Ultimate Oversized Cooler Review 2024: Extra-Large, High Performance & Half the Weight

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Kurt Mazurek | Last updated Sep 1, 2024 6:29 AM ET

Sometimes you’re not ready to come home from your bass fishing trip after just one day. Sometimes, when the fishing gods smile on you, you get the opportunity to find yourself a nice campsite and really dig into a body of water for several days or even a week.

But all that fishing is going to require a lot of energy to stay on your game. Seven days of granola bars just won’t cut it. But how will you ever find a cooler big enough to store all your perishable provisions that isn’t so heavy you’ll need a team of Clydesdales to drag it to your campsite?

Transparency Note: Although I have not been paid by any of the manufacturers, some of the gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for evaluation. The views and assessments presented are entirely my own. If you buy something via one of these links, there is no additional cost to you and I may earn a commission.

Is This the Ultimate Oversized Cooler?

Introducing the Rugged Road 115, ultralight, high-performance cooler, the biggest cooler yet in their growing lineup. Actually, introducing isn’t exactly the right word, since they did unveil it to the fishing world at ICAST last month where it took the “Best of Category” award for Hard and Soft Coolers. But this is the introduction to the general public and a heads up that it is now available to purchase at your favorite outdoor retailer. Plus, now you know it's officially a Best of Category winner.

What Makes This Cooler Great?

The secret lies in its’ Rigorite™ coating—a proprietary innovation originally developed for military applications, including bomb-proofing the Pentagon. This cooler is tough enough to support the weight of a Jeep and survive a drop off a mountainside, but at just 22 pounds, it is literally half the weight of other comparably-sized, premium coolers.

How Big Is This Cooler?

It’s important to note that Rugged Road uses a unique system for describing their coolers. No, the 115 designation isn’t quarts or even inches. With their naming convention, Rugged Road has answered the number one question they receive, “How many cans will it hold?” This new cooler will hold 115 cans of your favorite beverage with room for plenty of ice. And not to be coy about it, they’re glad to share the actual size in inches in the features and benefits listed below.

Features and Benefits

-Ultralight — Weighs just 22 lbs
-Capacity — Holds 115 12oz cans, plus ice
-External Dimensions — 17-1/2" wide x 40-1/4" long x 17" tall
-Internal Dimensions — 13.25" wide x 34" long x 14.25" tall
-Patented Titan Shell™ Construction — Delivers 7+ days of ice retention, ranking in the top 1% of performance
-Versatile Lid — Multi-purpose, reversible lid with cup holders and a cutting board
-"Double-Up" Handle System and "Get a Grip" Non-Slip Surface

My Rugged Road Cooler Review

While I don’t have the Rugged Road 115 size yet, I have been using the 65 size all summer (same design and construction, but only able to hold 65 cans), and loving it. On a recent trip up north, this bass guy found himself on a Lake Michigan charter boat, trolling for King Salmon—totally out of my element but I had a blast. I had a chance to freeze some of our catch before packing it in the cooler with no additional ice and starting the nearly two-day drive back home. As you might guess, everything was still completely frozen when I finally pull into my driveway. I was impressed.

The high-quality of the materials and construction is immediately obvious. The surface of the cooler has a unique textured feel that doesn’t get slippery when it’s wet. The handles are large, comfortable and feel very secure. The big, stout latch that holds the lid shut, clamps down like a bank vault. And for its size, the cooler is dramatically lighter than you think it will be.

I also want to mention one more thing. To be perfectly honest and transparent with you in my review, the Rugged Road cooler has an unusual smell. It’s not a bad smell, it just isn’t the typical plastic-y sort of smell you’d expect. It took me a couple minutes to place, but then it hit me and now it’s absolutely unmistakable. Lettuce! It smells like a freshly cut head of Iceberg lettuce. I assume it must have something to do with Rugged Road’s unique, Rigorite coating. And again, to be clear it’s not a bad smell, it’s just unusual for a piece of equipment like this. Heck, some people might even like that smell. And I haven’t noticed that it has transferred to anything I’ve kept in the cooler. I just thought it was unusual enough to make it worth mentioning.

Who Needs This Cooler?

Are you thirsty? Really thirsty? Are you packing refreshments for a whole family? Will you be in a remote location for multiple days? Would you like an oversized cooler that average mortals can lift? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, this may be the cooler for you.

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

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