ICON Coolers Review

ICON coolers are taking great pride in being one of the few manufacturers who are born and raised in America. Actually, the brand’s HQ is located in North Carolina, which is an environment that pushed Icon to create robust high performance coolers.

Being an all American brand is a great place to start since the quality control is far more reliable and the customer service is easily reached. However, does that make Icon Coolers a good brand? If not then how can we determine what makes a cooler great?

Well, glad you asked because this right here is the Icon Coolers Review you’ve been looking for.

In this review, we will place the brand under the scope and tackle their offerings, Quality, features and insulation performance. So, let’s get right to it.

ICON Coolers – Compared

Coolers	Capacity (Quarts)	Dimensions (L x W x H)	Weight (Lbs)
ICON 32	32	• External 19.50" x 14.50" x 15.50" • Internal 14.50" x 10.50" x 10.50"	18
ICON 50	50	• External 29.25" x 16.75" 16.25" • Internal 24.00" x 12.75" x 11.50"	28
ICON 75	75	• External 33.00" x 17.50" x 18.00" • Internal 28.125" x 12.45" x 13.25"	38
ICON SS24	24 Cans	• External 19" x 11" x 12.5"	4.50
ICON SS48	48 Cans	• External23" x 16" x 15"	8

Available Sizes & Dimensions

Since variety is key, Icon decided to invest in both hard and soft sided coolers. However, their investment can be described as lacking on both ends.

Unfortunately, the brand at hand does not offer a wide variety of coolers for you to choose from and that can be seen through their hard sided collection.

Hard-Sided Coolers

In their hard-sided catalog, you’ll find that Icon showcases 3 options only. Nevertheless, these three coolers are guaranteed to cater for the majority of you out there with the exception of some specific niches.

First, Icon presents its iconic 32, which is a relatively small cooler with a lot of potential. Indeed, the cooler at hand measures 19.5″L x 14.5″W x 15.5″H, making it a solid match for solo anglers and small game hunters.

Nonetheless, if the 32 isn’t enough for you then perhaps you’d be more satisfied with the Icon 50.

The ICON 50 is indeed larger as it measures 29.9″L x 16.7″W x 16.2″H and that is plenty big for a serious angler. No question, this cooler can handle an outdoors adventure with its 72Qt capacity.

Lastly, Icon presents the gigantic ICON 75 with a capacity of 94Qt and unlike the previous two, this model comes in one color only: Bonefish white.

This cooler is thus very capable, making it a viable option for dedicated hunters and anglers. To put you in perspective, the Icon 75 measures 33″L x 17.5″W x 18H”.

SIDE NOTE: Recently, it’s extremely hard to find ICON Coolers available for sale online. In addition to our in-depth ICON review (continued below), we’ve provided some of the best selling alternatives below:

Soft-Sided Coolers

In the soft-sided department, Icon goes even smaller, limiting itself and the buyer to two basic options. Nonetheless, it is worthy of noting that most brands out there do not exceed 2 to 3 options in the soft-sided line.

So, without further ado, here is what you can expect from Icon’s soft-sided coolers.

Icon is keen on quality and their soft-sided selection is a great example of that. However, if you’re looking for variety then you’ll be limited to a small 24 can model & a large 48 can upgrade.

While both coolers are tough, the smaller one is only practical in casual events such as picnics, beach days & work posts. On the other hand, the 48 can Icon is a solid pick for campers and avid hikers.

ICON COOLERS Soft-Side Portable Cooler Bag

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Design & Build Quality

Since it does ask for quite a hefty amount of money, Icon justify its long reach with an impeccable product quality.

In fact, Icon does not exaggerate when they argue that their coolers are strong enough to handle any and every type of environment you put them through because they are built to outlast their competitors.

A quick inspection of the design would certainly give away a lot of intel on what to expect from these coolers.

Icon coolers are so tightly packed together, giving them an impressive density that will prove capable of handling a lot of pressure. Also, while they’re not unique, Icon coolers dedicated a little more attention to the smaller details such as the flush latches and the undisturbed unity of the cooler.

As far as quality goes, we think that it can be easily summed up in two principle factors: rotational molding and top notch Polyethylene. Indeed, these coolers are all built through a rotational molding process which entails a dual axle motion to build the solid mold of the cooler. Consequently, a perfectly unified cooler will be extremely difficult to crack since it virtually has no weak spots.

Second, Icon coolers are constructed via a robust polyethylene compose that becomes unbreakable once it takes its final form. Hence, this kind of plastic isn’t the type that collapse under pressure, instead it bends to maintain its form. Nonetheless, it must be understand that it is almost impossible to damage these coolers even if thrown from a roof top.

ICON COOLERS 32 (Aqua Mist Blue)

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Ice Retention & Insulation Ability

Before we even think of making the purchase, we must dig up the insulation capacity of a cooler and the ice retention record. However, we had to review quality first because it would make a whole lot of sense now that you know how Icon coolers are built.

First things first, the elements that impact a cooler’s ability to maintain ice are the building process, the insulation quality and the gasket.

Thus, as mentioned earlier, Icon coolers are roto-molded which means that their molds are unified and that is a great way to maintain ice.

Indeed, with an impenetrable shell, ice is given a safe environment that is shielded from the sun, heat, and UV rays.

Nonetheless, heat will protrude one way or another if not for proper insulation. Accordingly, Icon coolers are recognized to be one of the best insulated coolers on the market because of their unique foam injection.

Now, it is critical to note that Icon coolers’ walls are not as thick as you’d want them to be. However, they are pressure injected via a high-density foam that harbors thousands of tiny air bubbles. Thus, once the heat begins to infiltrate the polyethylene crust, the air bubbles disperse the heat and slow down its effect on the inside of the cooler.

Further, all Icon hard-sided coolers benefit from a decent gasket that will function as a seal to prevent warm air from getting through the cracks of the lid into the cooler and vice versa. Nevertheless, the gasket on Icon coolers is not the best we’ve ever seen and for the price they ask for, it should have been better.

In conclusion, putting all those elements together grants Icon coolers the ability to maintain ice for a staggering week at least & that is something that truly justifies the expense of getting one.

Features

Features are undeniably a big part of coolers because they are the channel through which we interact with these products. Hence, it is rather expected from a brand that charges so much to provide quality features that should make your experience less stressful.

So, in this section of the Icon Coolers Review, we will highlight their best features and how they can help you.

Latches

Latches were mentioned earlier in the Design section where we dwelt on how practical they are.

Indeed, these latches are easy to pick / lock, resilient and once in place, they are flush with the body of the cooler. Also, being rubberized, the simple latches will stretch and squeeze the lid down for maximal performance.

Roto-molded body

Icon coolers aren’t only perfectly polished but they are built to outlast any environment.

Thanks to the rotational molding build approach, Icon coolers are fortified and given a much needed performance boost. However, they’re not bear-resistant certified.

Handles

The handles on Icon coolers are very simple and common. However, the rope handles on these coolers are of a superior quality to most, which will enable you to carry more weight easily.

Also, in terms of comfort, the ropes are fused with a padded grip that will prevent the rope from squeezing your fingers.

Molded lock ports

For those of you who are often discovering the wild outdoors, you are going to appreciate the fact that these coolers come with a nifty integrated lock port on both front ends of the lid.

That said, your cargo is guaranteed to be safe and secured no matter where you are.

Draining plug

The draining plug on Icon coolers is unique because it comes with a self-draining system that will push the water outside the cooler without the need to tilt it to the side. Hence, this system will come in extremely handy for the larger models that will prove to be significantly heavier once loaded.

Also, the draining plug itself on Icon coolers is fine threaded and that will enable you to screw it out just enough to allow the water to escape without losing any ice.

Non-skid feet

Icon coolers arguably have the largest non-skid rubber feet on the market because of a very good reason.

Indeed, most anglers would tell you about the struggles of keeping a cooler in place on a boat or a slippery surface. Thus, these rubber feet become paramount to keep your cooler firm and steady, especially when using it as a casting platform.

Who Is It For?

While Icon coolers are extremely robust and reliable in terms of performance, they are fairly limited when it comes to variety and that limits their target audience. However, most people out there would be just fine with one of three hard-sided models they offer because they range from small to medium all the way to gigantic.

That being said, Icon coolers are masters of ice retention and that makes them appealing to professional hunters, anglers and long term campers.
Also, if you’re someone who’s looking for a practical way to keep your lunch & drinks frosty then you’re going to find your match in the soft-sided department of the brand.

ICON Coolers Vs. Yeti: Which Is Better?

As much as we’d like to support the underdog, it was extremely difficult for Icon coolers to keep up with Yeti in a variety of ways. Hence, we decided to take it down a notch and compare Icon coolers to Yeti Tundra line instead.

In terms of variety, Yeti Tundra coolers are a master of their element since they exhibit over 7 different models including soft and hard coolers –the bigger of which is the Yeti Tundra 350: 82.4 gallons. On the other hand, Icon coolers are fulfilled with a meager selection of 5 coolers on both sides and the biggest one is the Icon 75 : 95 Qt.

Quality is different however because we truly believe that Icon has a clear advantage here. Indeed, one look at an Icon cooler, in comparison to a Yeti, will give away a lot of input. Icon coolers are mastered to the minute details and the built materials invested in them are some of the best out there.

Since the most influential aspect of a cooler is its ice retention abilities, Icon invested heavily in insulation and that resulted in substantial progress. Nonetheless, the Yeti Tundra line is quite the match and it is rather difficult to tell which is the winner here. Indeed, while Yeti Tundra coolers average around 6 to 7 days of ice retention, Icon coolers reach around 6.5 days maximum.

In terms of pricing, Icon does not really aim for the budget buyer; instead it actually matches Yeti’s prices. Hence, it is definitely difficult to make up your mind on which to choose and the final verdict is completely up to you and your personal preference.

Compare To: YETI Tundra 45 Cooler

ICON Coolers – Bottom Line

In conclusion, Icon coolers are definitely something to think about since they are robust performers with plenty of potential. However, they still come at a price which isn’t exactly competitive in a market where you can get your hands on an amazing cooler for less than 200 bucks.

Nevertheless, compared to bigger brands like Yeti, Icon coolers’ cost becomes justified and a viable investment that you will not regret.

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