For a beach-friendly pick, the Igloo Premium Trailmate Wheeled Rolling Cooler is a great choice with a removable butler tray to keep drinks and snacks off the ground. A sturdy pair of wheels, coupled with a comfortable, easy-to-retract handle allows for a smooth journey from point A to point B — no matter the weight of your load. Other factors to keep in mind when picking a new cooler are your budget, style, and intended use. Read on to learn about our favorite wheeled coolers on the market for any outing.
The resulting product is strong and especially rigid feeling, and typically it weighs more than 1.7 pounds per cubic foot with more than 90% of its air cells closed to one another. Closed-cell foam is also water-impermeable—so it’s an ideal material for, say, surfers’ wetsuits. The RTIC 65 has rope handles with a plastic tube for gripping and two rubber latches for holding the lid closed, mimicking the design of most other, comparable coolers. This roto-molded cooler costs far less than the Yeti Tundra 65 but performs just as well in nearly every way. It’s almost indestructible, it has two drainage ports and replaceable parts, and it kept our ice frozen for 10 days. If you wanted a cooler that is more rugged and that’ll be able to handle the rougher types of terrain you will witness when camping, hiking, and whatnot, the Coleman 55-Quart Rugged A/T Wheeled Cooler is one that we suggest you take a look at.
This lightweight construction and design mean that it is one of the more portable coolers on our list. The best part is that this portability does not sacrifice the durability that the cooler provides. It is leak-proof, sturdy, and has all-terrain wheels that have all been designed to withstand quite a bit of abuse. Astoundingly, this cooler claims to be able to keep its ice retention for up to 10-days which makes it the ideal choice for longer trips. Furthermore, because it is made of strong polyethylene for the actual cooler and has heavy-duty wheels, it will be perfect for even the roughest of terrains. Features such bottle openers, locking plates, drink holders, cutting board divider, and a basket is just the icing on the cake.
We especially appreciate the recycled fabric exterior, welded seams to prevent leakage, and odor-resistant antimicrobial liner that’s removable and a cinch to clean. We tend to steer clear of most bargain-basement coolers—they may work well for a day or two but often lack the impressive ice retention of premium models and won’t stand up as well to regular outdoor use. Igloo’s ECOCOOL 52 isn’t totally exempt from these drawbacks, but it’s more well rounded and functional than much of the budget competition. For just $60, igloo ice chest the Igloo boasts a generous 52-quart capacity, and the proprietary foam insulation does a good job keeping food and drinks chilled for up to three days (in the right conditions, of course). The feature set is also pretty well sorted for the price, including four self-draining cup holders and functional lifts at the bottom that slightly elevate the cooler off the ground or truck bed. Igloo also added holes in the swing-up handles, allowing you to string a bungee between them to make carrying heavier loads easier.
The Original can do exactly what you need it to do, which is to keep things cold for the day while you focus on the fun at hand. As with all soft coolers, you shouldn’t leave the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler out in the sun or resting on very hot surfaces like the back of a pickup truck or on top of a picnic table for a long time. Although the exterior of the cooler is made of a durable, thickly coated nylon—waterproof and tough—the sun and heat will degrade the material and slowly wear it out.
Also, make sure your wheels are made of durable materials (think rubber or sturdy plastic) and offer traction to get you across any terrain at any weight. With extra-thick 1.5-inch foam-insulated walls and an insulated lid, you’ll get dependable, long-lasting ice retention, so your essential food and drinks stay chilled. Previously, we tested hard coolers in the summer in Baltimore through a week that saw highs of 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and lows of 64 to 72 degrees. And more recently we tested most of our picks again throughout the year in Hawaii.
The Igloo MaxCold (teal) managed to outperform coolers that cost more, including some rotomolded models like the Bison Gen 2 (red) and the Rovr Rollr 60 (orange). Our tester appreciated the “excellent” turn radius and “secure seal” provided by the latches which kept the contents “really cold even after 24 hours,” with minimal melted ice or temperature change. If you are feeling tired, take a seat on the cooler or use it as a table at your tailgate if you’re running low on room.