Small cooler recommendations

[chefchris]

in the market for a small 20-24qt size cooler for the boat this season. The main goal is keeping stuff cold, and less ice melt, I don't need crazy ice retention as it will be a day/overnight color. 

been doing a lot research, lots of name brand options and off brand, even amazon has their own version now. 

dont mind spending the $$ as it will be an investment piece, but its also tough out here in RI as not a lot of places carry anything besides yeti and i like seeing thigs in person 

looking for real world feedback

looked at: 

yeti roadie $250, rtic 20qt $150, grizzly 22 qt $220, orca 20qt $200, plus the amazon one, engle, frosty frog, pelican etc 

 

[JacksonF]

I have a yeti tundra 35 I use for camping, it’s held ice for me for 3 days if you minimize the amount of times you open it, as well as the amount of air inside (keeping it full makes it last quite a bit longer). Worth the investment in my opinion. I had an Rtic cooler (and water jugs) as well as was not thrilled with the performance on either. They save a good chunk of money, but if you’re willing to invest in something that’s going to perform and last, yeti is my recommendation 

[dlegg96]

I own a Yeti 65, Rtic 65, Yeti 25 soft cooler, Rtic 20. There is a slightly noticeable decrease in quality from the Yeti to the Rtic. If you dont care about owning the "name brand" item I think the Rtics are worth their money. As far as only needing it for a day I wouldnt go with a hard cooler. The space they take up vs what fits inside is a considerable disadvantage. Personally I would go with one of the cube Yeti soft coolers. I do not recommend the Rtic soft coolers, their zippers are actually crap and break very easy.

[Steven C]

 Hey chef, I have had the Yeti roadie for a few years now and it’s pretty dang good. The only thing is it’s pretty small for the weight of it. If it’s just me and my dad for the day I almost always grab my Yeti hopper flip 12qt. I believe they make a flip 18 also. They’re just a lot less bulky for what you get. As far as durability of the hopper, I also have a 8 qt for my everyday lunch box. I’m in and out of tractors and trucks all day and 3 years and running it’s still as good as new. All of my employees said that’s too much money for a lunch box and now all 5 of them have them. I would recommend getting the Yeti ice packs also. They’re made to fit them exactly. I throw one in that covers the whole bottom in the morning and keeps water’s cold all day. I’m in California and it’s usually around 100 degrees for the summer. 

[Whammy]

Gonna put my vote in for a Yeti Hopper soft cooler unless you’re using it for more than the day or just want a hard cooler. They are very versatile, keep things plenty cold. I’d also recommend buying a couple different sizes of the ice packs, either yeti or something similar. They add to the versatility and convenience.

 

if you are set on a rigid cooler though, Yetis are nice but really heavy, Engels are another good option. And don’t overlook the Engel dry box styLe coolers as well! They keep things just as cold, last just as long, just don’t have that same fit and finish as a yeti. 

[Dirty Diesel]

I have a yeti 20 and an Orca 40 they are nearly the same thing. I like hard coolers personally. You can sit, stand and strap them down. Both the yeti 20 and Orca 40 fit perfectly at the front of my bass boat. I have an older 1978 Glasstron that doesn’t have a flat front deck and I use the coolers as a step. I also throw them in the bed of the Rockcrawler and let parts and junk crash into them all day. Sometimes they just go for a ride in the bed of the pick up. The Orca is made in the USA and has a really good lid seal. If you change elevation you have to open the drain to pop the lid. I never had that with the Yeti. Im not a fan of the whale tail lid pulls but whatever its a cooler. Both coolers were gifts so I didn’t chose them either. 

[119bowhunter]

I’d also vote for a Yeti hopper, I never thought I would like them but had the opportunity to pick up a hopper 30 new for $100 a couple years ago and it has become my favorite cooler, anytime I’m fishing tournaments in warm weather I’ll put 20 pounds of ice in it with a couple drinks and use it to ice down my livewell throughout the day, it’s easy enough to pick up and pour ice straight into the live wells unlike the hard coolers which can be super heavy, mine rides right in front of the co-anglers feet and doesn’t seem to get in the way... I’ve also flown with it as a checked bag to Canada before with all my tackle inside and stuffed a couple deer shoulders in it when my other coolers were full so they are definitely rugged

[ikaika]

I got my brother a Magellan 20qt from Academy last year and he loves it...sturdy and keeps ice like a champ in hot weather.  Built in bottle openers, hinges have a neat design that opens both directions.  Give it a look, it's like $70 on sale and might do the trick for you.

[Tony_x18]

I have a Yeti 35 for when its me and a friend also have a soft yeti for short solo trips. The 35 is awesome holds ice all day, the soft cooler will let the ice melt if its left in the sun. If I leave it under the console of my boat its usually pretty good

[RSL6]

I have the 30 can RTIC soft cooler. It's the version prior to them going to the two color scheme. Outside of the waterproof zipper needing dry lubricant from time to time, it has been an awesome cooler for several years now. Spent many full days on the Delta and Clear Lake during the summer (100+ degree days) and everything stayed cold or frozen. We had to take frozen water bottles out towards the end of the day to thaw out so we could drink. 

One thing that helps for any cooler is to prep or pre-cool the cooler before loading it up. I have been really impressed with the Cooler Shock mylar bags (Amazon). I have them in a couple of sizes to be used in hard and soft coolers. After use, throw them back in the freezer and ready to go for the next trip.

I would imagine the Yeti and others would work just as well if they have similar thickness of insulation. I've seen some manufacturers skimp on the thickness in the lid or sidewalls.

We have a Yeti with the zipper across the top (the original design soft top) like a baggie that was a gift and hate that design. PITA loading and unloading.