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. Both coolers are packed with closed cell insulation and the thickness of the insulation seems to be comparable to each other. However in real world tests it does seem that Yeti consistently outperforms the Ozark by a fair margin. Ozark Trail on the other hand offers a similar, but not quite as good, version without the brand name and sells for a small fraction of the price. They’re a great reasonably-priced cooler option and work well. While it may not be the time of year to spend time outdoors, this is the perfect time to begin thinking about next summer while scoring a deal on a cooler! The coolers remained in the same location for the duration of the 6 day test, only being opened to snap daily progress pictures. The Pelican also features a different pull handle than the Yeti and Ozark coolers as well. I do think the Pelicans pull handle is the lowest on my list of the three. But even if you do deal with a minor quality issue, the amount of money you’ll save compared to comparable coolers is huge. Maybe you’ll get lucky and receive one without these problems. And these thick walls are coated in a UV-resistant layer that helps to protect the cooler from sun damage over time. Depending on if you go with an Ozark Trail hard-sided cooler or an Ozark Trail soft-sided cooler, you can expect different features. We will break down the specific features for each type of ice chest in the sections below. We think this is one of the best coolers for camper van life. 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. 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. I chose these coolers because they were the closest among the brands when it came to internal storage. My own personal beverage drama every summer has really pushed me to do this review. To me, worrying about the temperature of the drinks I have on my boat is the absolute last thing I want to be thinking about when I am heading out on the water. To achieve the extremely attractive price point that they did, Ozark Trail likely had to sacrifice a few things in the quality department. The result is a cooler that doesn’t have quite the level of fit and finish as, say, a Yeti or an Engel. For the fishermen out there, you will enjoy the molded-in fish ruler on the lid of the cooler. We will discuss these in greater detail in our reviews below. To start with, you will find an oversized drain that makes short work of any melted ice that is inside. The threaded drain can easily be removed and will be held in place thanks to the mounted chain it is on. And to maximize how much squeeze the gasket produces, having strong latches that provide a lot of clamping force is necessary. You will find the popular “T-latch” design on Ozark Trail coolers. While some brands will have the base of the “T” be what catches the pin, Ozark Trail has instead decided to have a hole in the middle of the latch that catches onto the pin.