Ozark Trail "High Performance" cooler - any good?

[Ducky's Dad]

The hottest interior temp I remember seeing was over 130 degrees

I used to carry a couple of digital thermometers in the truck, just so I would know how miserable I was. Hottest I noticed inside the camper shell (white) was 185F. Cans of Coke exploded all over the interior. Tough to keep ice in those conditions.

 

[Ricer_X_01]

Yeah I bought a digital inside outside thermometer and velcroed it to the dash and kept the outside part inside the cooler.

 

[perkj]

My 52 quart was used 28 days straight for my gf and myself. The time it blew through ice in 24 hrs, we added 20lbs of fresh ice, not block ice, to an already high 30 degree cooler 3 weeks into our trip. I already had contents as well as left over ice and water. I would drain off water as needed with a short hose I kept attached to the cooler because the cooler didn't leave my vehicle the entire trip. The hottest interior temp I remember seeing was over 130 degrees with the windows cracked, vehicle locked with windshield shade when we weren't driving. It gets very hot mid June in the deserts of Cali, Arizona, and Utah... Most coolers will be used in conditions a little over half those temperatures. I wish I could afford a fridge, but the cooler was the next best option for us.

Thanks for the additional details. It would have been helpful to state this level of detail in your initial post where you called out that the 52 qt blew thru 20 lbs in 24 hours and implied the cooler wasn't any good:

My 52 went through 20 pounds of ice in 24 hours while I was on white rim road mid June... 100+ degrees. Cooler was still below 40 degrees, but was all water.

 

[onemanarmy]

Thanks for the additional details. It would have been helpful to state this level of detail in your initial post where you called out that the 52 qt blew thru 20 lbs in 24 hours and implied the cooler wasn't any good:

This is exhibit 1 on why threads like these are useless for the most part. Every single person's needs, opinions, and uses differ. Rarely do you get he full story. Most coolers on the market today will hold ice for a long time with the lid closed 100% of the time.

 

[Ricer_X_01]

If you read the entire thread I've posted numerous times and have never once talked bad about the cooler. I'm quite happy with my purchase and cooler.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I did not read it as a bad post about your cooler. Some people like to read what they want into things

 

[jsexton]

Agreed, I didn't read it as bad either, just a real world result in bad conditions.

 

[davis31052]

Another root molded cooler for slightly more than an Ozark Trail.

http://www.gatorboxcoolers.com/products/

 

[HenryJ]

...Checked my email this morning, have tracking numbers for both coolers, arriving Friday before 8:00pm. contacted carrier, it's a legit tracking number and it's coming Fedex ground. so far so good. Will update when they arrive.

So did they arrive?

 

[Shlaytim]

Not yet, they got shipped out on Friday(9/23). The third party shipping company processed everything and gave me the tracking numbers and I guess according to Fedex tracking, they are in transit expected for delivery this Friday(9/30). They must use the same third party Walmart uses when you have stuff shipped to home instead of site to store. Not the first time I've had this happen, a couple years ago I ordered a trampoline for my kids for Christmas, got confirmation it would arrive before Christmas, well ended up it was processed to the carrier facility before Christmas, but actually shipped a couple days after Christmas. Told the kids Santa's elf's had to test it out for safety before they sent it out with Santa and of course it was to big for his slay so it had to be shipped in a UPS truck. I know, I'm a terrible parent to lie to my kids Again, I will update when they arrive.

 

[HenryJ]

... Santa's elf's had to test it out for safety before they sent it out ...

Very cool. Elves testing the cooler now I assume they are still on summer hiatus and will be headed north soon.

 

[DubyaJay]

Following, I'm looking for a 52qt in Phoenix. Please post if you see one.

 

[huntsonora]

Seems legit....

 

[Ducky's Dad]

I used my new Ozark 26 for the first time yesterday, and I like it. Very sturdy, good seal around the top, good value compared to other rotomolded coolers in that size range. One of the guys on this outing tried to buy it from me on the spot. My only two gripes are that it's easy to pinch your fingers on the stainless steel handle when moving it around the truck while it's full. And the relatively tall, narrow form factor makes it a bit tipsy if there is not stuff packed around it. It's a keeper.

 

[billbillw]

Backpack one was just released by Walmart/Ozark earlier this week and mine arrived last night. Basically same construction as the Jumbo Tote but in a smaller form factor and with straps to make it a backpack. Although no formal testing of it yet, looks to be a winner in my book (esp at $39).

The zipper looked different in photos. I'm wondering if it might be more watertight. Mine is supposed to arrive for pickup by Monday.

So, I've seen quite a few reviews of the larger Premium Jumbo Tote, but nobody seems to have used/reviewed the backpack version (the 20-can Ozark Trail Premium Backpack Cooler). I went ahead and ordered one to try. I'll do a quick review when I get it and have a chance to use it.

I didn't get a chance to do a controlled test, but I did take the backpack cooler on a camping trip last weekend. I wouldn't use it again for camping. It just doesn't hold enough. I had 1/2 gallon of milk, ~6 cans of soda, a liter container with some vodka, a small pack of potato salad, and a couple packs of hot dogs and that was all she could fit. Everything was prechilled and I filled the voids with ice cubes from my freezer (probably ~5lbs) and one blue ice pack to cover the top. We left Friday afternoon and temps were in the mid-90's. Overnight lows in the 60's. Back into the 90's Saturday. I had to re-ice (about 10lbs) Saturday around lunchtime. Everything stayed cold enough, but there was substantial melting each day. By Sunday, most of the ice had melted again. Unfortunately, the top zipper is not watertight. The backpack is very stable though, so tipping won't happen in most instances. You will want to pour out water before putting on your back though. Nobody wants a flood of ice-water on their back if they bend over.

Overall, I think the best use for the OT Premium Backpack cooler is a day at the beach, a picnic hike or, a day/night at a festival/concert. It probably won't hold much more than a 12-pack of cans with the appropriate amount of ice.

I also bought the 36-can Jumbo soft tote and it is substantially larger. Also, the Jumbo tote has noticeably more insulation on the top cover. Both are a good buy. The quality is quite good on both. The zippers are tough. The straps/padding on both are good quality. They are a nice addition to the collection.