Igloo BMX Cooler Review: A Tough Option for Any Occasion

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Welcome to another cooler review on our blog. This time, it's the Igloo BMX cooler review

While some people look for something extra when searching for the best cooler for their needs, whether it’s being able to play music or turn on lights inside to make it really feel like you’re at a party, others just need their ice chests to be durable enough for any situation and able to keep food and drinks cold for as long as necessary.

That’s where the Igloo BMX cooler comes in. This option was introduced in early 2018 as the latest in Igloo’s lineup of well-performing ice chests that includes the Sportsman, which we previously covered, the IMX (review here), the Yukon, and the Party Bar, among other unique additions.

The BMX option proves to be a reliable option for whatever event you have coming up, earning a 4.6/5 in performance from us, and our guide is here to let you know how it earned such a rating.


Igloo BMX Cooler Review


Design & Construction

The majority of ice chest brands go with rotomolded construction in order to ensure the best possible insulation and to make sure that customers don’t leave get-togethers with coolers covered in scratches and dents from bad weather and large animals.

However, for the BMX series, Igloo decided to go with heavy-duty blow-molded construction, a cheaper, and significantly more lightweight alternative.

Granted, blow-molded coolers aren't as durable as roto-molded ice chests. What's more, they're even behind the injection-molded coolers, the latest industry trend. 

However, in the case of the BMX cooler, Igloo did a lot to ensure that the cooler will be able to blow off anything that nature throws at it.

Protection is guaranteed thanks to the addition of metal kick plates, and the reinforced base helps the ice chest have the strength to carry what you want to put inside.

Bad weather and animals aren’t the only things that can do damage to coolers, as the sun can have an impact on not only how cool your food and drinks stay, but how strong the exterior of your ice chest remains.

The BMX takes care of that with UV inhibitors, which prevent the sun from causing any problems for your product for practically its entire usage.

Features

When it comes to features, Igloo focuses on them being able to add to its BMX coolers’ performance. For example, the hinges and similar components are made of rust-resistant, stainless steel so that everything remains attached and the lid stays shut no matter how much the wind and rain blows.

The lid is also able to remain secure thanks to the T-grip latches, which have rubber protection to ensure that it opens and closes correctly while also making it easy and comfortable for you to carry it, as this brand is light enough to where you can sometimes hold it from the bottom.

The handle for this ice chest is made of multi-piece plastic, which also gives you an easy time carrying the product, as we all know how harder handles can make this process uncomfortable and provides a higher chance of having to put it down on the way to the patio or campsite.

If you’re still concerned about your cooler opening up when it gets windy, there’s always the tie-down loops for extra security. If you plan to use this option for a fishing trip, then the ruler on the lid will come in handy for measuring your catch.

The best of all? The BMX cooler is very light, unlike any rotomolded cooler out there. Being lightweight, it's easier to carry and definitely more portable. Actually, the Igloo BMX has been the only blow-molded cooler that made it to our list of best lightweight coolers.

Put all of these features together, and you get a 4.5/5 rating in this category.

bmx cooler

igloo bmx

igloo bmx 52 qt cooler

igloo molded bmx

igloo ruler lid bmx

Igloo BMX Features

  • Heavy duty blow-molded construction
  • Extra-thick foam walls and insulated lid
  • Rubberized T-latches
  • Oversized hinges and stainless steel screws
  • Swing-up handles with stainless steel reinforcement and rubber grips
  • Threaded drain plug
  • Diamond plate metal insert
  • Fish ruler and four tie-down points
  • Cool Riser Technology®

Ice Retention

The first thing you must worry about when looking at what cooler to purchase is if it will be able to keep your food and drinks cold enough for whatever event you have instore for it.

That shouldn't be a problem with the BMX series, as these ice chests guarantee that your items will stay in prime consuming condition for 2 to 5 days, depending on which size we're talking about. The larger the cooler, the longer it can keep ice frozen.

Although Igloo advertises 4-day ice retention for their smallest, 25qt cooler, the truth is that it's going to be incredibly hard to achieve 4 days in this one. It should, however, keep ice icy for 2 days, perhaps a bit longer if you use some Cooler Shocks, or block ice, pre-chill the contents, and the cooler itself.

In the case of the large ones, the 52-quart, and the 72-quart one, we're talking about 4 to 5 days on average. If you adhere to some of tips on how to improve the ice retention in a cooler, then you should be able to extend the timeframe by another day.  

All in all, this works whether you’re having a party at your friend’s house to watch the big game or you’re going camping with your family for an extended weekend. Just don't expect that you'll get 10-day ice retention like in some other, rotomolded coolers. That won't be possible with this one.

On the other hand, the BMX cooler cost a fraction of its rotomolded counterparts, and, what we said before, it's a very light one. You lose something, you gain something…

 

4 half stars

Overall, the BMX’s retention earns a 4.5/5, which is achieved thanks to the combination of its MaxCold body, 20 percent thicker foam and insulated lid, which makes sure that the inside keeps your snacks and beer cold while keeping the cold air from escaping.

The molded base is made of Cooler Rise Technology so that the base is elevated and stays off of hot surfaces, whether it’s concrete roads or large boulders that have been heated up on a cloudless, sunny day.

The UV inhibitors that we mentioned earlier just make it that much easier for your drinks to stay ice cold and your meats for barbeques to avoid going bad.

TIP: To maximize ice retention it's worth getting some extra ice packs. Here are the top 5 cooler ice packs we recommend.


Available Sizes and Colors

Being a new addition to Igloo’s offerings doesn’t leave the BMX series with a long list of size offerings at the moment, but the purpose with this offering is to make them light enough to provide customers an easy time carrying them while being just as tough as the biggest options in the ice chest world.

There are two Igloo BMX options at the moment:

  • the smaller option is the 25 Quart Cooler, which weighs 11.29 pounds and has an outer dimension of 19.59 in. x 13.25 in. x 15.7 in. and an inner dimension of 11.5 in. x 8.75 in. x 14.75 in.
  • the bigger option is the 52 Quart Cooler, weighing in at 16.34 pounds and measuring 26.2 in. x 16.42 in. x 16.06 in. on the outside and 20.75 in. x 12.75 in. x 12 in. on the inside.
  • the biggest option is the 72 Quart Cooler, weighing in at 18.7 pounds and measuring 32.19″ x 17.34″ x 16.82″ on the outside.

This allows you to carry up to 37 12-oz cans with the 25, up to 83 12-oz cans with the 52 and up to 101 12-oz cans with the 72.

item-titleIgloo BMX 25Igloo BMX 52Igloo BMX 72
igloo bmx 25 qt coolerigloo bmx coolerigloo bmx 72qt cooler
to-centerCapacity
37 12-oz cans
25 quarts (23 liters)
Capacity
83 12-oz cans
52 quarts (49 liters)
Capacity
101 12-oz cans
72 quarts (68 liters)
to-centerIce Retention
4 days at 90°F*
Ice Retention
5 days at 90°F*
Ice Retention
5 days at 90°F*
to-centerExterior (LxWxH)
19.59" x 13.25" x 15.7"
Exterior (WxDxH)
26.2" x 16.42" x 16.06"
Exterior (WxDxH)
32.19" x 17.34" x 16.82"
to-centerWeight
11.29 lbs
Weight
16.34 lbs
Weight
18.7 lbs
Check Price
at IGLOO
Check Price
at IGLOO
Check Price
at IGLOO

When it comes to colors, both the 25 and 52 are a combination of carbonite gray and carbonite blue, which makes the design simple and reflective of their durable nature and the conditions that they can handle.


Warranty

Having a cooler that keeps you covered from the issues that come with manufacturing them is a top priority for how long you plan to use it. The BMX 25 comes with a warranty that will keep you covered from such issues for one year from the date of purchase, and the BMX 52 will do the same for five years.

This brand has some way to go before it catches up to RTIC, which has a warranty of seven years, and those that have a warranty that lasts a lifetime, which includes Cordova, Otterbox, Siberian, Monoprice and Pelican. However, the BMX series is still new to the game, and given its current performance level, that shouldn’t be hard to do.


Purpose

You know you’ve got a reliable cooler on your hands when it can be useful for just about any situation. That’s the case with Igloo’s BMX series, which, despite its size, is a great option for any occasion, whether it’s a birthday or graduation party with friends and family at someone’s house, a tailgate with friends for a football game, or a fishing and hunting trip in the mountains.

Being light makes it easy to take these coolers in your car for road trips, as well as on a boat for a day on the lake during camping trips or out on the ocean for when you go to the beach. Being useful in all of these situations earns this brand a 4.5/5 rating in quality.


Igloo BMX vs. Yeti

Despite being less than a year in the ice chest, Igloo’s BMX has proven worthy enough for a comparison to the biggest name in the field: Yeti.

Though it seems a bit unfair to put this rookie toe-to-toe with the most popular cooler brand out there right now, the BMX series has durability and usage that share similarities to Yeti and have earned a comparison.

igloo bmx vs yeti

When it comes to situations where their coolers come in handy, both BMX coolers and Yeti coolers can be quiet useful for people who have adventures planned for the outdoors, whether it involves fishing, hunting, hiking or biking.

However, the latter has a much heavier emphasis on usage in nature, as its bigger options are reserved for big game like elk and moose, making the BMX series more suited for fishing and small game, in addition to parties and tailgating.

Design is very different between the two brands, as Yeti relies on the traditional rotomolded construction that is included in the biggest names, while Igloo for its BMX series uses something called a blow-molded construction, which is less expensive and less complex to make.

Although both options, however, have so far proven to perform quite well in terms of keeping the outside damage-free and items inside secure, it's the YETI that's much tougher, more durable, and bear-resistant. The BMX won't be bear-proof, even if it's locked.

We think there's no better technology providing the highest possible ice retention than the rotational molding, which stands behind the YETI products. It's not that we're a skeptic of Igloo's insulation, we just think that when it comes to the ability to keep ice for many many days, YETI is going to win here.

As we mentioned before, size offerings are where we see great differences between these two brands, which affects the situations where they can be useful. The BMX 25, 52 and 72 are similar to Yeti’s Roadie and some of Tundra series, which are the latter’s smaller offerings.

However, Yeti’s options go way up from there, with its biggest cooler being the Tundra 350, which measures 24.75 in. x 23.25 in. x 63.5 in. on the outside and 16.75 in. x 17.75 in. x 54.625 in. on the inside. Like we said before, this makes the BMX coolers a better option for shorter camping trips and smaller game.

Igloo benefits from this size difference, however, when it comes to sparing your wallet, as the BMX 25 and 52 are currently available online for about $60 and slightly above $100, respectively, earning a 5/5 in pricing.

Yeti’s smallest options aren’t even this cheap, and the Tundra 350 is currently priced at nearly ~$1,300, making it the company’s most expensive offering.

Igloo BMX Cooler vs. Yeti Tundra – The Verdict

Yeti has a proven track record of performance and is great for outdoorsmen of all sorts, but Igloo’s BMX series is just as tough and saves you a great deal of money along the way. We advise to try out this new cooler so that you understand how reliable it can be.


Nearest Igloo BMX Cooler Competitors

Despite being only a few months old, the BMX series has already garnered a couple of competitors that prove to be quite the challenge.


Coleman Xtreme 5

No products found.

Coleman, an expert brand when it comes to outdoor ice chests, measures up with BMX coolers with its Xtreme 5 offering, which works best for those who have a trip planned in the mountains or at the beach. This option will keep your drinks and food cold for up to 5 days thanks to its ThermOZONE insulation. It comes with a 52 QT option, though sizes go up from there.

While the BMX series makes itself easy to carry by being light, the Xtreme 5 does so by coming with wheels in case you have to walk on gravel paths. Both options don’t need rotomolded construction in order to keep your items safe, but Igloo has the advantage in warranty, like that of the Xtreme 5 is limited.

Check Coleman Xtreme cooler review or check its Amazon price here.


Stanley Adventure

No products found.

When it comes to smaller coolers that can perform just as well as bigger counterparts, few come to mind quicker than Stanley’s Adventure ice chest, which comes in handy for similar situations as those made for the BMX series.

This option is able to keep food and drinks cold for up to 4 days, thanks to a foam similar to that used by Igloo, and it comes with a leak-resistant design and an exterior that can handle the worst of weather conditions.

Igloo has a slight advantage in size in this case, as the biggest Adventure option is the 30 QT cooler, but the latter has a few extra color options (blue, white, green and red) for those who want their cooler to stand out more from the others at a party.

Check our Stanley Adventure cooler review or get it at Amazon.

Both the Coleman Xtreme 5 and Stanley Adventure prove to be top competitors for Igloo’s BMX series, as they can keep ice cold for around the same amount of time and have tough designs to prevent dents and scratches. However, while these two options have a proven track record and deserve a try out, we still give the edge to the BMX series based on its overall performance and being useful for a variety of situations.


Where to Buy Igloo BMX Coolers

If you’re familiar with our website, then you know that our go-to place for buying your coolers is Amazon, which has proven to be a great spot for buying just about anything online.

That said, another option would be the Igloo's own store, which is actually pretty good. The BMX series is available right here.

Both sites offer the chance to return your purchase if it ends up not performing the way that you wanted, as well as plenty of reviews of other customers in case you need multiple opinions for when you go shopping online.


Igloo BMX Cooler – Conclusion

Very few cooler brands are able to save you money, be easy to use and perform for just about any situation at the same time, and that makes Igloo’s BMX Cooler series a priority if that’s what you’re looking for.

These coolers are small enough so that you can carry them on your own, cheap enough for you to save money for other things that you want to do at your get-togethers, and useful for tailgating, camping, birthday parties, and other occasions.

Give Igloo’s BMX coolers a shot the next time you go ice chest hunting before a fun time with family and friends.

 

Igloo BMX Cooler Rating

Igloo BMX Cooler Review
  • Ice Retention
  • Quality
  • Features
  • Price
4.6

Summary

Very few cooler brands are able to save you money, be easy to use and perform for just about any situation at the same time, and that makes Igloo’s BMX series a priority if that’s what you’re looking for.

Sending
User Review
3.02 (185 votes)

 


Last update on 2024-03-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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Greg

Greg’s a co-founder of bestcooler.reviews and author of 100+ product reviews and comparisons on this website. When not at work, Greg’s an avid sportsman who enjoys running marathons, loves snowboarding, hiking and discovering new single tracks on his bike.

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