Do you have some questions?
Frequently asked question
Whether you have a type of ice chest in mind or are just browsing for an upcoming tailgate or camping trip, you’ll find something worth the investment and one that’ll last you season after season in the wild.
If you’re looking for a high performing, high quality durable ice cooler to keep in one place whether that be a camp site, the back of the truck, or at home then you may look into our Tundra hard coolers. Packing dry ice or regular ice? If portability is important for you and you’re looking for something you can take on the go then we recommend checking out our Hopper Soft Coolers or a Roadie cooler with wheels.
However, if you are trying to decide between a Silo, Tank, Hopper soft sided cooler bag or Tundra or Roadie hard cooler, check out our Cooler Buyers Guide built to help you understand which YETI large or small cooler is right for you. These guides are also very helpful for figuring out how to pack your cooler and which size cooler you need.
Some of our YETI Tundra® ice chests and all of our LoadOut® Cargo are manufactured in the U.S. and are designated as such. You can find these products by checking their labels in stores. All customized products are produced in Austin, TX, San Antonio, TX and Monterrey, Mexico.
For our YETI ice chests, this means an unfailing quality and the ability to let you stay in your favorite places longer without having to worry about your ice melting or a bear going through your provisions which we think is worth every penny.
There’s no single number, ice hold depends on size, ambient heat, ice quality, and how often you open it. Our FatWall™ Design, PermaFrost™ Insulation, and ColdLock™ Gasket are built for the long haul; packed 2:1 ice to contents and pre-chilled, hard coolers can hold ice for days, while soft coolers typically run 1–3 days. Expert Tip: Pre-chill your cooler overnight and use a sacrificial bag of ice, cold walls keep ice longer.
Yes — use dry ice only in our hard coolers (Tundra, Roadie, Silo), never in Hopper soft coolers. PermaFrost™ Insulation and the ColdLock™ Gasket handle the extreme cold; wear gloves, “burp” the lid to vent pressure before fully opening, and keep dry ice wrapped so it doesn’t burn skin or crack glass. Expert Tip: Use larger blocks over pellets and limit lid opens to stretch performance.
Yes — when locked with padlocks in both front corners, Tundra and Roadie hard coolers meet IGBC bear-resistance standards. Rotomolded construction, the InterLock™ Lid System, T‑Rex™ rubber latches, and FatWall™ Design do the heavy lifting; Hopper soft coolers are tough, but they’re not IGBC certified. Expert Tip: In bear country, use two 5/16‑inch shackle locks and follow local food storage rules.
They’re names, not exact quarts. Wall thickness varies because of our FatWall™ Design and PermaFrost™ Insulation, so internal volume changes by model. For the source of truth, check each product page for internal dimensions, can count (based on a 2:1 ice-to-can ratio), and empty weight. Expert Tip: Measure your space first trucks, boat hatches, and camp racks all lie.
Hard coolers are not 100% leakproof when inverted the ColdLock™ Gasket is freezer-quality, but the lid isn’t a pressure-rated seal. Hopper Flip coolers with the HydroLok™ zipper are leakproof when closed; Hopper M‑Series with the HydroShield™ magnetic closure are leak-resistant, not leakproof. Keep any cooler upright in transit. Expert Tip: Need watertight in the backseat grab a Hopper Flip and zip it fully closed.
Whether you need a big cooler or a small ice chest, the best person to decide is you. We may not know how you will use your cooler. However, we can give you advice on which one is best for you and your adventures.
Many factors affect how long ice lasts in a cooler. These include the quality and amount of ice, as well as the outside temperature. This makes it a hard question to answer. In short, this means there’s a lot you can do to affect the longevity of your ice either positively or negatively.
There are many factors that affect ice retention. There is no standard way to measure it in the industry. Claims about how long ice lasts, like 5, 10, or 14 days, often depend on the testing conditions. They may not reflect real-life situations.
Tundra® and Roadie® Hard Coolers are made with up to three inches of polyurethane foam insulation. They also have a freezer-style sealing gasket. This design helps keep ice for a long time.
Beyond that, here are a few best practices for keeping ice longer in your cooler. Also, take a look at this resource if you want to learn how to use dry ice in YETI Hard Sided Coolers.
We load the YETI Cooler mold with polyethylene in powder form. We place the mold in a large oven.
It rotates on two axes at different speeds. This helps stop powder from building up in one spot. The polyethylene melts and adheres evenly to the wall of the mold.
Once the polyethylene melts, we pull the molds out of the oven to cool. Once cool, we remove the ice chest from the mold. It’s kind of like a huge, spinning Easy-Bake Oven that cranks out coolers instead of cakes.
Looking for an insulated cooler bag that has a shoulder strap and is comfortable to carry? Check out our Hopper cooler bags. They come in three sizes: Hopper Flip 8, Hopper Flip 12, and Hopper Flip 18.
The Hopper® Family of portable coolers has great cold-holding features. These include a welded DryHide™ Shell, thick ColdCell™ Insulation, and a waterproof HydroLok™ Zipper. Together, they offer excellent ice-retention power. Everything needed to make a great soft cooler.
To learn how to keep ice cold longer in your YETI soft coolers, check out our tips and tricks for ice retention.
No. Our insulated bags have an airtight zipper. This prevents proper ventilation, which could cause the cooler to explode. Check out our Roadie® and Tundra® Hard Coolers if you need to use dry ice.