The world of backcountry coolers was once a thing of one brand and one brand only; Yeti. But over the years, more and more companies began playing in the waters and building out some seriously good products. One of those brands is my personal go-to for backcountry excursions, and that's Dometic.
Dometic's coolers, like others in the space, are built to take a hit and keep on ticking. And I've personally done that with our Patrol-line cooler, which has been dropped, dinged, and scratched to all hell strapped to the back of our Can-Am Maverick X3 Max UTV, where it's seen snacks, hot dogs, all manner of children's waterbottles, and an entire mule deer thrown into its confines.
But not willing to rest on those laurels, Dometic though the cooler could be upgraded for more rugged durability, as well as better capability and ease of use. That's why it's launched the Recon, a new take on the injection-molded cooler that's supposedly even better than my Patrol, and will give every other manufacturer a run for its money.
I wonder if I can fit an elk into one?
The Recon coolers basically take everything Dometic learned builidng the Patrols, as well as all the customer feedback its received over the years, and puts that know-how into the new cooler. It's lighter, with thinner walls, has better cold retention, features a fully removable lid, and most of all, is more easily stackable when you're packing it for an adventure into the woods.
According to the brand, the coolers will stay cold for up to eight days, and the injection-molded and welded construction is up to 30% lighter than its competitors that use rotomolded designs. As such, Dometic's been able to build the Recon with thinner walls, which allow for more space within its confines, which means more usable space—hello, backstraps.
Likewise, you get a fully removable lid with a built-in non-skid top plate that can open from either side, an insulated drain plug, non-skid feet for keeping everything secure when stowed, flip-down handles, and tie-down points just like my Patrol. At present, Dometic is offering three sizes, including a small 16-liter cooler, as well as a Medium 41-liter, and a Large 69-liter. And as for price, Dometic's new Recon series hard coolers are pretty in line with the rest of the industry, as the 16-liter will set you back $225, the 41-liter costs $325, and the 69-liter has an MSRP of $425.
Dometic also introduced a soft cooler Recon series, as well as host of accessories to outfit your Recon with.
According to Josh Militello, Dometic's President of Segment Mobile Cooling Soluttions, "We've all wrestled with coolers that don't stack or fit. Recon fixes that. It's cold storage that packs tighter, stacks cleaner, and moves easier. No wasted space. No extras. Just a system built for how people actually roll."
The coolers are on sale now, but are already selling out of some of the brand's colorways, so if you want one in time for your summer adventures, you'd better act fast. And if someone at Dometic wants to send me a 69-liter to see if I can fit an elk into it, you've got my number.
