Igloo Trailmate Cooler Review + ICE TEST | Is it worth the money?

The Igloo Trailmate is a beast of a cooler inside and out. This cooler held ice for 9 days in our ice retention experiment, far exceeding expectations.
This cooler is comparable to the yeti 45 but comes in at $50 cheaper. Right now this cooler retails at $250.
Affiliate Link Below (We receive commission if you purchase through the link provided)
Link to the cooler: amzn.to/3fxA7Zd
Biggest Pro's: Wheels make it easy to move and the extendable handle gives you tons of leverage. Ice Retention of 9 days. Price Point of $250. Appearance. Tough Exterior. Place to hold valuables. Drain Plug with convenient holder for the cap.
Biggest Con's: Super Heavy with Ice in it and bulky. No latches are featured to keep ice from spilling if turned over, you must use a strap and the slots provided.
This is a non-biased review. Recruit Creative is not sponsored by Igloo.
SPECS:
-Holds 112 (12oz.) cans
-Capacity: 70 quarts
-Dimensions: 34.59" x 19.7" x 23.61"
-Weight: 34.7 lbs.
-TECHNOLOGY:
-Ultratherm® insulated body & lid provides four days of ice retention
-Glide™ horizontal, locking telescoping handle reduces towing effort by 50%
-Cool Riser Technology™ improves cooling performance by elevating cooler away from hot surfaces
FEATURES:
-Oversized 10” Never-Flat Wheels tackle sand and other challenging terrain with superior traction and ease
-Aluminum telescoping handle and skid rails are lightweight and rust-resistant
-Stainless Steel screws are rust-resistant and durable
-Tie-down loops allow you to utilize the cooler to haul towels, chairs, and more
-Water-resistant storage keeps essentials like mobile phone & keys handy and dry
-Exterior Storage Pocket provides easy access to sunscreen, bug spray, and other essentials
Bottle Opener available at your fingertips when you need another cold one
-Four self-draining cup holders keep drinks within arms reach
-Butler Tray utilizes the telescoping handle for serving, and it stores under the lid when not in use
-Threaded Drain Plug is garden hose compatible and features a non-slip, easy-grip tethered cap
-Suspended interior food basket keeps items cold, yet dry
-Accessory Holders and Mounts secure fishing rods or beach umbrella
-Mobile device stand allows you to park your device off the ground for easy viewing
-Country of Origin : United States of America
Style : 034

[@Mike-yr4iy]

“this thing is pretty much like a mini van, you can drive it to work if you want to” 🤣😂😂😂😂😂

[@FoolisH409]

😆

[@D3R3K3321]

I just bought this ice chest and took it to the river here in San Antonio TX and the wheels worked so well going over river rock and terrain! The extended handle is nice for leverage while moving the chest around. This was definitely a great purchase and I wish I had it when I went to south padre island last weekend! This is a great purchase!

[@Recruitcreative]

Awesome, Thanks for the comment!

[@flyfish1995]

I live in New Braunfels, how well does it keep ice in this South Texas heat?

[@samuelduran5903]

​@flyfish1995 I was down at Padre Island, and the ice melted completely in about 12 hours. But the ice water stayed cold with drinks for 2 days. I would recommend this cooler. Good luck man. 👍

[@theonlyoned6409]

Did you take it floating down the Frio

[@D3R3K3321]

@@flyfish1995 it’s decent man I mean If the chest is in 100+ degree weather the ice will hold 2 days tops but the water will be cold for 4-5 days IF the ice chest is in DIRECT ☀️ sun.

[@VetteGuy57]

Igloo ran a Memorial Weekend sale for $199 so I finally picked one up. This cooler is a beast! The coolest cooler I have ever seen. Watched many reviews and was waiting for the right time. Great deal on this bad boy!

[@Recruitcreative]

Awesome! That’s a good price point for it!

[@DirtNassty]

$199 at best buy rn 👍

[@Recruitcreative]

@@DirtNassty Best Buy has coolers?!

[@DirtNassty]

@@Recruitcreative best buy gas everything bro lol... Yes! On sale for 199 rn

[@Recruitcreative]

@@DirtNassty didn’t know that. Thanks for the heads up!

[@joeybrazda364]

I really like how it’s elevated off the ground with the wheels and stand

[@Recruitcreative]

Yes that’s a nice feature!

[@SmoothbassmanStudios]

I got one and tested it out this weekend. Didn't last a day in 95 degree weather. My other cooler with the top seal lasted thru the weekend. Returning it today.

[@mirona18]

Did you have a 2/3 ice 1/3 beverage and food? I know the first time I had my otterbox cooler I had one bag of ice for my drinks and it lasted the weekend but when packed right with a ice pack I can get 10+ days.

[@SmoothbassmanStudios]

@@mirona18 yeah. I had it packed less than ideal, but no different than my other "premium" cooler that lasts at least 2 days.

[@markmatienzo7100]

@@mirona18 I definitely agree that that the Otterbox coolers are very underrated and way more with the money...the downfall is the molded handles and the wheels for the 45/65qt are almost $200

[@rivelite]

That's crazy to hear. I had mine all day long on Panama City Beach last summer and it was blistering hot. We had food and drinks that stayed ice cold the whole day. Ended up tossing the left over ice at the end of the day.

[@dannyc1657]

I ve had mine for several months now of travel softball season and I love this… I am currently in Tennessee this week and have had it in 95 plus temps and the ice still hasn’t completely melted yet… I wouldn’t spend any more money on a yeti or anything else for that matter

[@JavierRodriguez-yx5go]

I have one and they are practical. Good to haul around, however typically you get one bag, maybe two depending what you have in that thing. I typically load that up and can only fit one bag of ice so living in Texas the ice will only last you a few hours. The nine day test is because 30lbs of ice were added and the more ice you have the longer it says cooler.

[@azphilip1960]

So true

[@tylercole2628]

Do you think pre cooling it would assist with that?

[@nicolepaul4570]

I picked this up at Walmart today for $199! I have the LIIME Green one. It IS a mini-van! It fits in the back of my Honda Fit perfectly.

[@Recruitcreative]

Awesome! Let us know how you like it!

[@dvader3000]

Dude it cost 279 everywhere. What do you mean 199$ Dont be lying

[@phillyxxiii_GG-USA_AKAliusE60]

Great job on this! Concise and to the point. Also, the extended rail handle goes out far enough to pull it like a wheel barrow. The design of it works well, and doesn’t catch my heels when pulling up hill or over steps. 👍

[@Recruitcreative]

Thanks for the kind words! Much appreciated

[@shawnfate2656]

You can add a rubber seal with adhesive backing to it pretty easily to make it more air tight

[@CrimtideStreams]

It can't be air tight at all, regardless if there is a gasket / seal or not.. because there is no locking mechanism.

[@shawnfate2656]

@@CrimtideStreams mine lasted 4 days with 20 lbs of ice stock. you could use a bungie strap idk

[@zsido07]

WOW what a cooler!!!! I gotta get me one and dang it ice for 7 days.

[@Recruitcreative]

Heard dat

[@laurenciaadepaasare6617]

How much is the cost....? am in Holland how can i get one.

[@PtrOBrn]

Ok... you can lock the valuables case... but it comes off... easily.

[@paramount_plug6593]

That was my exact thought.. 🤦‍♂️🤣 I was like “oh cool” and then he removed it 🤦‍♂️🤣

[@Over_Taxed_USA]

It's a Cooler. Not a bank vault.

[@pacerjp]

@@Over_Taxed_USAit's not a bank vault, but it's also not a secure place to keep your valuables if it can be removed.

[@GTJay]

So, put something else in it. He isn't part of Igloo's marketing team, he's a youtuber. Relax alittle, guys.😆

[@MrHmoobPhejEj]

Lol... I was thinking the same

[@brianavelar3869]

I just picked one up today for $199.99. I'm excited to put some good use to this cooler. Let's gooooo!

[@Recruitcreative]

Awesome. Let us know how you like it once you’ve used it!

[@bradcas86]

Just snagged one for $96....😊

[@johndoe-ek6vl]

it's for going out fishing/crabbing. Works as a great fishing cart

[@SevenSixTwo2012]

Great cooler, but Igloo needs to make the 4x4 model next.

[@Recruitcreative]

Agreed!

[@Gr8Grahams]

Thank you so much for the review! You had me cracking up a number of times. I wonder how long the ice would last though if it was opened and closed saaaay 5 or 6 times a day instead of just once for a few seconds. I think 5 or 6 times a day pulling out drinks/sandwiches would be more realistic. But dang… 9 days?

[@Recruitcreative]

No problem!

[@donutmultiverse]

Wound up here looking at cooler stereos. Not quite a stereo but wow, that's one tough cooler

[@Recruitcreative]

A Bluetooth speaker is all it’s missing!

[@the_90s92]

Idk if it’s worth 240$+ just seems cheaply build but great if it was in the 100 or less range to be honest

[@theonlyoned6409]

Bring that thing to Florida and I will do a review after fishing offshore

[@Recruitcreative]

That’s a long haul from Illinois!

[@ishtar0077]

On sale right now in Amazon

[@Wavy_Potts]

Its $199 right now on their website.. I've been waiting for a sale so i hopped on it

[@Recruitcreative]

Awesome!

[@FoolisH409]

My dad just won one of these at a raffle at work and gave it to me for getting him the job there, pretty sweet right!

[@Recruitcreative]

Heck yeah man! How do you like it?

[@FoolisH409]

@@Recruitcreative going to the lake today, gonna get my first use out of it!! Can’t wait to use the rod holders and the bottle openers for my Modelo!

[@Recruitcreative]

@@FoolisH409 sounds good to us! Now all you need are some of those Recruit Creative stickers to help trick it out!

[@troywilliams8659]

Have this cooler worked well low 90 's on the beach for days and rolled good on sand. No matter how much ice i have left i have to restock every day no matter what cooler i use

[@K0NVICTx]

😂😂 when the camera cut to the blankets and pillows

[@Recruitcreative]

Gotta do what you gotta do in the winter to get that review in! Lol

[@jsmitty2047]

Igloo is USA made as well…beats the Chinese trash in Yeti and those other $500 coolers.

[@rodmanplastics-rp5jg]

It‘s so cool😎 We are also a cooler brand.Provide one-stop customised service for holding tanks

[@Juan-kz1fj]

Did you ever try it outside with the sun beating on the cooler?

[@Oli-Mtz]

I wish it wasn’t so tall, it does fit under a bed cover

[@elviorion]

If you haven't figured this out yet, the hinge on this cooler is extremely weak. I had to replace mine pretty early in on ownership because it tipped on it's side while the lid was open and snapped. All in all it's a great DRINK cooler but food that needs to stay cold needs to be in a cooler that seals better. We'll use this for beer and soda and an RTIC for food stuff. Also you can't test ice rentention inside like that, you can't compare a test inside in a very climate controlled environment when not even being used to a real life use case scenario. With our family of 5 this cooler barely keeps ice for a day in the real world. I don't dislike the cooler, but it's not on the same level as a Yeti or RTIC.

[@kedingtk]

You wouldn't want the tray to slide because it would slide around in transport

[@kimoclyde]

Almost perfect, but it seems to have room for improvement. That cable sticking out will get annoying real quick. No locking lid? Really? Needs longer ice retention time.

[@markdepama367]

Academy Sports has them for $114.

[@2joeybrooks]

The ultimate Travel Ball/Tail Gate/ Cooler…

[@curtisjeffries9812]

What is the dead weight of this cooler? Online, Igloo says its 34lbs empty. Saw one in Dicks sporting goods and it wasn't near that heavy empty. Called igloo and they insist the dead weight number is right. Perhaps filled with ice I can see 34lbs.

[@Recruitcreative]

I would say that number is correct. The long handle provides a lot of leverage to make it feel lightweight but when you lift it all the way off the ground it’s quite heavy. This thing filled with ice takes 2 people to lift because the weight and how bulky the cooler is!

[@curtisjeffries9812]

@@Recruitcreative Thanks for the quick response. I'll be using it on a headboat so at most, its a 24in lift. Might need some help getting it in the truck. I figure I would load ice in it AFTER I get the cooler where I need it to be. LOL

[@Recruitcreative]

@@curtisjeffries9812 sounds like a good plan!

[@holycroc20]

What's the point of an Indoor test?? 4 days in typical OUTDOOR conditions....None of these coolers really hold ice all that long in Sunny, 90 degree temps. I'm considering a ROVR or GOAT (If only that one had wheels). Rovr has some of the best wheels on a cooler, tho they could be larger.

[@Recruitcreative]

What’s the point of watching the test if you already know it all? Lol

[@holycroc20]

@@Recruitcreative Hey I've considered this cooler too, look at about every possible one. I kinda changed my mind a bit when I watched a review showing the handle come off the cooler, reviewer said it left the cooler rolling back down the stairs on him. It might be a bit too plastic for me, but it's one of the few coolers that actually sits above the wheels. It definitely wouldn't fit in the Tundra bed with the cover down, and maybe not the back seat. Rovr 60 would fit.....I appreciate your review on the cooler itself. None of them truly do great in real conditions, it's crazy to expect them to (That's what the powered ones are for.....)

[@tranderrick]

indoor is actually a warm temperature so not bad.

[@brittwelch1631]

Just received this cooler for my birthday present! Haven't used it yet for fishing trip, but so far everything looks good. Only thing questionable is the top lid may not seal tight. Do you recommend something I can add to the lid to ensure tight seal?

[@Recruitcreative]

I would say you could use a strap to maybe tension it down tighter or contact igloo and see if it could be a faulty seal or if they have suggestions! That’s a heck of a birthday present!

[@brittwelch1631]

What type of tie downs do you recommend that hold down soft tackle box, beach chair, umbrella, etc? So they won't slide/fall off when you hit bumps on the pier, rocks, etc. Read somewhere that some tie downs don't work. Also thinking about installing/screwing in 2 latches to keep the top secure--like what they have on other large coolers. Have you thought about installing latches?

[@mance7996]

How tall is this cooler..?.. I’m thinking about getting one but not sure if it fits under hard tonneau cover on my Silverado 2020!?.. did anybody had similar situation !?

[@Recruitcreative]

19.7”

[@jayaye9913]

What’s the difference between the marine one and the journey

[@hugochavolla9242]

How long does the ice last

[@Greatgadgetsgear]

Better test of ice is actual use. Food, drinks, realistic Ice amount, summer temps and opening and closing lid. Bet you’d be closer to the four days. No offense but your test is just storing ice lol.

[@Recruitcreative]

I agree with you. Rushed the review a bit with it being winter and not a lot of time available but hadn’t seen any reviews on KZbin yet at the time and wanted to get one out to go over the features. I could’ve left the ice test but I also stated in the video several times that it wasn’t the most accurate test and that full 9 days wouldn’t be expected! Fair comment though. I’d say between 4-6 days but it’s extremely hard to model the real world situation

[@gavinsons9195]

So 2 days of ice in 90 degree heat. Igloo sucks and has always sucked. I like the design and features but without that lid clamping down tight on a gasket its just as worthless as all of their other coolers.

[@Recruitcreative]

Valid point!

[@erikgarcia3778]

I bought this vs my smaller yeti needless to say my yeti didn’t held up on 98 degree camping trip much either. This lasted a little longer maybe because it had more Ice pérhalps

[@philipdube7131]

Pelican elite coolers are by far the best 👌, USA made! But they cost more then yeti coolers!😳😳 . They are super heavy, but toughest/strongest on market! I have the 150qt elite pelican, I did test myself with it. 48 beers and 3, 2 liters of soda. Packed with ice, lasted 8 days in 90+ degree weather, every day on my boat. That's with us opening it a bunch. Just the cooler empty weights 70 pounds tho! 😒😔😵‍💫😞 lol I really like the look of the igloo tho! Best test for it is in the sun in 90 degree weather! You tried tho!👍👍👍 lol

[@pandasaiyan7764]

I just got my cooler in today but i noticed the bottom left leg is a bit loose. any fixes?

[@Recruitcreative]

Sounds like a screw needs tightened. Look around the leg for one, I’m not sure if there’s one there that’s accessible or not

[@rondasnyder1477]

Is there a handle in the back?

[@crabjoe]

They didn't think enough to put a seal in for the lid.

[@Chechenzko]

Has anyone tried to steal it from you yet? I just bought it and I feel a lot of people Staring at it in suspicious ways!!! I feel unsafe

[@Recruitcreative]

No not yet!

[@Chechenzko]

The coolest thing ever

[@keep1treal61]

That makes a good point . Because sometimes I leave my cheapo one in the bed and don’t worry about it

[@bamaboy6207]

ice wouldnt make a day here in south alabama heat thats been 98° with 95% humidity probly melt the lid here in the sun!!

[@DuckbumSD]

Picked one up on sale for 199.00 🎉🍻🤘

[@Recruitcreative]

Awesome! How do you like it so far?

[@DuckbumSD]

@@Recruitcreative I just picked it up today been wanting one for awhile, one thing I don’t like is there’s no catch to keep the lid down it sort of partially open/closed , so I ordered some yeti style catches for it , rolls great like the extras on it think it’s gonna be great .

[@chrishuber4853]

How fast does it go?

[@Recruitcreative]

Pretty fast in high mode

[@k_h_nobody]

I appreciate the general review, but you ruined it when you added heat! I wanted to see if it could go 10!

[@j.a.1785]

Yeti is for suckers.

[@HollyHuntty]

I’d marry the thing if it wasn’t for being $250 dollars 😂 sounds like an inexpensive partner TBH 😆

[@Recruitcreative]

That’s one way to look at it!

[@marilynbricoccoli3658]

Can’t remove cap off of drain! Help please.

[@Recruitcreative]

You should just be able to rotate the black cap counterclockwise to loosen it!

[@davidencinas86]

2 days max in 80 to 90 degree weather,

[@SKT_T4R]

are you speaking from experience, or just guessing? I'm genuinely curious as i'm looking at coolers to buy

[@davidencinas86]

@@SKT_T4R i have one and I live in Fl. Best trick to get the most out of it. Freeze some water gallons or water bottles and throw it in the mix. Im not happy with mine.

[@davidencinas86]

@@SKT_T4R also note, we use it for fishing and beaching so it gets open a bit. But even if you dont, it will only last about a day. It helpls to put cold stuff already in it. Hence why I suggested frozen water

[@turdferguson7686]

@@SKT_T4R ive had mine for almost 6 years now and i mostly use it for float trips where it is opened and closed frequently for half the weekend and it keeps ice no problem for me. in southern missouri in july/august so theres plenty of heat and humidity to destroy ice. ive been very happy with mine though maybe theyve changed since i bought mine? it also turns heads and gets a ton of comments wherever you take it, which may be good or bad depending on how you feel about such things. it just stands out with the wheels and skid bars or whatever theyre called.

[@Rainy_Day12234]

I saw another review and the guy had the cooler outside over 100 degrees during the day. He filled it full of ice and it still had ice in it at the eight day mark.

[@GTJay]

What are the wheels made out of?

[@Recruitcreative]

Plastic

[@gmanwrangler]

I saw on another review where when it was tilted to the side it LEAKED water out!! If true thats a deal killer for me. What is your experience?

[@Recruitcreative]

I would say that is accurate if you don’t have the lid strapped down with something. I personally haven’t had it tilted enough to do that, but I could see it happening without there being latches to hold the lid down. It would take a lot of effort to get this thing tilted though based on its size and stance so I’m not sure that would keep me from buying it. It wouldn’t be an issue while just wheeling it from place to place, unless you just had it choked full of water I guess!

[@gmanwrangler]

Update: I called the company and was told the lid is not watertight as it doesn't have a sealing gasket. So, if you tip it to the side water will drain out. Just know that when purchasing for your particular application or use.

[@DuckbumSD]

Mini van 😂👍

[@barbarafarrington7146]

Not many people would know that the box comes off because it is not visible

[@Recruitcreative]

That’s correct

[@jeffward6166]

Try it outside at 90 degrees

[@Recruitcreative]

Will do when we see those temps again!

[@terrancemoore496]

This guy 22 inch rims LMAO!

[@mirona18]

I have a couple otterbox coolers but found myself in need of one more cooler for our camping trip. We will be gone 8 days and the otterbox coolers have no problem making that stretch but I'm curious to how this one will do. I didn't have time to wait for another otterbox plus I had a coupon for dicks sporting goods that saved me a big chunk of change. I have definitely heard mixed reviews.

[@Recruitcreative]

Let us know how it goes!

[@RIPPER334]

I bought one of these... and at the end of the day, it's just a tupical garbage igloo with fancy stuff on it. No different that the 60 dollar cooler from Walmart, except this one has doodads and wheels. I got 2 days of ice retention... 2 real world days on a 4 day camping trip. Spend your money on an RTIC if you want a cooler that will hold ice. Unless you're going to beach for a day, and/or just want to piss away 250 bucks, then this may be just your ticket. But don't buy this thinking you're going to get anywhere near 9 days of ice if it's even remotely above freezing outside, or you plan on opening it more than once every 12 hours.

[@Recruitcreative]

Thanks for the comment!

[@DirtNassty]

You seem like a pleasant guy

[@spinningbacksidekick]

The ice test was doing well, then you went and dipshitted it up with draining water and putting electric blankets on it.

[@Recruitcreative]

😂 do your own ice test then!

[@dominiquef2187]

Getting one of these fusho

[@TLAYTON37]

Ice is no good when it's still ice? Wtf are you talking about?!?

[@Recruitcreative]

Most people have enough common sense to understand what was meant. There wouldn’t have been any ice at all left if the cooler was filled with drinks, but with an empty cooler the ice is going to last a bit longer as in this case… that’s why we are calling it at that point.

[@GalloPazzesco]

You know how thermodynamics work right? That wasn't really a real life "ice retention" test. Nine days is the wrong call friend. That ice might last 30 hours in South Carolina heat in that cooler and ... when is anyone going-to pack a cooler slam full of ice with no drinks, no food, no nothing but ice in it? Unrealistic ... but thanks anyways. Best of luck to you.

[@Recruitcreative]

Yes, I’m an engineer by trade. We would love to see your “real life” test. I believe it was stated in the video that there were going to be some flaws in the test but apparently you didn’t hear that part.

[@GalloPazzesco]

@@Recruitcreative as I stated before, thanks for the effort, best of luck to you. God Bless you. 🙂👍🏽Sorry that you took it personally. So you're a Thermodynamics Engineer? Basics in mechanical, chemical, aerospace? You design rocket ships or what? Hopefully these comments will help with your algorithms and analytics and all that stuff smart guy but I just gotta say, that cooler is a $250.00 playtoy, a waste pf money. It's fine for a weekend girly boutique camping trip or tea party while tailgating for a day in moderate heat maybe, but there are sooooo many things wrong with that cooler ... anyways, enjoy it young man, marry it, love it, pet it, poke it and all that other stuff you proclaimed in your video - you obviously love and worship the thing ... 😆 ... but it's not a serious person's cooler. Still yet, beauty (functionality, durability, ergonomics, etc.) are in the eye of the beholder I suppose. And with regard to your challenge that I do a review ... do you understand how childish of a response that was? You took the time, made the effort and uploaded the video to this platform for others to see. You invited people to watch ... and what do you do at the slightest hint of minor observational criticism? You retort with "well why don't you do it then?" And you know what my kind answer is? "No thank you, I have neither the time nor the inclination to waste my money on such an obviously inferior product nor the patience to actually literally spend ten days of my life, using bad data parameters, to make said video ... as did you." Wanna know what my unkind answer is? "I'm neither egotistical enough nor am I an idiot ... so no, I think not. I'll leave the poorly planned product reviews to you young man." The well-planned product reviews and tests are out there to be had. Again, regards and God Bless you young man. 👍🏽

[@Recruitcreative]

@@GalloPazzesco lol

[@austino6710]

@@GalloPazzesco I know this is a one month old comment, but what cooler would you recommend if this is a "$250.00 playtoy"? Honest question since I've been trying to find a rolling cooler with great ice retention. I'd rather not waste money on something that doesn't work as stated. Thanks!

[@GalloPazzesco]

@@austino6710 an Orca or a Blue for just a little more money will last you a lifetime. They're not play toys, they're for grown men at a reasonable price.

[@us-eb3info79]

It's a mini van😂

[@Recruitcreative]

It practically is!

[@yoterchris1028]

Cooler tested inside not under direct sunlight hmm idk about 5 days🫠