The scorching heat of the sun can make your camping experience challenging. So if you want to keep your drinks chilled, you’ll want to carry a cooler with you. There are a lot of brands on the market that offer similar cooling performance. The Grizzly Cooler vs Yeti is the battle of the cooler kings.
Out of all these brands, Grizzly and Yeti come at the top. But which among these two brands is the king of coolers? Well, in this article, we will put both to the test! So, grizzly vs. Yeti, let us find out who takes away the crown in soft and hard coolers.
First of all, it is essential to understand that there are two kinds of coolers available on the market. Let us go over the differences between hard and soft coolers in the section below.
Contents:
- Soft Coolers – Yeti Hopper 12
- Hard Coolers – Yeti Roadie 24
- Soft Cooler – Grizzly Drifter 12+
- Hard Cooler – Grizzly 20Qt Cooler
Hard Coolers
Hard coolers are pretty much what you use when traveling outdoors on public or private transport. This is because although these coolers are hard and heavy, it gives them the advantage in insulation. If you are traveling in the great outdoors in a jeep, then nothing beats a hard cooler.
These coolers retain and maintain the temperature of ice for a long time. In some instances, the ice lasts for more than two days. However, you need two people to carry a large cooler of around 20qt when it is filled.
Soft Coolers
Perfect for traveling on foot, soft coolers are like bags that you can throw over your shoulders. They have a smoother exterior and can be carried by one person. Of course, the biggest drawback is that they don’t retain cold temperatures for long.
If you are someone who goes on a lot of hikes or is fond of trailing or camping, soft coolers are ideal for you. Since they are exceptionally portable, people often use them to carry their drinks and food when traveling long distances.
Grizzly Coolers vs Yeti
The Grizzly is made in the U.S and is famous for being on par with the Yeti, only more affordable. However, even though Yeti is a bit more expensive, it provides you with unbeatable quality.
1. Soft Coolers – Yeti Hopper 12m
Yeti’s soft-sided coolers are named Yeti Hoppers, and they are available in different sizes. The smallest you can get is a 12 qt, which is good enough for a few drinks.
• Features
The 12 flip, as Yeti calls it, comes with a wide array of features. One of the most impressive features of this cooler is the Hydrolok zip on the top. This zip is what makes the Yeti Hopper series of soft-sided coolers waterproof. So even if you turn the bag upside down by mistake, you will not find any leaks in it.
The cooler is tough as a nail, built to last, and exceptionally durable. As a result, it won’t break whether you throw it on the ground from a height or run around with it. In addition, Yeti’s ColdCell Insulation is impressive since the Yeti Hopper can retain ice for as long as 24-48 hours. In indoor tests, it kept the ice from melting for two days without a problem. On the other hand, the ice easily lasted for a whole day outdoors.
Although it has all these fantastic features, you will need to buy a few more items if you want the best soft-sided cooler experience from Yeti. The brand sells several accessories that you can attach to the Hopper series of coolers, including bottle openers and dry pouches. You can also buy Yeti ice packs to retain ice for longer than usual.
• Design
Yeti seems to be working with a minimalistic look for its products. As a result, the Hopper is pretty simple since it is more focused on functionality than anything else. However, it is available in a multitude of colors if you want something that sticks out. But other than that, you just have a square-shaped soft-sided cooler with rounded-off edges.
The lid opens up wide so you can store ice and drinks in the cooler with ease. The zipper is big and pronounced, so you can easily find where it is. In addition, there are small latches on the front and sides of the cooler that are designed for attachments.
• Warranty
It seems like Yeti has a lot of trust in their products since they provide one of the most extended warranties. The Hopper comes with a 3-year warranty, which is a sign of confidence in their craftsmanship that allows you to buy the soft cooler without worry.
Regardless, it is essential to note that this soft cooler is on the more expensive side, making it way more costly than any other soft-sided cooler.
2. Hard Coolers – Yeti Roadie 24
When it comes to hard coolers, we took the smallest hard cooler the brand had to offer, the Roadie 24.
• Features
This cooler is taller than most hard coolers you may come across on the market. It seems like the company remodeled this cooler to accommodate taller bottles. This allows people to store wine bottles or champagne if they are planning to go on a picnic. Furthermore, a comfortable soft strap enables you to carry the Yeti Roadie 24 in your hands. This is significantly more ergonomic than the hard handle on most coolers, which can be challenging to hold for long periods.
Yeti hard coolers are not entirely leak-proof, unlike the soft-sided Hopper series. Regardless, they are much better at it in comparison with most hard coolers out there. The whole exterior of this cooler is RotoMolded, which gives it a toughness like none other. However, one feature it is missing is a drain. As a result, you have to tip over the whole thing to drain it down, which can be a pain.
Aside from that, the cooler is closed off with a quick latch, which is pretty basic, but still gets the job done. Also, the latch stays closed regardless of any jolts whatsoever.
Finally, in terms of performance, the cooler does a fantastic job of holding ice for up to 3 days in terms of performance. After four days, you can see considerable melting, and you probably won’t have any ice left by the fifth day. This makes the Yeti a pretty decent cooler for the price.
• Design
Design-wise, Yeti seems to continue its tradition of minimalism. As a result, it does not have much to show off, although you can find it in six colors to make your cooler stand out.
However, the taller shape of the cooler gives it an advantage over other traditional 20 qt coolers. This design not only makes the Yeti Roadie 24 look good but also enhances its usability.
• Warranty
Yeti offers a 3-year warranty for all of its products, including the Roadie 24. The cooler is quite durable; there are no questions about that. You can also use it as a stool if there is no seating available; that is how strong the cooler is.
Furthermore, it is not as pricey as the soft-sided coolers by Yeti, which is a surprise since keeping ice for 3-4 days outdoors is not easy. However, the price tag is pretty market competitive, which is weird considering it is cheaper than the Hopper.
3. Soft Cooler – Grizzly Drifter 12+
The Drifter 12+ from Grizzly is a soft-sided cooler packed with features. The best part is that it is way cheaper than the Yeti Hopper series of coolers.
• Features
The Grizzly Drifter 12+ is a feature-packed, soft-sided cooler that you just can’t resist. Let us get this out of the way right now, the cooling retention of the Grizzly Drifter 12+ and the Hopper Flip 12 is precisely the same. They both perform similarly, with just a few degrees of difference at the end of the day. So if you are only looking to buy this product for cooling retention, both models will give you similar results.
Aside from that, there are several pockets on the Grizzly Drifter 12+. It has two side pockets that are big enough to fit larger bottles. There is also a front pocket which is pretty big and can be used to store large containers.
Furthermore, the cooler comes with backpack-style shoulder straps that are padded for extra comfort. This makes this soft-sided cooler’s ergonomics better than most. Other than that, the top and bottom of the cooler are highly durable.
The top is closed with zippers and thumb pulls, which seal it off completely. In addition, a strap-on top allows you to slide a bottle or shirt against the hard exterior. The only downside to this versatile cooler is that it is not leak-free. Therefore, if you tip it upside down, it will start to leak water all over.
• Design
The design of the Grizzly Drifter 12+ is similar to a backpack. It is ergonomically designed and padded where required. The only downside to the design is that the inside lining is loose and often comes out.
While some might argue that this helps with clean-up, the lining is way too loose for efficient use. Users aren’t sure if this is a design flaw or if it was meant to be this way, but it does not work in favor of the Grizzly Drifter 12+.
• Warranty
Grizzly is a year shy of Yeti when it comes to the warranty. The brand provides you with a 2-year warranty, which is pretty decent for the price tag. In fact, the Drifter 12+ will cost you less than half the price of the Yeti Hopper.
This makes the Drifter an outstanding choice, but don’t forget that it is not leakproof like the Hopper. If you don’t mind that problem, though, then you have yourself a solid soft-sided cooler that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
4. Hard Cooler – Grizzly 20Qt Cooler
Grizzly does not have a 24Qt cooler like the Yeti Roadie, so this is the one we compared it with. The cooler is pretty decent and is priced similarly to the Yeti competitor. Let us take a close look at its features, design, and warranty below:
• Features
Feature-wise, the Grizzly 20qt hard cooler is pretty basic, just like the Yeti Roadie. It does not have many differences, except that the Grizzly has a rugged handle for carrying. This one also comes with a comfortable rubber grip, but it isn’t as ergonomic, making it difficult to carry.
Furthermore, the Grizzly cooler comes with a side drain that can be used to take out the water once the ice melts. This is much easier than tipping the whole cooler, as you have to do with the 24 Roadie. Aside from that, this cooler is slightly heavier than its competition, making it harder to carry. However, it is also what Grizzly calls bear-proof, which means it is relatively rigid and can endure plenty of rough and tough use.
When it comes to performance, it is similar to the Yeti, although a bit better by a few degrees. In addition, it offers wet-dry compartmentalization through a basket that sits at the top. This allows you to store items you want to prevent from getting wet because of the ice and water.
• Design
As far as design goes, there is nothing out of the ordinary about the Grizzly hard cooler. Other than the variety of colors to choose from, the Grizzly is just like any typical cooler. However, there are anti-slip pads at the bottom which keep the cooler from tipping over while you are driving.
• Warranty and Pricing
The Yeti Roadie 24 and Grizzly 20 cost almost the same amount. There is no difference in the prices, although the Yeti offers more space than the Grizzly, which sits at 20qt compared to the 24qt.
Grizzly also offers two years of warranty, while Yeti gives you three years. As a result, the Grizzly is at a disadvantage in this scenario.
Conclusion – Grizzly Coolers vs Yeti
When it comes to soft-sided coolers, Grizzly seems to be at an advantage in pricing and features. The only issue is waterproofing, which it does not offer, but the Yeti Hopper does. However, it is also less than half the price of the Yeti, which begs the question, is waterproofing worth the money for you? If yes, go for the Hopper.
For hard coolers, the Yeti seems to have a height and space advantage over the Grizzly. While the latter has a drain in the corner that allows you to empty it faster, you do not get the same with Yeti. If that does not bother you, they are both similar performance-wise, so go with whichever one feels right.
