But, if budget is not an issue for you, you should go with the YETI coolers. Many campers and overlanders are looking for coolers like YETI, but perhaps a bit ozark cooler cheaper. A. Wet a sponge or rag with a mixture of warm water and mild dish soap, and wipe down both the interior and exterior of the soft-sided cooler.
All of these features make the Ozark Trail Cooler brand eye candy. From that perspective, both the YETI and the Ozark Trail Cooler are good enough. As the Ozark Trail Cooler series can also retain ice for up to 10 days depending on the models and the external conditions. Portability is a crucial factor to consider when you are buying a new cooler. Now the Ozark Trail coolers come with a couple of different types of handles. For instance, the Ozark Trail 26-Quart cooler comes with an overhead handle made of stainless steel.
Still, if you happen to get an ice chest that has these kinks ironed out, you will enjoy a solid competitor. These are IGBC certified and that certification isn’t possible without a tough product. And Ozark Trail’s diverse selection of coolers means that we are going to have results that are all over the place. No matter which model you go with, you will get to enjoy multiple storage options. This comes thanks to both the large, insulated area as well as storage pockets on the front and/or sides. The pockets on the front will be zippered while any on the sides will be open and mesh.
We will discuss these in greater detail in our reviews below. Also included in the 52 and 73-quart models is an internal wire basket. Oftentimes, this basket doesn’t come with the cooler and costs extra as an accessory.
All Ozark Trail hard-sided coolers feature anti-skid feet on the bottom. It’s important to have an effective way to remove any water that’s left behind in the cooler when ice melts. Larger Ozark Trail coolers all feature an oversized drain on the side or bottom that makes getting rid of melted ice easy.
However, don’t expect spectacular results – it is, after all, a lot cheaper than Yeti’s offering. Finally, the Yeti Rambler 10 oz lowball sports double-walled vacuum insulation whose job is to maintain the temperature of your drinks. As expected, the performance in this department is above average – this is, after all, a Yeti product.
There are orange accents on the latches and handles which definitely give them a premium look. In terms of color options, however, you only get silver and white. Yeti soft sided coolers are made from heavy duty 840D nylon that is TPU laminated and uses RF welding to seal it all together. And while we are on the subject of the premium soft-sided coolers, there are a few additional features specific to them. They include built-in bottle openers, daisy chain attachment points, compression strap, thicker insulation, and a wash-friendly 600D outer coating. Ozark Trail’s hard-sided coolers all feature one-piece construction without any seams.
While they do have many of the same features, there are more notable quality issues with Ozark Trail models. This can include things such as premature leaking, warping of the lid, and stitching coming undone. Ozark Trail is one of the most common brands we have been asked about as a potential “Yeti replacement”. We must admit that the huge price cut and supposed similar ice retention and features are tempting.
Several models come with an expandable top that can increase the storage height by up to 3”. This makes it large enough to easily fit a 16-liter ozark trail chair bottle or even stack 12oz cans on top of each other. So no matter what type of bottle you tend to carry, they have you covered.