Ozark Trail "High Performance" cooler - any good?

[jsexton]

Thanks for the write up.

Those results aren't much (if any) different from a regular igloo/coleman/whatever with 70 degree temps and opening the cooler from my experience.

The biggest draw to these coolers (besides the fashion statement) is the ruggedness and ability to hold ice with the lid closed for days on end. They are just too heavy for everyday use when having to physically carry them camping and beach trips.

I've had my 26 qt all summer and just picked up a 52 but haven't had time to use the 52 yet. I can assure you the performance is much better than a standard Coleman/igloo cooler. I don think it's reasonable to actually expect the 8-9 days some of these coolers advertise though unless filling it 100% full of ice and having one tiny cube left is satisfactory to you (not really sure what the point of that is myself). It is nice to know you can go 2-3 days between topping off the ice rather than doing so every day in with a standard cooler the same conditions. Most of the camping I do is not convenient to have to get ice every day so these are worth it to me.

Just my .02

 

[huachuca]

Rokindj, thanks for the suggestion but the Ozark Trails 73 doesn't have slots through the cooler lip for tie downs like Yeti and Rtic. The only openings are the two on each end for the handle straps and these aren't large enough for the bracket used by those brands.

 

[rokndj]

Rokindj, thanks for the suggestion but the Ozark Trails 73 doesn't have slots through the cooler lip for tie downs like Yeti and Rtic. The only openings are the two on each end for the handle straps and these aren't large enough for the bracket used by those brands.

That bracket is to lock the cooler to the truck. It will fit in the side holes where the handles are. I am using that exact one myself in my Ozark Trail

 

[huachuca]

^ Thanks again, I'll take another look. From what I could tell, the bracket goes through the tie down slot on the Yeti

which my cooler doesn't have

Is there enough room for the bracket in one of the slots for the handle strap? I appreciate the help here.

 

[rokndj]

^ Thanks again, I'll take another look. From what I could tell, the bracket goes through the tie down slot on the Yeti
which my cooler doesn't have


Is there enough room for the bracket in one of the slots for the handle strap? I appreciate the help here.

Yes. There is enough room to fit it in with the strap and the lid shuts and seals just fine.

 

[huachuca]

Thanks for clearing this up; Placed an order this afternoon.

 

[Hilldweller]

We just got back from a 16 day roadtrip. Started out with home-made block ice; had to buy ice only 3 times during the trip.
Impressed. Had ice when we got home. Temps ranged from highs of 87 degrees to a low of 28 one morning.

I removed the handles and used the slots for cam-straps. Worked very well to hold the cooler down.

On the more obscure side and worth watching, the hasp that doubles as a bottle opener also doubles as a prison weapon maker...
I had used it previously to open my adult beverages without incident. But, on this trip, the first bottle I opened snapped at the neck.
hmmmm, says I. Must be a bad bottle. So I carefully opened another successfully.
But the third broke at the lip. Soundly. All the way around. With lots of little glass slivers.
And I used a different brand of beer just to be sure it wasn't "just the bottle" or something.

So upon looking at the hasp with more scrutiny, it appears that you can get the lip all the way into the hasp if you're not really looking. Torque down on the lip and you break the neck or the lip right off the bottle with very little effort.
Be careful if you use the hasp to open bottles. Make sure that only the cap is caught before you apply pressure.
Beer is a precious resource when camping. Do not waste it.

 

[CamFromCI]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for sharing. We've seen this issue mentioned a couple of times before in the reviews on Walmart.com but we have been un-able to replicate it on any non-twist top bottles. I've pm'd you as well, but we'd like to know which brands gave you the issue.

Like you said, beer is a precious resource, so the design team has developed a more universal opener which should hit production soon. If anyone else has issues with their opener, email, call or PM me here and let us know which brands gave you the trouble and we can send out a replacement opener.

Thanks again for sharing about your road trip and about the issue you had with the opener.
Cam

 

[Hilldweller]

Hey Cam,
So cool that a manufacturer watches the forum; don't underestimate how much we appreciate that.

Both bottles were from Yards Brewing Company. Small batch stuff. Precious.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/450/13450/
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/450/13086/

The bottle that shattered worse made me cry a little; the last of the Porter. Mirtes strained the TJ Ale through a paper towel and drank it with a solid determination that my ancestors in Williamsburg would have saluted.

 

[t4runner]

Southern California residents, the cooler will be available Nov 8! I just ordered mine. It might be available for people elsewhere also. Check the site

 

[pyrate]

Southern California residents, the cooler will be available Nov 8! I just ordered mine. It might be available for people elsewhere also. Check the site

Was it showing in stock or...? I see nothing for San Diego area.

 

[t4runner]

Was it showing in stock or...? I see nothing for San Diego area.

 

[pyrate]

Thanks. I was looking for the larger one.

 

[Airmapper]

Wow, it literally went out of stock while I was thinking before I clicked.

2 were left and in the span of 30 seconds it went to out of stock. I hesitated and tried to add the 2nd one to my cart for a friend and boom, both were gone...

 

[Hilldweller]

Wow, it literally went out of stock while I was thinking before I clicked.

2 were left and in the span of 30 seconds it went to out of stock. I hesitated and tried to add the 2nd one to my cart for a friend and boom, both were gone...

Lesson learned: stop thinking...