As far as coolers go, there is not a ton of innovation that can be done to enhance the rotomolding process itself, so most companies will focus on their end product’s design to set them apart from the competition. So there you have it, when looking at just the ability to keep ice cold over a period of 6 days the Pelican has just slightly won, but we are talking about decimal points. I have to say that I am very impressed with the performance of the Ozark Trail 45Q cooler. This cooler is not only smaller in its overall size but also a fraction of the price of the competition. Like the Ozark Trail 45 Qt Rolling Thermocooler, the Pelican 45QW Elite Wheeled Cooler includes a lid with inch notches and also includes centimeters for those outside of the United States. Similar to the Ozark Trail cooler, the Pelican features orange wheel rims and also has orange clasp accents.
If it’s manufactured correctly, each leg should form a 90-degree angle with the floor. Pelican is a newer entry in to the world of rotomolded coolers and have taken their own spin on design and function. Overall the Pelican coolers have sharper edges and a bit more of an industrial feel than the competition. One of the first things to note about it’s design is that it has a larger drainage hole and a tethered drain cap, which is a nice feature.
The legs are locked into place with old school metal push button locks, something you won’t see on many modern pop up tents now-a-days. These push locks get very difficult to use over time, especially if the tent is used on the beach and exposed to sand and saltwater, causing rust build up. Many newer tent brands like EZ-Up use revolutionary thumb lock sliders or larger easy to release buttons, which are a much better user experience when setting the canopy up or taking it down. With the push buttons you need to worry about pinching fingers or not being able to release the button when it gets rusted, which is never a pleasant experience.
Any $75 canopy tent from a big-box store—we’re talking about the common square canopy with four spindly metal legs—can provide shade during midday. But when you’re camping or eating outdoors, you’ll likely want protection from insects, as well. That’s why we focused on collapsible camping shelters with mesh walls to keep bugs at bay. It’s made with reinforced polyester and heavyweight no-see-um mesh, and it comes with the strongest stakes we’ve seen on any tent.
Like many tents of this type, the REI Screen House Shelter has a fabric hook in the center of the ceiling that accommodates a small lantern or other light. The canopy fabric is made of a lightweight denier polyester, offering water resistant features and 50+ UPF, which we love. Being protected from the suns harmful UVB rays is probably why you wanted a canopy tent in the first place, and this Ozark Trail tent meets all criteria in this department.
Since they launched, they have carved out an incredible market share delivering products across the board from coolers to dog bowls. While they have solidified their place as a brand, they have not gone beyond some of their original design features which has allowed competition to come in and provide a few more core offerings. It’s constructed with heavy-duty 210-denier poly oxford walls and the heftiest bug-blocking no-see-um mesh we’ve encountered in any tent. The thicker, darker netting also makes the whole structure shadier, even without the optional side panels.
“When the legs are slanted, it’s completely dependent on those connection points,” Gemmell said. Yes, you will most likely see differing results when adding cans or bottles into the mix. If you are adding warm drinks to your ice, you will see reductions in the overall length of time your ice will stay cold. The rotomolding process entails heating plastic pellets which coat the interior of a mold while it is spun around in a number of different directions at a very consistent pace. The mold is kept on the move during both the heating and coating phases as well as the cooling phase.
As we mentioned above, the canopy of a 10×10 slant leg tent is 40% smaller than a straight leg canopy tent of the same size. So, right off the bat, you’re saving money because there is less soft goods material. The canopy tent has mesh walls on all four sides and an edge of polyester fabric (also DWR treated) at the ground that deters mosquitos and other critters from invading from below.
I chose these coolers because they were the closest among the brands when it came to internal storage. We set up the REI Screen House Shelter and L.L.Bean’s Woodlands Screen House side by side in the Mojave Desert in 100-degree temps. Fellow campers consistently gravitated toward the ozark trail canopy REI shelter over the L.L.Bean. Digging our toes in the sand under one of the best full-overhead coverage beach tents on the market. “There’s less scissor material, which means less total metal – and that’s why some of these companies can sell a tent for under $100,” Gemmell said.