Pelican vs Yeti – Putting An End To The Coolers Debate Right Here

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Welcome to our Pelican vs YETI coolers comparison.

Coolers are great. They can keep beverages chilled for a party, allow you to keep your contents cold while camping or hunting or can act as a temporary refrigerator should you find yourself in an emergency situation. So how do you choose?

Pelican vs Yeti

Well, the run of the mill variety that you’ll find at any drug store may be good, but for how long is the question. Not necessarily on how long it will last, but rather how long it can keep contents frozen or even cold.

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is usually a day or two at most. So where do you turn? To the Pelican or Yeti, that’s where.

And since we know that many of you will ask the “but which one is better?” question, we've sat down and written down this Pelican vs Yeti coolers comparison – and we hope it will give you some good hints on which one to choose.


Pelican Vs Yeti: What They Can Offer

Regardless of whether you decide to go with a Pelican or a Yeti, what you’ll find in both is the quality you need and names you can depend on. In our Yeti vs Pelican cooler battle, let’s take a look at the Pelican first.


Pelican Elite Coolers

If a variety of sizes are what you require, then it’s a variety of sizes you will find. Here are all of the sizes you can get with a Pelican:

to-centerpelican 20 qt fishing coolerpelican 30 qt marine fishing coolerpelican 45 qt wheeled coolerpelican 50 qt molded coolerNo products found.
item-titlePelican 20 QTPelican 30 QTPelican 45 QW WheeledPelican 50 QTPelican 55 QT Wheeled
to-centerConstruction
Injection-Molded
Construction
Injection-Molded
Construction
Roto-molded
Construction
Injection-Molded
Construction
Roto-molded
to-centerInterior (L X W X D)
12.00" x 6.70" x 14.10"
Interior (L X W X D)
12.00" x 6.70" x 14.10"
Interior (L X W X D)
19.00" x 12.00" x 12.00"
Interior (L X W X D)
17.50" x 11.00" x 13.70"
Interior (L X W X D)
20.00" x 12.00" x 14.25"
to-centerExterior (L X W X D)
18.80" x 12.60" x 17.70"
Exterior (L X W X D)
25.30" x 19.00" x 18.50"
Exterior (L X W X D)
29.66" x 20.00" x 19.25"
Exterior (L X W X D)
30.00" x 20.30" x 20.40"
Exterior (L X W X D)
29.25" x 20.18" x 20.19"
to-centerVolume
19.00QT (17.98 liters)
Volume
32.95QT (31.18 liters)
Volume
45.00QT (42.59 liters)
Volume
52.87QT (50.03 liters)
Volume
55.00QT (52.05 liters)
to-centerWeight
12.52 lbs (5.7 kg)
Weight
21.67 lbs (9.8 kg)
Weight
37.25 lbs (16.9 kg)
Weight
26.39 lbs (12 kg)
Weight
46.25 lbs (21 kg)
to-centerInsulation Thickness
0.78" (2 cm)
Insulation Thickness
2.10" (5.3 cm)
Insulation Thickness
2.00" (5.1 cm)
Insulation Thickness
2.00" (5.1 cm)
Insulation Thickness
2.00" (5.1 cm)
td-btn-amzCheck Price
at Pelican
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at Pelican
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at Pelican
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at Pelican
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at Amazon
pelican 70 qt marine fishing coolerpelican 80 qt rolling fishing coolerNo products found.pelican 150 qt marine fishing coolerNo products found.
item-titlePelican 70 QTPelican 80 QT WheeledPelican 95 QTPelican 150 QTPelican 250 QT
to-centerConstruction
Injection-molded
Construction
Roto-molded
Construction
Roto-molded
Construction
Roto-molded
Construction
Roto-molded
to-centerInterior (L X W X D)
23.50" x 11.00" x 14.30"
Interior (L X W X D)
29.00" x 13.00" x 13.00"
Interior (L X W X D)
27.34" x 12.00" x 17.62"
Interior (L X W X D)
34.00" x 17.00" x 15.75"
Interior (L X W X D)
50.25" x 17.00" x 17.50"
to-centerExterior (L X W X D)
36.00" x 20.30" x 21.00"
Exterior (L X W X D)
42.88" x 20.75" x 20.25"
Exterior (L X W X D)
37.75" x 20.00" x 24.88"
Exterior (L X W X D)
44.88" x 25.00" x 24.38"
Exterior (L X W X D)
61.13" x 27.50" x 27.50"
to-centerVolume
72.42QT (68.53 liters)
Volume
80.00QT (75.71 liters)
Volume
95.00QT (89.9 liters)
Volume
150.00QT (141.95 liters)
Volume
250.00QT (236.59 liters)
to-centerWeight
33.29 lbs (15.1 kg)
Weight
49.50 lbs (22.5 kg)
Weight
51.00 lbs (23.1 kg)
Weight
66.00 lbs (29.9 kg)
Weight
92.00 lbs (41.7 kg)
to-centerInsulation Thickness
2.00" (5.1 cm)
Insulation Thickness
2.00" (5.1 cm)
Insulation Thickness
2.00" (5.1 cm)
Insulation Thickness
2.00" (5.1 cm)
Insulation Thickness
2.00" (5.1 cm)
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in Pelican store
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in Pelican store
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at Amazon
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in Pelican store
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at Amazon

Pelican boasts the ability to keep ice for up to 10 days and with the thickest insulation in the cooler industry, it would be hard to argue with. Locking latches to keep contents in and cold, and wide wheels to navigate a variety of terrains and a lifetime warranty make this an attractive offer to the individual looking for their next cooler.

Pelican has positioned itself as one of the best on the market when it comes to tough, durable, and reliable coolers that can hold ice and contents cold for long periods of time.

For more information check out our Pelican Coolers Review. You may also want to check out Pelican coolers in their store.


Yeti Coolers

You have no doubt come across Yeti coolers. It’s like searching on any other product and having the top name brands come up over and over again. There’s a reason for that. They are a name that many have come to trust, and they are just downright one of the best when it comes to coolers – Plain and simple.

Yeti coolers not only come in a variety of sizes, but they come in a variety of styles as well.  You will find styles that suit large scale needs, as well as individual needs such as a soft-sided cooler that’s as durable as you’ll find on the market. For your convenience, we've listed all current models here:

to-middleyeti tundra 65 cooleryeti roadie 24yeti hopper soft sided cooleryeti tank Bucket Ice Chest
item-titleYeti TundraYeti Roadie 24Yeti HopperYeti Tank
to-topSize
29 - 330 QT
Size
23.6 QT Only
Size
20 or 30 QT
Size
42 or 82 QT
RotomoldedRotomoldedSoftRotomolded
to-topBottom line
One of the best ice chests our there. A truly versatile cooler to meet all your needs.
Bottom line
A solo adventurer’s best friend when it comes to cooling needs. One size, so many possibilities.
Bottom line
An ultra-portable cooler bag. Not only it keeps stuff cool but looks cool too.
Bottom line
A party tub like no other. Keeps all your drinks iced till the next morning.
Check PriceCheck PriceCheck PriceCheck Price

Throw in things such as your favorite college mascot and design on them and you will find the one and only cooler you may ever want and need, and we haven’t even mentioned the ice retention times or other features.

If you're interested in Yeti coolers, make sure to read our comprehensive YETI Hard coolers review. If you already decided it's a worthy purchase, then make sure you check the latest YETI prices here.


Yeti Vs Pelican:  Which One Should You Choose?

With so many great features to choose from, you really can’t go wrong with choosing either one. What it will really come down to is your own personal preference. So in order to help you choose best, let’s look at some of the major areas you might want to focus on.

Design

In terms of Yeti vs Pelican design, both of these coolers are top of the line and are engineered to provide only the best quality product. 

The Yeti Tundra series is fashioned through high end rotomolded construction, boasts between 2 to 3-inch permafrost insulation, a no-sweat design so the outer core of the cooler stays dry, and a vortex draining system so enormous pounds of melted ice can drain easily. 

You will also find double haul handles, which are made from military-grade polyester rope.

The Pelican Elite coolers also are made through rotomolded construction, but only above 70 quarts. Smaller coolers, up to 50 quarts are injection-molded, which makes them not as durable as the rotomolded ones, but instead much lightweight and in result also more portable. As for the wheeled ones, all sizes have roto-molded construction.

The presence of those new, lightweight injection-molded coolers in Pelican's lineup is something that sets them apart from YETI, which makes all of their hard-sided coolers in rotomolded technology.

As for the other features, all Pelican ice chests hold a freezer-grade gasket to seal in the cold, rugged outer body, stainless steel hardware, and press & pull latches. While the Yeti has rope handles, you’ll find molded-in lift bar handles on the Pelicans.

The design on both of these coolers is built to last with tough outer bodies to withstand the lifting, transporting, bumps, and bruises along the way.

Warranty

If you plan on putting your cooler through some seriously tough weather conditions, then this is where you may find a bit of difference.  While the Yeti Tundra coolers are built for a fight (two grizzly bears and a 500-pound gentleman couldn’t break it), they also offer a five-year warranty.

The Pelican line of coolers takes this a step further and gives you a lifetime warranty on their cooler.  If you are looking into putting your cooler through its paces and then some, then you may want to take the different warranties into consideration.

Ice Retention

This is really the granddaddy Pelican coolers vs Yeti test of them all.  According to the manufacturer, the Yeti Tundra series can hold ice for a maximum amount of time.  While statements from the manufacturer can report an estimated ice retention time, what people really want to hear is what users have reported.

One user reported the cooler still having ice after a four-day canoe trip.  Another user reported having still having ice after a three-day trip.  And yet another user stated that ice retention of around four days can be had.

The Pelican states a little longer ice retention time.  The manufacturer states that ice retention times can be had for up to 10 days.  As mentioned with the Yeti Tundra, let’s have a closer look at what real-world users had to say about this.

Yeti vs PelicanOne user reported using the cooler on a three-day trip, then putting the cooler in the garage for five more days, and still finding ice in it for a total of eight days.  This comes pretty close to the 10-day claim.

Another user mentioned going in and out of the cooler and getting seven days of ice retention time, while yet another user mentioned getting ice retention times on average from six to ten days.

Last but not least – Yeti and Pelican are both certified bear-proof coolers and there have been numerous tests performed with some pretty angry bears who really did everything they could to crush the ice chests. Needless to say, coolers won the battle.

Conclusion? Both Pelican and Yeti will be excellent choices for camping in the wild.


Pelican vs Yeti coolers: Wrap Up & Bottom Line

Again, choosing the best cooler will come down to personal preference when it comes time for you to decide.  Take into consideration things such as price, design, warranty, and ice retention times as you take a closer look at the Yeti vs Pelican.

There really isn’t much difference between Pelican coolers vs Yeti coolers, though you can find a longer warranty with one as opposed to the other.  You might also prefer one product’s handles over the other.  And also may want one with longer ice retention times as per user’s reports.

At this point, it really comes down to your own needs, preferences, and wants when it comes to choosing Pelican vs Yeti coolers.

One thing is for sure though, you really can’t go wrong with these top of the line coolers.


Pelican vs. Yeti – Vote Now!

Now it’s time for you to take it in your hands and vote! It’s a heated debate and we need your help to find the winner of this battle. Simply choose one brand and find out what others went for.


Here's the latest Pelican ad – made for people who are serious about outdoor activities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxInYbZ27PU

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Luke

Luke is a co-founder of bestcooler.reviews, a cooler expert and author of 70+ reviews on this website. Luke has a deep passion for sports and all-things-outdoors. From fishing to hiking, from family camping to solo bike trekking, Luke adores spending quality time enjoying nature, oftentimes checking out new coolers while doing so.

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13 Comments

  1. You should have included where they are manufactured
    Pelican USA
    Yeti Asia
    That can swing someone on their purchase

  2. Absolutely pelican made in USA and they stand by there warrantee.. I had one bulge some on the bottom and they sent me another no questions asked….. Also lifetime warrantee (pelican) vs 3or 5 year warrantee ( yeti) that speaks for itself.

  3. Regarding part of the reason for the Pelican being higher: If you look at the design of the lids, the inside surface of the lid on the Yeti extends down into the interior cooler space, on the Pelican the inside surface of the lid is raised above the interior cooler space. This probably accounts for at least two or three inches of the additional height. Plus the Pelican has somewhat thicker walls/lid/and maybe bottom, due to slightly thicker insulation.

    • Yeti isn’t 65quart the 65 is a model number. Yeti doesn’t market their coolers by capacity like everyone else. The Yeti Tundra 65 is a 52quart capacity it’s just how they identify their coolers. The way to confirm this is just fill it with water 52 quarts = 13 gallons even 65 quarts = 16gallon +1 quart

      • That made my decision easy, I’ve owned a Yeti for around ten years now and was planning to purchase another.
        I will be purchasing a Pelican…

  4. Yenti does not support our Constitution, they recently caved to leftwing extremists and withdrew support from the NRA.

  5. I have had a pelican for 3 years. I also have the larger yeti. I use my Pelican in my truck and the yeti stays on my pontoon. The Pelican retains ice days after the yeti is nothing but water.

  6. Had a yeti on the back of the boat all dat 90 degree day about 4:00 pm yeti had more water than ice, used my buddy’s pelican this past Saturday same temp, kept ICE all day got home at 10:00 pm still had mostly ice

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