I Left This Yeti Cooler in 107-Degree Heat All Day, and Everything Inside Was Still Ice-Cold

Right now, Texas is unbearably hot. It’s so hot in fact, that hopping in our swimming pool is more like taking a warm bath than the refreshing, cooling experience you’d expect. There are colder bodies of water to be found, mostly rivers, and so this weekend, my partner and I ventured out in search of one.

We loaded up our cooler with beer, seltzers, snacks, and dinner, and hit the road, speeding through 107-degree heat with the A/C cranked up all the way. We reached our destination, unloaded the cooler, and plopped it in a shady area. We swam all day, only to return to find the sun had moved, and the cooler was burning hot on the outside. But even though we had left it sitting in the sun for five hours, everything on the inside, well, it was still ice-cold.

The cooler in question here is the Yeti Roadie 24, a cooler I’ve owned for over a year, but have never used in this extreme heat to say the least. It measures 16.6- by 14- by 17.4-inches so it doesn’t take up too much space in the trunk of my car, but it fits enough food and drinks for two people for up to two days, in my experience. And not only does it fit this much, it’ll keep it all cold during even extreme heat.

The way it works is simple: There is a tight-fitting lid to ensure that no air can get in or out. But beyond that, there’s a thick layer of insulation, which separates the outside heat from the internal temperature. So even though the cooler might be hot to the touch on the outside, it can still be ice-cold on the inside. I thought this was mostly marketing for a long time—after all, how good can insulation be—but after experiencing it keep everything cold in 107-degree heat, I’ve never been more proud to own one of these coolers. 

The cooler itself currently comes in eight different colors. I own the navy option, but the limited-edition lilac or camp green have been calling to me recently. Of course, the charcoal or tan colors are about as classic as it gets, too. There are five different sizes to choose from as well: 15 liters, 24 liters, 32 liters, 48 liters, and 60 liters. This’ll come down to how many people you’re with, so anything over two, and I’d recommend the 48-liter option. 

While the cooler is fairly expensive ($250) and there are many other favored coolers that will work well at a lower cost, I will say this; The exterior is also fairly unbreakable. I have dropped the cooler down slopes and banged it against rocks, and it barely has any scratches. I also love how sturdy it is because it makes for a nice seat when I forget to bring along a beach chair (which is every single time I go anywhere). 

All in all, here’s the bottom line: I know for a fact any other cooler won’t keep food cold in 107-degree weather. And while you might not be exposed to that all the time, you might be eventually. Get a Yeti today, and ensure your beach days will never, ever be hindered by your equipment. It’s that simple, really. 

Shop More Yeti Products

Hopper M12 Backpack Soft Cooler

Daytrip Lunch Bag 

Rambler 42-Ounce Straw Mug 

Rambler 26-Ounce Water Bottle 

Rambler Beverage Bucket 

At the time of publishing, the price was $250.