I have used Yeti coolers for years and they are indestructable. Come in sizes large enough for a 28 day river trip with dry ice down to a small day use size. There are lots of aftermarket variants that are justs as good and a lot less money. I have a medium sized NorChill soft cooler that I use for day fishing and with a couple Arctic Ice re-freezable blocks, it will keep fish nearly frozen for 2-3 days in hot weather if you don't leave it in the direct sun.

 

I believe these represent one of the beast bang for your buck opportunities in the industry….side-by-side-by-side-by side with Yeti 65 Tundra, the Rtic 65 hard and the Engle 65MBG…the rugged road held ice MUCH better than the Rtic and the Engle, is less expensive that the Yeti and the Engle (unless you have a coupon or find a sale). Where the RR shines is in the weight, I think it’s less than 10lbs empty. The latch is more ‘breakable’ than that of the others but hasn’t been an issue. Dimensions are slightly taller than wider than the Yeti, so you have to figure out what works best for what you want to store.

I think if they made the RR in 110 or 115 size it might over-take the market. I don’t know what kind of insulation they’re using to keep it so light yet hold ice. Some might think weight isn’t an issue and in many hunting situations it isn’t, I mean you get your cooler to the spot and sort of set and forget it. However with most I know, that’s pretty much the extent to which they use their expensive coolers. I have buddies who went out and actually spent double or triple, so that they had a more “maneuverable’ coolers for places like beach, the pool, amusement park etc…because of the weight and size of their Yetis or Rtics…my one buddy’s Engle never leaves his boat now. That is another reason I see value in the RR. It’s like an everyday cooler that your wife and kids can take to the beach or pool or can be hauled miles back for a week long excursion.

I don’t own stock or have any vested interest in the success of this company, just thought I’d share my thoughts/impressions

Rugged Road 65 - The Ultralight High Performance Cooler

Coming in at less than half the weight of the competition with similar ice retention, the Rugged Road 65 is unlike anything else on the market. So, how have we managed to create an ultralight cooler that does not sacrifice quality or ice retention? The secret is in the Rigorite™ coating...

ruggedroadoutdoors.com

 

I bring 2 120 qt Coleman coolers.. it's a 21 hr drive and the meat stays cold fine.. I've had meat in the cooler for a week with regular ice. You could go longer with dry ice.. Molded coolers are heavy and expensive. I make the trip alone so loading and unloading the cooler has to be kept in mind.

I've never used the one you are talking about. I'm sure all molded coolers are made the same. Hinges and latches would be the biggest concern..

 

I just got the Cater Gator 100 qt. I also have a Yeti 65 and an RTIC 45. The Cater Gator is as well made or better than the Yeti and Rtic. It is heavy when empty! I got the one with wheels.

I wanted something that was dry ice capable and big enough for a boned out bear / elk and hide, in conjunction with my other coolers.

Haven't beat it up yet with any hard use, but i'm happy with it.

 

Are those the ones in webstraunt store? Sounds familiar

I have a couple 120qt cordovas, and that’s as small as I can go to fit a quartered roosie and ice

I used to use an insulated tote that was 5x5x4’ tall, it was perfect, but it’s huge and heavy, and not convenient to store

I also have a 1/4 tote that is probably 300qt, but fitting a whole quartered elk and ice is not ideal

I don’t love the cordovas, I won’t buy another. We have a big pescaro roto cooler we use on the boat during tuna season for our slush tank, it’s perfect but I don’t think that size is available anymore, it’s probably 5.5’ long, by 30” wide, and about the same tall, it would be perfect for elk since it’s so long

I really want a grizzly 450, I just don’t want to spend the money on it. If I could find another good use for it I’ll buy one, but just for elk, it’s hard to justify when I have something that works already, if I just get another used 1/4 tote, no cooler can compete with long lasting ice to a commercial insulated tote

 

The CaterGator looks solid. I did not see on their website if they were rated "Bear Proof". The videos of the bears working over coolers for testing in West Yellowstone is really informative.

 

with a lock, I'd say they'd run with the Yeti or the Rtic against a bear. This is based on my comparing the three. The hinges are almost identical between the three, the latches are very similar, but I'd have a lock on them in bear country.

 

I have 2 orcas I use on long backcountry hunts, they usually hold ice for a week during September hunts as long as I place them in the shade and shock them prior to using. They’re beefy and made in Nashville. I wouldn’t hesitate buying another.

 

Check out Grizzley. I have a 20qt I use and it's awesome. The latches are the best. IMO.
Also have an Orca 58 qt. that I take bear hunting. Works awesome.
Both made in good ole USA!

 

Check out Grizzley. I have a 20qt I use and it's awesome. The latches are the best. IMO.
Also have an Orca 58 qt. that I take bear hunting. Works awesome.
Both made in good ole USA!

I have a couple of the Grizzly 165. It is a tight fit on bigger quartered out bulls. I have had to bone out a front to fit the whole animal inside. I cant find anything wrong with the quality of Grizzly. Would highly recommend it. Its also light enough where one guy can handle it when its empty.

 

Big Frig makes a solid made in USA cooler. The Big Frig has well made handles, latches, cutting board that can double as a divider, lil basket, and a bottle opener built into cooler. I have both Big Frig and Grizzly. Have no complaints with either

 

I just use one 150 qt Igoo Marine 5-day, plus one 100 qt Igoo Marine 5-day. I've brought the boned out, frozen meat of a bull, twice from Idaho to Georgia, over 5 day trips each time, using this method. (Stopped to fly-fish in Montana). The meat was still frozen both times. They don't take up too much space, and I got each cooler on sale under $100.

 

My problem with the really big coolers is that on about half of my elk hunts I’m solo. One guy literally cannot lift one of those 150 quart coolers in the truck by himself when it’s loaded with elk meat.

if you have two guys or more those big coolers are the way to go.
So many better options than Yeti. The guys on Rokslide did an in depth cooler comparison a couple years ago proving the lesser roto-mold priced coolers are as good as a Yeti.

 

Yeti, they are good. But better ones out there for less moolah.
My 58 qt orca is HEAVY when loaded. 2 guy operation when loaded down.

 

Take a look at the Lifetime coolers. Made by the kayak company. Basically a Yeti at half the price with better latches and their number is actually the quart size of the cooler. Why does Yeti do that? SMH. Sold by Walmart. Bought a Lifetime 115 for $250 couple years ago, love it. Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yall check this bad boy out.. 1100 quart.

ICEY-TEK 1100 Quart Cooler

This 1100 Quart cooler is a VERY BIG ICE CHEST COOLER designed with commercial fishing and other industrial applications in mind. Buy this ice chest when size matters.

icey-tek.com

 

I use an igloo 165, and two coleman extreme 100qt, take 15 frozen 2liter bottles for the bottom, and 20 or so blocks of ice. The coolers are so heavy, no way to lift so loading and unloading is done while in the truck. A company in the U.S. makes indestructible latches for the igloo on amazon, highly recommend.

 

I have two 128qt Cordovas and I am very happy with them. Brought both full of frozen elk from coeur d'alene ID to Tulsa OK and everything was frozen solid when I unloaded them into the freezer.

 

We took several yetis. 110 65 and several sizes then smaller coolers from there. We have access to walk in freezer and we walked those in and let them stay in there for 3-4 days then filled up with ice. We had ice the whole week. The big thing is keep the lid close don’t go in and out of them. This was a fishing trip to Logan Martin. Not quite up in the Mountains

 

An option is a mid sized freezer and generator. I’d take a plus 10 cubic foot chest freezer and a 1000 kw or larger generator like a Honda EU1000i or larger. Easy to freeze the meat for the trip home at your convenience.

I brought the meat from a Tule elk home to BC from California in early August in 100*F temps without even needing to run the generator on the two day trip. The 5 CF chest freezer bought at Costco cost me $190 C and I can load it empty into the pickup by myself. A Tule filled it and they are 2/3 size elk vs a Rocky. The small freezer works great for a caribou, a sheep or deer. For moose I take my old 12 cf unit.

I built a small generator size platform for the receiver hitch and run the generator while I am traveling. Some of my remote hunts that last more than 10 days make it tough to get meat on ice or frozen without a set up like I have. Once your meat is frozen running the generator a few hours a day on a long trip (plus 3 days) will maintain it even in hot weather.

 

I see a few guys on the road in elk season using that freezer trick.

I will probably spring for one of the rotomolded coolers this year….I have been using the cheap 5 day coolers from coleman and igloo that I bought on sale at Walmart on half off closeout in the fall for $22.

I’ve had those on a pack in horseback hunt hold ice for 7 days. Only opening it a couple times a day and in full shade. Perfect conditions they work well and have more room inside.

Where those 5 day coolers fail is in the back of my truck on the way home exposed to wind and heat. They just don’t seal as well as the Roto molded coolers.

 

I just ordered the 100 qt catergator. That's the cheapest prices on molded coolers I've seen.. 209 from webstaurantstore.Com

 

Grizzly 800. Go big or go home.

2 elk inside it and the one on the bottom is still in quarters bone in.. That's the back of an F-250

 

Grizxley makes a hella of a cooler.

 

I would go buy one of those cheaper roto molded coolers except for the fact I bought some of those Igloo and Coleman 5 day coolers at Walmart in the off season for $22 each. The big one I have was $40 On closeout. Those will keep ice 4-5 days if they are in the shade and if you don’t open them constantly and it’s not 100° outside.

They have more room in them than the beefy coolers
They hold ice pretty darn good….though a couple days short of the roto molded coolers.
They fit in panniers perfectly
Then the big deal- I do a lot of western hunts where I leave those coolers in the back of my truck at a trailhead-never a problem. I’ve seen two cases where those expensive Yeti coolers have been stolen.

.

 

Canyon Coolers is really the only way to go a lifetime warranty. I broke the lid once and they replaced the whole thing. Seriously would not consider anything else saved me a couple hundred even though i spent a good amount a first