The first thing I noticed on the Ozark Trail cooler was the handles – these are heavy-duty handles that are easy to grip. Another very durable part of this Ozark Trail cooler is its locking plate, which was manufactured from industrial stainless steel. What does Walmart’s answer to Yeti’s superb cooler look like? Obviously, the performance of this significantly more affordable travel mug is not as good as that of its rival. While Ozark Trail 12 oz mug does feature double-walled vacuum insulation, it is not capable of maintaining the temperature of the beverage for a very long time. Still, it will prevent your coffee from becoming ice-cold in a matter of minutes – just don’t expect too much from its performance.
For example, the capacity, the size, the ranging temperature, the brand, and the price of it. Whether or not these fit and finish issues haunt you almost seems like luck of the draw. 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. 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.
Our sister site Alloutdoor.com recently reviewed a hiking backpack sold by Ozark Trail that had an overall stellar performance and it triggered a question among our staff. Is Walmart’s Ozark Trail brand a true sleeper, putting out products that deserve much more attention among outdoorsmen? With that question being floated, we decided to travel down the path ozark trail canopy of discovery and start to take a closer look at Ozark Trail and some of their products. We just completed a review of the Ozark Trail Tumbler line, which is not only budget friendly but also well performing. This plain-Jane lowball made by Walmart and sold under the Ozark Trail brand name is actually a pretty good alternative to the model described above.
I was also impressed by how much ice this premium cooler can hold. During drop-testing, Yeti Rambler 26 oz ended up with only a couple of dents on the bottom of its body. In other words, this is a very sturdy and well-made hiking water bottle, and I’ve expected nothing less from Yeti. The final feature of this phenomenal bottle is its wide mouth – it makes cleaning easy and allows you to throw as much ice into it as you want. The simplicity of this tumbler is one of the greatest things about it.
Our favorite feature of the Ozark Trail Soft Coolers is their additional storage options. Every model will come with at least one separate zippered pocket and many will have multiple zippered pockets in addition to mesh side pockets. All models are super easy to transport thanks to multiple carrying methods including optional wheels, padded shoulder straps, and more. While this isn’t quite as high as we have seen in other premium coolers, the much lower asking price helps to justify it. For most people, being able to keep ice for 3 days or more is plenty.
Front pockets usually have zippers, while side pockets typically have no closure and are made of mesh to hold non-food items. Some soft-sided models also have expandable tops that can increase the height of the cooler by as much as three inches to fit stacked cans or larger bottles. Ozark Trail soft-sided coolers have soft fabric ozark trail cooler exteriors and are lightweight and easy to carry. Smaller than hard-sided coolers, soft-sided coolers are sized in terms of how many cans they can hold. Ozark Trail soft-sided models are less expensive but less insulated than hard-sided coolers. That’s why they’re best for shorter trips or carrying lunch to school or the office.
We enjoy the premium soft coolers and hard-sided coolers the most. But all models could make do with a few additional color choices. Also, there is nothing in the way of custom colors, decals, etc. On the contrary, the premium soft coolers and particularly their hard-sided coolers have more of the traditional features we look for when we think of long ice life. So you can expect them to allow for much longer ice retention.