Best Camping Coolers and Coolboxes

We compare 5 of the most popular camping cool boxes to help you decide which one to buy to take on your camping adventures.

For us we want to know three key things; how long will it keep ice frozen? How many bottles of beer, packs of sausages and overall storage it has and finally, is it durable and can be used for multiple uses.

We’ve created a quick summary of the coolers in this article for you to check out here

Name
Pelican 70QT Elite Cooler (White/Grey) | 46 Can Capacity with Ice | 9 Day...
Coleman 100 Quart Xtreme 5 Wheeled Cooler
Coleman Cooler | Steel-Belted Cooler Keeps Ice Up to 4 Days | 54-Quart...
YETI Tundra 45 Cooler, White
Rubbermaid Ice Chest/Cooler, Blue, 60-quart Wheeled (FG2A9002MODBL)
Pelican 70QT Elite Cooler (White/Grey) | 46 Can Capacity with Ice | 9 Day...
Coleman 100 Quart Xtreme 5 Wheeled Cooler
Coleman Cooler | Steel-Belted Cooler Keeps Ice Up to 4 Days | 54-Quart...
YETI Tundra 45 Cooler, White
Rubbermaid Ice Chest/Cooler, Blue, 60-quart Wheeled (FG2A9002MODBL)
Prime Availability
Amazon Prime
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Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime
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Price
Price not available
Price not available
$199.99
$300.00
Price not available
Name
Pelican 70QT Elite Cooler (White/Grey) | 46 Can Capacity with Ice | 9 Day...
Pelican 70QT Elite Cooler (White/Grey) | 46 Can Capacity with Ice | 9 Day...
Prime Availability
Amazon Prime
Price
Price not available
Name
Coleman 100 Quart Xtreme 5 Wheeled Cooler
Coleman 100 Quart Xtreme 5 Wheeled Cooler
Prime Availability
-
Price
Price not available
Name
Coleman Cooler | Steel-Belted Cooler Keeps Ice Up to 4 Days | 54-Quart...
Coleman Cooler | Steel-Belted Cooler Keeps Ice Up to 4 Days | 54-Quart...
Prime Availability
Amazon Prime
Price
$199.99
Name
YETI Tundra 45 Cooler, White
YETI Tundra 45 Cooler, White
Prime Availability
Amazon Prime
Price
$300.00
Name
Rubbermaid Ice Chest/Cooler, Blue, 60-quart Wheeled (FG2A9002MODBL)
Rubbermaid Ice Chest/Cooler, Blue, 60-quart Wheeled (FG2A9002MODBL)
Prime Availability
-
Price
Price not available

Best Camping Coolers of 2022

Pelican Products ProGear Elite 70 Quart Cooler Review

This cooler is the best of the best with just over 2 inches of polyurethane insulation which allows ice retention for up to 10 days. Polyurethane is one of the best insulators available with a very high R value stopping the movement of heat from external to internal and vice versa. With a fully injection moulded outer body, this rugged case has been tested by being filled with meat and then given to Grizzly Bears. Suffice to say they didn’t come close to getting it open. The large press and latch mechanisms ensure an airtight seal and finally the combination lock ensure if you leave it at camp no human counterpart can come and take your sausages!

With a 80 litre capacity this cooler isn’t much smaller than the average home refrigerator by volume, it’ll easily store food for a week for a party of 4 campers. If you want drinks in there as well it’ll be more like 3 days. Overall this is without doubt the best cooler for the money as it’s versatile, can easily be used as seating, will keep things ice cold of days and is impenetrable and comes with a lifetime warranty.

Pelican 70QT Elite Cooler (White/Grey) | 46 Can Capacity with Ice | 9 Day...
  • VOLUME: True 70 quart internal volume
  • EXTREME ICE RETENTION: 2 inches of polyurethane insulation with a 360 degree freezer-grade gasket delivers extreme ice retention
  • FEATURES: Overmolded carry handle, 3 inch locking latches, reinforced lockable hasp, stainless steel bottle opener, anti-shear hinge system, molded-in tie-down slots
  • FEATURES: 4 self draining cup holders, non-skid rubber feet
  • MADE IN USA: Includes Pelican's legendary lifetime guarantee - "you break it, we replace it. Forever!"

Coleman 100 Quart Exteme 5 Wheeled Cooler Review

This cooler is a very good family friendly coolbox, being able to store ice for up to 5 days and have the capacity to hold over 160 cans of soda/beer. Sounds like quite the party, if you’re going for a weekend away with your friends or the family the wheels make this cooler an ease to transport with a full load, they are also its biggest weakness so be careful how much you load within it, repeated use will likely weaken them.

Coleman have used their proprietary ThermOzone insulation which is environmentally friendly and safe as it doesn’t breakdown into CFC’s, HFC’s of HCFC’s which damage the ozone.

If has a channel in the middle leading to a plug to allow for easy draining. Great to easily reduce the water weight when moving around.

Coleman 100 Quart Xtreme 5 Wheeled Cooler
  • Keeps ice up to 5 days at temps up to 90°F thanks to an insulated lid and extra insulation in walls
  • Heavy-Duty Wheels for Easy, Reliable Transport
  • Holds 160 cans and has molded cup holders on top of lid to keep drinks close and prevent spilling
  • Have-a-Seat Lid Supports Up to 250 Pounds so You Have a Place to Sit and Rest
  • Leak-resistant channel drain lets you remove excess water without tilting the cooler

Coleman 54 Quart Steel Belted Cooler

Coleman have enhanced their classic cooler design which made it’s first appearance in 1954. With stainless steel handles and metal brackets this is built to last. It’s still got the capacity to see you through, with capacity to hold a bottle of wine or 2l bottle upright with a total space for 85 cans.

The top is designed to be a seat, rather than on other coolers made do. The steel reinforcement ensures that warping of the cooler doesn’t occur when a load i.e. person is sitting on it.

Finally Coleman have thought about your hygiene and have made it really easy to clean and designed it not to have any edges for bacteria to settle and reproduce on.

Coleman Cooler | Steel-Belted Cooler Keeps Ice Up to 4 Days | 54-Quart...
  • Chic retro design with a high-capacity, heavy-duty build
  • 54-Quart Capacity Accommodates Up to 85 Cans; Have-a-Seat Lid Supports Up to 250 Pounds
  • Keeps the Ice insulation offers 4-day ice retention in temperatures as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Made for long term performance with rust-resistant stainless steel hardware
  • Comfort-grip steel handles for easy, controlled lifting and carrying

Yeti Tundra Cooler Review

This is my favourite cooler by name as it depicts brilliantly the performance this cooler provides. With over 3 inches of insulation and guaranteed bear resistance this cooler is suitable being thrown in the bottom of the boat of the back of the pickup and being taken off on an adventure. It can withstand 1500lb of force without cracking or deforming. This is the cerme de la creme and has the price to match.

YETI Tundra 45 Cooler, White
  • The YETI Tundra 45 combines versatility with durability with a capacity of up to 26 cans with a recommended 2:1 ice-to-contents ratio
  • Ice stays ice thanks to up to 3 inches of PermaFrost Insulation and an extra thick FatWall design is certified Bear-Resistant
  • The Rotomolded Construction makes the Tundra armored to the core and virtually indestructible so wherever you decide to take it, this portable cooler’s sturdy construction will stand up to the rigors of the journey
  • All Tundra coolers feature T-Rex Lid Latches constructed of heavy-duty rubber so you’ll never see another busted latch and has patented keeper technology
  • The Tundra 45 dimensions are 25 3/4 in long x 16 1/8 in wide x 15 3/8 in high with an empty weight of 23 lbs NOTE: All Tundra models come standard with one dry goods basket.

Rubbermaid Wheeled Ice Chest Cooler Review

The rubber maid wheeled ice chest while not being as high performant as the like of the Yeti or Pelican does tick the boxes for many due to it’s well balanced ergonomics. This 60 quart cooler has a split folding top with in built drinks holders and comes with stain and odour resistant materials. If you’re looking for a day cooler or short trip cooler this will do it’s job but might not last too many years.