YETI’s coolers are undoubtedly some of the highest-quality coolers that you can get your hands on. The coolers boast impressive durability and can keep food and drinks cold for extended periods.
The coolers are available in several different sizes, which means you can find a YETI cooler for a day out on the beach or a week-long camping trip with your friends.
However, getting your hands on the wrong sized cooler can be frustrating. Finding out that your cooler isn’t big enough to carry all the food and beer you need at the 11th hour can ruin the entire trip.
To help you find the best size YETI cooler, in this article, we will discuss the best coolers from YETI that you should buy depending on how long your trip is and how many people you’re traveling with.
But first, here’s a guide to help you figure out precisely what you need.
How To Find The Best Size YETI Cooler
Besides the YETI size, you need to consider a handful of other things when buying a YETI cooler. Not all of them are built the same, and getting the wrong cooler can ruin your vacation.
Ice Retention
Ice Retention rates vary from cooler to cooler, and the first thing you need to think about is how long you’ll be going away for. Generally speaking, the smaller your cooler is, the shorter it’ll keep your food and drinks cool for.
So, even if you’re only taking some beer with you but are going away for a week, a smaller cooler like the YETI Roadie 20 Cooler won’t be right for you. It’ll only keep your drinks cold for four days, which means you’ll need to make do with warm beer for the last three days of your trip.
What you need to know is that the bigger, the cooler is, the longer it’ll keep its contents cool for.
The Yeti Tundra 35 cooler will keep the contents cold for six days with ease. The Yeti Tundra 45 cooler and the Yeti Tundra 65 cooler, on the other hand, will keep foods and drinks cold for up to 8 days.
If you’re traveling with a larger group, you can consider getting the YETI Tundra 105 Cooler. Not only is it large, but it can also keep the contents cold for ten days straight.
Cold Lock/Insulation
When it comes to insulation, the YETI coolers are among the best the market has to offer. Every YETI cooler incorporates high-density closed-cell foam, enabling the cooler to lock cold air inside.
Additionally, the sturdy latches enable you to seal the cooler tight, ensuring that the cold air does not escape.
However, the insulation of the coolers does vary with size. The bigger the cooler is, the better its insulation, and the longer it will keep the contents cold.
Durability
YETI coolers don’t break that easily. However, if you’re going camping, you will need to consider the possibility of wild animals messing with your cooler.
If you’re visiting an area where bears are known to roam, you should buy the most durable cooler you can get your hands on.
The Yeti Tundra 35 cooler and the Yeti Tundra 45 cooler boast the perfect construction – they are just the right size to withstand impact.
While every YETI cooler boasts a strong construction and can take a beating, bigger coolers tend to be bulkier and hollow. So, if you don’t need a big one, save yourself time, money, and effort and get a smaller cooler.
Cooler Type
Many don’t know that YETI offers two different types of coolers: Hard-shell and soft-shell coolers. The technologies incorporated in the two different coolers make a big difference in the experience you’ll have with them.
Here are the key features of YETI’s hard-shell coolers:
- FatWall Internals: YETI incorporates its patented extra-thick walls into hard-shell coolers that act as an additional barrier between the cooler and the air outside.
- Rotomolded Build: The rotomolded tech enables YETI to craft their coolers as a single thick piece of plastic, and since there are no cracks or openings, the contents of the cooler never come in contact with the outside world.
- Permafrost Insulation: The Permafrost insulation is how YETI’s coolers manage to keep the drinks and the food cold for long periods. It is a thick layer of foam made from high-quality, pressure-injected polyurethane, making the coolers some of the best in the market.
On the other hand, soft-shell coolers incorporate these features:
- DryHide Shell: While the term “soft-shell” may lead you to believe that the coolers are weak, YETI’s soft-shell coolers are some of the sturdiest there are. They are made from a rigid material that is puncture-resistant. The DryHide shell is also waterproof and mildew-proof, meaning you don’t have to worry about your food getting spoilt.
- ColdCell Insulation: Unlike the hard-shell coolers, YETI’s soft-shell coolers feature closed-cell foam, which is positioned on the cooler’s interior. It helps maintain a colder temperature for a more extended period.
If you’re going on a more laid-back trip like on the beach, getting a soft-shell cooler makes a lot of sense. However, if you’ll be out in the wilderness, a hard-shell cooler is your best bet.
Best Size YETI Coolers
1. YETI Tundra 250 Cooler
The Tundra 250 is one of the biggest coolers that YETI offers and can hold about a hundred cans of beer and still have space to stuff ice. If you’re traveling with a large entourage of around a dozen, this is one of the best coolers you can get your hands on.
It’s also the right cooler to get if you like hunting big game. You’ll be able to pile elk, a quartered moose, or several deer in it without any hassle. The YETI Tundra 250 comes with a freezer-style gasket, which means the meat in it will stay fresh the whole trip. It can keep the contents cold for well over a week.
The cooler incorporates YETI’s PermaFrost Insulation, ensuring that the ice you put in it stays ice. It also features the FatWall design, making the YETI Tundra 250 certified bear-resistant. You won’t need to worry about durability at all.
The T Rex Lid Latches add to the cooler’s durability, and since they are constructed from heavy-duty rubber, you won’t be seeing a busted latch for years, if not decades.
Its two hinge pins, coupled with the interlocking design, ensure that the hinge never breaks off.
The cooler also makes cleaning it up after use easy. Its Vortex Draining System reduces the amount of work you need to put in after getting back from your hunting trip.
2. YETI Tundra 110 Cooler
The YETI Tundra 110 cooler is about half as big as the Tundra 250 is, but it shares all the features with the 250, making it the right option if you travel with a smaller group.
The Tundra 110 has enough space to hold well over 50 cans of beer and some food without running out of space for ice. If you hunt small game or just want to hunt one deer, this is the right cooler to get.
It’s also the right cooler to get your hands on if you’re going camping with a group of around six friends.
But it’s important to note that the Tundra 110 was designed for the rafting community in specific. If you’re going rafting with friends, you’ll be happy to know that the Tundra 110 fits all the major raft frames snugly. You won’t need to worry about your cooler going overboard midst your adventure.
The large rubber feet on the bottom also ensure that it doesn’t slide around much, giving you one less thing to worry about.
Since the cooler is smaller, it also has a shorter ice retention rate of roughly six days. If you usually take shorter trips, you shouldn’t have any problems with the cooler.
All things considered, if you’re looking for a camping cooler, you cannot go wrong with the Tundra 110.
3. YETI Tundra 105 Cooler
While the Tundra 105 has roughly the same capacity as the Tundra 110, it is taller, enabling you to stack drinks and meat high. Its unique design supplies you with tons of room to have a layer of ice on top of your items.
The Tundra 105 also has a slightly more bearable price tag than the 110 model, which is another significant advantage.
If you need a camping cooler for a six-person entourage, the Tundra 105 cooler is right for you. It supplies enough space to put away around 60 beers, which means you’ll be set for a long trip.
You don’t need to worry about ice retention, either. Customers report that the Tundra 105 can retain ice for six days without any trouble, so you won’t need to worry about your beers getting warm even if you’re taking a week-long trip with your friends.
The tall design, coupled with the LipGrip handles, makes the cooler a lot easier to carry than the 110 model.
The company also incorporates the same features that make the 110 and 250 models worth the money. The FatWall Design makes the cooler ultra-durable, and the Rotomolded construction makes the cooler virtually indestructible.
If you’re on the lookout for the best size cooler for your camping trip, YETI’s 105 model will be perfect for you.
4. YETI Tundra 65 Cooler
If versatility is one of your biggest deciding factors, the YETI Tundra 65 won’t disappoint. It’s perfectly-sized, allowing you to hold all the redfish you caught that day. Its size is also just right for a backyard barbecue or a picnic with your extended family. Many customers report that it made their picnics a lot less of a hassle.
The Tundra 65 cooler is the final cooler in the large cooler category. However, it strikes the right balance between portability and storage, so if you’re looking to enjoy the pros of the bigger coolers for a cheaper price, the 65 cooler is your best bet.
The 65 cooler has an empty weight of 29lbs, making it a lot lighter than the other bigger coolers on this list. While it is smaller and lighter, it boasts all of the same features that make the 110 and 250 models great.
The T Rex Lid Latches ensure that the cooler’s contents are never at the risk of falling out. The PermaFrost technology gives the cooler a three-inch-thick wall, ensuring that the contents stay cold for long periods.
The cooler has an ice retention rate of about five days, making it perfect for those shorter getaways with the family.
The Rotomolded Construction makes the YETI Tundra 65 virtually indestructible, and the AnchorPoint tie-down slots enable you to mount the cooler to your truck or boat with ease.
The cooler comes with a dry goods basket, making separating your goods a lot simpler. The lesser weight, excellent features, and reasonable price make it a superb buy.
5. YETI Tundra 45 Cooler
The Tundra YETI 45 is one of the manufacturers most popular coolers, and for good reason. It’s designed to provide both – an excellent capacity and a light carrying weight. The cooler has an empty weight of a mere 23 lbs!
The cooler comes with a carrying capacity of up to 26 cans, making it an excellent option if you like going on weekend camping trips with friends or taking short trips with the family.
The YETI Tundra 45’s size makes it the perfect ice chest for your beverages. However, you won’t have any trouble putting away that brisket.
Ice stays ice in the cooler, thanks to the PermaFrost insulation, and you won’t have to worry about its contents going warm for four days. The cooler boasts excellent performance considering its smaller size.
If you love to go fishing, this is the right cooler to get. It’s sized perfectly for an avid fisher, and you’ll be put away your catches for the day without running out of space. You also won’t have trouble packing a couple of beers in it for your day on the lake.
The YETI 45 Tundra also features the T Rex lid latches and the bear-resistant construction in addition to the excellent insulation. If you’re headed outdoors or going on the water, its solid exterior enables it to withstand the rigors of nature without much trouble.
For fishing and to store beverages for your time outdoors, the 45 YETI is one of the best models you can get.
6. YETI Tundra 35 Cooler
If you’re on a tight budget or are looking for a product that you can handle and haul by yourself, the YETI Tundra 35 will be perfect for you.
While the Tundra 35 boasts excellent portability, it also has an excellent carrying capacity. You can store up to 20 cans in it, allowing you to fit everything you need for a day out on the water.
The Tundra 35 comes in unique colors. You have over half a dozen color options to pick from, ensuring that if you’re on one of your beach adventures, you can keep track of your cooler with ease.
If you hold BBQs frequently for your family, you won’t regret getting your hands on the 35 cooler. It will provide a means to carry beverages and meat with ease for years, if not decades.
But there are several additional reasons why the YETI 35 cooler is one of the manufacturer’s most popular products. The heavy duty rubber used in the latch ensures that the items remain safely inside the YETI Tundra 35.
The YETI cooler also features the FatWall design, making the portable cooler bear proof.
Its ice retention time is also impressive, and it can store ice for four days before it starts to melt. If you’re looking for one of the best portable coolers in the market, make sure you consider getting the YETI cooler 35. The 20 cans capacity ice chest is one you won’t regret buying.
7. YETI Tundra Haul Portable Wheeled Cooler
Although it may look it, the YETI Tundra Haul is not a soft sided cooler. The product is a smaller cooler that enables you to transport drinks or food without needing anyone to help.
In addition to being light in weight and easy to handle, it features all of YETI’s hallmark features. The rotomolded construction ensures that you use it for years, and the commercial-grade polyurethane foam used ensures that the items stored stay cold.
One of the biggest pros of getting one of these Tundra coolers is that you don’t have to worry about punctures on your outings. The NeverFlat wheels are made from a single piece of heavy duty plastic, reducing the risk of a puncture during your journey, and making your outing more enjoyable.
While it’s one of the smaller Tundra coolers in YETI’s line up, it boasts a lot of the same features. Besides circumventing the risk of punctures, it ensures that mildew doesn’t form. Customers report their food remaining cold for a week!
But one of the cons of the portable cooler is that it doesn’t support the dry goods basket that the manufacturer sells separately.
On the plus side, though, the StrongArm handle makes for heel-friendly towing, the fun color options you can pick from allow you to keep track of the cooler with ease.
If you’re looking for a product that makes moving food and drink easier without compromising on capacity, the Haul Portable Tundra Cooler is among the best the market has to offer.
8. YETI Roadie 20 Cooler
If your friends have a BBQ all the time, and your group follows the BYOB culture, you will love the YETI Roadie 20 cooler. While the portable cooler isn’t a Tundra cooler, it is a hard sided cooler and shares many features with the Tundra version of coolers that the manufacturer sells.
The lunch bag design of the YETI roadie 20 cooler makes it perfect for travelers that need to cover large distances on the road but never refrain from having some fun with friends.
The YETI Roadie 20 cooler can hold up to 14 cans, meaning it has more than enough capacity to hold beverages for one person. The portable cooler is bear proof and features heavy duty rubber latches just like the Tundra coolers – durability and ice retention are problems you don’t need to worry about.
The YETI Roadie 20 cooler has a different purpose than the Tundra Haul. It doesn’t have wheels, but its sturdy handles do make it perfect for a day out on the water.
But perhaps the best thing about the cooler is the price. You won’t need to put down a lot of cash to get your hands on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular size YETI cooler?
The Tundra 45 is the most popular size YETI cooler – it’s sturdy, relatively cheap, and large enough to meet most people’s needs. If you’re looking for smaller options, though, the YETI Hopper M30 and the YETI Hopper Backflip may be right for you.
What color YETI cooler should I get?
Darker colors absorb the UV rays from the sunlight and deteriorate the cooler’s performance. Luckily, the company only sells coolers in light colors. However, getting your hands on a white color YETI cooler is the right way to go since it deflects sunlight, keeping the items in it cool for slightly longer.
Is YETI cooler the best?
While other brands offer more affordable options, they don’t last as long as YETI coolers. Any YETI cooler you get your hands on, be it a soft cooler or a hard cooler, will last you years.
What size cooler should I get?
There’s no “ultimate” size cooler. However, finding a cooler that meets your needs perfectly is possible. If you’re traveling with a large group, getting one of the bigger coolers like the Tundra 110 and 250 is the right way to go.
On the other hand, if you only go to the occasional BBQ or go camping once in a while, you cannot go wrong with the Tundra 65 or another smaller option that fits your budget.
When in doubt, get a cooler that’s slightly bigger than what you think you require.
Now that you know what you should be looking for and are acquainted with the best size YETI coolers available, making a decision should be much easier. Every cooler comes on this list comes with a warranty and is virtually unbreakable.
Keep your budget and size requirement in mind while glancing over the list another time. You’ll find the right YETI cooler in a matter of minutes.
Amazon Recommends:
- Works as an ice substitute or addition to your ice stash to make sure your contents stay colder for longer
- Durable design that is break-resistant to withstand the toughest of tumbles
- Made for the road and ready to go – The Roadie 24 Hard Cooler packs more while taking up less space. It’s built tall to accommodate critical bottles of wine and slim enough to squeeze behind the driver’s or passenger’s seat of a car
- HEFTYHAULER HANDLE - Designed for easy hauling and comfortable carrying
- The YETI Tundra 45 combines versatility with durability with a capacity of up to 26 cans with a recommended 2:1 ice-to-contents ratio
- Ice stays ice thanks to up to 3 inches of PermaFrost Insulation and an extra thick FatWall design is certified Bear-Resistant
