At $375 MSRP (a YETI is a great item to get on sale), this cooler is more expensive than comparable models from brands like RTIC and ORCA. The biggest downside of buying a YETI is price. Throw in YETI's clean styling and a nice selection of classy colorways from simple white to dark olive, and the Tundra 65 is an exceptionally well built and good-looking option for everything for car camping to road tripping and long days on the water (provided you have a generously sized boat or raft). What's more, the Tundra is certified as bear-resistant (locks are sold separately for $30), which is great for those who plan to spend time in bear country. Further, you get a handy basket for dry goods, secure closures, and multiple tie-down slots to easily secure it on a boat or truck bed. This popular line features premium cooling and ice-retention capabilities with a thick, rotomolded build that’s more durable and less prone to cracking than injection-molded options like the RTIC above. In the world of coolers, YETI pioneered the high-end concept, and the Tundra is its best-selling and most versatile model. What we don’t: Expensive for the capacity and heavy overkill for short trips. What we like: A premium cooler in every way that should last for years and years. But realistically, the Ultra-Light is all most of us need for beach days, summer camping, and boating trips, and the combination of value and performance earns it our top billing for 2023.īest Premium Cooler with Excellent Ice Retention 2. If these are deal breakers for you, check out RTIC’s rotomolded Hard Cooler collection, which is offered in capacities from 20 to 145 quarts (for a modest bump in cost). The RTIC also falls a little behind in ice retention, although the differences aren't as stark as the price gap would suggest. Additionally, the Ultra-Light’s injection-molded construction means it comes up a bit short in terms of all-out durability compared to the Tundra and other premium rotomolded options, although the tradeoffs are a more manageable weight and reduced cost (for more on this, see our buying advice below). What are the downsides of buying an RTIC cooler? First is the lack of convenience: While you can see and pick up a YETI and many other brands at your local outdoor shop, you don’t get the same luxury with online-only RTIC. Last but not least is cost: By selling direct to consumer (and consistently discounting their coolers on their own site), RTIC’s prices are significantly lower than much of the competition, with the 52 Ultra-Light checking in a considerable $125 less than the aforementioned Tundra 45. As the name suggests, the 21-pound RTIC is well made yet notably lightweight, making it easier to carry than most similarly sized options, including YETI's smaller Tundra 45 (23 lbs.). Starting with capacity, you get a versatile 52 quarts of storage, which easily squeezes into a trunk but still offers sufficient space for two campers headed out on a long weekend (for reference, most alternatives are either 45 or 65 qts.). The best hard-sided coolers nicely balance capacity, ice retention, portability, and price, and RTIC’s 52 Ultra-Light checks all those boxes emphatically. What we don’t: Only sold online injection-molded construction is less premium than rotomolded designs. What we like: Great price, versatile size, competitive ice retention, and easy to transport.
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