Engel, Yeti, Brute, Pelican, Other?

[arbogaster]

Looking at a high end cooler in the 80 qt range plus or minus. I've got a trophy boat and I want to use the cooler as a seat on the passenger side. Everyone talks about Yeti but I think it is because they are the heaviest advertised and also why they are also the most expensive. Anyone have an opinion of some of the other brands?

Right now I like the pelican and the Brute just because they are cheaper and offer similar features and are AMERICAN MADE!

[Chummer]

Check out Yukon. Made in Texas.

[sslopok]

Those Igloo Yukon Coolers look bad @$$. I saw advertising for them on a fishing show. The brutes and the Yukons are made in the USA. Too bad I can't afford anything but a Coleman Extreme...

[ChampionShip]

Grizzly might be a better price point. One of the guys that works with us has one and it's awesome.

[Patio]

West Marine has a fine selection of coolers.

[SUPERTRAMP]

I have an igloo 150 with cushion on the top and it works great. my biggest complaint is that we do have to replace the hinges every once in a while, but it is a 10 dollar fix and I keep a couple on hand, 6 screws and easy squeezy lemon peezy fix. best of all under 225 dollars if you shop around.

[SeaCatMich]

About 15 years ago I bought an Igloo Max Cold 40Q cooler to bring back fish from the Florida Keys to Michigan. Packed it full of frozen fish and ice to the top. 3 days of driving in March with temps in the mid 70's all the way to Ohio but when I opened the cooler at home there was no melted ice and the fish was all still solidly frozen.

I subsequently bought a 150 quart model for a fish box for salmon fishing about 14 years ago. Used it in my previous boat as the fish cooler and seat for 3 years. The new boat has a built in fish box, but the Igloo is used to take fish to the cleaning station and then to pack the fillets for the trip home (along with the 40 quart on good trips). It is still going strong and has really been beat around... still looks good too.

They are around $70 at Sam's Club if you or a friend has a membership. At that price and performance I think it is hard to beat. I know the Yeti coolers are close to 5x that much. Parts like the hinges, drain plugs, and latches are easy to repair if needed and readily available... so far I had to replace a hinge and a drain plug because someone took it all the way off at a cleaning station and didn't put it back on.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/igloo-maxcold-cooler-150-qt/157017.ip?navAction=

[hear fishy fishy]

I have a cooler like the one from Sam's it works good. Only complain was the hinges but I replaced them with the stainless for ten bucks.

[Cork Dust]

But they aren't bear proof!!! Sadly, I have repeatedly had to kill bears attempting to board the boat to protect my Brute cooler from destruction! The near $150 dollar price differential buys allot of ice to put in the Brute cooler. Handle design is better egonomically for a one man carry as well.

If you need to go to dry ice, they make a great freezer as well

There is going to be an article in Fly Rod and Reel that does a direct comparison of the two brands at equivalent capacities. Yeti comes out a smidge better...

[ted's adventure]

If hinges have holes and separate I use tie straps thru hole sto keep lid on and attached, effective quick fix

[prop nut]

the new ukon coolers are awesome but pricy still less than a yeti and made in the usa

you don't have to buy a special bad lock to lock it

you will never replace a hinge on one of these bad boys

[plymouthpd]

A stainless steel piano hinge is a good replacement for the plastic ones.