Neat test that shows the coleman just as good or better than a yeti. But again, it was only opened every 4 days and in a controlled environment. Put it outside in the Texas heat and see what happens.....and open it 15 times a day, 30 if you have kids.

The best cooler I've found for keeping drinks iced is an Igloo 10gal water cooler. I kept two 30 packs iced for 4 days with minimum ice loss, and used the melt water to wash hands, dishes, etc.

I was watching a show called Rocket City Rednecks, one episode they built a cooler out of a truck tool box, in the center the installed a metal box about 4 inches wide and as deep as the box. The installed 3 8-10 inch capped pipes on each side of the box and filled it with liquid nitrogen. The cooler was filled with beer and they took it to Taladega, didn't need ice the entire time they were out there.

If I were to spend that kind of money on a cooler I would buy an IRP.

One of the big issues I have with the premium coolers like Yeti is the weight of the cooler. You load those suckers down with ice and drinks and you need a forklift put it in your truck. The Coleman Xtremes are light and do an admirable job for a lot less money. Would I like to own a Brute or Yeti....sure, but their performance is not that much better to justify the cost on performance alone. You probably will be able to pass it along to your grandchildren, but for now I think I will pass.

Yeti is a great cooler If you offshore fish or just have the money to buy one. Will hold ice for days in the back of the truck with no shade. I can fill it full of hot beer and ice on friday after work and have everyone drink out of it while putting more beer in and on monday after work i have to dump ice out of it. Very strong also!

I can't comment on the yeti, but I do have a few tips to maximize the effectiveness of any cooler you use:

1. Don't buy it from Walmart. It may be the same brand/size/model, but it will not have as much insulation due to WM pricing policies.

2. Cover the top of your cooler with a damp towel.

3. Instead of a bag of ice, freeze a case of water bottles. The bigger ice chunks take longer to melt, and you have cold drinking water as it melts toward the end of your trip.

Yeti coolers... just in case you need a place to park your quad.

They are ok. Igloo makes a new version of it. I think it's called their offshore series. About $50 cheaper.

I have one and like it and it will probably last forever, but as a previous post says it is heavy once loaded with lifes nector, BEER. But what the hell is an empty coller good for?

Parking quads.

All cooler and no space. Great for a couple of days down the river or on a trip and you can't buy ice. For a day on the lake they stink. You couldn't put a limit in them if you ground the fish up.

I guess, but I would never treat mine like that, it costs too much. Mine gets a bleach bath and wipe down after each use, still looks like the day I bought it.

i need a cooler on wheels, why dont yeti make rolling coolers?

What TexDawg says....hauling from truck to bank is WORK!

What about Dry Ice....man that keeps things cold for awhile. My wife ordered some frozen pizzas (those healthy ones) on line and they came in still frozen...amazed me!