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Outdoors head-to-head

Coleman Xtreme CoolervsNalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz

The 4 axes split 2-2 and the averages still land 8.0 to 7.4. Durability is the widest of them, 9.6 to 6.8.

Coleman Xtreme Cooler

Coleman

7.4

The cooler most households already own, and for a weekend with a shop nearby it is enough.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz

Nalgene

8.0

No insulation, no pretence, and effectively unbreakable — the durability floor for everything else.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

Where they diverge

The widest gap is Durability, Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz ahead 9.6 to 6.8. They come closest on Design, 6.6 to 6.4. Left of center is Coleman Xtreme Cooler, right is Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz.

Coleman Xtreme Cooler versus Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz — axis scores out of 10Horizontal bar chart of editorial scores out of 10 across 4 axes. Bars for Coleman Xtreme Cooler run left from the axis labels, bars for Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz run right. Coleman Xtreme Cooler: Performance 7.0, Value 9.2, Durability 6.8, Design 6.6. Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz: Performance 6.4, Value 9.6, Durability 9.6, Design 6.4.Coleman Xtreme Cooler (left)Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz (right)PerformanceColeman Xtreme Cooler — Performance 7.0 out of 107.0Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz — Performance 6.4 out of 106.4ValueColeman Xtreme Cooler — Value 9.2 out of 109.2Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz — Value 9.6 out of 109.6DurabilityColeman Xtreme Cooler — Durability 6.8 out of 106.8Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz — Durability 9.6 out of 109.6DesignColeman Xtreme Cooler — Design 6.6 out of 106.6Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz — Design 6.4 out of 106.4Editorial score out of 10 — higher is better

Which one to pick

Take the Coleman Xtreme Cooler

Leads on Performance and Design.

  • A weekend where topping up ice is easy
  • Large capacity for the least money
  • Something you will not mourn if it cracks

Take the Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz

Leads on Value and Durability.

  • Weight and cost matter more than temperature
  • Measuring water for cooking or for filter systems
  • Backcountry use where a dented vacuum bottle is a dead bottle

What each one gets wrong

Coleman Xtreme Cooler

  • Rough handling, heat, or multi-day trips
  • You want latches and a gasket that seal properly

Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz

  • You want a cold drink to still be cold in four hours
  • Condensation on the outside will be a problem

Specs, side by side

SpecColeman Xtreme CoolerNalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz
ConstructionBlow-molded, injected PU foam—
Capacity70 quart class—
LidInsulated, doubles as a seat—
Material—Single-wall Tritan (BPA-free revision)
Markings—Volume graduations on the side
Weight—Under 180 grams

Rankings they both appear in

Questions

Coleman Xtreme Cooler or Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz — which should I buy?
Coleman Xtreme Cooler takes Performance and Design; Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz takes Value and Durability. Neither leads on more axes than the other, so it comes down to which of those you care about.
Is 0.6 a real difference?
Barely. Coleman Xtreme Cooler averages 7.4 and Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz averages 8.0, and the total is the plain average of 4 axes, so 0.6 is what one axis moving 2.4 looks like after averaging. The axis split, 2-2, tells you more.
Which one ranks higher in "Weight stops mattering once the gear lives in a car"?
Coleman Xtreme Cooler sits at #2 in "Weight stops mattering once the gear lives in a car", Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz at #3.