Ozark Trail 52 QT Cooler

8.5
8.5 score
[Editors rating (8.5) + Users rating (10.0)] / 2 = (Gearweare.net) score (8.5)/10

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Editor rating: 8.5 / 10
User's rating: based on 1 user ratings
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Ozark Trail 52 QT Cooler Review Facts

The Ozark Trail 52 is a well-designed and reliable cooler, built and manufactured with the avid outdoorsman in mind. Able to keep ice for up to a week, it is a reliable option for extended camping trips and thanks to its USDA certified bear resistance you can buy it knowing that it won't be easily raided by scavenging animals. The cooler's exterior is also UV resistant helping to repel the sun's rays so that the cooler doesn't receive excessive sun damage and your food and beverages stay colder for longer. The cooler comes equipped with both t-shaped locking latches and an industrial strength stainless steel locking plate. This secure and reliable design coupled with an airtight gasket help to keep your food secure and fresh whether you're out camping, enjoying a fishing trip on your boat, or getting together for a backyard barbeque or family cookout.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Keeps Ice For Up To 7 Days
  • Bear Resistant
  • UV Resistant
  • Stainless Steel Locking Plate
  • Anti-skid Feet
Cons
  • Only 2 colors
  • On the pricey side

Durability

This cooler is designed to be a rugged and durable option for both the regular camper and hardcore outdoorsman. Built with an industrial strength stainless steel locking plate you'll be able to lock down the lid of your cooler at night to prevent the nocturnal raiding of your cooler from wildlife such as raccoons and bears. This stainless steel plate also comes in handy as it's also designed to be a bottle opener for easy beverage consumption. The cooler itself has been independently tested and is certified bear resistant. This means that when you're camping and happen to accidentally leave your cooler out overnight or some other unfortunate event results in a bear raiding your campsite and food supplies the cooler will be able to put up a reasonable defense against any bears hoping to steal your picnic basket and food. This is great for campers and outdoors people who frequent some of the more isolated and notorious camping locations such as Denali in Alaska or Yellowstone, both camping destinations known for their active bear and wildlife populations. The cooler's exterior is also made to be UV resistant benefitting you and the cooler in a number of ways. The UV resistant exterior helps to keep the cooler in optimal condition both practically and aesthetically, slowing the rate of sun damage that the cooler experiences. The UV resistant exterior will also help in keeping your ice and other items cooler for longer as it works to repel heat and UV rays rather than absorbing the midsummer's sun. Overall this cooler is going to be a great deal in regards to durability and easily competes with many of the more expensive coolers on the market that boast the same specs, it'll keep bears at bay should you run into one and it will continue working to repel the sun's rays while keeping your supplies cool and safe.

Features

This cooler has quite a few features that catch your eye and make it a great investment for any camper or outdoorsman. It's designed as a single rotomolded piece so that the cooler has an increased durable and thicker wall. This allows for the cooler to be constructed of the same durable plastic through and through and allows for optimal wall thickness to help with insulating the cooler. This insulation also works remarkably well as the cooler itself is rated with 7 days of ice retention. Having a week-long expectation of ice retention makes this cooler an ideal purchase and great piece of equipment for individuals who enjoy being outdoors for considerable amounts of time and like to partake in extended camping trips. While many consumer coolers can keep ice for a few days there aren't many that are design to be reliable for extended periods of time and many won't be suitable for week long camping trips. The cooler keeps ice for so long partially because of its rotomolded design but also because of the other features that have been built into. The cooler's lid uses an airtight gasket to keep cool air in and hot air out so that every time you close the lid you know that you're keeping your supplies well insulated and refrigerated.

The cooler's exterior is also designed to be UV resistant which helps to protect the cooler itself from the sun's rays. This UV resistance will not only help to protect the cooler's walls from sun damage but also helps to repel penetrating UV rays that can heat up the walls and reduce the amount of time your cooler will stay cool. This cooler is also equipped with a couple of quality of life features designed to make using it all the easier and carefree. The bottom of the cooler is equipped with antiskid feet so that using it on slick docks or boat decks doesn't mean that it's sliding around because of any waves or swells. The oversized drain and threaded plug that it's equipped with make cleaning it easy rather than the hassle of filling it up and trying to dump it out or waiting for a small drain to release gallons of water after every use that many people are accustomed to when using other brands.

The cooler is also certified bear-resistant by the USDA making it a great option for anyone that does their camping in areas that see higher bear populations or nocturnal scavengers in general. This design is great for those just I case situations when you may leave your campsite for a hike or forget to store your cooler overnight. Rather than waking up in the morning to a trashed cooler and wasted supplies your cooler will have a little bit more of a fighting chance if any scavengers wander into your site to till your picnic basket. Lastly, the cooler's durable lid is also equipped with four drink holders so that it can be used as extra space during picnics or cookouts. Much like knowing your food is cool and safe most people would rather keep their beverages off the forest floor and this cooler's top allows you to do that.

Use

This cooler is going to be great to use as an all-around cooler. Whether you're an avid camper, someone looking for a fishing cooler, or need a solid cooler for family cookouts and backyard barbeques this cooler will work great for you. Designed with thick rotomolded walls it can hold ice for up to a week making it an ideal option for your avid camper. The cooler itself is also USDA bear resistant certified so you know that if any animals come scavenging through your campsite they won't be able to just easily pop off your cooler's top and take all your food supplies for the trip. The top of the cooler comes with four built-in drink holders as well as a fish ruler. This lets you just hold your catch up to the lid of the cooler and see if you've set any new local records without having to fumble around for measuring tape. The cooler's thick walls also make it great for keeping refreshments and produce cool and refrigerated during cookouts and barbeques. This ability to keep everything just the way you want will definitely serve you great on those hot summer days when everyone's waiting for a fresh burger and just want something cold to sip on.

Key Features

This cooler has a few key features that stand out from the rest that make it a competitive purchase for anyone looking to get a higher quality cooler than the one they already have. Firstly is the cooler's certified bear resistance and quality design. Equipped with T-handle latches and an industrial strength steel lock plate you can bring this cooler with you into some of the most notorious national and state parks and not have to worry too much about scavenging bears and other wildlife breaking into your cooler. Certified by the USDA Grizzly Bear Committee it's going to be reliable and secure against most wildlife that makes a pass through the grounds in search of easy to scavenge food. The cooler is also rated to keep ice for up to 7 days letting you know that your food, beverages, and other perishables will stay fresh for a week of camping without having to worry about anything spoiling when you're too far away from the nearest grocery store to make restocking a realistic option. This 7-day ice retention comes from a couple of the design aspects that have been implemented with this cooler. Firstly it's built with rather thick cooler walls and a solid, thick, airtight lid. This helps to keep heat and the elements at bay while also trapping the cold air inside the cooler to help keep your supplies refrigerated. Second, the cooler's exterior is UV resistant. This UV-resistant exterior is great for repelling some of the sun's heat and harmful rays to not only keep your food and ice but also prevent sun damage on the cooler. For a piece of equipment that will probably being seeing the light of day a considerable amount having a UV resistant exterior will help to make sure that your cooler won't experience too much sun damage and if so at a slower rate than other coolers, while also helping to keep all of your food and drinks fresh within the cooler.

Bottom Line

The bottom line here is that this cooler is going to be a competitive buy when considering some of the more expensive coolers that boast the same features and design style while also still keeping those fantastic features that you're looking for. The certified bear resistance is a great peace of mind for anyone that enjoys camping, especially those individuals that travel to and visit some of the more remote and environmentally diverse national parks that the US has to offer.

Everyone's heard of bear horror stories and have friends that have had their campsites raided by trash pandas in the middle of the night, but this cooler's sturdy and reliable design will help to keep scavengers from being able to break into your supplies even if they have opposable thumbs. The cooler's single piece rotomolded design and UV resistant exterior also work great for keeping your supplies refrigerated in an agreeable cool environment. Rather than hoping that you bought a cooler insulated enough that your ice doesn't melt you'll know with this cooler that the ice you fill your cooler up with will keep for up to a week, making sure that your food and other supplies stay fresh even if you're on an extended camping trip and far from the nearest grocery or convenience store. The cooler's easy to clean design also means that even after these long camping trips you don't have to worry about maintenance is a hassle. The garden hose compatible and threaded drain means that you can connect your backyard hose to the cooler and fill it up to wash it out. This is remarkably easier than the design that comes other coolers use where you fill it and then either fumble with trying to dump the water out or wait for the water to drain painfully slow from an undersized drain hole. The cooler itself is also not limited to just being a camping cooler. Four drink holders and a fish ruler designed into the top of the lid mean that it can also operate as a great fishing cooler whether you're on a boat or casting form dry land. Being able to have a sizable cooler with you while fishing means you can either keep refreshments cool and handy or have a place to keep your fish so they don't spoil before dinner later. This cooler is going to be great for any of these situations.

Whether you're planning a great fishing trip, you want to get away into nature for a while, or you just want to enjoy a good cookout this cooler is going to be a great choice and its well-designed features will continue to serve you time and time again.