Depending on which model you go with, you will find the appearance of these ice chests to differ quite a bit. The most affordable models, the non-premium soft-sided coolers, come in a very safe, solid color. There may be some subtle grays or white pieces of fabric but, for the most part, the primary color will dominate. That being said, the two premium soft-sided coolers were no slouches. The tote, in real-life conditions, should hold ice for around 1 ½ days while the backpack should last a full day. There are very few head-to-head comparison tests between the Ozark Trail and other coolers like Yeti, so it’s hard to tell exactly where it stacks up in terms of ice retention. But from what I can see it’s one of the lower performing roto-molded coolers when it comes to ice retention. Luke is a co-founder of bestcooler.reviews, a cooler expert and author of 70+ reviews on this website. Though it’s a bit too tall to be able to leave in place when we want to make the bed, it fits just fine on the front seat. If you have a bigger van though, it would double as an additional seat in the cabin. How does this compare to some of the premium coolers on the market such as Yeti? You get to enjoy one of the best cooler bargains in the industry right now. And Ozark Trail’s diverse selection of coolers means that we are going to have results that are all over the place. Several models come with an expandable top that can increase the storage height by up to 3”. This makes it large enough to easily fit a 16-liter bottle or even stack 12oz cans on top of each other. Everything from their bucket to their cargo box to their coolers are made super tough and their soft sided coolers are no exception to this. The Ozark Trail Soft Cooler lineup is a solid contribution to this ever-growing company. There are enough size options and configurations to make most people happy. When it comes to the handles, they have followed the same kind of pattern you see in other types of coolers. In the smaller cooler, the 26-quart one, the handle is overhead. Yeti has clearly set themselves apart as the biggest player in the cooler space. Since they launched, they have carved out an incredible market share delivering products across the board from coolers to dog bowls. Pelican is a newer entry in to the world of rotomolded coolers and have taken their own spin on design and function. For the larger ones, you have side handles for a more comfortable haul. We still think they would do even better if they put wheels on the very largest cooler. In the great spirit of American entrepreneurship, they came up with a line of coolers that have a bunch of premium features but are also affordable. Both brand of coolers comes with a detachable shoulder strap so you can carry the cooler without your hands. If you don't love your purchase in the first 45 days, you can get a full refund with our hassle-free return process. Just fill out this form and we'll send you a pre-paid shipping label. We’ve found that in cooler temperatures, it keeps things cool for about 4 days but there isn’t any ice left after 4 days. On hot summer days when you can’t get any shade or coverage for the cooler or the van you can count on about 48 hours where there’s still a little ice. (The less you open it, the longer it’ll last so keep the opening and closing to a minimum). All in all, it’s a pretty solid ice chest and a major upgrade from some of the stryofoam and even Rubbermaid coolers of yore. Here’s our take on the Ozark Trail 26 Quart Cooler which we think is perfect for van life. The small towns in the Ozark region provide a peaceful atmosphere during winter, giving visitors a chance to experience the tranquility of the wilderness away from the crowds. The cooler months are the ideal time to enjoy the raw, natural landscape, observe wildlife, or simply relax next to a roaring fire.