# Cooler suggestions



## ryanconklin (Jan 22, 2016)

looking to get a cooler for my boat but not looking to break the bank and drop 350 on a yeti. Does anyone have any suggestions of a good cooler for a good price?


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

ryanconklin said:


> looking to get a cooler for my boat but not looking to break the bank and drop 350 on a yeti. Does anyone have any suggestions of a good cooler for a good price?


Igloo. Made in the USA. I've got a sportsman 55 ($200) and a regular marine 48. Both work great but the sportsman is a better platform. The super tough series also looks good.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Sometimes these go on sale for like $100! I have stood on one and it feels very solid. The drain looks a bit suspect, but for $100 it ain't bad: http://www.samsclub.com/sams/sports...222222627000004821&veh=sem&mobiledetect=false


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## Bluwave (Nov 3, 2014)

ryanconklin said:


> looking to get a cooler for my boat but not looking to break the bank and drop 350 on a yeti. Does anyone have any suggestions of a good cooler for a good price?


never tried these guys but have heard good things. 

https://www.rticcoolers.com/shop/coolers/roto-molded


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## floridascuba (Mar 15, 2012)

Bluwave said:


> never tried these guys but have heard good things.
> 
> https://www.rticcoolers.com/shop/coolers/roto-molded


See test on Facebook against the yetis of same size. They hold there own and some out performed the yeti.


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## CPurvis (Apr 6, 2016)

I ordered an rtic be prepared to wait. Mine should be shipped any day. Ordered in March.


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## Jfack (Nov 2, 2014)

Those are all stupid expensive too. Just get the yeti and be done with it for ever. Mine has been through hell, they're bullet proof man. There's a reason every cooler company compares to yeti. Justify it as basically buying a poling platform that holds beer..


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## EasternGlow (Nov 6, 2015)

I've had an rtic 45 since January. It performs very well. Sturdy, well built, and holds ice as long as any of the others. I would say at $175, half the price of the yeti, that's a significant difference.


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## erikb85 (Jun 13, 2014)

Been pleased with my K2. Made in USA, and they have a 'Scratch and Dent' clearance on their website.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

More than a few guides like me have been using Engel coolers with great success. With the Engel you're not paying for all the advertising (the way you will with one of the "premium" coolers - where you're certainly the one paying for their advertising on TV, print media, etc.....).


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

I bought one of the RTIC 45's a while back and I'm happy with it. Essentially indistinguishable from a Yeti and I believe I paid about $180 for it. If you order one, be prepared to wait a few months to get it, but other than that no issues.


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## ryanconklin (Jan 22, 2016)

thanks for all of the suggestions. I will have to give them a look. What size would you think would be good to put on the back of a gheenoe and double as a poling platform?


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

I've got a K2 and I've been very happy with it. Mine has rolled around in my truck bed for a couple of years and done a tournament trail for a season serving as my casting platform. Burton will do whatever he can to make sure you are satisfied with your cooler too. From personal experience it has consistently kept ice longer than my buddies yeti. When it was stolen from his truck he got a K2.


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## zlenart (Jan 30, 2016)

I second the Engel. If you get the 35 or 65 on Amazon they're significantly cheaper than the yetis that are similar size. The number of the cooler is actually the capacity too unlike the yeti where the 35 is actually around 28 qts


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## mackman904 (Apr 20, 2016)

I third the Engle, I got a good deal on my 35. I have a Yeti as well and think the Engle hold ice better actually


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Ok my 2 cents. I have a yeti tundra only because my grandson gave it to me. I use it as a casting platform and have put Seadek on the top to keep it from scratching and for grip I also have an igloo that is the seat in front of my consol. I use th yeti to hold drinks and the igloo to hold fish I want to put on ice

Get any yeti, rtic, engle, k2 depending on yor budget 
I would secure it because in rough water they can become missels 
Look up Kennedy Tie downs they mess up your floor the lest


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

The yeti 45 and Engel 35 are the exact same size.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

jmrodandgun said:


> The yeti 45 and Engel 35 are the exact same size.


Another reason to like my Engel 35 better than my friends Yeti 45.


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## kenb (Aug 21, 2015)

ryanconklin said:


> looking to get a cooler for my boat but not looking to break the bank and drop 350 on a yeti. Does anyone have any suggestions of a good cooler for a good price?



Just stay away from a frigid rigid...very dissapointing !


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## Daz (Jul 14, 2015)

ken b said: ↑
Just stay away from a frigid rigid...very dissapointing !



Curious as to why. I know they don't meet the "not looking to break the bank" parameter, but my experience with them has been phenomenal (customer service and cold keeping capacity).

I received my FR with my boat - It looked a bit beat (chalky gel coat and a few scratched stickers, no handles and a missing latch) so I didn't think much of it until I used it the first time (even with no latch). That one use made me decide to see if I could save it. I removed the stickers, compounded and waxed it, made up some rope handles and bought and installed a $10 chrome latch. FR sent me a new decal, now it looks like new. We use it as a forward seat on our Egret and also for hauling frozen food stuff home from Costco (more than an hour). I wouldn't pay $600 for a new one, but it does seem to keep colder longer than my neighbors' Yetis.


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## jlindsley (Nov 24, 2015)

I have owned both yetis and engels. To respond to the engel recommendations above I would advise to look elsewhere for the following reasons:
-My rubber latches broke
-The way the latches are you need to lift up then pull down (for offshore fishing this is not the best when you dump a green 50lb fish in the box (yeti and others you just pull down)
-There is a metal rod that supports the hinge of the cooler which constantly would slide one way or the other
-They are impossible to keep clean. The sides and inside have texture unlike yetis and competitors. I almost feel I would need a pressure washer to keep the cooler clean. Yetis and other comparables are smooth finish keeping the new look. 

Hopefully you find this helpful.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

The latches aren't the best on the Engel, but the latches on the K2 are the worst. They are upside down so you have to push down on the lid and pull up on the latch to close it. Dumb. So dumb. 

As for keeping ice, I own all three and they all seem to be about the same.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

ryanconklin said:


> thanks for all of the suggestions. I will have to give them a look. What size would you think would be good to put on the back of a gheenoe and double as a poling platform?


In a ghenoo you need to small. No bigger than a 35


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## kenb (Aug 21, 2015)

DWJensen said:


> ken b said: ↑
> Just stay away from a frigid rigid...very dissapointing !
> 
> 
> ...



The 48 Igloo on our twenty year old Dolphin keeps ice just as well as the FR on the 8 year old Waterman that it came with. All it is is heavy.


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## TylertheTrout2 (Apr 21, 2016)

I would pole from my 35qt YETI when I had my NMZ...worked like a charm, don't have any experience with any other coolers besides Igloo...have 3 igloos stacked on my back porch, the YETI is all I use. lol like someone else said; Justify it as buying a poling/casting platform that holds beer and sandwiches for 3+ days lol! Good Luck Sir!


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

Yeti's have excellent resale value - like a Hell's bay. (kinda joking, but mostly serious). I haven't owned any high dollar coolers other than Yeti's, but I have been 100% satisfied with them.


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

kenb said:


> The 48 Igloo on our twenty year old Dolphin keeps ice just as well as the FR on the 8 year old Waterman that it came with. All it is is heavy.


Huh....my last 2 Contenders both had Frigid Rigids and they were the best coolers I've ever owned...beautifully made and more like a piece of the boat than a plastic add-on. I agree that they're not light but IMO opinion that helps them stay in place.

Let me know if you want to sell the FR from your Waterman.....


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Engel 35 $200 w/ free shipping - is this a good price?

http://www.stadiumallstar.com/product_p/Engel-ENG35.htm?gclid=COSpjanp-MwCFYNkhgod1TsGOA


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## jade70 (Apr 17, 2015)

yobata said:


> Engel 35 $200 w/ free shipping - is this a good price?
> 
> http://www.stadiumallstar.com/product_p/Engel-ENG35.htm?gclid=COSpjanp-MwCFYNkhgod1TsGOA


yes from all the research I have done that is a good price


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## kenb (Aug 21, 2015)

Net 30 said:


> Huh....my last 2 Contenders both had Frigid Rigids and they were the best coolers I've ever owned...beautifully made and more like a piece of the boat than a plastic add-on. I agree that they're not light but IMO opinion that helps them stay in place.
> 
> Let me know if you want to sell the FR from your Waterman.....



Will sell, email at [email protected]


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

igloo is good if you're not going to stand on it. Not good for a poling or casting platform.


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Not the cheapest, but I have my eye on one of these which I haven't seen mentioned here. They come in a myriad of colors...
http://www.pelicancoolers.com


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

jlindsley said:


> I have owned both yetis and engels. To respond to the engel recommendations above I would advise to look elsewhere for the following reasons:
> -My rubber latches broke
> -The way the latches are you need to lift up then pull down (for offshore fishing this is not the best when you dump a green 50lb fish in the box (yeti and others you just pull down)
> -There is a metal rod that supports the hinge of the cooler which constantly would slide one way or the other
> ...


Based on my experience I disagree with your claims.

-Engel latches don't just break without some sort of operator error. However the Yeti latches are guaranteed to break when the rubber gets dried out.

-The latches on a Yeti will snag a fly line unless you turn them around, and then after you do that you have to use two hands to keep the latch from getting caught under the lid when you close it all the time. 

-I have never had a problem with any metal rod sliding on my Engels.

-I find using a little "Dawn" and a "ScotchBrite" to wash my Engel to be more than satisfactory for cleaning. Now the tops of the old Igloos with the checkerboard grooves were impossible to clean.

Another benefit for the Engels is the triangle holes on the ends allows for using turnbuckles as tie-downs instead of straps that hooks can get snagged in.

I agree that we disagree. Just not joining the Yeti cult. (It figures they put a HB in the picture.)

http://www.inc.com/magazine/201602/bill-saporito/yeti-coolers-founders-roy-ryan-seiders.html


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## jlindsley (Nov 24, 2015)

By no means am I part of the "yeti cult". I'd buy an rtic or other comparables. Even my Engel mug would sweat. 
With regards to the hatches on the engel it was not operator error. The plastic portion that clips them on broke.
And sure you could prob get them clean but it takes 10x the amount of time to their competitors.

I bought my engel originally because it was a lot cheaper and you could use coupons. There are a lot more options id buy now.


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

I don't think I've ever done anything to clean an ice chest other than hose it out. Then again my ice chests never stay very white either.


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## No Bait / Lures Only (Apr 10, 2011)

pt448 said:


> I don't think I've ever done anything to clean an ice chest other than hose it out. Then again my ice chests never stay very white either.


Ebay has TECHNIICE 47Qt ice chests
rated the highest insulation value of all boxes fair prices
thebestcoolers.com has all coolers


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

stephenchurch said:


> Ebay has TECHNIICE 47Qt ice chests
> rated the highest insulation value of all boxes fair prices
> thebestcoolers.com has all coolers


"2.9" thick walls 3.1" thick lid"

I'm sorry, but I don't need ice for 10-14 days. Space on my boat is a premium. If the walls of the cooler are 3", thats 6" minimum in any direction that's going to be used by the walls of the cooler. I just want something sturdy enough to stand/sit on and that will keep ice for 24hrs... Anyone try building one that's not a permanent guide box?

Btw, his isn't directed at you Stephen, I am just frustrated by my cooler options...


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## No Bait / Lures Only (Apr 10, 2011)

yobata said:


> "2.9" thick walls 3.1" thick lid"
> 
> I'm sorry, but I don't need ice for 10-14 days. Space on my boat is a premium. If the walls of the cooler are 3", thats 6" minimum in any direction that's going to be used by the walls of the cooler. I just want something sturdy enough to stand/sit on and that will keep ice for 24hrs... Anyone try building one that's not a permanent guide box?
> 
> Btw, his isn't directed at you Stephen, I am just frustrated by my cooler options...


I built one in the early 80's for a seat/ice/gas storage box in my skiff, 6'-0" long and 20" wide 2" thick insulation foam and 2 layers of mat in and out worked great, might consider building one.


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## kenb (Aug 21, 2015)

stephenchurch said:


> I built one in the early 80's for a seat/ice/gas storage box in my skiff, 6'-0" long and 20" wide 2" thick insulation foam and 2 layers of mat in and out worked great, might consider building one.


FYI. The techni ice reusable sheets are terrific! A bit involved prepping them but once ready they hold the cold .


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## tailchaser16 (Sep 23, 2008)

I use a Coleman 5 Day Extreme cooler from $35 - $50. I stand on mine and I saved quote a bit of money that I can use for these rising gas prices.

The secret to any cooler is chilling it the night before. So if your fishing Saturday, put one bag of ice in it on Friday night. Saturday morning load it up with your food and drink and add more ice. You will be fine all day! Also, make sure what you are putting in is cold or room temperature.

Same applies for a thermos of coffee. Fill with hot water the night before, close and let it sit till morning. Dump water make your pot of coffee and it will be piping hot all day.

Search YouTube, Coleman beat the Yeti.


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

Real world test of my igloo sportsman 55 this week. Saturday afternoon (5/28) i filled it with 24 cans of coors light, 12 bottles of dos equis, and 30lbs of ice. Ate some boiled crawfish with friends and family that afternoon and evening and it was opened many times to retrieve beverages. Stayed closed outside Saturday to Monday afternoon in the shade, high temps in the low 90s. Monday afternoon/ evening bbq about 50-60% of the ice still there, mountains still blue, opened multiple times again. Stayed outside in the shade until today closed: 25-30% of the ice still there, mountains still blue. I've got a lot of yard work to do tomorrow and plan on having a cold one (or maybe 2)when I'm done. That'll be 5 full days. I also drained the water a few times when transporting to and from my truck bed so it was a little lighter which negatively impacts an ice chests ability to stay child and keep ice. Not to bad for $200 and same or slightly more capacity as a yeti 60. Made in the USA.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

Yeti-s and their like are heavy for everyday use.Unless you are going for days, the average cooler is all one needs


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## Pole Position (Apr 3, 2016)

Field and Stream rankings: 

http://www.fieldandstream.com/artic...owdown-12-top-end-coolers-ranked-and-reviewed


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

For me, the ice retention is a bonus. I got mine to serve as an extra seat, or a platform for visibility. Sure, it's nice to have ice the next day, but I don't use my cooler over more than one or two days very often. My $200 Igloo Sportsman 55 from Sam's Club has exceeded my needs so far.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Darn the igloo came in 4 th 
I swear my crappy $29 igloo keeps ice as good as my yeti. But I wouldn't throw it out of a truck let alone at 45 mph


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## Wolffie (Nov 4, 2015)

I was told that Yeti has had to pay royalties to engel. Since engel was first and owns the patent... I know they were first. Don't know for certain about the royalties. 

I have a small engel that came with my dragonfly paddleboard. It's primarily dry storage. But it has metal latches. And has a smooth finish. I do use it to stand on in the garage to reach stuff off high shelves. Its held my heavy butt just fine. (I'm too heavy and uncoordinated to stand on it on the board) 

I also have a brute box ( now bison ) that I got for a weeklong stay on cape lookout. I got a good deal and it. No electricity. Car ferry across. Added a bag of ice from the ranger station mid week and I was good. But! It's damn heavy. Defeats the purpose of a light skiff to put a heavy cooler filled with ice on a lightweight boat. I wouldn't want to carry it. It primal lived on the hitch tray of my 4Runner. 

The problem with most of those tests is that they never account for variation in volume. They need to top it off. Weight it. Drain the water off after a couple of days and weigh again. Figure out the percentage of ice retained. 1 ten pound bag of ice will melt faster in a larger volume simply because of dead air space than a cooler that is completely filled by the ice. 

If someone gave me a yeti I would grind the yeti name off and paint over it. Primarily because I hate the d-bags who use them as a status symbo here in NC. The guys with salt life stickers on their lifted trucks, who were Costas on croakies to the bar, that have never picked up a fishing rod... 

I would not hesitate to buy an engel. If I were in the market I would buy the lightest roto molded cooler I could find.


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## JappyFish (Mar 1, 2014)

I wasn't able to read EVERYTHING, but it really depends on what you want to do.

I have a sincere addiction to coolers and cookies. I have a 60qt Engel, and 4 YETIs that vary in size from the roadie up to the 45qt. That being said, those are the high end coolers that I own. I also have a little Coleman that holds a 6 pack. I use this on road trips because it's easy to access and I can chunk it in my car. I also have an old Coleman 48qt for shrimping. It was like Coleman made one just for me and it meets SCDNR regulations of 48qts of head on shrimp. If you plan to pole off a cooler, definitely get something more sturdy like an Engel or Yeti or one of the Rtic (I know nothing about this one)

Here's a bunch of different coolers that I have: 

The Roadie -Yeti Roadie Cooler, 20 quart, Desert Tan









The Shrimper -Coleman 48 Quart Cooler









The Road Tripper -Coleman FlipLid 6 Personal Cooler, Blue







(Mines Camo Though...NO BIG DEAL)

I think I actually got the Engel free while working on a job site. Again, it really depends on what you want and what you are using it for. It you DO buy a high end cooler, definitely do not take it to a frat tailgate. It'll get geeked.


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## GG34 (May 2, 2014)

50K skiffs, 400+ fly reels. How can we find a way to save 50 bucks on cooler?


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

One brand I haven't seen mentioned at all is Ice Kool. As a long time Gheenoe owner myself, I get that space is at a premium and having a cooler that is sturdy enough to stand, cast and/or pole from is important. After shopping around I chose an Ice Kool IKO20, which doubles as a casting platform. I bought it as a factory second for $40 and I've owned it for 4 years. Never could figure out what the defect was that made it a second, but I use it every trip. It has held up great with no latch or hinge problems, and although it doesn't have the ice retention of some of the big $$ brands, it will hold ice for about two days, which is more than enough for my needs. It's small enough that it doesn't crowd the boat and it'll slide right under my side console if I really want it out of the way, but it's sill large enough to hold drinks and sandwiches for two guys, plus I've kept up to about 5 slot fish in it. It also has brackets on the side for tie-down straps, if you wanted to secure one more permanently.

Here's a link to their factory seconds store...
http://www.evakool.com/factory-seconds/iceboxes-factory-second

And here's a picture of the cooler in my boat. I peeled the labels off for a cleaner look.


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## Rick D (Nov 14, 2011)

I have 2 Icons on my new East Cape Lostmen, and I think they're pretty good. They kept my ice for 4 days in the 90+ degree weather in southwest Florida. I bought them at T.A. Mahoney's in Tampa and got what I feel was a pretty good deal.


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## GTSRGTSR (Nov 10, 2009)

I have a Yeti 45 thats nice and heavy, doesnt slide and I can stand on it, plus it doubles as a seat.

That said, I bought a little Engel 13 cooler/drybox. I love it and use it all the time, great for a few drinks and ice, easy to carry and super well made. At $50, it wasnt horribly expensive and has a nice handle, strong hinges, metal latches and a gasket seal.


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