Polaris Northstar coolers are a contemporary brand with a great history. Indeed, this right here is the offspring of Polaris off-road, an ATV manufacturer and an outdoors fanatic. Thus, we did not hesitate for a second to compile a full on review of their introduction to the cooling universe.
Accordingly, Polaris Northstar coolers are significantly younger than the majority of competitors out there and that usually makes it tough for a brand to blend in. However, with the brand’s outdoors’ expertise, it was rather easy to rank up quickly on the ladder of attention.
Hence, in the following Polaris Northstar coolers review, we aim at an objective analysis of the brand, its available variety, quality & design and performance.
Thus, if you’re interested in getting your hands on a Polaris Northstar cooler but can’t make up your mind yet then this article should provide you with enough info to make a final call.
Polaris NorthStar Coolers Compared
Available Sizes & Dimensions
Variety is key in an industry where tastes, needs and requirements differ significantly. Hence, one of this brand’s biggest obstacles was to try and provide a blueprint lineup that satisfies most buyers.
Nonetheless, being a fresh face in the game, Polaris Northstar coolers decided to stick to a radiant selection that claims to have what everyone needs:
Polaris Northstar 15 Qt
One of the most compact coolers on the market is the 15Qt at hand since it combines both practicality and efficiency.
In fact, this tiny cooler is more powerful than it’d appear, making it one of the best lunchbox alternatives.
Accordingly, the tiny cooler at hand fits 12 bottles or 18 cans which is plenty for a job site, a couple days camping trip, a picnic or a long commute.
Polaris Northstar 30 Qt
Polaris Northstar 30Qt isn’t exactly the smallest hard-sided cooler on the market but it is more of a forced choice than a decision.
Indeed, this cooler is meant to strike a middle ground between campers, amateur anglers and small game hunters and it kind of works.
In other words, this cooler measures 18.3″ x 17.3″ x 24.4″ and holds up to 28 liters, making it a compact and spacious option.
Polaris Northstar 60 Qt
For a serious upgrade, you can always opt for the Polaris 60Qt, which is a much larger and much more capable cooler. Hence, the cooler in question is a solid option for avid anglers, hunters and pack campers.
Also, since it measures 18.3″ x 20″ x 32” and holds up to 56 liters, you can count on this cooler for long term expeditions.
That being said, this cooler is definitely an overkill for an individual angler who likes to chill by the creak for an afternoon fishing session.
Polaris Northstar 105 Qt
Perhaps you aren’t an everyday Joe, maybe you need an industrial size beast that can handle a a long journey.
If that’s the case then you’re going to love what the 105Qt Polaris has to offer. Accordingly, the cooler at hand is the brand’s biggest option and one which was designed specifically for professional hunters / anglers.
This exact cooler takes the performance & resilience of all Polaris coolers and adds a ton of room to that. The ice chest at hand measures 40” x 23” x 18” and can hold up to around 100 liters whole & that is impressive.
Design & Build Quality
Design and build quality are undeniably one of the brand’s leading qualities. Truly, Polaris has made a subtle transition between ATV vehicles and ice coolers but their core principles weren’t forgotten because these coolers are as tough as off-roader.
Before getting into more details on quality, let us take a moment to admire the aggressive design of Polaris coolers. If anything, this lineup inherited the ferocious look of an ATV and that ends up influencing the brand’s approach to quality as well.
Definitely one of the toughest brands on the market, Polaris Northstar had no problem integrating into the market and outshining ‘premium’ brands. Now, don’t get us wrong, we are fully aware that the brand at hand charges a significant amount of money for its coolers but these heavy-duty coolers are worth it.
In detail, Polaris Northstar coolers aren’t only Rotomolded, they’re also supported via a thick polyethelene wall that is injected with dense foam insulation. Accordingly, the rotational molding process entails a dual axle motion that shapes a unified tough plastic mold with Zero gaps or weak spots. Once that is done, the manufacturer proceeds to pressure inject the mold with a high intensity foam, resulting
in a 2 inches thick wall.
Consequently, Polaris Northstar coolers are one of the few that earned their bear resistant tag and that goes to show just how resilient these products are.
Also, since these coolers are meant to be stored in high rough, hot & moist circumstances, it certainly helps to know that the outer shell is reinforced via a final coat that will prevent degradation and reduce UV rays effect.
P.S: Polaris NorthStar Coolers come in Two colors : Graphite, Desert.
Ice Retention & Insulation Ability
Despite being one of the toughest coolers on the market, Polaris would not have made it without its high performance ratings. Indeed, the first thing we check before buying a cooler is how long will it keep your ice & the answer Polaris Northstar coolers provide is interesting to say the least.
Accordingly, being considerably expensive, you’d expect a Yeti-like performance from this brand but you’d be surprised to know that Polaris coolers can actually overtake Yeti by a 30 hours margin.
Consequently, where Yeti coolers struggle to attain 5 to 6 days in extreme heat, the brand at hand can actually push an extra day and a half further. So, how does it do it?
Well, the answer to that question is compound because there isn’t a single magic trick that brands do to push ice retention life. Otherwise, everyone in the industry would be pulling some amazing results.
Hence, the first and biggest influence on ice is credited to the rotational molding approach that Polaris adopted for all their hard-sided coolers. Indeed, whatever cooler you decide to go for, it is guaranteed to give you at least a couple of days of ice retention because of the unified mold. Thus, although it would help to keep it out of direct sun light, UV rays have an almost insignificant impact on this shielded mold.
Further, once the mold is structured, the brand enhances that structure by injecting a high pressure dense foam inside the gap between the outer and inner shell. Now, this isn’t any foam because there are plenty of foam insulated coolers out there that barely reach a couple days of ice retention.
Polaris Northstar coolers’ foam insulation is a special kind that harbors thousands of tiny air capsules, which are going to disperse the heat and reduce its influence on the inside of the cooler.
Beyond the 2 inches wall, Polaris coolers also rely greatly on the air-tight gasket seal. We have reviewed many coolers before yet we must admit that this gasket is one of the cleanest and most effective out there.
In fact, once the lid is closed shut, you’ll feel a little resistance trying to open it back up and that makes these coolers feel and act like actual freezers.
Features
Undeniably, features are a big deal. Hence, once we heard that Polaris, the ATV manufacturer, is pushing its investment into the cooling world, we couldn’t help but wonder whether some of those ATV grade features would come along.
Now, Polaris has definitely tamed its aggressive character to produce top-notch coolers. However, that vicious & resilient taint can still be seen in the basic features of their coolers.
Accordingly, here are all the prominent features you should know about:
Travel lock system
One of the most underrated features on ice coolers is the locking system that is supposed to be on every cooler.
Indeed, it was always frustrating to see those premium brands going without a proper lock down system for travellers, off-roaders and boat owners.
However, Polaris did not forget that it is catering its products towards anglers and hunters who need a simple and direct way to tie down their coolers on board.
Thus, Polaris features 2 tie down ports on each side of the cooler to allow for an easy and quick tie down.
Multi-purpose lid
One of the smallest investment that truly makes your day is when a brand turns a simple lid into a hot spot packed with utilities.
Accordingly, Polaris didn’t only ensure that the lid is as thick and insulating as the rest of the body but it also gave it the integrity needed to carry a couple adults at once. Hence, feel free to use your Polaris cooler as a casting platform.
Also, we already mentioned the tie-down ports on the lid but we didn’t stress the importance of the freezer grade gasket and its critical role in maintaining the cool inside your ice chest.
Anti-Slip Rubber-feet
One of the easiest features that will improve your experience significantly, especially if you’re always on the move, is the gripping rubber feet.
These tiny rubber pads will help you secure your cooler on flat / smooth surfaces. Therefore, you do not have to worry about your cooler sliding around and potentially causing serious damage. Nonetheless, it is still advised to tie your cooler down if you’re planning to go on a bumpy ride.
Handles
All large Polaris Northstar coolers come with a simple set of rope handles, padded at the center for an easier comfortable grip.
Now, a lot of people tend to believe that rigid plastic handles are more practical than these “loose ropes”. However, rope handles are far more practical while transporting your cooler on uneven terrain and instead of making you swing, the rope will absorb most of movement.
Who is it for?
Unlike many upcoming brands, Polaris Northstar can actually be described as highly capable. Indeed, in no time, this brand managed to create a variety of coolers to suit the different needs and callings of the market, a job that many failed to accomplish despite being in business for many years.
Hence, we can confidently argue that Polaris has anglers, hunters and the regular Joe covered. Whether it’s a tiny, medium or large cooler you’re after, you are guaranteed to meet your match on this selection. However, that’s about it.
There are no specific taste adjustments & little variety, which might cost this brand a few clients here and there.
Polaris Vs. Yeti: Which Is Better?
Admittedly, it wasn’t easy to draw an objective comparison between Polaris and a renowned brand such as YETI. Hence, we decided to justify this provoked feud by comparing Polaris Northstar coolers to the Yeti Tundra lineup.
Since variety was our primary measurement on this Polaris Northstar coolers review, it’s only reasonable to initiate this race with that.
Accordingly, it must be noted that Yeti is completely dedicated to this line of work while Polaris is but a branch of an ATV conglomerate. Hence, Yeti Tundra takes an easy lead with its variety of 7 models whereas Polaris is satisfied with 4 for now.
Moreover, quality and design aren’t exactly at the essence of the decision making here but they are of significant value, taking into consideration the target audience and environment of these coolers. Hence, it was definitely a tough call but we had to give this one to Polaris, being exemplary to say the least.
Not to say that Yeti isn’t a quality manufacturer but our contender speaks volumes in build process and materials.
Performance wasn’t a tough call because while both brands ask for a significant price, one of them performs impressively better.
Indeed, Polaris coolers have been tested to overcome Yeti Tundra coolers of all sizes with at least 30 hours. Hence, while a Yeti would get you anywhere from 5 to 9 days (depending on the size of the cooler), a Polaris Northstar cooler of the same size can always do better.
Polaris Northstar Coolers – Bottom Line
In the end, Polaris Northstar coolers are amongst the few that will translate your money into real value.
Accordingly, once you make the decision to go for a Polaris Northstar cooler, there is no going back because you’ll never need another cooler again.
