Lifetime cooler, great cooler for great price

[Horizon-bean]

As everyone knows keeping food cold in very important on the trail. As much as I would like a fridge, there are a lot of reasons right now that I am not getting one. However I do need a good quality cooler.
I am sure everyone is familiar with the Yeti and RTIC brand coolers. I am too and also not a big fan of the prices. I searched for at least a month looking at every cooler on Amazon and other sites and figured I would get one of those. I wanted something in the 45-60 Quart range.
I visited several stores and nothing was right. Everything I looked at from every source was $150-400 for a cooler. I wanted a Roto-Molded thick walled, bear proof etc.
My wife and I visited Walmart and I was again looking at the coolers. I found the Lifetime coolers. These things are great.
I got a 55 Quart cooler. Roto-Molded, Stainless steel thick rod style hinges, cam lock latches, fridge style seal, a drain that hooks to a garden hose for remote draining, very solid and Bear Proof/resistant. The cam style lacthes are a big deal for me. I have really bad Arthritic and have problems with the Yeti latches. These are really easy.
All for just under $100, $104 with Tax out the door.
So far I am super pleased with it. I head out on Monday to California for work and I have loaded it in the Subaru. I want to avoid restaurants and save money so I got a Hotel Suite with full kitchen. I am packing food from home and this will carry it.
Also, one of the best things is that this cooler is made in the USA. Not a China knock off, but American Made.
I hope this great budget option helps someone else get a great cooler for a smaller investment. I have plans for the $200+ I save on this.

I have also been searching for decent cooler and appreciate your review.

 

[uncompromise]

How does one "pre-cool" a roto cooler? Just fill it with ice before you fill it with ice?

Late reply, but we have a bench freezer; we pull out a bunch of stuff from there, fill the cooler, then drop the entire cooler into the freezer.

 

[EffinNewGuy]

Just picked one up four days ago to use for food and water during some field sampling work based on all the positive feedback here.

 

[DMS1]

Those coolers are Bear rated when locked with a padlock.

 

[Pyrotech]

I have the 55qt and like it so much I bought a 28qt

The 55qt is a bit big for day trips .

 

[Motomikeca]

The do work very well, comparable to the Yeti. I’ve got small, medium and large Yeti coolers and have a few friends with lifetime and Ozark coolers and they last similar for a fraction of the cost. The secret to all coolers is pre chill and don’t open and close all day long, grab what you need quickly and close.