Coolers & Tumblers from Walmart You’ll Swear Are YETI
Cold beverage fans have likely heard the hype surrounding YETI and their insulated tumblers and coolers. Available at retailers nationwide, their products are virtually indestructible, keep drinks cold for DAYS, and are built for years of use. YETI’s only issue? The prices!
Luckily, Ozark Trail offers very similar products at Walmart and Amazon for only a fraction of the cost! That means you can keep your chill without spending your cold, hard cash.
Soft Coolers
Ozark Trail soft-sided cooler $50 vs. YETI Hopper Two starts at $250
Thanks to the handle straps, these are great on-the-go coolers, especially when you have multiple bags in tow. Both Ozark Trail and Yeti boast anti-leak zippers, both keep contents cold for up to 2 days, and both offer plenty of durability for soft coolers. Because the zipper is strong enough to stop leaks, it’s recommended to use a lubricant to keep it sliding smoothly (included with the Ozark Trail cooler).
The biggest difference — the Ozark Trail cooler is a whopping 80% cheaper than the YETI Hopper. That means you can have your cooler and fill it without spending a small fortune!
“I own Yeti, RTIC, and Ozark products. I feel this cooler is made with similar construction and performs well. I personally like the size for my boat and car. It does not take up too much room and is easy to get into. The zipper was tight, but lubricate as suggested and you will have no issues. Overall the weight of the cooler is nice and manageable. I would warn not to overload the cooler and stress the straps. I have not had it long enough to verify exterior durability long term. Interior is easy cleaning and no stains as of yet. I tested it for leaks, even had an adult sit on it and it did not leak. The ice held for 2 days in the HOT SUN outside in Colorado.” — Ozark Trail review from Walmart.com
Small Hard-Shell Coolers
Ozark Trail 26 Qt Cooler $86 vs. YETI Roadie 20 $200
They may be small, but these coolers are mighty. When you’re looking for a more rugged cooler, check out these hard shell versions. They’re advertised to be virtually indestructible, built to keep ice frozen for up to 4 days, and they’re certified bear-resistant — perfect for campers!
That said, the Ozark cooler doesn’t quite match up to its Yeti counterpart, as reviewers have commented on its inability to keep ice cold for even a day, much less than its claim of 4 days of frozen ice. It’s worth considering the price tag (ahem, Ozark Trail is over $100 cheaper!), though some customers don’t agree whether or not the value is there.
“What I like: It’s tough as nails, I have no doubt about it being bear proof. It has a cool design. I like the look of the orange hardware on the cooler. I work construction and it goes good with my gear. It performs well… just as well as my bud’s Yeti Tundra that he brings to the job. Lasts me to the end of the workday and that’s fine by me. I’m sure if I used more ice I could get it to last longer. What I don’t like: It’s heavy. My wife hates trying to pick it up or move it anywhere. The latches are kind of tricky. I find them to be fine, but good luck asking the kids to grab something out of the cooler. Overall though, for the price, it gets 5 stars from me.” — Ozark Trail review from Walmart.com
“[I] have purchased many Ozark Trail products and was pleased, but this cooler was very disappointing. The cooler did not hold ice for more than 4 or 5 HOURS and certainly NOT 4 DAYS as advertised! It did not matter if drinks were already cold or the cooler kept in a shaded area; the ice melted quickly. The gasket has a good seal and was not opened every few minutes. For the price that was paid, I expected a much better performance. If I had my receipt, I would be returning this product to get my money back.” — Ozark Trail review from Walmart.com
Large Hard-Shell Coolers
Ozark Trail 52 Qt Cooler $137 vs. YETI Tundra 45 $300
We’ll see your small-scale coolers and raise you one better — these full-size ice boxes are ready to cater to your entire group! These are the same construction as the smaller hard-shell coolers, with more volume and even longer lasting cooling. Both brands also offer dry goods baskets so you can store food and snacks suspended above the ice.
While spending over $100 on a cooler still seems a bit crazy, you’ll save a significant amount of money by not shelling out $300 for the YETI branded option (and the reviews for this Ozark Trail hard-shell cooler are good). Still not enough space in these coolers for you and for your fellow cold beverage enjoyers? You can opt for even larger versions from Ozark Trail and YETI.
“We went camping this past weekend and this cooler worked out perfectly. It’s very solid and on the heavier side so we just left in our trunk since we were able to drive up to our campsite. We packed loose ice throughout the cooler (although we should’ve put ice packs on the bottom AND top) and they stayed solid for a few days.
This cooler is a good size that had a lot of space for storing our food and drinks. There is even a basket that you can put smaller items into. The suction part of the lid is tight so there is some resistance when opening. We didn’t use the strap down to secure since we weren’t leaving it out on the campsite but it is a nice feature that prevents bears from opening the cooler.” — Ozark Trail review from Walmart.com
Can Coolers
Ozark Trail Can Cooler $7.74 vs. YETI Can Colster $25
Sure, coolers keep your drinks cold while closed, but what about once they’re open? That’s where these handy little handheld can/bottle coolers come in. They do the work of your favorite neoprene koozie (like the ones you get for free from special events and weddings) though they do it MUCH more efficiently!
These insulated coolers keep your drink chilled even in the hottest of weather for an extended period of time. They also eliminate condensation (that causes drinks to slip out of your hand or make pools of water on a tabletop) so you can enjoy your beverage without creating a mess.
As for which one to choose? You can save money AND get a better product by opting for the Ozark Trail version — seriously! Check out this Youtuber who compared them side by side to showcase the surprising result.
20oz. Tumblers
Ozark Trail 20oz Tumbler $7 vs. YETI 20oz Tumbler starts at $30
Yes, we understand that insulated tumblers do an incredible job of making sure your beverage stays icy cold or piping hot, but you don’t need to overspend on them! While the shape varies slightly between the two brands, they’re pretty darned close to being identical with the Ozark Trail price ringing in at almost 80% less than the YETI. This means you can get yourself and three other people Ozark Trail cups for LESS than one YETI!
Check out any of the more than 3,350 5-star reviews for the Ozark Trail Tumbler like this one:
“Everyone I know is sporting a Yeti and I was about to break down and buy one myself after hearing about them constantly. THEN I saw the time-lapse video on Facebook comparing the Yeti and the Ozark Trail tumbler and I was sold. $8-$10 vs. like 30? That is a no-brainer… I purchased two of the 20oz. My husband and I love them. He works outside a lot and is just tickled that his ice does not melt in his drink cup after lunch in the 99-degree SC weather.” — Ozark Trail review from Walmart.com
30oz. Tumblers
Ozark Trail 30oz Tumbler $9 vs. Yeti 30oz Tumbler starts at $35
If you like having a big ol’ drink in hand, consider sizing up from the 20oz. tumblers to the 30oz. capacity. As opposed to the 20oz. version, these two cups are seriously identical and I doubt many people would tell them apart outside of the logos. And if 30oz. isn’t enough for you, give the 40oz. size a try!
Our Sidekick Lina actually tested out these cups side by side (spoiler alert, the Ozark Trail tumbler won)!
The Hip2Save team loves this powder-coated version from Ozark Trail, but while it keeps drinks cold just as long as YETI, some have found it doesn’t last as long with hot drinks. It can also be slightly finicky to secure the lid into the cup. That said, we advise to save yourself some money and pick up the Ozark Trail 30oz. tumbler instead of the YETI version. Your wallet and your thirsty taste buds will thank you!
Other great products from Ozark Trail
- Cooler float with cup holders ($4), because leaving the water for a drink can be too much work.
- Deluxe camping table ($60), so you can chef it up while you’re roughing it.
- Cast iron pans ($18) tons of great reviews, three different sizes, and one low price!
Do you have any of these outdoor products?
Let us know your brand preference!
I love my Walmart cup
We LOVE the Ozark cups! Not only do we love to use them ourselves, but they make a great frugal and practical gift, particularly if you have a cricut! We are getting married in November, and bought the cups when they had the 2-packs for $10 ($5/each). We used vinyl, and made gifts for the groomsman, and they turned out great! Personalized, useful, and budget-friendly! Win-win-win!
What a fun gift idea, Alyssa 😄The groomsmen had to love those as gifts!
I ordered the Ozark 30oz and 20oz the other day when you posted in here. I was so excitaded but I had to returned them because the drinking hole on the lid doesnt have a cover its just a plain big hole and and I dont to share my drink with bugs crawling in or dust or anything else. To me is so stupid that they made the cup like that, every other cup has a small cover for the drinking hole when its not in use but not this one ..Very dissapointed . Very inconvinient
Try Built at Wal-Mart.
They sell the closable lids in the same section as the tumblers
While I don’t mind the hole in the lid, I did purchase a closable lid at WM for like $4. It’s not that serious!
I always thought that was a downer about Ozark. But then someone gave us their free Yeti they got from Scheel’s for signing up for the cc, and the lid on the Yeti was the same way. So if one doesn’t like it you still won’t like it even knowing that, but it does mean Ozark is still comparable to Yeti.
I discovered you can upgrade your lid to a closeable one – the sell them for like $2
We have both Yeti and Ozark and the Ozark is way better. Our favorite is the little 10 oz one! We call them our stumpies.
Same with the coolers! We have both and I wouldn’t pay extra for yeti again.
I have the 20 and 30 ounce. I found the lids on the 20 oz were not quite as tight. I use the 30 ounce every day! I bought the plastic straws that fit this tumbler. I love those also. Comes in a pack of 4 with a tiny brush to clean them out with. My 30 ounce keeps ice ALL day, even in a hot car while I am in a store.
I might have 3 different shades of the mint and teal 20 oz tumblers. They are the best!!!! We bought the cooler for $86 and it doesn’t keep things cold for even a day. Disappointed and plan to return it. But the cups are my go to Christmas gift. I buy monogrammed decals on Ebay & give a custom gift for under $10.
I love their double walled stemless wine glasses too. Keeps wine chilled even outside!
How do these compare to the Hyrdoflask?
I have the 20oz OT cups and love them! I did purchase from Amazon the lids that have a slider closure and ones with a snap-down lid closure. I like the snap-down style much better for cleanliness. I also got silicone covers to give me a better grip when holding the cup. I also have the Costco version of the 30 oz cups and they work great, too. But they are large, so I got the handles from Amazon. So, after customizing the cups, I have spent extra, but no where near the cost of one Yeti.
RTIC