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Planning an outdoor barbecue with some top quality meats and cold cans of beer?
There are many things that you need in order to have a successful outdoor barbecue and a reliable cooler should be near the top of everyone’s list.
There is no shortage of coolers that you can buy in the market but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more popular line of coolers than Yeti. This company is known for their extremely tough and heavy-duty coolers designed to keep your items cold for days on end.
If a premium heavy-duty cooler is what you’re after, you should definitely check out the Yeti 105. Below, we have provided a detailed review that will hopefully help with your purchasing decision.
Reviewing the Yeti 105
For all its intents and purposes, the Yeti Tundra 105 is not your typical mass-produced coolers that you can see on the market. Yeti resulted in the frustration by two brothers back in 2006, who were constantly let down by under-performing coolers.
So they created their own line of coolers that can withstand the rigors of intensive use in a rugged environment.
One of the more popular coolers in the stable of Yeti is the Yeti Tundra. The Tundra is available in 35, 45, 50, 65, 75, 105, 110, 125, 160, 210, 250, 350 quart sizes, and three different colors.
For this review, we’re going to focus on the Yeti 105 cooler.
Insulation Ability
The Tundra makes use of the proprietary PermaFrost insulation technology and is installed on the cooler’s extra thick walls. The Fatwall design allows the cooler to hold up to two inches of insulation. The full frame Cold-lock Gasket also works by sealing the cold air inside.
As you might expect, the combination of these features adds up to an amazing cooling ability and retention of the Tundra. Depending on the size and amount of ice used, it’s fair to expect the ice to last from 4 days to a week. This makes the Tundra a great option for week-long camping or road trips. This really puts most store-bought coolers that are only equipped with air insulators.
You can even use dry ice in the Yeti Tundra, so you can keep your items cooler for days without all the weight that comes with standard ice.
Durability
The Yeti uses rotomolded polyethylene construction – the very same process used for making whitewater kayaks. This type of construction minimizes seam failures which are common in mass-produced coolers. It would be an understatement to say that the Tundra is durable.
The Tundra is also bear-proof and has been certified by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC). So your cooler also doubles as a “bear resistant” container. Not bad at all.
From our experience, the Yeti 105 is a tank that withstood a great deal of abuse and is still going strong.
Mobility
With its multitude of insulation features and rugged construction, the Tundra is unsurprisingly quite heavy. When empty, the cooler weighs 36 lbs which can be heavy for a single person to carry.
It’s baffling that the Tundra doesn’t have an overhead handle or rollers, especially when it’s designed to hold up to 80+ lbs of ice. It’s quite apparent that the cooler is designed to be carried by two persons when it’s full.
Fortunately, the polyester rope handles do a good job of keeping things stable while the cooler is being carried. From the looks of it, the handles are not going to fail anytime soon. The polyester material also makes it easier to grip the cooler.
Visual Appeal
Clearly, the Tundra is designed to be a high-performance ice chest which is why it’s quite dull to look at. However, we do like the simple approach when it comes to the aesthetics and we imagine that it’s not important for most outdoor enthusiasts.
There’s not much in terms of color options as well. The cooler is only available in three colors: White, Desert Tan, and High Country.
Price
When you’re looking at a premium cooler, it’s only fair to expect to pay premium dollars.
The Yeti Tundra 105 retails at approximately $470 which can be very expensive for most people. Thus, it’s hard to recommend the Tundra for casual outdoor use. Even the smallest variant will cost you about $250.
However, if you’re aiming for long-term usage, this cooler is a worthy investment.
Just think of all the times that you’ve wasted money on sub-par coolers. So far, we believe that this cooler could last us a lifetime.
Time to Replace Your Old Cooler?
The Yeti 105 offers top-notch insulation and durability that’s worthy of a premium ice chest. Yes, the price might scare away potential buyers but this is really one of those cases where “you get what you pay for.”
Have you used the Yeti Tundra before? Do you think it’s worth the money? Feel free to let us know your thoughts below!
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