YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler

Review by Erin Trail

The YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler is the tiny but mighty addition to the Roadie cooler lineup. It is the smallest cooler in the Roadie product line.  This cooler features:

• Doubleduty strap for easy carrying
• Lipgrip handles to make the cooler easy to pick up
• Bearfoot non-slip feet
• Bestdam drain plug
• Quicklatch system for the lid
• Permafrost insulation
• Coldlock gasket
• Neverfail hinge system
• Anchor point tie-down system to lash your cooler down

Detailed Review

I often head out on day trips where it’s hot and I’m in need of a cold beverage when I’m done.  As a triathlete, I also have a habit of going out on long bike rides followed by a run, and stopping by my SUV periodically for a cold drink is a really nice thing.

The YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler is exactly what I was wanting in a small cooler.

Size-wise, it fits plenty of 24 oz bike bottles.  I haven’t put more than 4 in there, but it would easily hold 8-12 bottles. YETI has designed the cooler so it’s wine bottle friendly, holding 7 bottles horizontally. The cooler will also store 2-liter bottles horizontally or hold 22 x 12 oz aluminum cans (without ice). If you’re just looking to store ice, the Roadie 15 will hold 16 pounds of it.  This cooler has plenty of room for day trips or even an overnight trip for a small group.

The YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler keeps things plenty cold.  I’ve been doing 3-5 hour training days in 90 degree temperatures.  I’ll park my SUV in a parking lot and head out, leaving the cooler (and its contents) to cook in the back of my SUV while I’m out riding. I don’t pre-cool the cooler, and I’d estimate that about 25% of the ice melts in the cooler after 4+ hours of sitting in my SUV.  I imagine that if I pre-cooled the Roadie, the ice melt would be even less.

My husband has also been using the YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler on his day trips to Trestle Bike Park. These trips are longer in duration (usually 6-8 hours round trip) and the Roadie 15 reliably keeps his lunch, snacks, and drinks cold for the entire day. The cooler is so handy and perfectly sized that we almost (almost!) need to arm wrestle to see who gets to use it when our training days overlap and conflict.

The YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler is super easy to clean after I’m done for the day.  I’m usually really tired when I’m done training and just chuck various bottles back in the cooler (sometimes with sticky drink mix leaking out) and numerous gel and chew wrappers as I pack up to head home.  Basically, lots of sticky things go into the cooler and hang out for a while as I drive home.  Once I’m home, I’ll dump the ice on the lawn, hose the inside of the cooler out, and no sticky residue remains.

The YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler is really easy to haul around on my shoulder.  I’m 5’4″ and I’m usually carrying a few bags of gear plus the Roadie.  The carrying strap is substantial but also comfortable, with generous padding and an adjustable strap. The shoulder padding is also slightly grippy, so there’s no risk of the strap slipping and crashing to the ground and you walk.

The Quicklatch and Interlocking Lid System is easy to operate, even with one hand. The exterior of the cooler is sturdy and can easily hold the weight of someone, if they want to sit on it.  The Bearfoot non-slip footers on the bottom of the cooler ensure that the Roadie 15 doesn’t slide around during your travels and adventures.

I think the size of the is YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler perfect for my needs.  The cooler easily fits in the back of my SUV, even with my bike loaded in the back.  It also fits nicely in the front passenger footwell.

Closing Thoughts

The YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler is the perfect cooler for day trips on hot days.  YETI has designed the Roadie 15 so it’s stacked with thoughtful features, making it easy to transport, use, and clean the cooler. The YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler is available in 5 core colors and 6 seasonal colors.

Erin Trail