Top 5 Marine Coolers - UPDATED
The cooler market is flooded with great options to choose from but a few specific brands and coolers stand out among the rest. Here's a close look at some of our favorites.
Nearly four years ago I published a blog titled 7 Must-Haves For Marine Coolers and Our Top 6 Choices. This blog has led to thousands of pages views for our website and still ranks on the top Google search for "Top Marine Coolers." With how popular it has been I decided to look back, at one of my first blog articles, and give it a little update for the year 2024.
If you're reading this you're probably one who loves being on the water and whether your water activities involve cruising around the ICW, beaching with the family at the sandbar or doing some fishing you're probably going to have a cooler with you. No one wants to leave the house without some ice cold drinks and some grub for the day and if you're fishing and your boat doesn't have fish-boxes you're probably going to need a cooler or a second cooler for keeping those fish cold. Choosing your cooler is ultimately up to personal preference, but these I am listing are some of my favorites from experience.
Before you purchase your cooler though there's a few things you might want to consider especially if you're considering a cooler for the boat or "marine cooler."
1. Ice Retention: The first thing I look for in a cooler is ice retention. This goes for any cooler; whether it's backyard BBQs or a multi-day trip on the boat, I want my ice to last the entire length of time. In today's economy it's even more crucial for it to last because the cost of frozen water cubes keeps going up. It's rare to find a store with 20lbs bags anymore, now it's likely you'll get a 7lbs bag and that bag is going to cost you $4-$5. If you're trying to fill the average size cooler you're going to be in $15 minimum on ice. It's best for you to spend the money up front and find a cooler that will hold ice longer so you can use less.
2. Size & Capacity: If you're spending a day on the water and filling it with ice, food and drinks you're probably going to want something along the lines of a 65qt cooler but you can get away with a slightly smaller one depending on how much you plan to bring. Most modern center console boats and most Sportsman Boats have a designated spot for a 65qt cooler. This is a perfect size for carrying water bottles, a case of canned drinks and plenty of snacks.
3. It's Gotta Be Steady: If you're on a boat it's likely going to be a little bumpy here and there and moving at speed things can slide around. Your cooler needs to be steady even if that means it's equipped with nice tie down points. Most marine grade coolers come standard with a non-marking rubber foot on each corner. These serve several purposes, first it reduces the likelihood of it sliding, the weight of the loaded down cooler will help keep it from bouncing when hitting any sort of waves or chop. Lastly, the feet will raise it off the ground and prevent the heat transfer from the ground, think of that air gap as additional insulation for your ice.
4. Durability: Like everything you put on your boat it's gotta be durable. When outdoors, especially out on salt water the elements will destroy anything that's not built with strength and durability in mind. Marine grade coolers are built to withstand all elements, some companies even show how durable they are against grizzly bears. While you probably won't encounter a grizzly bear at the sandbar or offshore fishing you will want to make sure that you can sit on it, stand on it, cut bait on it and the components won't rust from the salt. Having a nice rotomolded cooler is great for using your cooler as an extra seat, casting platform or cutting board; trust me you will most likely do all of these things with it. Lastly, saltwater will rust anything that isn't corrosion-resistant so make sure any hardware is made of stainless steel or aluminum.
5. Drain Plugs: Don't make the mistake of getting a cooler without a drain plug. While the cold water helps insulate and keep the remaining ice at its coldest, there are times where you're probably going to want to drain the water without pouring all the remaining ice and contents out. If you're keeping fish in the cooler for example, opening the drain will keep the fish from sitting in water and creating a nice and stinky bath for you to reach into later. It's also a good way to drain off some of the water before adding more ice rather than again, pouring everything out.
As mentioned in the previous blog, a little PRO TIP for those who are struggling to retain ice for those advertised longer periods of time.
The first thing you need to do is prime your cooler, it's probably been in the garage where it's staying warm, if you add ice to a warm cooler it's going to melt more quickly it's science. If you prime your cooler the night before it'll be ready to go the next day. The best way to do this is by adding a small bag of ice, ice packs or my favorite, frozen water bottles the night before a trip. The reason I say frozen water bottles is because larger pieces of ice melt more slowly. Filling the bottom of your cooler with a nice frozen water bottle layer will not only prime your cooler but help keep the ice you'll at later cold, then when they melt you just pull them out and drink them.
When it's time to load the cooler make sure everything is cold. Room temp drinks will melt the ice more quickly. Put everything in the fridge the day before and cool it down as best you can. The colder everything is when it goes in the colder it will stay throughout the day. Don't use your cooler as a way to bring stuff to a cold temp, let it work to keep it cold rather than cool it down.
If you're headed out for a multi-day trip on the boat or even camping you can freeze some of the meat you take with you and thaw it later, this will act like blocks of ice and again, blocks of ice melt much more slowly. If you want to save money on bags of ice you can get ice block molds to put in the freezer, these will take 24-48 hours to fully freeze, or you can be like me and steal your wife's good stainless bowls and fill them with water and drop them in the freezer. These large blocks of ice will cool the cooler down and keep everything nice and cold all day long.
Next, if you don't want to steal your wife's good dishes or buy ice molds I recommend placing a full bag of ice in the cooler rather than pouring it out. This acts more closely to a block of ice and will last much longer. Bonus tip, when you get to the ice freezer at the store grab bags from the back or the bottom that are full frozen solid, not the new bags that were recently added as they're going to melt faster. You want the ones that you have to bust up to pour in the cooler.
Lastly, when you're out and about using your cooler; try to open it as little as possible. It's like when your momma used to yell at you for going in and out of the house on a hot summer day, she'd yell, "Quit opening that door, you're letting all the cold air out. We ain't paying to cool down the neighborhood." Same thing here, every time you open that lid you're letting that cool air out, the coolers form a vacuum and that vacuum is key to ice retention. If you're opening the cooler every five minutes you're going to destroy the ice retention. When I am doing a long camping trip I like to have two coolers; I have a daily use cooler and a deep freeze cooler. The daily cooler is for all the sodas and water that people are into throughout the day. The ice in this cooler is sacrificial, but I am saving my big cooler full of a week's worth of food and drinks from melting too quickly.
We've looked at all of the nice benefits of a high quality marine cooler and how to keep it nice and cold now lets take a look at what I believe are the top 5 best coolers in the marine industry here in 2024. Not a lot has changed since my original post in 2020 but I have made a few adjustments.
Top Coolers Choices for 2024:
We all know and love YETI. It's a household name and seen almost as the pinnacle of coolers and even cups. YETI changed the world's view of what a cooler's performance looks like. A YETI cooler is sleek and simple yet resembles what we all think a modern cooler should look like. It's offered in many different colors to fit any style with bonus limited time colors offered throughout the year. The lid is flat and makes for a perfect seat at the sandbar, elevated bow casting platform or even a cutting board/serving table in a pinch. It also includes non-slip feet, non-skid across the lid surface, a neverfail hinge system and tie down slots to keep it in place on your boat or in your truck bed. One thing to consider is that it does not have a pressure release system; remember the coolers build a vacuum to stay extra cold and opening the lid can be difficult at times without a pressure release system.
2. Cabela's Polar Cap 60 ($299.99)
This is a cooler you might not hear much about, it's surprising to me but it's on the top of my list of coolers I own and use regularly. Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops are known among all outdoor enthusiast as one of the top retailers for all things outdoor related. In the wake of rotomolded coolers they have engineered their own cooler brand that closely compares with other brands you may see on the market. The downfall of the Polar Cap cooler is their limited amount of colors and they're a bit bulkier than others. While the larger footprint may be an issue for some, the larger size allows them to pack more insulation for keeping ice longer. Additionally, it's gained some size from its exceptional handles that making moving it a breeze. Another area where it gains some bonus points is the build in pressure release button. When too much pressure builds up you can pump the pressure release and easily open the lid. Lastly it features a flat lid surface with non-skid, large rubber non-slip feet, large rubber latches with bottle openers, stainless components and an extra large drain plug.
3. RTIC 65-QT Ultra-Tough Cooler ($349.99)
RTIC was without a doubt the first brand to challenge YETI in rotomolded cooler fabrication. The designs of their 65-qt cooler are nearly identical to that of YETI with the same performance and features. RTIC's pricing has, until recently, been identical to YETI (YETI saw a small price increase in the last two years) which is why consumers often went for the more known and sought after YETI cooler. Where RTIC has competed is they offer sales throughout the year making it hard to pass up. In fact at the time of writing this the RTIC is on sale for $249.99. The system features a few color options, nearly identical handles and latches, non-slip rubber feet and a non-skid surface on the lid. This is a great option and competes heavily with the YETI name, in my opinion YETI takes the win for fit and finish and their ample amount of custom colors to fit anyones style.
4. Pelican 70-QT Elite Cooler ($349.95)
Most people know Pelican from their indestructible gear cases or maybe even their phone cases. However, they've taken that design and look and built a pretty nice cooler. Unlike the others listed it features a traditional style lid with cup holders built in and a ruler built in for measuring fish. The lid design is great for families or events but may not be the best design for an angler looking to use their cooler as a casting platform or comfortable seating option. Pelican uses the same style plastic latches as their gear cases and while plastic latches may seem discomforting these latches will stand the test of time. The handles are a bit bulky similar to the Cabela's Polar Cap cooler but are much more comfortable to use when hauling it around. Additionally it features non-slip rubber feet making it perfect for marine use. Lastly, Pelican offers a Lifetime Guarantee on all of their coolers bringing you some peace of mind that your product is protected if damaged.
5. Lifetime 55-QT High Performance Cooler ($159.99)
For the budget oriented consumer who want's the rotomolded design but doesn't want to spend hundred of dollars this is the perfect cooler for you. It has all of the marine features the other coolers have and even sports a 7-day ice retention, it just lacks the clean look and color options the other provide. It offers non-slip rubber feet, rope handles, a large drain plug and rubber locking latches. On paper it provides all the essentials elements that a YETI does but for over $200 less.
With several great options to choose from you're guaranteed to find a cooler that fits your needs. If you’re looking at price and want to spend the least but still get a great cooler, the Lifetime is right on par. For the ultimate cooler, you may be looking at the YETI as it’s got all the features you could want in a cooler but keeps the design clean as “less is more.” Those looking for a cooler that they can take a serious beating on the boat or in the woods during hunting season, may look at the Cabela’s Polar Cap cooler. It’s bulkier but built like a rock and can withstand quite a bit of wear. Whatever your decision, we know if you choose one from this list, you’ll have a cooler that will last years, hold ice for a long long time, make your life a little easier, and best of all look great on your boat!