If you’re in the market for a durable, high-quality, high-end personal use cooler, the Yeti Roadie may be one of the best on the market. Like larger Yeti chests, this coolers is touted as being grizzly-proof and virtually indestructible.
It is designed for longevity and to handle anything you can throw at it. In addition to being tough, this cooler is also highly functional and guarantees to keep your ice frozen and your stuff cold for not hours but days.
This is a great cooler for a number of uses. While it’s about the right size to use as a personal lunch box, is also has a pretty good sized interior capacity – enough for 14 12oz cans – so it’s also great for packing your contribution to a wooded shindig or virtually anything else that fits.
It’s also designed to go where you go. Being grizzly proof, it’s actually recommended for use in areas with a known bear population, which should give any camper peace of mind.
Basic Features and Description
Like all Yeti coolers, this little guy features Roto-molded construction. This means it’s solid and virtually armored all the way through. This is also why it is able to stand up to a bear onslaught and come out on top. It also features their Permafrost Insulation, which ensures that your supplies stay cold. Not just for a few hours, but actually for days at a time with proper packing, storage and use.
The superior construction and insulation also ensure that the Roadie is sweat-proof. This can be a huge selling point when you’re packing for an extended trip. No one wants to get into their supplies and find that their cooler has gotten their other stuff damp. The Vortex drain is designed for ease and functionality and the Bearfoot feet are rubberized and keep your cooler in place – even when rested on damp surfaces, such as the floor of a boat.
This Yeti model also features some of the best hinges in the cooler world. They are advertised as being unbreakable and are also self-stopping. This means that you can dig through your cooler with both hands, rather than having to use one to hold up a lid. This may seem like a small feature, but customers love it; it’s far more practical in real life than it may seem in writing.
Specifications
This is one of the highest-quality personal sized coolers on the market. It’s heavy and solid and built with durability and performance in mind. Full product specifications are as follows:
Weight: 19.3 lbs total shipping weight
Dimensions: 20 x 15 x 15”
Model Number: YETI
The Roadie also includes Yeti’s trusted 5-year warranty.
Detailed Features
Rotomolded Design – the Yeti cooler claim to fame. This smaller cooler is designed to be just as durable as the larger chests. It was created to withstand assault-by-bear and can handle pretty much anything you can throw at it.
Insulation – patented Permafrost insulation keeps ice frozen for days with proper cooler use. Combined with the rotomolded design, it also prevents sweating.
Bearfoot Feet – high-quality rubberized feet ensure that your cooler stays put.
Vortex Drain–another patented Yeti feature, this drain is created to channel out leftover liquid quickly and effectively.
Grizzly Proof – the traditional Yeti selling point. Even in this smaller model, the manufacturer promises that your cooler is capable of handling even the abuse of a grizzly.
Hinges – both indestructible and self-stopping, this cooler features some of the premiere hinges in the industry.
3 Colors – consumers have the option of three classic Yeti colors; white, desert tan or ice blue.
20 Quart Capacity – holds 14 12oz cans plus ice or the equivalent volume of supplies.
Warranty – 5-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Customer Reviews and Feedback
The Yeti Roadie has over 100 reviews on Amazon.com alone and maintains a 4.5 star overall rating. Customers tend to love it, but because of the high price point they can be a bit critical, too. For the most part, it is well-loved by owners, and they are more than happy to share not just their love of the Roadie, but their recommendations so that other owners get the most out of their purchase.
Overall, the single most common theme among positive customer reviews is that Yeti really does deliver on the quality. Owners, especially first-time Yeti owners, are blown away by the construction and overall design quality. They recognize immediately that this little cooler really can withstand the abuse of a bear and/or anything they can throw at it, which seems to endear them to their new cooler pretty quickly.
Another common positive comment about the Roadie is how versatile it is. Most people look at it as a lunch cooler, but true outdoor enthusiasts love it for adventures like floating the river, day trips to keep their food/beverages cold even in the ambient heat, and a plethora of other uses. The huge selling point is that no matter where it’s taken, it does a great job. When it’s latched, it doesn’t spill your contents.
One of the biggest complaints about the Roadie is the price. But, it’s a matter of quality and getting what you pay for. Less expensive models can’t touch Yeti quality. Other less positive comments include that the Roadie is heavy (it is almost 20 lbs. empty), that the warranty is not as great as expected and a few people who can’t get over the price.
Practical Tips and Tricks
In order to get the most out of your new Yeti cooler, you the company provides as part of the packaging some tips to keeping the interior cool. There are quite a few that they list, so consumers can be virtually guaranteed to find one that works for their particular needs.
A few basic things to keep in mind when cooling any cooler is that you want to pack your cooler when it’s already cold and when the items you are storing are also cold. The interior of the cooler is heavily insulated, and it will equalize at the average internal temperature. So, if you put hot drinks into your ice or start with a hot cooler, you’re going to get less than optimum results.
One of the single easiest ways to ensure your cooler starts out cold is to cool it overnight first with a bag of ice. In the morning, drain out whatever excess water may have accumulated. You can use the ice that’s leftover to continue the cooling process. If you start out with an ice-cold cooler and cold drinks, you’re going to have a much better outcome. Also, store your cooler in the coolest location possible. Of course a cooler is going to cool better in the shade than in direct 100 degree sun. It’s just common sense.
Another trick that many people swear by is adding some rock salt to your ice. This lowers the freezing temp and keeps stuff not just cold longer but actually colder. Some peopled dislike this method because it can partially freeze beverages, but it’s great for maximizing the coldness factor. Especially if you’re going to be away for an extended time.
Finally, and perhaps most basic, keep your lid closed when it doesn’t have to be open.
Price Point and Comparisons
The Yeti Roadie 20 quart model runs just about $250. Shipping, depending on where you buy, can be pricy with an almost 20 lb. shipping weight, so it’s something you should keep in mind. There’s not a huge amount of variance in price no matter where you shop, unless you opt for a used model. If you choose to go new, expect to spend about 2 ½ bills.
One comparable cooler is the Yeti Hopper soft cooler, which is also 20 quarts. The Hopper is also about $100 more expensive, and has received far less favorable reviews than the Roadie. Unless you specifically need a soft cooler, the Roadie seems to be the better choice amongst the 20 quart models.
Conclusion and Recommendation
- Virtually indestructible design
- Sweat proof
- Keeps ice frozen for days
- Indestructible, self-stopping hinges
- Tough enough for grizzly abuse
- Compact
- 20 quart capacity
- Prohibitively expensive for some
- Almost 20 lbs. empty – can be quite heavy full
The post Yeti Roadie 20 Quart Cooler Review appeared first on Ratinginator.
No comments:
Post a Comment