Coleman might have just taken its cooler game to a new level. The new Coleman Pro line of hard-sided and soft coolers is a step toward competing with big-leaguers like YETI, RTIC, and Orca on the premium cooler stage.
We’re talking about the coolers that promise a week’s worth of ice retention and cost as much as a car payment. Except, the Coleman Pro Coolers are made with significantly lighter materials and retail for just 60% of their competitors’ cost.
While Coleman belongs in any conversation about coolers — after all, it popularized portable coolers with its 1954 steel chest. It’s made hard coolers before, but this is a big step for the brand. Coleman claims this is the toughest and most durable it’s ever engineered.
Coleman Pro Hard Coolers: ‘We Pushed It to the Limit’
Coleman prioritized durability when designing the new line of Pro hard coolers. According to Luke Ecke, the director of outdoor research and development at Coleman, the brand underwent more than 1,000 hours of road testing and repeated drop testing, and it exceeded expectations.
“We pushed it to the limit,” Ecke said in a press release. “This cooler is built to go anywhere and handle anything, and I’m proud to stand behind it.”
Coleman is so confident in its Pro series’ longevity that it’s backing the hard coolers with a 10-year warranty. The brand claims the plastic used for the walls is 15-30% lighter than rotomolded coolers like those made by YETI and RTIC.
(Full disclosure: GearJunkie has not tested a Coleman Pro cooler yet. We will report back when we see if these claims hold up.)
Coleman Pro Hard-Sided Collection
The Coleman Pro hard-sided collection offers three sizes: 25-quart ($160), 45-quart ($200), and the wheeled 55-quart ($300).
Each of the hard-sided Pro coolers has oversized steel latches that Coleman claims are easy to open and close with one hand (in case the other is busy carrying a beverage). It also uses a large, attached drain plug to flush out water as the ice melts.
Each cooler is equipped with tie-down and lock slots and nonslip feet to prevent it from sliding around a boat deck or truck bed. The hard-sided Pro coolers are also coated in an antimicrobial liner to help prevent mold, mildew, and gross odors from building up after regular extended use.
The 25-quart includes a padded shoulder strap for easy transport. It also has molded plastic handles on each side for quick moves. Coleman claims that the 25-quart holds 36 cans without ice, retains cold for 3 days, and weighs 15% less than rotomolded coolers of the same capacity.
The 45-quart and 55-quart options use longer handles made with webbing and hard plastic grips. The brand claims its 45-quart cooler holds 74 cans (sans ice), stays cold for 4 days, and is 30% lighter than comparable rotomolded options.
The 55-quart wheeled cooler is the only Pro cooler with wheels, and an extendable handle makes it easier to roll. It holds 92 cans without ice, keeps items cold for 5 days, and weighs 25% less than rotomolded competitors. All of the hard-sided coolers come in Blue Sky and the darker Neptune colors.
Soft Cooler Collection
If you’re looking for a smaller and even lighter option, Coleman has that covered with its soft-sided Pro Coolers. The soft coolers come in two sizes: 16-Can ($60) and 24-Can ($80).
Both sizes offer a zippered dry storage compartment up top for keys, wallets, and phones. The zippered clamshell lid design allows you to unzip easily to access the cold storage. These soft coolers also include an antimicrobial liner for mold, mildew, and odors.
Coleman says its oversized zippers minimize snags and stay durable for longer, just like its durable exterior and reinforced base. The padded carrying straps can be removed by unclipping either side.
The 16-can option claims to stay cold for 30 hours, while the 24-can cooler claims 35 hours. The soft Pro Coolers are covered by a 3-year warranty.
Coleman Pro Coolers: Premium & Budget-Friendly
Coleman’s history of coolers runs deep. It introduced coolers to the public in the 1950s, first with its portable steel ice box and then with Styrofoam coolers in the wake of limited rubber supplies during WWII. Its coolers have been a staple at campsites and cookouts for generations.
While other cooler brands have dominated the market in recent years, Coleman has been a longstanding and consistent name in the game. These new Pro Coolers are Coleman’s budget-friendly answer to its premium competitors.
GearJunkie editors plan to test the new Coleman Pro coolers against current inclusions in our guides to the Best Coolers and Best Soft Coolers. We haven’t gotten our hands on a testing sample quite yet. Keep your eyes peeled for a full review in the coming months.
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