, etc. did not make the list.

I was wondering if anyone with one of these roto molded coolers could check on something for me. Push down on the lid and see if any air comes out, I accidently did this to my Lifetime on Saturday and I could hear air coming out of it. I think it was coming out of the lid itself so that shouldn't be an issue but I am curious if these other coolers do it too.

I put 1 six pack and a 4 pack of cider and 2 six packs of beer in the cooler covered with 40 lbs of ice at noon on Saturday, checked it this morning and there's still a lot of ice left. It's been sitting in my garage which is about 65 degrees. Will continue to check it every morning until there is no ice left, I'll post it when that day arrives.

Grizzly 40 - $224.99
Made in USA
Lifetime Warranty
40 Quart Capacity
24 Pounds Empty
EXT W 25 ½” x D 16” x 15 3/8” H
INT W 19 ½” x D 10 ½” x 11 3/4” H

A great all around 3 day cooler with good insulating properties while not being overly bulky.

KENAI 45 (Designed by Grizzly) - $179.99
Made in USA
Lifetime Warranty
45 Quart Capacity
30 Pounds Empty
EXT W 28 ¼” x D 16 ¼” x 15 ¾” H
INT W 22 ¼” x D 10 ¾” x 11 ½“ H

A new cooler design with factory direct pricing.

Edit: in my comparison list, above, the Pelican 50 Ext width should be 30.3" not 20.3"

Took the Lifetime 55 camping last weekend. On Wednesday evening I put two large Newk's cups of sacrificial ice in the LT and the Yeti 50. Thursday afternoon about 2:00 there is still a hint of ice in the LT, none in the Yeti. I place a frozen gallon of Ozarka in each. I load the Yeti with food because it has the basket. I load pre-chilled DP's and waters in the LT. I'm holding off putting bagged ice in because the GF has stuff to add later. I go the hunt club meeting, then stop by GF's on the way out of town (about 3 hours time). She puts some food in the Yeti and was supposed to have pre-chilled her drinks but had neglected to do so. So we put about 20 un-chilled cans in the LT. Stop and get bagged ice, put one bag in each cooler. Travel to Hot Springs, AR for the night because GF needs some new paddling gloves (she's been getting blisters) Hot Springs has closest paddling gear store. Coolers sit in back of truck in camper shell overnight. Friday morning we get the gloves and we are ready to head to Spring River above Hardy, AR for ACC's annual School of River Paddling (River School). I'm the Shuttle Coordinator (5 years now). Grab a couple drinks for the ride and I notice that the LT ice has melted a good bit. Hot temps, warm drinks, cooler stored in camper shell on truck, so no real surprise to me. We pit-stop about 2.5 hours later at Bald Knob, AR. I decide to check the LT ice. It's pretty low, still a good chunk in the frozen Ozarka bottle though. Put a second bag in the LT about 11:30. About 1:30 we get to Riverside Resort and CG, unload and make camp. It's HOT all weekend. Temps in the mid 90's during the day and getting down to about 70 at night. We're in and out of the cooler a good bit getting drinks when we're at camp. Had to restock the water bottles with warm ones. Cooler gets partial sun during the day when we're not there to move it to the shade. Had planned to stay at Riverside till Monday and then make a leisurely drive home. Instead we opt to drive to Batesville, AR, eat supper with friends and get a room with AC and a good shower on Sunday night. So coolers sit in back of truck in camper shell overnight again. Get up late Monday morning to head home. I grab us some drinks about 9:00. Ice is gone, but drinks are still plenty cold. Last ice was put in about 11:30 Friday so it held ice almost three days with high traffic in/out of the cooler. The Yeti, with much less traffic (only in it 2x per day), and one bag less ice, was out of ice but still retained a very small chunk in the Ozarka bottle. For $100, I have to say I'm pretty pleased with the Lifetime. It's definitely not as robust as the Yeti, but it also wasn't >$300.

magshooter1: Thanks for the review and I'm glad to are pleased with the LT. Sounds like you have a big wknd.

I just received the Techni Ice Signature 47 cooler I ordered on 6/8. This thing is an absolute beast! I am very impressed with the overall quality of the Technique Ice. It sounds like a freezer when I close the lid. Definitely a very substantial cooler and I like the stainless steel draw clasps, which will undoubtedly last a lot longer than the rubber latches offered by most other cooler companies. The handles are enormous - 9/16" marine grade rope with huge black plastic handle inserts. I plan on putting it through it's paces a bit later this summer, so I will endeavor to write a report then.

Also, I just ordered a Canyon Outfitter 22 quart in Sandstone. At $99.00 delivered, it can't be beat. I will report back once I receive it.

I received the Canyon Outfitter 22 I ordered. I'm pleased with the quality, the fast shipping and the latches, which hold firm and are easy to operate. The latches seem durable enough and I am sure they will last for a long time. Definitely an improvement over my Igloo MaxCold personal sized cooler and larger as well. The walls, lid and bottom are not as thick as I thought they would be (~1.5-1.75") but I am sure they will be more than adequate for this size cooler and provide cold temperatures for several days, if not as long as the larger coolers with more insulation. I like the sandstone color more than I thought I would and overall it seems like a durable cooler. I also really like the fact that the large product sticker on the front of the cooler was simple to peel off and left no residue behind, which is an issue far too many companies overlook and I really appreciated not having to deal with a hard to remove sticker and a bunch of gooey residue. The carry strap is a simple 1", 1-ply nylon webbing with a rubber piece which will prevent it from slipping off your shoulder while providing a bit of padding, and it should prove adequate, but it's nothing spectacular. I think I read on the Canyon website that they are made by a rifle sling company. For the price of $99.00, I have no complaints. Canyon also offers a 22 quart called the Scout, which is $149.00 that has more insulation, tie down points and a "jungle strap," but it's several pounds heaver, has slightly different dimensions and is slightly more bulky. I'm happy with the Outfitter 22 I chose, which will fit nicely on the floorboard of my vehicle - the square shape with no protrusions is beneficial in this regard as well. I will be taking it on a road trip in a few weeks and I will report back on the performance.

Buy a $50 Coleman. Buy a slightly larger Rubbermaid ruff-neck container. Buy several cans of expanding foam insulation. Done.

What ? Fill the Coleman full,of foam and then use it for target practice?