YETI Roadie 24 Overview | GearJunkie Examined

The YETI Roadie 24 is a type of upgrades that really issues. The model didn’t change a lot as a result of there wasn’t a lot wanted to make it higher. However by including a drain plug and swapping the outdated deal with for a shoulder strap, YETI made its already glorious mid-size cooler noticeably higher in day-to-day use.

You’ll typically see this up to date Roadie 24 known as the “Roadie 24 2.0,” although that’s not its official title. It doesn’t matter what you name it, I examined the brand new Roadie 24 for six weeks in the course of the fall in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley.

In testing, daytime temps ranged from the mid-50s to mid-60s however sometimes felt hotter beneath that relentless mountain solar. The Roadie 24 got here alongside for campouts, tailgates, and yard hangs, performing flawlessly by all of it.

From ice retention to sturdiness and carry consolation, the two.0 model delivers all the things you’d count on from YETI — together with a few good fixes that make life a complete lot simpler.

Briefly: The YETI Roadie 24 ($250) builds on one of many model’s finest designs with two small however vital modifications. The brand new strap and drain plug make a terrific cooler genuinely higher, and it’s now my go-to for weekend adventures and brief journeys.

See how the YETI Roadie 24 stacks up towards the competitors in our information to the finest coolers.

YETI Roadie 24 Cooler Overview

YETI has spent years perfecting the artwork of overbuilding the peculiar. Its coolers are the gold normal: rugged, heavy-duty, and able to surviving all the things from cross-country street journeys to backcountry bears. The corporate’s lineup has grown over time, however the Roadie collection stays one in every of its most balanced designs, mixing premium efficiency with helpful dimension.

The up to date Roadie 24 continues that legacy. It’s sufficiently small to hold solo however substantial sufficient to maintain a weekend’s price of drinks and meals chilly for days. Like most YETI gear, it’s not low-cost, however the craftsmanship and real-world efficiency justify the worth. With this newest model, YETI didn’t overhaul what was working. Moderately, the model made good refinements that repair the little annoyances, making a very nice product even higher.

Chilly, Laborious Information: Ice Retention

All of us purchase coolers for one purpose: to maintain our meals chilled and fit for human consumption, so we don’t find yourself puking our guts out on the aspect of the campsite. Amiright? To that finish, the YETI Roadie 24 2.0 surpassed producer expectations.

I ran the Roadie 24 by GearJunkie’s multiday ice retention check that we use on each single cooler. I crammed it roughly 85% full with cubed ice I purchased on the grocery retailer, positioned it outdoor in a shaded space that also caught a number of hours of direct solar day by day, and checked as soon as each 24 hours.

It was fall right here within the Rockies for our evaluation, so we aren’t taking a look at loopy heat. Daytime highs pushed into the mid-60s, however floor temps within the solar have been a bit hotter; fairly normal for October in Colorado at altitude. I’ll admit that I didn’t prechill the cooler. Let’s be sincere: Most of us overlook to try this earlier than tossing within the drinks anyway.

One of many greatest usability upgrades this time round is the brand new drain plug, which made it approach simpler to empty meltwater between checks. On the unique Roadie, you needed to tip the entire thing over, which was awkward and messy. The brand new plug permits you to drain with out lifting or dropping any cooling energy. I didn’t see any drop in insulation efficiency because of this.

In keeping with YETI, the Roadie 24 will hold contents chilly sufficient for meals for roughly 3½ days. Excellent news: My check backed that up, after which some.

After 72 hours, the inner temperature was holding regular at 33 levels Fahrenheit, with about half the ice nonetheless remaining. Just a few hours into the fourth day (round 100 hours), the ice had melted utterly. However, the water was nonetheless chilly sufficient that the cans of Spindrift inside have been delightfully refreshing.

In my e-book, the Yeti Street crushed the ice retention check. No, it doesn’t maintain ice in addition to its bigger brethren, like the YETI Tundra 45, however it did a contact higher than YETI claimed. Any time a product goes above and past the producer’s claims, I name it a win.

Construct High quality

YETI’s calling card is sturdiness, and the Roadie 24 2.0 carries that custom. The rotomolded development feels bombproof, the partitions are thick and inflexible, and the hinges and latches function with a satisfying resistance. After weeks of use, it actually seems new. I can’t discover a single scratch, ding, or dent.

I even put it by an unintended sturdiness check, and it escaped unscathed. Our 1.5-year-old rescue mutt has the keenness of a toddler on espresso, and he routinely exorcises his demons with zoomies within the yard.

Throughout his 472nd lap, he crashed full-speed into the cooler, knocking it down a spiral staircase that runs from the highest of our again deck to the cement patio of our walkout basement. He was scared, I used to be scared, however the YETI didn’t flinch. The latches didn’t even pop open. There wasn’t a single signal of stress afterward.

YETI doesn’t listing this explicit mannequin as bear-resistant like a few of its bigger Tundra siblings. However after seeing it survive that collision, I’d belief it to deal with absolutely anything in need of claws and enamel.

Portability

That is the improve that bought me. The outdated Roadie’s inflexible deal with was annoying; it made carrying the cooler really feel like I used to be doing a bizarre farmer’s carry on the health club. However YETI listened and changed that clunky deal with with a brand new shoulder strap. It’s thick, comfy, and adjustable so the cooler hangs at your aspect as an alternative of smacking towards your legs, irrespective of how tall you might be.

When it’s full of ice and cans, it’s nonetheless heavy; there’s no getting round that. However the strap makes it dramatically simpler to handle. You simply sling it on like a handbag and begin hoofing it.

Updates like this strap are proof that YETI is listening. Within the grand scheme of issues, a shoulder strap isn’t that large of a deal. We’re not speaking a couple of technological redesign. However the clunky deal with was an annoyance for a lot of, so YETI got here up with a easy resolution that made the Roadie higher. What a win.

Capability

Whether or not it’s a backpack, a glove field, a handbag, or a cooler, I’m the queen of cramming an excessive amount of inside. And on paper, the Roadie’s 24-quart capability doesn’t sound like a lot. However YETI makes good use of house, and I didn’t even should do a lot cramming.

The taller form means you possibly can match bottles and cans upright; I simply stashed a bottle of wine upright with none situation. And as soon as once more, I managed to exceed the constraints claimed by YETI. The model says the cooler can maintain as much as 33 cans, however yours actually squeezed in 34.

Certain, it was packed strategically, however they match — and the lid shut. In fact, that left little or no room for ice, so I wouldn’t suggest it for many issues. For real-world use, my candy spot was about 26 cans with a wholesome layer of ice. That combo stored all the things chilly for days with out feeling overstuffed.

Room for Enchancment

YETI lastly added a drain plug to this mannequin, which is a large win. The BestDam Drain Plug is small however mighty, letting you empty melted ice water shortly with out awkwardly tilting the cooler. However, I’ve a small grievance; the cap isn’t hooked up. It’s a tiny piece and simple to misplace in case you’re distracted or clumsy like me.

I’ve already come near dropping it twice after setting it down mid-drain, strolling off, and completely forgetting what I used to be doing or the place I put it. It seems like this could possibly be a simple repair for model 2.1.

And, after all, there’s the worth. At round $250, it’s firmly in premium territory. However the fact is, YETI isn’t competing on value. In the event you use your cooler usually, it’ll justify the funding.

Ultimate Ideas

After a number of journeys and numerous melted ice cubes, I get why the YETI Roadie 24 has such a loyal following. It’s powerful, thoughtfully designed, and truly sensible for weekend adventures. The brand new drain plug and deal with updates make a noticeable distinction in on a regular basis usability, particularly whenever you’re packing and unpacking solo.

That stated, it’s nonetheless a YETI: heavy, dear, and constructed to outlast the top of the world. You may completely discover cheaper coolers that’ll hold your drinks chilly for a day or two. However in case you care about legitimately chilly temperatures and need one thing that can possible outlive you, the Roadie 24 earns its house at the back of the truck.