Hands On Review: Roto Molded Igloo 55 Quart Sportsman Cooler

Here’s a look at Igloo Products 00044921 Sportsman Cooler.  I purchased the white, 55 quart size.  It’s also available in tan and in other capacities.  According to the description it is “Virtually indestructible rotational molded construction”.  Features a heavy-duty “3-point grab” handle with comfort grip with durable, rubberized T-Grip lid latches and anti skid feet.  It also includes an oversized insulated and tethered drain plug.

A look at the front
The top right front sports a “Certified Bear Resistant Seal” from the Interagency Grizzly Bear CommitteeThe right bottom of the front sticker includes a comparison chart comparing this cooler to the YETI Tundra 65.  Capacity, drain size, rigid handles, tethered and insulated drain plug, special lock not required, integrated fish ruler and textured raised work surface are all mentioned and compared.  I thought it somewhat odd that Igloo is suggesting a comparison with Yeti’s Tundra 65 which I assumed is 65 quarts.  After doing some digging, it makes more sense.  Apparently the Tundra 65 doesn’t have quite a 65 quart capacity.  I found 57.2 quarts on one site and even less on another.  According to Igloo’s comparison chart here, the Tundra 65 has less than 55 quart capacity.  Maybe YETI is stating total volume of their coolers, instead of total usable volume.  I’m not sure.Right side of the front label
A look at the T-Grip Latches.  They are sturdy and seem to provide a good seal.

A look at the lock slot.The bottom right logoA look inside the coolerWith the lid open.  The lid is hinged so that it stays open well.Inside the top lidA close up of the lid gasket.Inside view of the large drainThe handle and drainThe large drain plug is tethered to the coolerA close up of the tethered drain plugTethered drain plug removed.  1.75″ drain for quick draining.A look at the drain plug.  The description says that this plug is insulated.  You can also see that it comes with a gasket to help prevent leaks.Made in the USA stamped on the back of the coolerNon-skid feet help the cooler to stay in placeStamped on the bottomIgloo logo stamped on the bottomFront facing view of the cooler
I like to keep the lids of my coolers cracked open during storage.  I live in relatively humid part of the country and I do not want to trap any moisture inside my coolers.  For most coolers this means wedging an empty water bottle in the lid to keep it slightly open.  The design of the t-handles on this cooler allows them to keep the lid propped open for storage.

Flashlight Test: This is to test for missing insulation.  To do that, you put a bright flashlight in the cooler (in the dark) and then shut the lid and check for light coming through.

Here’s the flashlight I used, it’s a dual function LED flashlight/worklight that sports 220 lumens (worklight feature on high).  I picked this up on a recent vacation to Colorado at McGuckin Hardware in Boulder.  If you live anywhere close to McGuckin’s I envy you, very cool store.  Anyway, this is the Lux-Pro LP366 – on Amazon.

The clamshell casing on that flashlight needed opened, so I thought I’d stay in the state of Colorado and use my Spyderco ClipiTool.  I had the chance to visit Spyderco in Golden, CO and it is straight up awesome.  I plan to do a review on the ClipitTool.  It’s a very, very cool stainless steel knife, opener, screwdriver combo.

Cooler in the dark with flashlight220 Lumen Flashlight in the Igloo Products 00044921 Sportsman Cooler

The following pictures are underwhelming:

You may not be able to see it, but this is the cooler in the dark.  There is a very faint light around the lid seal.A very faint light around the drain plugA faint light on the bottom of the cooler near the drain.  The cooler becomes shallow right near the drain to allow water to drain out.  There’s less physical space to insulate there.

My cooler past the flashlight test with flying colors.  The three areas with faint lights are all understandable to me and minor in my opinion.  The test is looking for missing spots of insulation, and my cooler had no such gaps.

This is a well-built, high quality cooler.  I’m looking forward to using it for years to come.

As of this review, this cooler is available in white and tan.  Additional sizes are also available – Search igloo sportsman cooler rotomolded

Igloo Products 00044921 Sportsman Cooler, White, 55 quart

Igloo 49133 Sportsman Cooler, 55-Quart, Tan

review:igloo55rotomolded

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