YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler

I know what you are thinking. Three hundred and fifty dollars for a cooler. I thought the same thing. I said the words "it is just an insulated box" out loud to my wife while looking at it in the store. She agreed. We bought it anyway because we had been through three cheap coolers in four years and I was tired of fishing for drinks in lukewarm soup water by noon on a Saturday.

That was two summers ago, and I will never go back.

The Tundra 45 holds ice for days. Not in a laboratory setting, not in some marketing scenario where they keep it in a walk-in freezer. Real world, Texas summer, sitting in the bed of my truck at the lake, days. I loaded it up on a Friday afternoon camping trip and still had solid ice on Sunday morning. My old Coleman could never. The Permafrost insulation and the fat rubber gasket seal on the lid actually do what they claim.

Size-wise, the 45 is the sweet spot for a family. It fits enough drinks and food for a full day at the lake or a weekend campsite without being so massive that you need a buddy to help you carry it. It holds about 28 cans with a 2:1 ice-to-can ratio, or you can load it with steaks, sides, and drinks for a proper cookout. It also fits perfectly in the bed of a mid-size truck without sliding around, especially once you tie it down.

Here is something nobody tells you about a YETI: it doubles as furniture. This thing is built like a tank and it is certified bear-resistant, which means it absolutely handles a tired dad sitting on it at the campsite when all the chairs are taken. I have stood on mine to reach something on a shelf in the garage. It did not even flinch.

The T-Rex lid latches are satisfying to use and actually stay shut, unlike the flimsy clips on cheaper coolers. The drain plug works without leaking. The non-slip feet keep it from sliding in your truck bed. Small details, but they add up.

Is it expensive? Yes. Will you still think about the price three years from now when it looks and performs exactly like the day you bought it while your neighbor is on his fourth Igloo? No. You will just quietly smile and hand him a cold drink from yours.