Gear Review: YETI Tundra 50 and Flip 12
I never realized how much I needed a high-performing cooler until I had one. For most of my life, I have gotten by with just about every cheap cooler you can imagine. None lasted for long and certainly didn't keep ice for extended periods of time. I've even spent a little more on some there were supposedly better but was still left disappointed. It all changed when I was introduced to YETI Coolers. You've heard of YETI, but have you ever used one? I have, then I went and got more. It wasn't because there was anything wrong with the Hopper 30I reviewed, but because it was amazing at keeping things cold, and with the active lifestyle I live I could use a few more in my life! This review will cover my experiences with Tundra 50 and Flip 12.
This review will be a little different than some of the others I have conducted. I will start off giving you some of the technical experiences I had with the longevity displayed keeping my things cold but then it will be very picture heavy. The reason behind this is I had a little more time to get to know these products and I want to show that they are truly an asset to not only your hunting and fishing excursions but to just about anything that you can think of that revolves around food or drink.
Cold Retention
So you know YETIs are extreme when it comes to keeping your items cold. My first true test of the Tundra came on my trip down from Illinois to Texas. I filled the cooler with water, a few Diet Dews, and enough food to get me down there then topped it off with a bag of ice. The cooler was loaded at 8:30 PM on a Sunday. I drove all day on Monday with the cooler in the back of a black pickup bed, the sun shining, and temps around 80 deg. Upon arriving at my destination the cooler was removed from the truck and sat out in the Texas sun all day on Tuesday. I moved it into a shaded area where it sat Wed and Thursday. I periodically retrieved items from the cooler during this time so it was opened and closed multiple times. On Thursday at 8:00 PM I opened the cooler and found my drinks to still be ice cold. The ice had apparently just melted that afternoon and I wouldn't have hesitated to eat the food that was still in the cooler. So after only putting an 8-pound bag of ice in the cooler and retrieving items periodically over the duration of the test, I can say that it kept everything inside cold for a solid 4 days. Had I put the recommended amount of ice in, I have no doubts I could have hit 6 or maybe 7 days and still had cold items in the cooler.
The second test I put on the Tundra involved a weekend of fun. I filled the 50 with 24 cans, 18 bottles, and one 10 lb back of ice (note this indicates the holding capacity of the Tundra 50 as well). This was Friday at 6:30 PM with temps once again around the mid-80's. The cooler was continuously opened to "grab a cold one" over the course of Friday and Saturday and at noon on Sunday it still contained significant amounts of ice.
I didn't document the performance of the Flip 12 quite as stringently but what tipped me off the most as to it's ability to insulate was using it as my daily lunch bucket. I would pack my breakfast, lunch, and small freezer pack in the morning and head out for my day of climbing the ladder. In all my past experiences with coolers I used for this purpose the freezer pack would be completely thawed and any remaining items in the cooler were certainly not cold when I unpacked the cooler that evening. With the Flip 12 there were days I would forget to unpack my lunch when I got home and the next morning and I finally got around to unloading it the freezer pack was still partially frozen.
Capacity
The capacity on both coolers was more than adequate for my needs up to this point (I've got my eye on something large enough for elk quarters this fall). As previously mentioned I stuffed 24 cans, 18 bottles, and 10 lbs of ice in the 50. The Flip easily holds enough for a day trip with just enough left over to get the night started.
Durability
I threw everything I had at the Flip and Tundra. From smashing them into tiny spaces in the back of my truck, extreme heat, hog camp, filling them with catfish, and carrying them every single day. The two coolers have held up fantastically with no signs of slowing down.
Built For Adventure
I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...
Summary
I have absolutely fallen in love with the products YETI is bringing to the market. First for me was the Hopper, then the Tundra and Flip. It seems like I rarely leave the house without one. If it's not my lunch bucket, it's drinks and snacks for a day of shopping with the kids, a cross-country move, hunting, fishing, you name it. As a matter of fact, I've gotten into the habit of filling one up on Friday after work making me ready to greet company with a welcoming gift all weekend long. I've found that there is always a Tumbler in use at my house. Coffee in the morning and ice water all the rest of the day. If you haven't made the investment in a cooler worth keeping it is definitely something you may want to consider. I am sold and believe you will be too.
Disclaimer: I received the Tundra and Flip at no charge in return for a fair and honest compilation of my thoughts and experiences regarding their performance. I feel I have done that to the best of my abilities. Regardless of whether I received these at no cost I have since purchased out of my pocket several Ramblers, Tumblers, Can Huggies, and a Tundra(as a thank-you gift to a great friend). YETI products are ready for your adventure...or at least mine!
