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The best coolers for camping in 2024
Camping season is officially here, and to make the most of your outdoor adventures, you’re going to need a reliable cooler to keep your food and drinks at optimal temperatures. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or an extended stay in the wilderness, much like camping tents and outdoor chairs, having the right cooler is essential.
Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best coolers for camping to help you stay prepared and enjoy your time in nature. From top brands like Yeti and RTIC to budget-friendly choices like Coleman and Igloo, there’s a cooler to fit every need and budget.
What are the best coolers for camping?
We rounded up the best coolers for camping in 2024 below. Our choices include both large and small options, soft sided and hard sided options, and coolers with wheels that are easy to transport.
Yeti Tundra 45 Hard Cooler
The Yeti Tundra 45 is a top choice due to its versatility and durability. With a capacity to hold up to 26 cans, it features thick insulation to keep ice frozen longer. Its sturdy construction makes it nearly indestructible, and it comes with heavy-duty latches that ensure it stays closed during your outing. Available in various sizes and colors, it is the ideal cooler for keeping your food and drinks cool and safe during your camping trips.
Yeti Tundra 45 Hard Cooler, $300
RTIC 52-quart ultra-light wheeled cooler
The 52-quart RTIC cooler offers premium ice retention to keep contents cold for multiple days, holding up to 78 cans or 53 pounds of ice. Designed to be up to 30% lighter than similar wheeled coolers, it features puncture-resistant tires with reinforced suspension, allowing you to easily tow it through mud, dry sand, rugged trails and more during your outdoor excursions. The ergonomic silicone handle ensures comfortable use, making it perfect for camping or a day at the beach.
RTIC 52-quart ultra-light wheel cooler, $249
Herschel Pop Quiz cooler
This soft cooler from Herschel fits 30 cans and is available in a variety of colors and prints. Made from 100% recycled materials, it features a leakproof liner, foam padded insulation to keep contents cold all day and a removable padded shoulder strap for easy carrying. Additional features include a front pocket with a waterproof zipper, reinforced handles and a key clip bottle opener.
The Herschel Pop Quiz cooler retails for $100, though we found a couple of colorways at the retailer that have been discounted by 30%.
Herschel Pop Quiz cooler, $70 and up (reduced from $100)
Coleman 316 Series hard ice chest cooler with wheels
Coleman’s 100-quart cooler features TempLock FX insulation for multi-day ice retention and holds up to 80 cans and 50 pounds of ice making it ideal for camping. It is the ideal companion for outdoor activities thanks to its heavy-duty wheels and an easy-tow handle that makes it a breeze to transport. This design additionally comes with a leak-proof drain plug, four cup holders and a durable lid that supports up to 250 lbs.
Coleman 316 Series 100-quart hard ice chest cooler, $110, (reduced from $116)
Corkcicle Eola bucket cooler bag
Strap this personal-sized Corkcicle cooler on your back and go. It comes in seven color options and features an exterior made of either vegan leather or neoprene material depending on the color you pick.
This cooler features padded adjustable backpack straps for easy carrying and can hold 12 cans or eight cans and two wine bottles. It also includes a rear accessory pocket with a zippered closure, a food-safe interior liner and a full zip closure.
The Corkcicle Eola bucket cooler bag is currently 25% off when you buy direct.
Corkcicle Eola bucket cooler bag, $112 and up (reduced from $150)
Coleman retro cooler
Go for the retro look with this Coleman cooler that holds up to 85 cans and boasts four-day ice retention, even in temperatures up to 90 degrees. With a 54-quart capacity and a Have-a-Seat lid supporting up to 250 pounds, it’s perfect for camping and beyond.
The cooler, available in four colors (green, red, silver, stainless steel), features rust-resistant hardware, and comfort-grip handles. Price varies by color; you’ll get the best deal on the green Coleman cooler shown.
Coleman 54-quart retro cooler, $164 and up (reduced from $200)
Igloo Overland ice chest cooler
The Igloo Overland 50-quart chest cooler is built for outdoor adventure. With a capacity to hold up to 81 cans, it features foam-insulated walls and an insulated lid for superior ice retention. The durable rubberized latches and built-in locking plate keep things secure while comfort-grip handles make it easy to carry.
Other convenient features include a bottle opener, UV inhibitors to prevent sun damage and a leak-resistant drain plug.
Igloo Overland 50-quart ice chest cooler, $89
Business & Pleasure Co. premium cooler
You’d never know this 1970s-inspired bag is actually a cooler. Made of poly-cotton-canvas material treated with mold, water, and UV coatings, it’s a stylish option for overnight camping or glamping.
Measuring 12.5″ W x 8″ H x 8.5″ D, the Business & Pleasure Co. premium cooler holds approximately 3.68 gallons and features genuine leather trim handles and exterior slip pockets.
Business & Pleasure Co. 15-quart premium cooler, $79
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U.S. releases 2 prisoners from Guantánamo, leaving 27 still held at American camp in Cuba
The Pentagon freed two prisoners Wednesday from Guantánamo Bay, marking the second and third releases this week from the notorious wartime detention camp.
Mohammed Farik bin Amin and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep were repatriated to Malaysia, where both are nationals, according to the United States Department of Defense. The men had been held by the U.S. since 2003 and imprisoned at Guantánamo Bay since 2006, for their ties to al Qaeda and an Indonesian extremist group called Jemaah Islamiyah.
The repatriation of Amin and Lep came as part of a plea deal and an agreement with the government of Malaysia, Defense officials said. Each pleaded guilty before a U.S. military commission to various war crimes, including murder, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, conspiracy and destruction of property. They also provided deposition testimony that can be used against a different prisoner, Encep Nurjaman, who is believed to be the “mastermind” responsible for al Qaeda attacks in Bali and Jakarta between 2002 and 2003.
Their conditions for release from Guantánamo Bay call for an additional five-year period of confinement for each prisoner, to be served either in the country where they are repatriated or a third-party sovereign nation.
Amin and Lep’s releases were announced one day after the Pentagon said another prisoner, Mohammed Abdul Malik Bajabu, was freed from incarceration at Guantánamo Bay and repatriated to Kenya. Detained by the U.S. for 18 years without criminal charges, Bajabu was the first prisoner freed from the camp in roughly a year. U.S. defense officials said a review board determined in December 2021 that detaining Bajabu “was no longer necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the national security of the United States.” The board recommended with that determination that Bajabu be transferred out of Guantánamo Bay.
“The United States appreciates the support to ongoing U.S. efforts toward a deliberate and thorough process focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population and ultimately closing the Guantanamo Bay facility,” the Defense Department said in statements on the releases of all three prisoners.
The latest repatriation efforts leave 27 prisoners still detained at Guantánamo Bay. Of them, 15 are eligible for transfer, three are eligible for evaluation by the review board, and seven are being tried through the military commissions process. Only the final two prisoners have been convicted and sentenced by military commissions, according to the Pentagon.
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