Premium & High End Ice Chests & Coolers Reviews

arlon

Adventurer
I have an Engle and several Yeti coolers. I got the Engle first (had to order it) and liked it so much I had to get a smaller "premium" cooler. I wanted a smaller cooler 'now" and all that was available locally was a Yeti. Then I needed a second large cooler and got another Yeti. I really can't tell much difference in the ice keeping ability of the two big coolers. I can pack either one with ice and food/drinks on Friday and when I get back Sunday night they are are still plenty cold. I do a lot of 3 day trips and never have to get more ice. They are heavy but they are also built like tanks. I use the smaller Yeti roadie a lot for day trips and hotel stays.
 

Plano26

New member
I picked up a 65qt Pelican back in September and Love it! Built like a tank and holds ice extremely well, even here in the Desert where it gets a bit toasty in the summer. Only complaint would be the bulk of it and it's dry weight; find it a bit difficult to get it in and out of my 4Runner just due to the size of it; looking at getting a swing out hitch to mount it on.
 

TripLeader

Explorer
I appreciate all the feedback. You guys have me convinced to get one. I just have to wait until the budget allows it.
 

J S H

New member
Pelican coolers

I have purchased 3-4 Yetis of various sizes over the last 6 years and they are great. They have proven to be very durable and well insulated. However, I bought a 65 qt Pelican last fall and it is definitely a step up from my Yetis in both build quality and insulation. Only drawback is that it's a little bulkier and heavier for a given capacity. It seems like it would be almost indestructible unless you REALLY abuse it.
 

GFA

Adventurer
Yeti has done a heck of a job marketing their coolers and they are good coolers. But in the offshore fishing world, if your dropping that kinda coin its for a frigid rigid. Unless of course your a tournament fisherman and you have a sponsorship by yeti (there's that marketing). I myself don't use either for fishing since I'm just going for the day and hope like hell I'll be back that night. I use an igloo marine cooler that I can leave in the boat and not worry about whether or not it'll be there the next day. With a yeti I'd have to go through the hassle of carrying back and forth as it wouldn't make it one night if left in the boat. That's the same reason I don't own one for the jeep as I used to toss my cooler under a table or somewhere in the shade to get it out of the enclosed oven of a jeep. I wouldn't be able to enjoy my day away if I had to worry whether or not my yeti and my food were still there when I got back. If a yeti is kept locked up inside a vehicle during the summer I'd guess it won't keep ice any better than an igloo in the shade. A locked up fridge in the jeep was my answer to my concerns...
 

parkkitchings

Adventurer
Hands down...... Engel. I too hesitated about spending that kind of change on a cooler. Smartest thing I did as it's well worth the money. Get one, you won't regret it.
 

ziggish

New member
I have an 85, 45, and a Roadie 20. Best coolers I've ever had. And they should be for what they cost. Very durable, and hold ice a lot longer than your average cooler. But the real reason I have them is because they can take a real beating. I use my Roadie all the time as a stepstool. The lid never deforms.
 

dmaxmike

New member
i got my pelican 35 at wally world for $199, that's the only size they sell but its perfect for a weekend for 2 people. the best part is its made in the USA with a lifetime guarantee just like their cases. my buddy has one as well and we pack one full of beer and one full of food and never put ice in them on a 3 day canoe weekend on the river.

a real redneck thing we do is when we camp up stream is tie all the premium coolers together behind the boat and tow them to the campsite. saves wear and tear on the boat and 7 peoples food and beer would overload a runabout away. now we just tow them because they float and have latches.

that's the best thing about all the different high end coolers is that they have latches. hardly any low end coolers have latches besides a Coleman steel belted or a igloo marine and they don't hold a candle to the latches on a high end cooler.
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
Check out this link for some high end cooler reviews.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-TE4RnqT0U

Believe it or not, the Coleman Extreme ($40.00) rated very high. This video put a lot in perspective for me before I went out and dropped a fortune on a high end brand.

This video was part of why we have been using a Coleman Extreme Marine for going on 5 years with an average use of 20 days per year including 2 cross country trips, never let us down and is still going strong. Ours is the all white version and does fine without any shade even in Moab, we usually put it in the shade regardless to be out of sight, always use frozen bottles of water. If someone is buying a cooler in any color other than white/off white they deserve to have soggy bread, should have learned the effects of the sun on various colors in your freshman physics class.
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
XploreBaja has 8 Yeti's after years of the "other" brands and we will never go back. Block and cube ice lasts 3 times as long and the Yeti's are built to survive. We travel overland and the coolers are mounted in the bed of trucks and they continue to be durable and have NOT failed.

We use the 35QT, 75QT and the 105QT .... we love them!

Tim

3 times as long you say, this video proves otherwise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-TE4RnqT0U
 
maybe he means 3 times as long as compared to a generic 10 dollar cooler.

Really glad i saved 300 bucks and went with a coleman over a yeti
 

j944

New member
Check out this link for some high end cooler reviews.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-TE4RnqT0U

Believe it or not, the Coleman Extreme ($40.00) rated very high. This video put a lot in perspective for me before I went out and dropped a fortune on a high end brand.
Watching this video sometime ago convinced me to buy my Engel 65qt. It's been a great cooler for long weekends. Just a beast to move around when full.
Bought a Brute 25qt for day trips.
 

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