If your car or boat camping or doing any other outdoor activity where some extra weight is not an issue, an ice chest cooler can be a nice addition to your gear list.
Each consumer and each situation may demand different camping cooler capacity. As with any camping gear before choosing a cooler, you need to think of what size you need and its portability.
The size of the cooler influences how long you can have some frozen goodies on your camping.
Also, coolers can have different portability features. Some models are equipped to roll, others to be carried by one person, and others by two.
Are you looking for the best cooler for your next camping trip?
Best Cooler for Camping Reviews
We have done some research and here are the best camping coolers we have found:
#1. Coleman 54-Quart Ice Chest Cooler
Coleman 54-Quart Ice Chest Cooler is a durable cooler from Coleman, a reputable cooler manufacturer. It is made from high-quality material thus it is not only quality, but it is also very durable. It is a lightweight cooler that has useful features that help you keep your snacks and drinks cold.
It features large and sturdy stainless steel handles with rubber grips; a solid steel latch; stainless steel hinges; durable base, lid, and liner; leak-proof and a rust-resistant channel drain.
The most interesting thing about this cooler is that it can keep ice for 3 days at a temperature of up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The base, lid, and liner of this cooler are easy to clean thus it is very easy to maintain this cooler.
The stainless steel hinges and screws are rust-resistance thus they prevent the cooler from breakage ensuring that, the cooler serves you for a long time.
#2. Pelican Products ProGear Elite Cooler, 45 quart
This cooler from Pelican Products is made to last. It is made from a strong and durable material that is resistant to fading, chipping and rusting. The construction of this cooler can withstand any extreme conditions including constant UV exposure, salt and sand abrasion and extreme temperature fluctuations.
The Pelican Products ProGear Elite Cooler, 45 quart features heavy-duty hinge and two safety snap closures to ensure the contents inside stay in place. It also has a UV protected shell that protects the cooler from any sun damages.
This not only ensures that the cooler lasts longer but it also improves the cooling performance of the cooler thus ensuring that your refreshments remain cold for longer.
#3. Yeti Roadie 20 Cooler Blue
Yeti Roadie 20 Cooler Blue is a small and portable cooler with a Polyethylene construction. It features flip-up stainless steel handle, Tundra Coolers, molded-in T-latches, gasketed lid and self-stopping and impact-resistant hinge.
Due to its high quality and reliable insulation system, it can retain ice for about 3 days. The cooler is also heat resistant ensuring improved cooling performance.
It is a durable cooler that you can easily carry anywhere whether you want to go for a picnic or you want to go for a 3-day camp.
You can carry drinks and other refreshments that you need for your camping excursion using this high-quality cooler.
The cooler comes with a 5 years warranty that covers you if the cooler is not functioning as it is supposed to.
#4. Rubbermaid 5-Day 50-Quart Wheeled Cooler
Rubbermaid 5-Day 50-Quart Wheeled Cooler is a great tailgating and camping cooler that retains ice for 5 days at 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
The cooler features stain and odor resistant liner, dual-material wheels and a retractable luggage-style handle. The stain and odor resistant liner is easy to clean making it easy for you to maintain the cooler.
This cooler also has a hinged, split lid of the cooler makes it easier for you to access your drinks.
#5. Eagle Creek Travel Gear Pack-It Half Cube
The 62 qt. Xtreme Cooler is ideal for car camping, picnicking and more. This ice chest can keep food and drinks cold for an extremely long time. It stores ice for 5 days at exterior temperatures of up to 90F.
Extra insulation in the lid and case provide superior cold retention. The Xtreme cooler can fit 85 beverage cans. It’s equipped with large all-terrain wheels and a comfortable tow handle that make transportation easy.
These coolers also have two-way handles, a hinged lid with four beverage holders and a channel drain for easy draining of liquids without tilting the cooler.
#6. Tunes2Go KoolMax Bluetooth 350-Watt Cooler with Speakers
The KoolMAX ice chest with speakers is one of the best options that you will find for a weekend camping trip. It is a 40 quart cooler that is designed to hold up to 48 cans or 28 bottles.
It will keep ice frozen for at least three days so you won’t have to keep running to the store. The wheels are extra wide so you can go over any terrain. This is great for campgrounds where roads aren’t paved or the beach where you have to go through sand.
The handle on the cooler is extendable and when not in use it just folds away for easy storage The cooler also includes a built-in bottle opener for your convenience and a detachable flashlight.
I can’t tell you how many camping trips I have been on where I have forgot to pack both of those.
#7. GIWOX Waterproof Picnic Cooler Bag with Speakers
Another great ice chest with speakers is the GIWOX picnic cooler bag, which is a smaller cooler that would be great for day trips with only a few individuals joining you. The cooler is crafted from extremely durable polyester and PVC lining that is designed to keep your food or drinks cold for an extended period of time. In fact, it is capable of holding eight to ten bottles of water and keeping them cold with mere ice packs for hours.
The outer pocket on the cooler has the speakers built-in, so that they do not come directly into contact with any ice or water from the inside of the cooler. A USB wire is provided to directly connect your device to the speakers, which provides you with a great sound that is perfect for a picnic at a park or by a lake. You can also connect to the speakers using Bluetooth if you desire. In addition, the batteries are capable of being recharged via USB connection, and a full charge lasts for about two hours of continuous play, which is great for an afternoon outing with the family.
Since this cooler is a little on the smaller side, it comes with a convenient shoulder strap that is designed to make it easy to carry. Once you are done with the device, it can also easily be folded into a compact size that can be stored almost anywhere. This is great if you live in a smaller house or apartment and just don’t have the space to store a regular cooler.
#8. Polar Bear Coolers 24 Pack Soft Cooler
This soft cooler is great for short-stay car camping or boat trips or outdoor festivals. The Polar Bear cooler is more than just a cooler.
It’s an all-purpose, high-tech, bi-polar, portable insulation system. It features a leak/sweat proof five-layer air trap designed to keep the ice for a longer time.
These coolers can keep ice for 24 hours in 100F and will keep your food hot up to 200 degrees for many hours. Also, it’s completely collapsible, so it’s easy to pack.
#9. Coleman 42-Can Wheeled Soft Cooler With Hard Liner
42-Can Wheeled cooler is perfectly designed for transporting drinks and food safely for whatever you need to use it for, whether for camping, beach trips or tailgating it’s ideal for all of them.
You can store in it 42 cans, and it features extra storage spaces in a front zippered pouch, side mesh pouch and another mesh pouch located on the cover.
Inside it’s equipped with a hard lining that protects the contents from sagging and shifting, as well as prevents leaking. It has a retractable handle, and you can wheel it around for transportation.
10. Yeti Tundra Cooler – White
Yeti Tundra cooler is made of one-piece roto-molded polyethylene construction making this cooler extremely durable. The walls are two inches thick and filled with premium polyurethane insulation providing maximum ice retention. More to it, it features also three inches of premium insulation in the lid, where it’s important to have protection from the sun and absorb heat from perishables. Another useful feature of this Yeti Tundra cooler is the rubber freezer-quality gasket that seals around the entire lid for trapping cold air and keeping warmer exterior air from leaking in.
#11. Picnic Plus Lido 2 in 1 Cooler Tote Bag
Picnic Plus Lido cooler bag is full of features that will add to pleasures of your outdoor outing. It’s perfect for beach trips, picnics, and short day trips when you don’t need to keep your food in a frozen state for days, as it keeps it cold just for several hours. There’re two zippered compartments on this bag. One of them is a large thermal foil section, where you can keep your food and drinks. And the other pocket is water resistant compartment, where you can keep your beachwear, wet towels and other. Inside the bag also features smaller bags for your smaller items, like keys and phone. It has a pretty design with different colors to choose from. And it’s really convenient, just carrying it over your shoulder with your hands-free.
The above are 11 of the best camp cooler. The list of the coolers are based on the durability of the cooler, the insulation and ability to retain ice for a long time and the ease to carry and transport the cooler to your desired camping destination. Any of the above coolers can make a great camp cooler for a long camp excursion.
Camping Coolers Buyer’s Guide
Insulation
Insulation is a very important feature in any cooler. It is responsible for ensuring that the content inside remains cold for longer. There are so many types of insulation foams used to make camp cooler; however, you need to choose a cooler that provides proper insulation to keep all your refreshments cold and frosty.
Ice Retention
The number of hours the cooler can hold ice is also very important especially for people going for long camps. If you are going for a long camp for more than one day, you need to choose a camp cooler that can retain ice for more than one day so that your drinks and other refreshments can last you for all the days you are camping.
Drain Plug
The drain plug is also necessary especially if the cooler is large. The plug helps remove excess water from melting ice without tilting, making your cooler feel less bulky and also boosting the cooling performance.
Handles
The handles make it easier to carry and lift the cooler. The handles of the cooler should be strong and durable enough to hold the weight of the cooler and the content inside. They should also feel comfortable and not hurt your hands. Some coolers have several handles with most wheeled coolers having a telescoping handles which make the cooler feel lighter and easier to tote even when it is fully packed.
These are some of the features that you need to look out for in a camp cooler. Below are some of the best camp coolers.