Granted, it may not be as indestructible as a plastic carry cooler, but it’s certainly very good at doing its job. The Ozark cooler backpack, for instance, is the one you go for when you are on a budget. The same goes for surfing spots or similar activities where you just can’t drive right to the place where your gear needs to be unloaded from the vehicle. Also, considering that the ice can last for as long as 8 days, the chances are that you’ll return home with the ice intact. Having said that, it’s about half of the price of an equivalent YETI Cooler. Now that’s a lot of money you can spend on other gear you need.
The adjustable padded shoulder strap makes for easy transport, and the mesh pockets provide extra storage space. This Ozark Trail cooler is made for durability and convenience, providing the perfect storage for your best beers. This model also contains a wire basket, four cup holders, and easy-open latches. For a high-end roto-molded cooler, the Ozark Trail 52-quart is the way to go. If you’re planning a summer road trip, this premium cooler has the ultimate storage space, along with side handles and anti-skid feet for transportation. Our favorite feature of the Ozark Trail Soft Coolers is their additional storage options.
A cooler without a hardliner is more prone to having its stored items be damaged while moving. Thankfully, Ozark Trail includes a removable hard liner in most of their soft-sided coolers. And the premium cooler backpack and cooler tote take this up a notch by having an EVA compression molded base. Ozark Trail’s lineup of soft coolers tries to adhere to their “affordability first” approach.
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. So we appreciate Ozark trail going ahead and throwing that in free of charge.
The ice life, well not bad, was not near what Ozark Trail stated in their specifications. We have a hunch this is because their testing was performed under more optimal conditions. Sure, if we were to fill the cooler up to the brim with nothing but ice, never open it, and leave it in a cool/dark area, the ice life would go way up. But that simply isn’t how most people use their cooler.
On one of the hottest days, the remote sensor reported temperatures exceeding 107 Degrees Fahrenheit while the air temp was in the high 80’s.
Plus all the food that we were continually throwing away. If you are lucky and receive a model that has the quality issues discussed above ironed out, Ozark Trail Coolers are one of the best bargains in the industry right now. Still, if you happen to get an ice chest that ozark trail canopy 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. It is also worth mentioning that all of the metal components you will find are comprised of quality stainless steel.
The asking prices for the various Ozark Trail Coolers will fluctuate quite a bit depending on which model you are going with. 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 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. 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.
Featuring a fish ruler and confirmed bear-resistant by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, it’s perfect for back-country adventures. Not to mention, it has a built-in bottle opener and four drink holders on the lid, so you can have a good time no matter the temperature. Their low-cost, soft-sided cooler options don’t have a lot of storage volume or insulation to help them out. Because of this, their ice life will be severely limited.