RTIC 20 Cooler Box Review

Regardless of cool or hot weather, if you go on an outdoor adventure you will want to take the basics with you, such as food and drinks. Hard-shell cooler boxes are ideal for keeping food fresh and liquids cold.

Even the exterior will stay cool, minimizing condensation on the outside for a no-sweat exterior. It has all the features you need for keeping perishables cold, while you’re busy having fun with your trip activities. The portable RTIC cooler box is ideal for carrying around with you.

RTIC Cooler Review

Capacity

The outside dimensions of the RITC 20 Cooler are H15 x W17.75 x D13.75 inches, weighing in at around 17.5 pounds when empty. The inside dimensions are around H10.8 x W13.75 x D8.75 inches. One of the reasons for the differences in dimensions is the thick insulated walls. The cooler box has a 20-quart capacity, which means it can hold approximately:

• Up to 24 cans comfortably.
• 25lbs ice.
• 5.5 gallons of water.

Should you want to store more beer cans, you could try the RITC 40 and double the quantity. The extra capacity means it’s ideal for hunting or fishing trips too. It will provide you with a cool place to keep your catch fresh. Some even find the robust RTIC cooler box useful for sitting on.

Insulation

With up to 3 inches of insulation, your RITC 20 will keep ice for up to 10 days, providing it’s packed correctly. With such long-lasting ice retention, you could call it a portable freezer rather than your average cooler box. It also helps that the non-slip rubber feet situated underneath, keep the bottom of the RITC cooler slightly off any hot ground.

Material

This is a cooler that’s designed with solid roto-molded construction. Such strong materials and robust design make the RTIC cooler so durable that it’s even bear-proof and impact resistant.

The hinges are integrated into the lid, so everything stays packed tight. The heavy-duty rubber T-Latches fasten down into molded slots. While the traction lid has a gasket all the way around, making all the openings tightly sealed.

With a sturdy carry handle made of stainless steel, the handle-bar locks upright. This makes it easier to carry around from between destinations. Or, you can use the lip of the molded handles to lift the RTIC cooler from the sides.

How Does The RTIC 20 Cooler Compare?

The Blue RTIC 20 is a 2nd generation RTIC cooler. Other available colors are tan and white. To get a better idea of what your blue RTIC 20 cooler looks like, this YouTube video might prove handy:

Mentioned in the video are the added features of two plugged drain holes. Having one a smaller hole means that any meltwater will flow out of the larger hole quicker, so you’re not hanging around waiting for a trickle.

RTIC understand that not every situation warrants a hard shell cooler. To cover all types of trips, there is also an RTIC Soft-shelled Cooler. It can be transported with the extra toughened shoulder strap, or with the carryall style handle.

When compared the RTIC cooler to a thermoelectric cooler, such as the Igloo, you’ll understand just how mobile the RTIC 20 is. It does not need to source any power from your car. Nor will you need to carry around heavy batteries to keep it cold. Its impact on the environment is far less than a cooler that requires power.

If you’re worried about the extra weight of the ice, there are many clever tricks to packing your RTIC 20 Cooler. Freeze bottles of water so they have a dual role to play. That way you’re carrying around fresh, clean water, and while it’s frozen it serves as ice in the cooler.

One other option to keep the contents lighter is to use dry ice. Although if you are opening and closing the cooler frequently dry ice Is not always as efficient as normal ice packs, or ice cubes. Always take care when handling dry ice.

Pack up the Right Way

When packing a cooler, you need to make sure it’s as airtight as it will work far more effectively. Here’s a link to a useful article that gives an abundance of advice on how to pack a cooler efficiently.

Equally, if you’re carrying the RTIC 20 cooler, then why not have a backpack for everything else. That way it leaves your hands free to carry the cooler. Have a look at our review on the Venture Pal lightweight backpacks that can fold up small, but carry lots.

Capture the Memories

If you’re a fisherman, a hunter, or camping out, you’re certain to want to capture memories of your outdoor adventures. See our review for the Best Action Cameras for Beginners. These small cameras come with ideal features for all outdoor venturing, such as wrist remotes and wi-fi control. Plus, they’re ideal for filming on the move. Most can take still images as well as good quality videos.

Conclusion

Hard-shelled coolers can take the pace of any road trip. They’ll take a little more battering than the soft-sided coolers, which are ideal for a day trips. Long or short trips, rugged terrain or standing out in whatever the elements have to throw at it, your RTIC cooler will never let you down. It is a must for any outdoor activities.

Having an RTIC 20 Cooler with you when you’re enjoying an outdoor or indoor trip, is not a luxury but a necessity. Keeping food, drink or your fishing catch fresh is not only better for your adventure, but also better for your overall health. An RTIC cooler is a good investment. You won’t need to rely on finding local stores for food and pay extortionate prices. Your lunch or dinner ingredients are packed away nice and tightly in your cooler. There, they will keep fresh so all the flavors stay locked in for a tasty meal.

Learning how to use the ice to get the best results from your RTIC cooler, is a sensible idea. Have a look at this helpful article that gives some fantastic tips on the use of dry ice.

This article was last updated on November 28, 2022 .