We Tried a Bunch of Coolers for Camping — These Are Our Favorites

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Camping out for the weekend is a chance to enjoy nature and unplug—but that quality time gets cut short if your cooler is full of melted ice and spoiled food after the first night. Coolers for camping need to have reliable insulation to ensure your food stays edible for days on end and your post-hike beers stay chilled.

Camping coolers are tricky since you don’t really know how they’ll perform until you’ve used them—that’s why we got several coolers in hand and tried them out ourselves. In addition to our own testing, we researched the most important specs to look out for and spoke with Samara Robbins, senior project manager of hard coolers at Yeti.

You don’t need to have a degree in thermodynamics or product design to pick a good cooler but knowing what to look for and how to pack it will ensure you’re hydrated and fed on your next campout (and maybe a little buzzed after that last hike).

The Best Coolers for Camping

• Best Overall: Yeti Tundra 45

• Best Budget Option: Coleman 316 Series Cooler

• Best Value: Lifetime High Performance Cooler

• Best Mid-Sized Cooler: RTIC Ultra-light Cooler

• Most Lightweight Option: Oyster Tempo Cooler

What to Consider

Efficient Packing

Spending top dollar on a camping cooler can get you a durable option with great insulation but it’s all for nought if you’re packing inefficiently. Using ice to keep things cold works but using reusable ice packs last a lot longer. You want to pack your ice and groceries tightly to minimize the amount of dead space, where cold temperatures can start warming up. We also suggest that you layer ice packs—or ice if you insist—between provisions.

Don’t just fill your cooler and dump ice on top or place your items on a layer of ice packs and expect them to keep over a camping trip. If you don’t want to buy ice packs, fill up water bottles and freeze them overnight and they’ll have the same effect. You can also get an old coffee can and freeze water in it to make an ice block that’ll last longer than a bag of cubed ice.

Robbins suggests choosing a cooler with a cubic design—some coolers have indentations, tiers, or slanted bottoms for draining or organization purposes. While it’s convenient in some ways, it makes packing a bit harder when you’re trying to perfectly fit everything you need, Tetris-style.

Insulation

Coolers use layers of insulation to trap and maintain the interior temperature while keeping the ambient temperature out. Brands achieve this by injecting the walls of coolers with foam insulation—the more insulation, the better the cooler is at keeping stuff cold. You can gauge the insulating properties by looking at the thickness of the cooler walls. A couple of the options we recommend have three inches of insulation which you can be sure will keep your food cold if you pack efficiently.

Another sign your cooler is designed perform well is a gasket on the lid. This is a seal, usually made of rubber, that ensures no cold air escapes. A thick gasket bolsters your camping cooler’s insulating abilities and is a must if you’re planning for a days-long trip.

While you can’t see what kind of insulation is used in each camping cooler, we note those that state they use closed-cell insulation. Closed-cell insulation is foam that’s dense and rigid, with its air bubbles completely closed off and separated from one another. This makes it harder for heat to pass through and is therefore a more effective insulator.

Open-cell insulation is flexible and lightweight, but a lot of air bubbles touch, making them permeable to heat and therefore less insulating. Backpack coolers and lunch bags use open-cell foam for its portability and compactness but we suggest hard coolers with closed-cell insulation and note the models that employ it.

The only camping cooler we recommend that doesn’t use foam insulation is the Oyster Tempo—instead it uses vacuum-sealed walls which is ideal for insulation.

Durability

A camping cooler should last you more than a handful of trips and the ones we recommend are built of sturdy plastics but can be constructed in different ways. Rotomolding—or rotational molding—is a plastic manufacturing process that creates an object without seams or stress points making them extremely durable. It also gives them a smooth, premium finish as it evenly layers plastic to create the cooler. Injection molding is when the plastic is injected into molds.

Both have their pros and cons, Robbins says. “Rotomolding has become a buzzy marketing term but it has its problems like anything else,” she says. “Rotomolding is expensive and takes a long time so it produces a more expensive product.”

It also isn’t an be-all-end-all feature as the molding process is less precise, and can hide flaws that slip through quality control like small holes in the walls. Robbins says “injection molding can be just as durable and produce a camping cooler without seams” though some cheaper injection-molded coolers do have stress points and thin walls.

She also suggests you be discerning of moving components as these are the first to be worn down. A steel-rod hinge lasts longer than a standard plastic pin hinge. If your cooler has wheels, you want to ensure that the housing and axles are sturdy. Nylon rope handles are also more durable and more weather-resistant than plastic ones.

The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee certifies products that are bear-resistant, so if you’re camping in bear country or expect to encounter wildlife, look out for the IGBC certification.

Portability

You’re hauling food, drinks, ice packs and ice to hold you over for days and that isn’t exactly light lifting, so look for portability features. Oversized wheels make hauling over rough terrain more manageable, particularly for large-capacity coolers. Comfortable, well-placed handles help you to lift the cooler in and out of a truck or hatchback. Extended rope handles let you carry a cooler with a buddy, while integrated handles that are closer in help if you’re hauling solo.

How We Selected

We selected each camping cooler based on how well they performed on quick overnights and long weekend campouts, prioritizing durability, insulation, and portability. We took into consideration their individual features as well as any included extras that made using these coolers easier and identified any pain points we came across. Those that we didn’t test we chose based on their promising specs, our own experience, and intel from Robbins. Our selection has options that provide for a large campsite as well as those that can accompany you on some solo ventures.

Tundra 45 Cooler

The Tundra 45 is built to handle any outdoor setting with its sturdy rotomolded construction and excellent insulation. The walls are three inches thick and injected with closed-cell foam insulation to ensure food and drinks stay cold for days. The lid has a thick rubber gasket to boost insulation and keep out hot air.

The heavy-duty rubber latches secure the lid but are easy to undo with one hand and the lid itself is also insulated (not always the case with coolers). The interior fits two-liter bottles, upright, as well as standard wine bottles. The Tundra comes with a dry basket that you can store food in to ensure groceries don’t get soggy as the ice melts. There’s a drain plug, though no channels to direct water, so you’ll have to tilt it to completely empty out the liquids inside.

The Tundra has cushioned rope handles that make it easier to move from above or with a friend, such as in and out of a truck bed. It also has integrated handles on the sides that are closer in for solo hauling. It’s certified by the IGBC to stave off bears and other animals trying to get into your stash.

With a durable build and great insulation, the Tundra is a perfect cooler for outdoor enthusiasts that don’t want to be precious with their cargo. It isn’t cheap, but with a five-year warranty and replaceable parts, you get what you pay for.

316 Series Cooler for Camping

The 316 has a large capacity and features to make hauling a week’s worth of food easier with a large plastic tow handle and wheels. The lid has four molded cup holders and can serve as an extra seat that can support up to 250-pounds.

The interior has channels that lead water to the drain which is angled downward so there’s no need to tilt it. A pull-up handle makes it easier to lift in and out of truck beds are onto picnic tables. Its exterior is durable and, at 14 pounds, is lightweight for the amount it holds.

There’s no gasket seal on the lid and we wish the tow handle was more securely mounted, but it rolls well over terrain thanks to the large wheels. Still, it’s a great option if you want a lot of space and don’t camp enough to shell out a couple hundred for a cooler.

High Performance Cooler for Camping

We didn’t test this but it’s popular in camping forums and reviews on Reddit. Lifetime makes outdoor equipment like sheds, patio furniture, tables, and playground accessories, as well as this frequently recommended cooler.

It’s IGBC-certified, and has thick walls of insulation. The drain is wide with a screw-off drain cap that drains fast with minimal tilting needed. Like the Yeti Tundra, it has a stainless-steel hinge rod that’ll last longer than standard plastic hinges, and a thick rubber gasket on the lid to stop the cold from escaping.

It has nylon rope handles with a rubber guard but not integrated handles at the side. It is padlock compatible and has a built-in bottle opener for added convenience.

It isn’t specified whether the cooler is rotomolded or what kind of insulation is used. However, it pops up so much on forums and we see it being touted for its durability and performance. Based on our experience and the cooler’s features and build quality, we believe this is a great option that delivers.

Tempo Cooler for Camping

The Tempo cooler has only been out for a year or so but it has some of the most impressive insulating capabilities we’ve seen in a cooler.

Instead of relying on thick walls of insulation, it has vacuum-sealed aluminum walls that block heat transfer and keep food and drinks cold for days. In our in-depth testing we found that the interior temperature dropped after 24 hours without needing anything more than a couple of ice packs.

Since it forgoes walls packed with insulation, it has a sleek design that’s lightweight and an interior capacity that isn’t deceptively smaller than its exterior would suggest. The lid has secure latches on both sides and can be opened from either—a very practical and welcomed feature. It comes with both a handle and shoulder strap so you can choose whichever is most comfortable; both attach without needing tools.

While we love the insulating capabilities, we did have to be more careful when transporting the Tempo. The aluminum walls are slick but they’re not the most durable. They can get scratched and dinged up pretty easily and you’re sure to have a dent or two if it’s dropped off the back of a truck. Still, it’s effective and convenient if you’re car camping, or taking a quick weekend trip. We love the practical features and it’s unmatched as far as insulation goes.

Read the full review

CoolR 25 Camping Cooler

RovR recently added this cooler to its line-up and it has some features we haven’t found on other small-capacity models. It’s rotomolded and has three inches of insulation that kept food and drinks cold for a couple of days just using ice. There’s also a thick gasket in the lid that bolsters insulation and its performance is on par with the brand’s larger coolers. Plus, it has clips that are compatible with Rovr’s selection of accessories.

The CoolR 25 stood out because of how comfortable it is to carry. We’ve tried a lot of other coolers of this size that have handles and straps but they’re either too short or oddly placed causing for uncomfortable or awkward carrying. The strap on the CoolR is adjustable and has a sliding shoulder pad that’s comfortable even when it’s fully loaded.

It also has a drain plug which a lot of smaller coolers lack. Sure small coolers are maneuverable enough to turn over and dump out but it’s still a hassle as they’re cumbersome. It’s more convenient to have the drain plug if you want to let out water as ice melts or don’t want to fumble with turning it over.

48 Roadie Camping Cooler

The Roadie 48 cooler has the same insulating capabilities as the Tundra and adds all-terrain wheels and a periscopic handle to make this a lot easier to haul through campsites. It has a great insulation and kept food and beer cold for over three days on a trip and even at the end, cans leftover were still cold.

It’s injection molded but still has the three inches of closed-cell foam insulation and thick rubber gasket on the lid. It’s tall enough for two-liter bottles and offers plenty of room to stack drinks and food with ice packs in between. The integrated handles make it easy to lift out of the trunk and save a bit of space when packing the car—we slid our tent, backpacks, and other gear next to the cooler without worrying about awkward rope handles getting snagged.

The wheels are oversized and easy to haul over dirt, gravel, or grass. We’ve even been able to drag it down a sandy beach with relative ease while it was fully loaded. The telescopic handle allows you to choose a good height so you’re no hitting your heels with every step when dragging it.

It comes with a dry basket that keeps prepared foods organized and easily accessible throughout the day. The quick drain plug made it easy to empty and all you need is soap and water to clean it before air drying.

Ultra-Light Camping Cooler

This injection-molded cooler has the features you want while cutting some weight compared to other options in the same size range. It has three inches of closed-cell foam insulation as well as a rubber gasket on the lid.

Integrated handles on the sides make it easy to carry and recessed rope handles won’t get in the way when you’re packing the car. It also has integrated tie-down slots so you can hitch it to a truck, boat, or ATV.

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