I used the word “think” intentionally, because what I thought I knew about Ozark Trail was not correct. Ozark Trail is proving to be a really solid competitor for outdoor products. This cooler has a number of features that you would find on more expensive coolers and a few that you won’t find. Outside of the premium models (with their thicker insulated shell), these coolers aren’t designed to keep ice for long periods. They have harnessed this into their small but potent lineup of hard-sided coolers. These coolers are available in 26-quart, 52-quart, and 73-quart and fall somewhere in the intermediate to lower premium price tier. So no matter what type of bottle you tend to carry, they have you covered. Similar to the Ozark Trail cooler, the Pelican features orange wheel rims and also has orange clasp accents. You can get this cooler in three colors, Tan which is featured here, as well as graphite and white. The other two colors will have different rims and accents, so if you don’t love the orange you have options. The coolers in competition were the Ozark Trail 45QT Rolling Thermocooler, The Pelican 45QW Elite Wheeled Cooler, and the Yeti Tundra Haul. Eminence, Missouri, is a serene town in the heart of the Mark Twain National Forest, about 150 miles southwest of St. Louis. While the town bustles with life during summer, the colder months offer a peaceful climate perfect for unwinding away from the crowds. Betty Lea Lodge is a well-known getaway that offers discounted rates during the off-season. If you ever experience a product defect, we'll repair or replace your cooler for free. Depending on what you’re using the cooler for, the leaky drain spout might not be a big deal. For us, however, we keep our cooler in our car while traveling and we often camp in bear country. I don’t want any cooler water intermittently leaking and leaving food smells. The other downside to the Ozark Trail cooler is that it weighs 31 pounds empty. The Yeti has the most streamlined design of the three coolers, staying true to the original Yeti look and feel. The overall product weight of this cooler is 37lbs empty which is inline with the Pelican, but 7lbs heavier than the Ozark Trail cooler. The Tundra Haul features rubber clasps, which I really like, and hard plastic wheels. Check out our review of the Coleman Atlas Series 65-Quart Cooler with Wheels. Truthfully if it breaks it's probably going to be cheaper for you to simply buy a brand new Ozark Trail cooler rather than to go through the trouble of getting it fixed. You might get lucky, save hundreds and your Ozark cooler will last you years. Or you might use it for 2 months and have something important like the zipper or shoulder strap break and then you're stuck with a broken cooler. As you can see the Yeti line of coolers are SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive than the Ozark Trail line of coolers. Join to get special offers, free giveaways, and once-in-a-lifetime deals. We have a hunch this is because their testing was performed under more optimal conditions. Sure, if we were to fill the cooler up to the brim with nothing but ice, never open it, and leave it in a cool/dark area, the ice life would go way up. Here the ice retention is pretty impressive if Ozark’s own numbers are to be believed. The smallest hard-sided cooler is supposed to last 4.5 days, the 52-quart one is supposed to last 7 days, and the largest one is supposed to last 9 days. We have the hard coolers under the Ozark Trail high-performance line of coolers, then we have the 36-can Jumbo soft cooler, and finally the backpack cooler for the more mobile among us. Ozark Trail coolers have similar features to the Yeti Hopper Flip coolers with thick insulation, a waterproof zipper and shoulder strap. As is expected, the larger hard-sided coolers had a clear advantage over the soft-sided coolers. They are not only larger but utilize thicker insulation, rubber gaskets, and an overall more ice-friendly design. In addition to this, Ozark Trail also has some more mainstream designs for those who are simply on a tight budget and looking for a product to pack their lunch or picnic in. The Ozark Trail 45 quart cooler is known for its convenience and durability, with an industrial-strength locking plate to keep it sealed tight and wheels for easy transport. Featuring a fish ruler and confirmed bear-resistant by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, it's perfect for back-country adventures.