We might be in the killer heat of summer, but we can hope there’s a cooler fall around the corner. Then we’ll get back to camping weather, along with a ton of other great outdoor activities that won’t drench you in sweat. For when we do, you’ll need containers to keep your food, water, and, most importantly, beer cold. Obviously you could try and make due with a soft cooler. You might even find some success there. But a hard shell cooler’s going to be much better suited for your excursion. These are the best hard shell coolers out there.
Coleman Xtreme Cooler 70-qt
There’s a good chance some readers won’t go past this cooler. They’ll buy this one and be completely satisfied. And we completely understand. It’s a good size and comes from a known brand with a great reputation at a price that shouldn’t break anyone’s bank. Take it into the woods, leave it out in the rain, snow, or hail, and have it bounce around in the bed of your truck. It can take it. If you need a cooler to beat the hell out of and not worry about losing a financial investment, here it is. $66
Igloo Glide 110-qt. Marine Wheeled Cooler
This is by far the largest cooler on the list, just in case you need to supply your entire neighborhood with craft cans. Or if you want to get an elephant shit-faced. Either way, you can put this out for a long weekend and not be disappointed with the results. Which is basically what Igloo intended. This is an affordable cooler with high performance that will ensure cold beverages for your weekend at the beach, tailgate, or staycation in the backyard. $105
RTIC Cooler 45 Quart
A 45 quart cooler is best suited for smaller, more personal events. A couple’s camping trip comes to mind, but really any event where you’ll be outside with a small number of people and want some drinks to accompany you would be a fine fit for 45 quarts. This RTIC cooler will do all that and has also been designed as a bench, cutting board, and step stool, though we don’t recommend doing all of them as the same time. $190
OtterBox Venture 45
OtterBox is what made smartphones viable for the decade they’ve been around. Those first few generations of touchscreen phones would have been glass dust without the company. That also means we’ll trust them to make anything that requires durability. One of their hard shell coolers will probably outlast us, our grandkids, and the sun, all the while keeping beer cool inside. There are three different sizes, but we like the 45. It’s perfect for a weekend away or a small party, and there’s the added benefit that it can also act as an enormous phone case. $300
YETI Tundra 65
YETI is the cooler you want to go with when you’re trying to preserve an iceberg. They’re designed to keep and hold things as cold as dry ice and could probably freeze a few beers solid if you set things up wrong. We also appreciate how simple looking they are, while also packing more features and capabilities in than anyone has any right to expect from a cooler of any caliber. Every bit of it is designed with durability and functionality in mind. The only reason you’d ever need another cooler is you need more space. $350
Pelican Elite 70 Quart Cooler
Pelican is one of the last companies to still offer an unconditional replacement warranty, so please, whatever you do, don’t abuse it. People have already ruined L.L. Bean’s and last we heard Craftsman’s had passed into ancient rumor (that might not be true, but we’re not hopeful). Besides, you’ll have to go wildly out of your way to intentionally break a Pelican cooler, so don’t exhaust yourself. Use this cooler the way it should be and you can pass it on to every relative you have for the next 400 years. Then maybe they’ll be able to replace it. $350
RollR 60
RollR 60 got its start on Kickstarter, which is the home of 10,000 products that are scams that don’t work for every one that does. Luckily, this is the one that does. It’s built to be highly customizable, with its shop page displaying a bunch of cool accessories. You can get cutting boards, stash bags, cup holders, bottle openers, and little twisty lights to attach to the handles, and a wagon bin and a dry bin are both included in your purchase. Anyone who loves buying gadgets for their gadgets will love this cooler. $399
