Yeti coolers: worth the $ or hype?

[okieboater]

I have no idea on performance, but the new Igloo Yukon series of coolers look pretty good from the specifications I have seen on various web sites.

Some models have 3 inches of foam in the top and 2 inches of foam elsewhere and the tops look like a quality seal.

Prices are right up there with the other hi dollar units.

However, with Igloo being one of the big box cooler suppliers, end of season sales might get the price down a bit.

For what it is worth, I have several good coolers (yeti, engel,canyon) so other than casual interest I don't have a dog in this fight.

[fryingsquirrel]

Yesterday I saw a Coleman steel banded cooler at wally world for $100, steel construction, looked like decent insulation, and had a cam style latch that looked pretty solid. No question about it holding up to a little abuse. The big issue was for some reason, they decided to paint it black. Might be worth getting if you were willing to strip it and repaint it white. Just my additional 2 cents.
Jon Ellwood
Little Rock

[sig]

My recent research said those coolers were crap and they weren't the steel coolers your dad /grandpa owned.

[Deuce]

My recent research said those coolers were crap and they weren't the steel coolers your dad /grandpa owned.

Therein lies the problem, Mr. Sigalicious. Nothing is built like it used to be, dagnabbit. :myday" These days it seems one must spend a lot of money to get something that will last more than a season (or in my case part of a season). I challenge anyone to find a large (120 quart range) ice chest for under $200 that doesn't come with flimsy plastic latches and handles attached with little bitty screws and a warning not to sit on the lid. Really? Try telling that to the kids on a party barge or the guys in camp. The coolers themselves do a decent job of cooling. They just don't hold up to what should be considered normal use. That's why after destroying a Yeti's worth of cheap coolers I finally paid more than I should have had to for a Yeti.

[okieboater]

agree, Mr Coop!

it is the little screws the cheaper coolers use to attach the plastic hinges etc that fall out or at least that is my experience.

Like you I pay more than I should for coolers, but darn it, time camping out enjoying the experience is too important to have to put up with hot cans of what ever to drink or no ice for your green tea etc.

[magicmike]

Check out Grizzly Coolers. -M-

[Yarbrough]

Before the long weekend I picked up two Pelican Elite 35 quart ice chest from the Discount City. It was easy to justify two of them cause they are half the price of a Yeti the same size. I'm also replacing a 70 quart Coleman. The first thing is they are big and heavy. The Yeti's weigh 30 pounds and the Pelican's weigh 36. My 15 year old junky Coleman weighed 6, and already had a bunch of cool stickers on it, plus we had "history". So,,,,.

Some real engineering have gone into these. The lids have cogs built in. So when they fall out of the back of a pick up and land with inevitable awkwardness, the shear force isn't just put on the hinges. The hinges are huge with a big metal rod that runs the whole back of it. The handles are big and are designed not to be the weak point if you lock them in the back of a pick up with a bicycle cable. The walls are thick and lids have a freezer seal. When the lid slams shut it sure does sound like it could make a finger nail turn purple and eventually fall off.

The drains are sloped and will accept a standard water hose. The rubber feet are soft and grippy like rock climbing shoes. The down side is that I can no longer just stick one end in the Jeep and slide it in the rest of the way. Oh No! Lady Macbeth wants to be picked up and placed strait down on the carpet. Otherwise it is a big ordeal trying to make it scoot 1 inch for other gear. The upside is I'm convinced it will roll over before it slides during a high speed shuttle run.

Rafters will be glad to know they come with four additional recessed tie down spots specially designed for a standard 1" NRS strap. They also come with a stainless steel hasp that a pad lock can be put through to limit access to the qualified only.

Had to move the center thwart in my favorite ride(Mad River Explorer) to make room for these arrogant bastards. So somehow I was instantly working for something that is supposed to be a convenience to me? However today I threw out cheap crushed ice after five days. That's new. I'm looking forward to buying whatever ice from wherever. Searching out the extra cold block ice is no longer a chore of mine. Suddenly ice is like Brylcreem. A lil dab'll do ya. So I guess I'm actually picking up space.

The best thing is that I no longer freak out when someone is in my ice chest for one additional second than is needed. A friend can ponder on a flavor without paying a price. I no longer think it is a "teachable moment". I no longer feel that "shock therapy" is reasonable behavior on my part to keep 12 ounces of fun bitterly cold to the very end. This is a welcome relief to my family and friends.

Are they worth it? Maybe, maybe not. Who knows anything?

[fryingsquirrel]

I took a gander at one of the new Pelican coolers the other day in Wally World. They seem to be very well built and reasonably priced compared to Yeti. Also had a big ol "Made in USA" sticker on it. Anyone else have experience with the Pelican coolers yet? Thoughts? Good alternative to Yeti?
Personally, I'm waiting for SKB Industrial to start making coolers, they make military grade, tough dry boxes, and I've trusted my non-cheap Nikon and lenses to one of their cases for nearly two years now, and it's had a lot of river miles with no water incursion. My Pelican phone case, on the other hand, has had moisture get in it several times and I no longer trust it on it's own, it rides in a dry bag now.
Jon Ellwood
Litter Rock

[Tim Eubanks]

Saw lots of coolers over the weekend. Why in the world Coleman and Igloo can't put decent hardware and latches on otherwise well-designed coolers escapes me.

Yarbrough: Good to see you on the river the other day.

[prophet]

anyone try Engel brand?

[okieboater]

Prophet. I have.

A few years back I was in a group running the Salt River early april in AZ is still hot as can be.

We ran our own shuttle. The guy who brought us back had a pickup with one of those fiberglass bed covers that raises up like a lid on a box. Not a shell.

He took out a 65 quart Engel cooler and iced down a bunch of beer. Stuck it in the bed under the cover. I said to him, man that is gonna be an oven by the time we get back.. Nope he said you just wait and see.

That was on a Sunday late evening. On the river it was all blue cloudless sky full desert sun each day. Friday afternoon we pulled up back at the put in.

Hot as the dickens. He opened up the lid, handed out ice cold beers all around. I bought a 65 qt Engel when I got home, just to keep cold beers in on trips. I am happy with mine, do not know how the big models work but the 65 is one heck of a good beer cooler.

[RiverRummer]

If I was going to spend that much I would get a Orion Cooler made by Jackson Kayaks.
maybe even one that matched my boat.
http://www.orioncoolers.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[okieboater]

RiverRummer you just gave me another item for my want list.

do I need it no, but I sure do want one

looks like I will be raiding the change jar piggy bank soon as it fills up

dave

[Fish]

If I was going to spend that much I would get a Orion Cooler made by Jackson Kayaks.
maybe even one that matched my boat.
http://www.orioncoolers.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Man, I'm not a big cooler user these days, but I gotta get one of those orion coolers. Camo. Bottle opener corners. And it's a Jackson, so you can put a skirt on it and paddle it out of the Middle Fork in a pinch. Nuff said.

- Fish

[panicman]

[quoteWed Jun 03, 2015 8:40 am



RiverRummer wrote:If I was going to spend that much I would get a Orion Cooler made by Jackson Kayaks.
maybe even one that matched my boat.
http://www.orioncoolers.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Man, I'm not a big cooler user these days, but I gotta get one of those orion coolers. Camo. Bottle opener corners. And it's a Jackson, so you can put a skirt on it and paddle it out of the Middle Fork in a pinch. Nuff said.

- Fish][/quote]

$550 for the 80qt I think I'll stick with my $40 coleman extreme and $5 foam lid insert.