Whether you’re looking to keep your beers ice-cold on a scorching hot day or want to keep all your essentials chilled while camping, a cooler is an essential piece of kit for anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors.
One of the leading brands on the market is RTIC, and the RTIC 65 cooler chest has generated a lot of attention online.
Today we’re going to take an in-depth look at this cooler; assessing its features, pricing, bang for your buck, and how it compares to the competitors.
About the company
RTIC was founded by entrepreneurial twin brothers, John and Jim Jacobsen, who gained success in the cooler industry by selling their high-end products for less.
They specialize in coolers, but also create drinkware, camping gear, and bags. RTIC is centered around offering high-quality, durable products but at affordable prices.
They do this by cutting out the big box retailers and promoting their products through word of mouth and social media. Their mantra? “Overbuilt, not overpriced!”
RTIC 65: at a glance
The RTIC 65 is a hard, durable cooler with roto-molded construction, heavy-duty T-latches, and a freezer grade gasket.
Up to 3" of insulated walls keep your ice cold for days, while the robust structure doubles up as a bench, non-slip step stool, tabletop, and extra cutting board.
Features:
- Keeps ice up to 10 Days
- Rotomolded construction
- Heavy-duty rubber T-latches for smooth, trouble-free closure
- Molded tie-down slots to keep your cooler anchored
- Designed to be bear-resistant
- Rapid V-drain system for quick draining
- Traction lid can be used as a casting platform
- Heavy-duty rope handles with textured grips
- Cool-lift Design
- Integrated locking system
- Non-slip feet
- Freezer Style lid gasket for a tight seal
- Molded-In Side Handles for unbreakable, easy lifting
- Up to 3" insulated walls with commercial-grade insulating foam
- No sweat exterior keeps outside dry
- No-fail Hinges
- Easy-flow drain spout lets the water out, keeps ice in
RTIC Cooler Buying Guide
Specifications
Dimensions | Height 17 ⅛ “ x width 32 ¼ “ |
Empty weight | 36.5 lbs |
Capacity | 64 cans, 70lbs ice, 16.25 gals of H2O |
Insulation
This cooler has impressive insulation, which is unsurprising given its 3” thick walls and commercial-grade insulating foam which keeps the inside cool and the outside dry.
The RTIC cooler is more like a portable freezer than a cooler, and the manufacturers claim the cooler will keep ice frozen for up to 10 days, making it perfect for long camping trips when you need to keep your meat at a safe temperature for several days.
When tested, the RTIC 65 keeps food chilled for about 6 days, which is pretty impressive, though slightly less than the leading competitor.
Capacity
The 65-quart cooler is RTIC’s most popular. To put this size into perspective: this cooler can hold 70lbs of ice, 64 cans, 16.25 gallons of water, or 65 quarts of water.
This makes it the perfect size for keeping meats and beers cool during a barbecue or family camping trips.
Ease of Use
The RTIC couldn’t be much easier to use. It has two drain plugs, which makes emptying any liquid contents exceptionally quick and easy.
The latches are also very flexible and easy to maneuver, while the lid is easy to open and close and stays open to make unloading and loading more accessible.
The capacity and shape of the cooler also make it easy to fit in all of your beverages and food goods and you can fit in lots of different shaped items with ease.
The two drains make drainage efficient, though the cooler could be improved by adding a channel to both drains, rather than just the one.
RTIC could also include a dry bin with this cooler, as the RTIC 65 doesn’t have one, unlike other models on the market. However, these are minor drawbacks, and, overall the RTIC 65 is very easy to use.
Durability
One of the best features of the RTIC cooler is its durability, as like we said, RTIC cares a lot about making their products from high-quality materials.
The rotomolded construction makes this cooler practically indestructible, it’s even been designed to be bear-resistant, to keep prying paws off your grub.
The heavy-duty, rubber T latches ensure the lid is secured smoothly and firmly, eliminating the risk of the latches snapping.
The rope handles are marine-grade, so they won’t fray or split regardless of the weight inside.
The solid structure of this cooler is superior to soft cooler bags that can rip or wear with regular use, and this allows for a far greater capacity, too.
Not only this, but the cooler is so strong that you can use it as a table, step, or bench, without the fear of it collapsing.
Portability
The weight of the RTIC 65 when empty is over 36 lbs, so it’s never going to be a joy to cart this hefty cooler around.
However, the weight of the rugged RTIC 65 is counterbalanced by the marine-grade rope handles that enable you to easily lift and transport the cooler.
These also have textured grips to provide added traction and to maximize comfort when lifting, and these are moisture-wicking which is a helpful touch on hot, humid days.
While the handles are intended for use by one person, we have to admit that when full, this cooler is easier to carry if you have another person to help you out, but it is manageable by yourself, so long as you don’t have far to go.
Other features
There are a few added features that make the RTIC 65 a great choice for your cooling needs.
For example, the molded, tie-down slots keep the cooler anchored and the non-slip fit provides traction and grip to keep your cooler in place, which is particularly useful if you’re using it as a step.
The freezer-style lid gasket provides a tight seal so that your goods are always kept at an optimal temperature, while the traction lid is a great touch as it stops items from slipping when used as a table.
Cost and bang for buck
The RTIC 65 will set you back a few hundred dollars, but considering the 65-quart capacity, this isn’t a bad price at all.
Overall, the design makes this product great bang for your buck as the materials and design are of great quality and built to last.
Looking at the other brands on the market, like Yeti or Igloo, the same price would get you a similar style of cooler but a smaller capacity, making the RTIC great value for money and a good choice, in our opinion.
How does it compare to its competitors?
The RTIC cooler definitely deserves a place at the forefront of the market, and it’s up there with the highest rated coolers.
The stand-out feature is its impressive durability and large capacity, which provides great bang for your buck.
Compared with the leading competitors’ coolers, the RTIC definitely holds its own but may be slightly behind the YETI which provides superior insulation, keeping food chilled for 6.5 days compared to the RTIC’s 6 days.
In terms of the overall design, a pair of wheels like those on the RovR RollR 60 would be a great touch to make the cooler more portable, but this also comes at a higher price.
We definitely think the RTIC is the winner in terms of overall durability and robustness.
What we like about the RTIC cooler
- Super-strong, durable design that feels indestructible, making it ideal for all your camping adventures
- Large capacity accommodates 64 cans, 70lbs ice, 16.25 gals of H2O
- Marine-grade rope handles with added grips make lifting easier
- Two drains for convenient drainage
- Performance - keeps your ice cold for up to 10 days
- Non-slip feet and traction lid prevent slipping
- Versatile - cooler doubles up as a table, step, or bench
- The lid shuts securely and is easy to open
- The lid stays open to make loading or unloading easier
- Rubber T locks are flexible and easy to maneuver
What we dislike about the RTIC cooler
- It can be a struggle to lift or carry if you have far to go. Wheels would be a great touch, even though the handles do make the job easier.
- While there are two drain plugs, only one has a channel.
Final Verdict
Once you replace your soft cooler bag or box with a hard one like the RTIC 65, you won’t look back.
This cooler is impressive: it has thick, 3” walls that keep your food and drinks cool for 6-10 days, two drainage plugs for easy usage, marine-grade rope handles, and rubber T latches which make opening and closing the cooler convenient and easy.
The RTIC 65 doubles up as a step, bench, and table, and even keeps your beverages and food safe and protected from bears!
For the price, you can’t argue with the quality of this product, and it really does meet the manufacturer’s promises of durability for a reasonable price.
There are a few things that could be improved to increase portability and ease of use, but ultimately we’d recommend the RTIC 65, as it offers great bang for your buck.