Whether you are heading out into the wild on a fishing trip, camping vacation, or outdoor adventure, you will need some supplies with you. Keeping your drinks cold and your food fresh is something that many outdoor enthusiasts find to be one of the most challenging parts of their travels.
That’s where coolers like the Yeti Tundra 35 come in. With an impressive reputation following both the brand and the cooler itself, this could be one of the best things you buy for your time spent in nature.
In this article, we review the Yeti Tundra 35 in detail, looking at some of its features and looking at how it manages to keep everything inside it so cool for so long.
Yeti Tundra 35 Review
The Yeti Tundra 35 is an extremely tough cooler that is made using rotomolded construction. This means it is one solid unit rather than separate components put together – the result of this is a bear-resistant food container that can keep your supplies fresh for a very long time.
Its cooling power is exceptional thanks to the Fatwall design allowing up to three inches of permafrost insulation to maintain a low inside temperature.
You can tie your Tundra cooler down to your truck bed or boat using the anchor point slots built into the cooler, and the helpful vortex draining system means you can quickly drain any water from your cooler simply by removing the drain plug.
It also has an impressive carrying capacity as it can hold up to 26 pounds of ice (with ice only) or up to 21 cans of beer (using a 2:1 ice to can ratio).
- Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) approved as bear-resistant when used with extra-long shank Master Lock padlocks
- T-rex lid latches which are designed to never break
- Thick (and highly effective) permafrost insulation keeps your supplies cold and fresh for days
More on the Yeti Tundra 35
How Good Is the Insulation?
In simple terms – it is very good!
The Yeti Tundra 35 cooler can keep things cool for several days (some owners even say a week or more). This is down to several factors but the thick permafrost insulation plays a big part in this. With two inches of insulation in the walls and three inches in the lid (where most heat escapes), the temperature inside your cooler stays consistent for a long time.
You can even use dry ice in the cooler with no issues. Considering dry ice can create some insanely cold temperatures, you need a very durable cooler to handle them, and the Yeti Tundra certainly can.
The Amazing Build
If you’ve ever owned a Yeti product before, then you know the brand has a reputation for making reliable, long-lasting, and high-quality products. The Yeti Tundra 35 is no exception and is made to an extremely high standard.
It is made using rotomolded construction which Yeti describes as “a plastic forming process that produces extremely durable, hollow, single-piece molds.” It is very similar to the process used to make polyethylene whitewater kayaks so it is exceptionally tough.
Yeti Tundra Sizes
It’s certainly not the biggest cooler out there but the Yeti Tundra 35 still has a lot of space for all of your supplies. With external dimensions of 16.2″ x 15.8″ x 21.4″ you can stand a bottle up inside comfortably, and carrying it around should be easier than some other coolers as it weighs a little under 20 pounds when empty.
The 35 in the Yeti Tundra name suggests it has a 35-quart capacity but, in reality, it’s closer to 28. This will be mainly due to the thickness of the insulation but if you want a larger carrying capacity, you might need a bigger cooler than this.
Unique Features
A gasket
Closing a lid isn’t always enough to keep the cold air in. That’s why Yeti has put a durable rubber gasket under the lid. The lid then seals completely making sure no warm air can get in and no cold air can get out.
T-latches
The latches of the cooler are designed to never break and not open unless you actually want them to. They are made from patented technology so you won’t find them on any other cooler other than the ones made by Yeti.
The hinge system
The two hinge pins are actually molded onto the lid of the cooler so they can never break off. The hinges, like the latches, are designed to be pretty much indestructible so they will last as long as your cooler does.
Bear resistance
There are two slots on the lid of the cooler where padlocks can be added. If you use the appropriate Master Lock padlocks, the Yeti Tundra 35 cooler becomes IGBC bear certified.
Lip grip handles
These are molded into the body of the cooler and make moving it around very easy.
Double haul handles
Made from marine-grade nylon rope, these are extremely tough and allow two people to carry your cooler if you have a lot of heavy supplies inside.
Tiedown slots
Sometimes you might need to tie your cooler down to your truck or your boat. Yeti have you covered with these tie-down slots built into the cooler.
The drain system
You can let any water out of your cooler thanks to the drain system built into it. Simply remove the plug and any water will quickly drain out.
Some downsides to the Tundra 35
The biggest downside to the Yeti Tundra 35 cooler (and pretty much all Yeti coolers) is the price – it is not particularly budget-friendly at $275.
There aren’t too many other downsides thanks to this portable cooler’s sturdy construction. It’s a Yeti cooler so you know it’s going to be impressive.
Accessories for the Tundra 35 Cooler
Tundra dividers
Divide the inside of your cooler into different sections to keep your supplies separated. Although the Yeti Tundra 35 comes with a dry food rack, you will need to buy additional dividers if you want to fully organize the storage area inside the cooler.
Tundra seat cushion
This portable cooler is more than tough enough to sit on so you might as well sit comfortably with the Tundra seat cushion.
Yeti insulated cup
The Yeti Rambler keeps your drinks hot (or cold) for a long time. It’s tough, durable, heavily insulated, and is an ideal cup for holding your hot drinks on a cold day in the wild.
Yeti ice packs
Cleaner and longer-lasting than normal ice, Yeti ice packs fit perfectly into the brand’s coolers.
