Hands down, the RTIC line of coolers is the most requested cooler for us to review. It should come as no surprise as to the popularity of these coolers as they often half the price of a Yeti or other high end coolers. With all the Hype around the affordable cooler, can RTIC back it up with performance?
Jump To ⇒ RTIC Video Review
| PRICE: $$$ | PRICE: $$$ | PRICE: $$$ | PRICE: $$$$ |
| Held Ice: 4.75 Days | Held Ice: 5.25 Days | Held Ice: 6.5 Days | Held Ice: 6.5 Days |
| Made In USA: X | Made In USA: ✔ | Made In USA: X | Made In USA: ✔ |
| Colors: Tan, White | Colors: Various | Colors: White | Colors: Various |
| Full Review⇒ | Full Review⇒ | Full Review⇒ | Full Review⇒ |
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Comparison Vs Other Coolers
Rather than simply testing only the RTIC 65, we decided to match the cooler up against our top performing coolers to date. The RTIC 65 would go head to head with the OtterBox 45qt, Kong 50 qt & Techni Ice 63qt. We tested in the exact same fashion we test almost all of the coolers we test, which is:
- Pre-Chill Coolers for 24 Hours
- After 24 Hours Drain The Cooler Down
- Top The Coolers Off With Ice
- Add Beverages (Not Pre-Chilled)
- Rotate Beverages 3 Times A Day
- Leave Coolers Outside For Duration Of Test
121° During Cooler Test
All ice was purchased from the same location on the same day (even the ice we used to top off coolers). We made sure to leave gaps between the coolers so that one cooler would not cast a shadow on the cooler to either side. The coolers remained outside for the duration of the test which was conducted in June in Central Florida. Ambient temperatures were in the low to mid 90’s every day with lid temperatures reaching over 121°. The lids of the coolers got so hot at one point during the test that the LCD screen of one of our Thermometers burned up.
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Performance Results
Out of the 5 coolers tested, the RTIC was the largest cooler in the matchup and dropped out first. From all of our cooler comparisons, we know that cooler sizes plays a huge role in ice retention times. The RTIC 65 ran out of ice at 4.75 days, the same length as the Kong 50qt in Grey. The Kong 50 qt in white held ice for 5.25 days and the winners of the test, the Techni Ice 63 and the OtterBox 45 lasted 6.5 days. Considering the fact that larger coolers should hold ice longer, we can conclude that manufacturer is of superior importance. The OtterBox 45 (20 quarts smaller) than the RTIC held ice for nearly 2 days longer.
Cost Effective
Considering ice retention alone is not a fair comparison among coolers. Although a smaller OtterBox held ice longer, it cost twice as much as the RTIC. The RTIC is a budget friendly cooler capable of holding ice long enough for most individuals. We found the build quality of the 65QT cooler to be on par with many other roto molded coolers. The best selling point of the RTIC line of coolers is the size vs cost. These coolers can usually be purchased much cheaper than comparatively sized coolers. This is especially true when considering larger sized coolers.
