If you have ever been to a sporting goods store, you have probably seen a Yeti cooler and wondered if it was worth the $300-$600 price tag. Over the past 9 years, I have had a wide variety of coolers including Yeti, Sportsman’s, Coleman, Ozark, Lifetime, and Rubbermaid. To save you some time, the answer to the million-dollar question is yes, a good quality cooler is worth the investment. Just like everything, it does depend on the situation you are in.
About 5 years ago, when Covid hit, I packed up my bags and drove to Moab, Utah, in the middle of the summer. Imagine sweating on top of your sleeping bag in 88-degree temperatures in the middle of the night. This is a scenario where a Yeti cooler truly comes in handy. When compared to an Ozark or Rubbermaid cooler, the Yeti lasted much longer and stayed much cooler. The key to having a cooler last a long time is to also pre-cool the cooler with ice before you begin your trip.
The key to pre-cooling a cooler is to place ice in your cooler before going on a trip at least 24 hours ahead of time. Then, empty the cooler, and before you leave town, add more ice to your already pre-cooled cooler. This makes your ice melt much less quickly as the energy has already been spent to cool down the cooler by a previous batch. With this method, I guarantee that your ice will last much longer and enhance the longevity of any cooler at keeping ice frozen.
What is your favorite brand of cooler?
Check out Yeti coolers here
Check out Coleman coolers here
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