![The RovR Campr Cooler [Tested]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/583f6e249de4bb7e7c445d8a/1495410778241-3HUKWYCYI838JC4F26U7/RollR_80_Campsite_Profile_BinOpen_orange-0a14882f524ee21156fb671cab4f7c0a30e96e2deb82ca002bb42161821050d1.png)
The world of coolers has changed substantially in the last few years. Many advancements have been made in both ice retention and functionality. In this fast growing genre (where many companies appear to be nothing more than clones of other brands), once can see how difficult it can be to innovate and stay ahead of the curve, but it isn’t impossible. RovR has taken the benign cooler and turned it into a productive tool with many new features that we think make the ROLLR 80 a cut above the rest.
The first thing you may notice are the inflatable wheels opposite of a large aluminum pull handle. Using a pneumatic wheel rather than the typical plastic wheel not only improves durability and transport over uneven terrain, it also allows the cooler to function as a bicycle trailer. Simply remove a metal plate and replace it with the optional bike hitch, attach it to your bicycle and you’re off to the beach, community pool or mountain bike trail. There is also a collapsible Wagon Bin that adds roughly 3.3 cu ft of useful storage to the lid. This means you can lug your sleeping bag, a bag of Doritos, and a slew of other bulky items to your destination all in one trip.
TESTING:
We recently hauled our camper up to the Wind River in Dubois, Wyoming for four days of R&R. Not exactly an overland trip, I know, but it gave us a great opportunity to test out the ROLLR 80. Let me start out by saying that we were unable to conduct a proper ice retention test of our own due to the low ambient temperatures, but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t test out the unit’s other unique features.
Before we left the house, I packed in about twenty pounds of ice and a case of beer with plenty of room to spare. The ROLLR 80 is constructed of rotomolded plastic which engulfs 2” of dense foam. All of this insulation comes at a cost, mainly, weight. Even without the payload, the RovR is much heavier than your standard IGLOO. Nevertheless, I was able to heft the giant beer cube into the back of the truck without needing medical attention. Thanks to the rubber feet opposite of the wheels, the cooler stayed put while securing it in place with ratchet straps. There are six tie down points which make tying it down a cinch..
Once we made it to camp, I removed the straps and wheeled the cooler to the edge of the tailgate -I liked not having to drag the bottom of it across the abrasive bed or the ground. The generous handles made unloading a breeze, even with the beer weight. I was a bit disappointed that the cooler wouldn’t fit through the door of our camper. To be fair, our doorway is a bit narrow by most standards. As a result, it had to be secured outside with the steel cable normally reserved for our generators. The large plastic handle made it easy to loop the cable through for a padlock. It would have probably been more secure to use the integrated steel tie-down points, but I didn’t see the need at our particular camp site.
The next morning, I wheeled the RovR down to the river along with our camp chairs -which fit nicely in the Wagon Bin along with my camera equipment. I’ll admit, I thought the concept of the bin was a bit odd, but all doubts quickly evaporated the first time I used it. It secures to the top using four velcro straps, which makes it easy to detach and set aside once you get where you are going. With the Wagon Bin collapsed and secured to the top, I was pleasantly surprised just how comfortable it was to sit on. In fact, after day-one I just left my chair back at camp. Transporting the cooler was a real treat, especially compared to other coolers that require white-knuckling the handles from car to campsite.
Thanks to the 8" pneumatic wheels, the unit literally glides across the ground behind the aluminum handle -despite heavy grass and rocks. The low center of gravity also made it effortless to pull on uneven ground -not once did I feel like it was going to tip over. I did find the handle to be a few inches too short, which caused the cooler to hit me in the heels if I wasn’t paying attention -for reference, I’m 6’2” and wear a size 14 shoe. I think an adjustable handle would make a huge difference here. One other small gripe, or really personal preference, I think the water drain would have been better placed at the opposite side of the handle. This would allow water to be drained by lifting the handle or towing the RovR. However, the wheel mounts use up a spot of interior space leaving the handle side as the lowest point -no worries.
The interior sports a removable bin which contains three storage cubbies for dry goods. This is perfect for separating steaks from fruits and vegetables, and for keeping ice melt at bay. I found the cubbies to be cavernous, easily swallowing enough produce for a week’s worth of camping for two or three people. I was pleased that after four days of back and forth from the river to the camper, the cubbies remained dry.
Let’s face it, lugging a cooler around is a real pain in the butt. They are awkward to carry and handling them often results in splashing freezing cold water all over the front of your shirt. The rubber seal on the lid of the ROLLR 80 keeps your shirt dry while the pneumatic tires make it a a pleasure to pull to the river for a day (or week) of fly fishing, or tow behind a bike to the community pool. RovR set out to change the game and it looks like they have done just that. If you are in the market for a new cooler, we highly recommend having a look at the RovR ROLLR 80.
FEATURES:
Internal dry bin: removable, three separate cubbies, located on pull handle side (keeps water from splashing on dry goods while transporting by the handle)
Ice Retention:
Airtight gasket:
80 qt Capacity: holds 96, 12 oz cans and 20 lbs of ice
2” foam insulation - rotomolded in Colorado
Anchor points:
Dual lock points:
Fast flow drain plug:
Bike towbar:
8” tires, mounted to nylon, ball bearing wheels: with locking nuts
Bear proof
Large rubber, tension closures
PROS
Easy to transport
Lockable lid
Bear proof
Wagon Bin makes it easy to transport loose gear
Excellent construction
CONS
Extremely heavy, even when empty
Fixed handle length -a slide adjustment would help RovR keep its distance from heels when being pulled by hand
Drain opposite end of pull handle would make it easier to expel water (wheel structure is in the way, so probably not possible)
MODELS/ AVAILABLE OPTIONS:
Campsite Edition MSRP: $449 (our test mule)
Bike Edition MSRP: $489
Tailgate Edition MSRP: $599
Available colors: dark orange, bright green, medium grey
External Dimensions: 26.5”L x 23.6”W x 21.3”H (widest points)
Internal Dimensions: 19.3”L x 17.5”W x 16.1”H (internally tapered)
Wagon Bin Dimensions: 20”L x 17”W x 17”H
All three configurations come standard with Dual Cup Holders, a Prepping Board, Dry Bin, and Wagon Bin. The Bike Edition adds a Bike Hitch, and the Tailgate Edition adds a Stash Bag and JBL Pulse 2 Bluetooth Speaker. All of these options are available separately along with a several other wares including tie downs and lighting, along with a line of RovR swag.
For more information on the RovR cooler, visit www.RovRproducts.com.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on this website. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”