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OT- Rotomolded Cooler Recommendation

im finally going to buy a Rotomolded cooler and looking for a recommendation from the members of this forum.  I've been looking at the 45-55 quart coolers.  What say you?  Any deals available now?

Any road will take you there if you don't know where you're going.

Terry

Rockwall, TX
«13

Comments

  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,984
    edited September 2017
    Cabella has one that looks very well designed and price compatible.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262

    I've got RTIC.  Compared to my 12 year old Colman Extremes, RTIC feel like a much higher end cooler (although the Extreme hold ice just as long).


    Phoenix 
  • Hawg Fan
    Hawg Fan Posts: 1,517
    DMW said:
    Pelican for superior latches, RTIC for the price point, YETI for brag status among those who care. 
    Thanks. Yeah, I haven't considered Yeti because of the price.  The 55 Igloo Sportsman at SAMs Club has my attention along with the RTIC.  I'll take a look at the Pelican.

    Any road will take you there if you don't know where you're going.

    Terry

    Rockwall, TX
  • Hawg Fan
    Hawg Fan Posts: 1,517
    YukonRon said:
    Cabella has one that looks very well designed and price compatible.
    Thanks Ron.  I have a Cabella gift card, so I'll check them out.

    Any road will take you there if you don't know where you're going.

    Terry

    Rockwall, TX
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    edited September 2017
    Of all the coolers that I have, the Yeti 50 is far and away my very favorite. It is also my most used cooler by miles. 
    With the above said, in no way am I on the Yeti bandwagon. Quite the contrary. I will be the first to tell you that Yeti is way overpriced. I even wrote and sang the original RTIC jingle entitled "Yeti Land".  
    However the Yeti 50 fills a particular need for me. I wanted a small rotomolded cooler that had plenty of depth. As of this writing, the Yeti 50 is the only rotomolded cooler less than 75 quarts that has the extra depth. The extra depth may not be a feature that you need or even want. However it was for me. Thus my trip through Yeti Land. 
    At the end of the day, and all of the above aside, it's hard to go wrong with any rotomolded cooler. Just pick one that is the size and has the features that you are looking for. 
    If money is no object, Orion has about a nice of cooler as you can ask for. It has some awesome features. If I had just half the money that most of these high rollers on the forum has I would own an Orion. As it stands, I'm a RTIC man. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    SGH said:
    Of all the coolers that I have, the Yeti 50 is far and away my very favorite. It is also my most used cooler by miles. 
    With the above said, in no way am I on the Yeti bandwagon. Quite the contrary. I will be the first to tell you that Yeti is way overpriced. I even wrote and sang the original RTIC jingle entitled "Yeti Land".  
    However the Yeti 50 fills a particular need for me. I wanted a small rotomolded cooler that had plenty of depth. As of this writing, the Yeti 50 is the only rotomolded cooler less than 75 quarts that has the extra depth. The extra depth may not be a feature that you need or even want. However it was for me. Thus my trip through Yeti Land. 
    At the end of the day, and all of the above aside, it's hard to go wrong with any rotomolded cooler. Just pick one that is the size and has the features that you are looking for. 
    If money is no object, Orion has about a nice of cooler as you can ask for. It has some awesome features. If I had just half the money that most of these high rollers on the forum has I would own an Orion. As it stands, I'm a RTIC man. 
    As if you don't have an Orion...
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
  • SoCalTim
    SoCalTim Posts: 2,158
    Don't be afraid to take a look @ Wal Marts Rotomolded coolers, their 52 at runs $147 and it ain't no joke, it's built solid. Their 73 at is $194. 
    I've slow smoked and eaten so much pork, I'm legally recognized as being part swine - Chatsworth Ca.
  • I saw at Tjmax/Homegoods  the Yeti Hopper 30 for $200.  It's the original version and it's a soft pack.
    Mundelein, IL
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    Since it hasn't been asked yet, what do you plan to use it for?

    I had the fancy cooler fever for a bit, but not enough to get a Yeti. Bought a Pelican 45 on sale,  and got tired of lugging it around to a few  eggfests. Too damn heavy for wimpy me, and it never held all the stuff I needed for my cooks. Bought an RTIC when they first came out and it's been used less than 5 times. 

    Ended up buying an Engel 35 dry box ( or whatever it's called) and love it for FTC, day trips, taking stuff over to friends' houses. An Igloo Maxcold 95 takes care of my eggfest needs quite handily.

    The rotomolded coolers have come in handy a couple of times when we've had a house full of guests and I needed extra space to store proteins etc. 

    All coolers were pressed into service to hold 200lbs of ice before Hurricane Harvey hit. Ended up not needing any of that, thankfully. 

    Of course , if you're into hunting/fishing/camping your needs may differ from mine.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    All that to try and save you some $$$. I know... That's antiforum. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • I have 2 orca coolers and if you watch tractor supply will put them on clearance. The are made in the USA with a life time warranty. 
    BGE XL June 2017 Flameboss 300 February 2018 Mini max July 2018 Lima, Ohio 
  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,424
    Hawg Fan said:
    DMW said:
    Pelican for superior latches, RTIC for the price point, YETI for brag status among those who care. 
    Thanks. Yeah, I haven't considered Yeti because of the price.  The 55 Igloo Sportsman at SAMs Club has my attention along with the RTIC.  I'll take a look at the Pelican.
    I have an Igloo Sportsman 40 that I've been very happy with, you'll be happy with that.  I also have a Cabela's 25.  I'd recommend either brand.

    Depending on when you need it, if you decide to go the Cabela's route you might want to wait - I think one of their post-Thanksgiving sales last year was that they gave away one of their cooler carts with the purchase of any cooler that was a 45 at or higher.

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    Hawg Fan said:
    YukonRon said:
    Cabella has one that looks very well designed and price compatible.
    Thanks Ron.  I have a Cabella gift card, so I'll check them out.
    I really like the Cabella's cooler as well. And they just started advertising them with lifetime warranty. The ONLY reason I have not bought one is the amount of space it takes up in my Subaru. With the larger heavy duty molded handles it has a very large footprint and hogs so much space. If I had a truck it would not be an issue. I also like their wheel kits.
    Same with Pelican coolers. The Pelican 45 is same size footprint as my RTIC 55.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited September 2017
    My first Pelican warped, they sent me a new one.  

    Keep in mind, these coolers are heavy fully loaded, but there are work arounds.  I load on the tailgate, then slide in.  Drop tailgate at the campground to use.  Unload contents at the tailgate when returning home.  The XL Arctic Ice Chillin Brews are money well spent, I can get through a weekend without an ice run.

    In hindsight, I'm glad I have two smaller Pelicans, as opposed to one bigger cooler.  One for food, one for beverages.
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • xfire_ATX
    xfire_ATX Posts: 1,110
    My .02

    I was given a Yeti 65 and its generally too big- like @sghI think the Yeti 50 would serve my needs better (anyone want to trade?).  I bought the RTIC 20 after the Yeti Lawsuit and they were dumping them.

    The best use I had for the big Yeti was when my Fridge was dying, I bought 60# of ice every few days to use for drinks- keep things cold while our new Fridge was coming from somewhere.  It holds ice way better 'over time' than my smaller Igloo roller but the Igloo is lighter and easier to move for most situations.

    The small RTIC gets used all the time- Grocery runs, Kids Sporting Events, Friends coming over and bringing adult beverages.
    XLBGE, LBGECharbroil Gas Grill, Weber Q2000, Old Weber Kettle, Yeti 65, Yeti Hopper 20, RTIC 20, RTIC 20 Soft Side - Too many drinkware vessels to mention.

    Not quite in Austin, TX City Limits
    Just Vote- What if you could choose "none of the above" on an election ballot? Millions of Americans do just that, in effect, by not voting.  The result in 2016: "Nobody" won more counties, more states, and more electoral votes than either candidate for president. 
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    Focker said:
    The XL Arctic Ice Chillin Brews are money well spent, I can get through a weekend without an ice run.

    Really like these cold packs as well...
    They do require freezer space at home and they do need more than overnight in the freezer to reach full potential.
    Pound for pound they do not initially work as well as ice. I mean ice and ice cold water can fit into every nook of your cooler. Ice packs can not do this so they do take up more space in the cooler. But if you start with cold food and beverages they are fantastic and it's nice not to have water soaking everything in the cooler.
    But I still have to keep a Ziplock bag of ice in the cooler for Rum and Cokes.lol
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    edited September 2017
    One thing to remember when looking at the numbers.......

    -A Yeti 50, holds 42 quarts
    -A Pelican 50, holds 50 quarts

    Some manufacturers use their numbering to indicate how much water the cooler HOLDS, others use it to indicate how water it DISPLACES.  Apparently, it's not "deceptive", but I have never heard anyone ever go to a store and ask how much lake water they can displace with their cooler.  Not sure how the other guys label theirs.
  • SeanP
    SeanP Posts: 30
    Pelican, for all those reasons listed above.
  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564

    Pelican 50qt Big Green Egg Cooler ***Limited Edition***
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
  • MattBTI
    MattBTI Posts: 417
    Pelican is the way to go for sure. No hassle warranty and replacement parts. I have the size above and a 65qt
    Pratt, KS
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    i went rtic because the height of the pelicans and yetis would not fit in the truck under the cover. of the 3 i like the looks of the pelican and the wheels because of the weight. but for keeping things cold not much of a difference. i stand on my rtic on the boat all the time, no problems so far
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • MattBTI
    MattBTI Posts: 417
    Agree with @fishlessman I chose pelican because of their reputation in the rotomold industry. Same reason I picked BGE. 
    Pratt, KS
  • Pelican have been making gun / equipment cases and flashlights for many, MANY years.  When I was a pilot, we kept all of our night vision goggles and specialized tools in Pelican cases.  I have Pelican cases for my drone, long range rifles, etc.  They're all to military specs, so they have gotten the crap beat out of them in testing.  Watch the videos on Pelicans website of them throwing them off the roof of the factory, driving heavy equipment over them, etc.  It's pretty impressive and speaks for the longevity.

    Getting into coolers was nothing for Pelican.  All the latches, seals, etc were already developed and rigorously tested.  There's a lot of little things that were no brainers (hose attachment and angled floor for draining, metal shackle that doubles as bottle opener, etc.)  Made in the USA too!  Torrance, CA.....just across the tarmac from the Robinson Helicopter factory.

    I don't have nor sell any of these new coolers, but I seen and handled all of them at trade shows.  I can personally attest to Pelican's warranty though--I had a 15 y/o flashlight's bezel crack.  They sent me a new one, no questions asked.
  • xfire_ATX
    xfire_ATX Posts: 1,110
    Saw this in my Twitter RSS feed just now
    http://yeti.com/pink-yeti


    XLBGE, LBGECharbroil Gas Grill, Weber Q2000, Old Weber Kettle, Yeti 65, Yeti Hopper 20, RTIC 20, RTIC 20 Soft Side - Too many drinkware vessels to mention.

    Not quite in Austin, TX City Limits
    Just Vote- What if you could choose "none of the above" on an election ballot? Millions of Americans do just that, in effect, by not voting.  The result in 2016: "Nobody" won more counties, more states, and more electoral votes than either candidate for president. 
  • 1voyager
    1voyager Posts: 1,157
    edited September 2017
    The rotomolded coolers look, well, cool but I would like to ask respectful question. Please no flames. One can buy a Coleman for a tenth of the cost of a Yeti, RTC, Pelican. My 48 quart Coleman has 3 day ice retention. Why would a person pay 10X for a rotomolded cooler?
    Large Egg, PGS A40 gasser.