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Yeti 65 vs. RTIC 65 vs. ORCA 58 vs. Lifetime 65: Which Makes the Best Hard Cooler?

Yeti 65 vs. RTIC 65 vs. ORCA 58 vs. Lifetime 65: Which Makes the Best Hard Cooler?

    If you are looking for the best coolers in the market, there are four most popular brands:Yeti,RTIC,ORCA and Lifetime.They certainly have their advantages and disadvantages, with some fairly major differences.But all of them do make some great coolers in the market.With near-identical designs, understanding which is better for you can be tough.Is RTIC or Yeti better?Which is better Orca or Yeti?Yeti vs. RTIC vs. ORCA vs. Lifetime:Which makes the best hard cooler?I'll compare a couple of the brands’ best-sellers:Yeti 65 vs. RTIC 65 vs. ORCA 58 vs. Lifetime 65 to help you make a choice!You should be able to find out about all the necessary information you need throughout this guide, covering everything from size capacity, and the quality of each cooler in relevance to their standard prices, unique features, overall build design, and many more.

Cover Photo:yeti.com
 

Yeti Tundra 65 Review

Google Users Rating: 4.8/5

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Source:yeti.com

The name Yeti has become synonymous with quality and durability.The Tundra 65 is Yeti's most versatile cooler.It is just as adept at keeping your catches cold in the field as it is storing the drinks and food for your backyard barbecue, this ice chest is plenty roomy, holding a limit of redfish or your prized brisket.The Rotomolded Construction makes the Tundra armored to the core and virtually indestructible so wherever you decide to take it, this portable cooler’s sturdy construction will stand up to the rigors of the journey.

All Tundra coolers feature T-Rex Lid Latches constructed of heavy-duty rubber so you’ll never see another busted latch and has patented keeper technology.It has some of the best-performing insulation in the game and is intensely durable.It does everything you want from a chest cooler and more. With an included dry bin for sensitive items, handles that are comfortable and easy to use (even with sweaty palms…), and the right combination of size and shape for all your picnic necessities, the Tundra is likely the last cooler you'll ever need. 

ProsCons
  • Rotomolded construction.

  • Higher capacity and world class durability and insulation.

  • The smooth interior walls make this cooler easy to clean.

  • Double haul tight-grip handles.

  • Excellent ice retention.

  • Perfect height and textured lid make for a very comfortable seat.

  • Interlocking lid system.

  • It has an amazing warranty.

  • Sticky rubber feet.

  • Freezer-quality gasket.

  • Heavy and lack of wheels.

  • It is very expensive compared to coolers that do almost as well.

  • Don’t lose that drain plug, it doesn’t come with a leash.

  • In a volume test, this cooler was found to only hold 56 quarts instead of its advertised 65.

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RTIC 65 QT Hard Cooler Review

User Reviews: 4.8/5

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Source:rticoutdoors.com

The RTIC 65 QT Hard Cooler is the best large cooler available on the market. It’s ideal for marine, hunting, or camping trips, and can hold up to 64 cans plus ice. So whether you’re out in the wilderness or enjoying a cold one with friends, the RTIC 65 QT Hard Cooler will keep your drinks and food perfectly chilled.It offers great value for money while not sacrificing any level of quality.And it ends up being a good bit larger than the Yeti Tundra 65 despite the similar name. When empty, it weighs in at 36.5 pounds and can hold 64 cans or 75 pounds of ice.But its ice retention is slightly less than the YETI 65. 

Like so many coolers out there, the RTIC touts a familiar design with some impressive functionality that makes it both durable and incredibly useful. With two drains, comfortable handles, a large capacity, an easy to use design, the RTIC might be the cooler you've been looking for.

ProsCons
  • Tough and highly durable.

  • Large amount of storage space.

  • Affordable price for a high-end cooler.

  • Easy to carry.

  • Rapid draining.

  • Impressive insulation.

  • Non-slip feet.

  •  Impressive ice retention: Up to 6 days at a refreshing temperature of 50º F.

  • The dry goods basket has to be purchased separately.

  • It is very heavy.

  • Short warranty program.

  • No plug leash.

  • Latches stretch quite far.

ORCA 58 Quart Hard Cooler Review

User Reviews: 4.7/5

Source:orcacoolers.com

The ORCA 58-Quart cooler has some great features, including one of the best designs for insulation and durability even among the top brands in the industry. These factors, plus the easy handling to the amount of storage ratio, make this a really unique find in outdoor equipment.You can carry it easily, alone or with help from a friend thanks to the extendable flex grip handles. It has an easy flow drain spout and the standard lifetime warranty that people expect from Orca coolers.

Despite being a serious heavyweight in the cooler category the ORCA doesn’t take itself too seriously: it is available in a variety of funky colors and includes whimsical whale tale shaped latches.ORCA’s dominance in insulating ability and excellence in portability made it our choice for best insulation on a more compact cooler. 

ProsCons
  • Probably the best insulation in the business.

  • Excellent insulation.

  • Can easily be carried by one person.

  • Great drainage.

  • Durable, compact design.

  • Holds enough food to get stranded on a desert island.

  • Can stand up to lots of abuse.

  • Tall narrow shape is hard to dig through.

  • Listed price is a little more expensive than some models with the same capacity.

  • The lid closes on you when you least expect it!


Lifetime 65 Quart Cooler Review

Amazon Customer Reviews: 4.8/5

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Source:amazon.com

The LIFETIME High Performance Cooler is the ideal choice for campers, hunters, and adventurers. This rugged built cooler was designed for the outdoors person who is going to be spending a lot of time in nature and needs a solution to preserve their food. With up to 8 days of ice retention and a strong durable build, its performance exceeds most premium priced coolers. The insulated lid and body provide protection and ice retention while remaining light enough for easy transportation. 

The 65-Quart Cooler offers plenty of space for multiple days out in the wilderness. With its excellent performance and top quality design, the LIFETIME Cooler is the perfect option to take with you on your next trip.

ProsCons
  • Up to 8-day ice retention.

  • Certified to withstand a bear for up to an hour.

  • Dual purpose grip and slide feet.

  • Easy-to-drain spout with garden hose compatibility.

  • Stainless steel bottle opener with padlock compatibility.

  • Two rubber latches - easily opened with one hand.

  • Lifetime Coolers are not roto molded.

  • Lifetime coolers aren’t water-tight. 

  • Some reviews mention a leaky drain plug. 

Yeti 65 vs. RTIC 65 vs. ORCA 58 vs. Lifetime 65: Comparison Side by Side

1.General Specifications


Yeti Tundra 65RTIC 65 ORCA 58Lifetime 65
Dimensions -Outside (LxWxH)30.6 x 17.3 x 16 inches27.2 x 19.57 x 18.7528.4 x 18.1 x 17.5 inches
Dimensions - Inside (LxWxH)23.6 x 10.6 x 11.1 inches18.5 x 12.3 x 13.375 inches21-23 x 12-13.7 x 13 inches
Weight29 lbs.36 lbs.36 lbs.25.5 lbs
Capacity
  • 42 beer cans (using 2:1 ice-to-can ratio)

  • 52lbs of Ice (only)

  • Up to 64 can capacity

  • 65 qt / 16.25 gals of water

  • Holds 70 lb of ice

  • 58-quart storage capacity

  • Up to 72 cans

  • 14.5 gal

65-quart storage capacity
Type of ConstructionRotomoldedRotomoldedRotomoldedBlowmolded
MaterialPlasticPlasticPlasticPlastic
Color Options32103
Handle2 handles (side)2 handles (side)2 handles (side)2 handles (side)
Warranty5-year1-yearLifetime5-year

2.Insulation

Insulation capability is what we consider first because the main purpose of buying a cooler is to keep our food and beverages cool and fresh -- and, more importantly, to prevent food poisoning. As you may know, bacteria grow rapidly between 40°F and 140°F. Coolers are our solution to prevent food from spoiling, especially during trips and outdoor activities.

Yeti Tundra 65 - The coolers are constructed with rotationally molded plastic to create wall thickness, giving them the inherent strength for any abuse in the wild. Because the rotomolding process creates a seamless, continuous thick wall, your Yeti ice chest has extra insulation and tighter seals. 

Yeti engineers use pressure to put polyurethane foam into the walls of this 65-quart cooler to give it permafrost insulation; they call this the Fatwall design. The bottom and side walls have 2’’ of insulation. Even better, its lid has 3’’ of insulation, making this cooler a well-rounded model since the lid is where the warm air beats down the most. The better your lid and gasket are made, the better insulated your cooler is.

RTIC 65 - 3-inch foam insulated walls provide durability and long lasting ice retention. The combination of durable rubber T-latches and molded tie-down slots will keep your food and beverages safe and secure.

ORCA 58 - The ORCA is the clear choice for anyone looking to push insulation performance on long trips far away from places that sell ice. It slightly taller than most of the other models , making its shape a bit closer to a perfect cube. This geometry decreases the surface area to volume ratio, meaning heat has fewer surfaces through which to radiate into the Extra Heavy Duty than in other more rectangular models of a similar size.Besides,the walls are really thick; the lid fits like it has an airtight seal and it just looks like a cooler that is going to keep everything really cold.

Lifetime 65 - The lid is sturdy and has a rubber gasket that is commercial-grade. This provides excellent insulation and keeps the cold out.The lid includes rubber latches that allow for tight closing. They are easy to use and have an easy mechanism for locking them.

3.Ice Retention

Yeti Tundra 65 - Yeti no longer makes specific claims of ice retention, as they admit that this number will vary greatly depending on what you do to prep your Tundra and what you decide to put in it.The Yeti Tundra 65 utilizes 56 pounds of ice in combination with its thick insulated walls and premium component to give an impressive 7 days of ice life.

RTIC 65 - With the RTIC 65 Quart hard-sided cooler, 10 pounds of ice with a full load lasted about 4-5 days at FDA-approved safe food temperatures of less than 40º F. With 20 pounds of ice, you could get a full 6 days at this temperature! And if you’re only keeping things cool, like drinks, you can get nearly a full week at 50º F.

ORCA 58 - It was able to maintain temperatures below the FDA recommended 40˚F for an impressive 6 full days.It also retained ice for an impressive 7 days. 

Lifetime 65 - Lifetime advertises 7-day ice retention.However it is more likely to get 5+ days ice retention in hotter weather and around about 7-8 days ice retention in cooler weather. There are a lot of reviews on YouTube by actual customers putting it at a much lower figure of between 3 and 4 days.

4.Durability

Yeti Tundra 65 - The name Yeti has become synonymous with quality and durability. The reputation that these coolers have is unlike any other, which is why they are among the biggest-selling cooler brands in the world.

RTIC 65 - Despite having a visually similar appearance to many products certified by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, the RTIC is not. However, it still stacks up to be a pretty tough cooler. Everything on this cooler is strong and airtight. It does scratch fairly easily, but it’s not a big deal.In general, I find the RTIC to be pretty darn durable, but not the most.

ORCA 58 - The construction of this cooler is really solid. The hinges are thick nylon and don’t look as if they are going to wear out anytime in the next dozen or so camping trips, even with everyone opening and closing it every fifteen minutes or so.

Lifetime 65 - The Lifetime lineup of coolers is more susceptible to scratches and warping of the lid over time. The latches of the cooler do not feel as robust compared to a roto molded cooler. Considering durability and longevity the Lifetime is still a scream buy for the price-point.

Conclusion: Which Cooler is Best for You?

These coolers are almost identical. They can hold pretty much the same amount. They have similar insulation. Ultimately which cooler is best for you will depend on what you value as well as what your budget is.

If you just want the better overall cooler considering the insulation and ice retention, you can go with the YETI. The Tundra 65 weighs 29 lbs. when empty and allows up to 42 cans or 52 lbs. of ice with an ice life of up to 7 days.However, it has a smaller internal capacity.

If your primary concern is storage space, go for RTIC.The RTIC 65, which is a bit larger than the Yeti Tundra cooler, holds 13 pounds more of ice. However, it comes with a 1-year warranty, and you have to buy the dry goods basket separately.

If you need a bigger capacity, the ORCA is a no brainer.It has the same great features as the Yeti Tundra 65, but also has better qualities:

  • Lifetime Warranty

  • Better Ice Retention

  • Color Availability

  • Made 100% in the U.S.

If you just want to save money, Lifetime a pretty dang good cooler. Actually, we don’t really need six days of ice retention, it would be just fine with Lifetime’s four days of ice retention. 

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2022-08-16 20:453919