So I stumbled across a deal that seems nearly too good to be true. Pelican makes a cooler that rivals (or in my opinion exceeds) Yeti, but their price is still hard to accept. The best price I've seen on the 65 Qt. model is $275 at a local gun shop that doesn't charge much of a markup on products. Every other place is $300 and up. I've been keeping an eye on these Pelican coolers for a while because they have a true 65 Qt capacity, their latches seem to be better than Yeti, and they have a better handle system as far as I'm concerned. The drain is designed so that it will drain completely without being tipped, and the drain port can be attached to a garden hose to direct the water away without moving the cooler. These also have integrated tie down points which is a small feature I like.
Anyways, long story short I found a Pelican 65 Qt Marine White on a site I've seen advertised a couple of times...Jet.com. This one to be exact: https://jet.com/product/Pelican-65-quart-Elite-Cooler/2c8bd97ecab2414cbc62f64e149d0202
The list price is $399.95, with an instant $100.73 off. Then if you are a new customer you can add a 20% off promo code, and if not you can still use a 15% off code. Both codes are available with a quick google search for 'jet.com promo codes'. Then if I'm not mistake you get another 1.5% off for using a debit card as well. The cooler will ship with their free shipping offer as well. So all in all you should be able to get an out the door price on this one for about $270 :)
Oh and Pelican offers a true lifetime guarantee on these coolers, where in contrast Yeti will not cover wear and tear such as the rubber closure latches. In the end this really does seem like a great deal on a great cooler if you can bite the bullet and drop the money for one.
What do you guys think?
that's a score. Free shipping no less.
I bought a Yeti 45. Love it. I saw these guy's products. Interesting. They look just like Yeti, still made in USA. They don't seem to be in stock. Maybe they got sued!
https://www.rticcoolers.com/
Along with the Pelican, the Grizzly and Yeti seem to be the 3 best.
http://www.grizzlycoolers.com/catalog/grizzly-camping-coolers/medium-camping-coolers/grizzly-60.html
We use one Engle 35Q Deep Blue cooler for short trips and two Engle 35Q coolers for trips out west. Store them in the back of the Frontier with Leer Shell for easy access and to keep bears out.
Looks like the Pelican 65Q cooler cost $50 more than one of my 35Q coolers. Pelican is a great company. I use their cases for many applications and they give warranty, no questions asked!
Here's a video that shows how much better your life will be with a Pelican Pro Cooler:
[video size="medium" src="https://youtu.be/JYVwfYu1HEo"][/video]
I have the 45qt size and like it very much. I'd say it was worth the price. I really expect it will last my lifetime.
One thing I'd be concerned about the 65qt size is how heavy it is. When my 45qt is loaded up with adult beverages & blue ice-pac thingies it is HEAVY. With some straining, a he-man like me can manage to move the loaded 45qt but it sure ain't easy. Based on my experience with the smaller model, moving a loaded 65qt is definitely a two-person job. Be warned. Even an empty 45qt Pelican is heavy and awkward to carry by yourself. Unless you are Andre the Giant, moving an empty 65qt Pelican Pro Cooler is likely also a two-person job.