RTIC 45 QT Ultra-Tough Hard Cooler, Tan

Why it's worth it

RTIC packs up to 2.8 inches of closed-cell foam into a rotomolded shell, which is thicker on paper than what Pelican or YETI publish. You give up capacity and bear certification, and you keep almost all of the ice.

On paper it out-insulates coolers that cost considerably more. Up to 2.8 inches of closed-cell foam beats the roughly 2 inches in our top pick and in the YETI Tundra. Published side-by-side comparisons land its retention within about a day of the Tundra 65 in hot conditions. For most trips, one day of margin isn't worth what the gap in price buys you elsewhere.

It's the easiest rotomolded cooler here to actually pick up. At around 21 pounds empty it's roughly ten pounds lighter than the Pelican, which you'll notice every time it goes in and out of a trunk. Forty-five quarts fits about 60 cans, which covers a couple over a long weekend or a family for two or three days.

From our review of 9 coolers for ice retention, by Genevieve Dubois, Home & Living Expert

What we like

• +On paper it out-insulates coolers that cost considerably more
• +It's the easiest rotomolded cooler here to actually pick up
• +The shell is rated to be furniture
• +Two details save you from digging

What to know

• –Forty-five quarts is the ceiling, and there are no wheels
• –It isn't bear certified