Practical testing shows that the Walmart Ozark Trail Yeti cooler clone is better

[BJXDS]

I will prolly get an Ozark Trail one sooner or later. I don't get putting a Yeti cooler sticker on your truck. #LebowskiThoughts

If you aint got a Stickered Up 4WD, and a Browning Tat, Then ur Wrong

[JohnO]

I noticed that my local Costco has RTIC tumblers a two pack for under $20. Can't remember the exact price.

I'm old fashioned I keep a swivel top Igloo cooler in my car with drinks and lunch. New ice every morning. Keeps the stuff cold and my freezer's ice hopper fresh.

[Welder]

As was mentioned in the other thread, people are using them on extended hunting (or "hunting") and/or fishing trips where ice isn't so readily available. I suspect some people in less austere environments are buying/using them because they are "cool".

Thanks, Tom. Didn't realize there was another cooler thread here. The people I know are buying them for the "cool" reason. Seems like they're somehow a status symbol around here. Nice pun BTW.

[ranger]

My other hobby is boating - actually it is my wife's hobby but I drive the boat and frankly its is dramatically cutting into my shooting and reloading. We are headed out to the lake for several days and will be on the "hook" (anchored) so the ice needs to last for multiple days in the GA heat. I could not justify the Yeti so we went with RTIC the Walmart clone was not available when I bought. My wife has been buying the "Sam's" version of the insulated tumblers - the 2 for $20 - and they work great.

[OlongJohnson]

If you aint got a Stickered Up 4WD, and a Browning Tat, Then ur Wrong

How many people with Browning tats actually shoot Browning guns rather than Savages?

[Malamute]

There were some customers that were storing their Yeti's in the garage where it can be well over 100+ in the garage and complained about their ice melting much quicker than what we experience. We'll typically tell people that the best thing to do for the best results is to bring the cooler into the home the day before if it's cooler than the garage and if possible load it up with ice the night before to pre-cool than dump it out before putting the ice that they are using in. That technique should work for similar coolers as well YMMV

I would run the hose till cold, then fill my cooler with cold water for a short bit before packing for the mountains, or shopping in hot weather. Nice to have residual snow banks in the mountains most of the summer to use in the cooler to keep it cold.

I normally take the cooler grocery shopping in the summer, by the time Im done shopping and get gas or any other last stops and drive home, its an hour or so. Putting a blanket, coat, or down vest over the cooler helps also. So far, still using the cheapo coolers.

Coolers help keep your food from freezing at night in the fall in the mountains.

The cool guys on the 4wd offroad forums use 12v fridges. A friend had one for his summer travels, it seemed an extravagance, but is pretty handy, even for shopping. If I can get back to camping and travelling again, Id probably get one. Cant always be in the high country with the snow banks.

[txdpd]

My big complaint about Yeti, is that they use the same odor absorbing HDPE plastic as everyone else. For the price they could try to find some sort of coating to put on it or impregnate it with unicorn farts from the factory. For the austere environments group that Yeti pretends to market to, they didn't do a very good job addressing one of the main reasons that people get rid of coolers, eventually they will smell worse than an asian grocery store.

At least when people had cheap coolers, they were willing to throw them away when they got the stank.

[JclInAtx]

It's a 20 qt vs the Ozark's 26, but Sam's Club has the Igloo Sportsman 20 qt for $99 https://www.samsclub.com/sams/igloo-...r:product:1:11

The sportsman series is made in the USA for what it's worth. They are rotomolded so are pretty strong, but don't have quite as much insulation as the better coolers. Probably plenty enough for most people.

[Peally]

I avoid Ozark Trail stuff on the regular. If they make something, it's because something else does it better.

As far as coolers I use a 10 dollar one and fill it for a few days at a time on 1 dollar of ice

[orionz06]

As was mentioned in the other thread, people are using them on extended hunting (or "hunting") and/or fishing trips where ice isn't so readily available. I suspect some people in less austere environments are buying/using them because they are "cool".

Yeti and the like are the fidget spinners of coolers. Folks buy them so they can take pics of them for the gram. Bonus points for a salt life sticker on the same window. Double points if you live 500 miles from the ocean.

How many people with Browning tats actually shoot Browning guns rather than Savages?

Exactly.

I avoid Ozark Trail stuff on the regular. If they make something, it's because something else does it better.

As far as coolers I use a 10 dollar one and fill it for a few days at a time on 1 dollar of ice

Plus you have to go into Walmart to get them.


I find the whole cooler pre-chilling thing kinda funny. The morons who try and tell people they need the Yeti cooler will waste a bag of ice to pre-chill their cooler to then fill it full of garbage beer for their long weekend. Reality is they coulda done the same with any run of the mill cooler without a pre-chill. These types are among the few that make me irrationally frustrated.


And then you have this...