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Imagine you’re in a game with your child, it’s sunny, the team is winning, everyone’s happy and cheering. There’s nothing better at this point than having a stocked ice cooler with drinks and fresh ice to keep everyone cool during the tournament. But having a cooler isn’t only for comfort, it’s also a must-have for any sport. This is because our bodies sweat and burn energy while we exercise, therefore, we can feel exhaustion and we are likely to dehydrate, especially if we are under the sun for quite some time. Hence, the best thing you want to do is to keep your child’s body at it’s best to prevent your kid from having a heatstroke.
Just like investing in an expensive softball bat or premium training equipment like SWINGRAIL, having a high end cooler is crucial for both practice and game day.
Types of Coolers
There are many different types of coolers: soft, hard-sided, wheeled, etc. But just like you have your preferences and needs, every model has its features that make them great choices for any parent. Yet, any kind of cooler will do the job of keeping your drinks chilly, just as good. Here we present some of those that you may want to consider before choosing the right model for you:
Soft coolers
These are generally made from vinyl or cotton. Although they come in various other materials such as canvas, neoprene, and nylon. All of them are highly durable, as they won’t get damaged from moisture. They’re lightweight so they’re easy to carry around to any event.
Hard coolers
These are made from plastic, polyester, polypropylene, or metal. They typically come equipped with an easy carrying handle or wheels. They’re all durable and well-suited to outdoor events. Although the different materials can make them change your mind on which one to choose. For instance, metal ones can be heavier but work wonderfully for large events like family reunions. Finally, Styrofoam coolers are a good indoor choice but they’re not recyclable, so better stay away from these.
Regarding your case, as a sports parent, you need to make sure your cooler is easy to carry around, that counts with good storing space for all of your beverages, and that it’s properly insulated since you don’t want the burning heat to filter and melt all of the ice. It’s because of this that we’ve brought to you the best 5 coolers to take to your child’s softball games and practices.
Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze Zipperless Hardbody Cooler
Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30 Can Zipperless Cooler, Blue
- TITAN DEEP FREEZE ZIPPERLESS HARDBODY COOLER: Zipperless cooler features a patented, "flip-open" Zipperless lid for quick access to food and drinks; Keeps ice for up to two days and holds up to 30 cans
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The Titan Deep Freeze Can Zipperless Cooler is surely the best option for keeping your drinks nice and chilly throughout the entire game. This model by Arctic Zone is a hard cooler with Hard Body liner that isn’t only durable, but also promises to keep ice up to 3 days!
The Titan cooler features Deep Freeze high-performance insulation with radiant heat barrier and triple-layer Cold Block base to create superior cooling. For your convenience and storing purposes, this cooler also has a removable liner with Smart Shelf which allows you to keep your drinks separate from soft foods so that your sandwiches don’t get crushed. Also, it lets you use the entire liner for storage if you need to, so excellent space optimization.
Lastly, the exterior material counts with Rhino-Tech, which makes the Arctic Zone Titan a tough, stain, and water-resistant cooler, that also wipes clean easily. Additionally, this product includes a patented, original “flip-open” Zipperless lid that grants you quick access to food and drinks, as well as an insulated front pocket, and a zippered accessory pocket for napkins, cutlery, cell phone, etc.
Features:
- Deep Freeze high-performance insulation
- Radiant heat barrier
- Patented “flip-open” Zipperless lid
- FDA compliant Hard Body liner
- Removable Smart Shelf
- Ultra-Safe leakproof
- Easy clean interior lining
- Insulated front pocket
- Rhino-Tech
- Water-resistant
- Stain-resistant
- Wipe clean exterior
- Abrasion and puncture-resistant
- Will not crack over time
- Adjustable Back saver shoulder strap with shoulder pad
- Interior liner dimensions: (L x W x H) 12.75″ x 7.6″ x 10. 25″
- Sizes: 9 can, 16 can, 30 can, and 48 can.
- Weight empty: 9 oz.
- Colors: navy, moss, gray, white
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Made in the USA
Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze Premium Ice Chest Roto Cooler with Microban Antimicrobial Protection
Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 20Q Premium Ice Chest Roto Cooler with Microban Antimicrobial Protection, Gray
- TITAN DEEP FREEZE HARD ICE CHEST COOLER: Hard cooler features uni-body roto-molded construction with thick polyurethane insulation that keeps ice for up to four days; Cooler holds up to 20 quarts or 30 cans
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This version of the Titan Deep Freeze is just what you need for spending time outdoors. This means, that this model is perfect for longer tournaments. For this premium mode, Arctic Zone included the best features of the Zipperless model but with slight variations so that you don’t worry about the ice in your cooler melting.
The Titan Deep Freeze High-Performance Roto Cooler has a unibody molded construction. It’s made from a premium blend of thick polyurethane insulation that promises to maximize ice retention for up to 4 days! The cooler also features a 360° rubber gasket technology and a heavy-duty T-latches that are corrosion resistant. In combination, they create a seal at the inside to keep your beverages cold for a longer time.
Finally, like every Arctic Zone product, the Titan Premium has a certified quality of high durability. So much, that it even is bear-resistant according to the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. And also, it has a built-in microban protection that helps prevent the build-up of bacterial odors and stains.
Features:
- Heavy-duty, high-performance cooler
- Built-in Microban protection
- Premium blend of thick polyurethane insulation
- Perfect for outdoor adventures and camping
- Freezer grade rubber gasket
- Corrosion-resistant T-latches
- Seamless, one-piece, roto-molded construction
- Anti-skid feet
- Oversized drain
- Integrated fish ruler
- Two built-in locking mounts
- Stainless steel rotating handle
- Built-in side handles
- Meets the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee standards for Bear-Resistant containers when used with the appropriate locks (sold separately)
- Keeps ice up to 4 days
- Colors: gray, blue
- Made in the USA
Coleman 50 Quart Xtreme 5 Day Cooler with Wheels
Coleman Rolling Cooler | 50 Quart Xtreme 5 Day Cooler with Wheels | Wheeled Hard Cooler Keeps Ice Up to...
- EXTENDED ICE RETENTION: Using Xtreme technology, this ice chest cooler with wheels helps maintain ice longer, acting as an efficient beer cooler for up to 5 days, even at 90°F
- LARGE CAPACITY: Acting as both a large cooler with wheels and an insulted can cooler, this portable cooler holds up to 84 cans, perfect for beach or camping coolers
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If you like the classics better, then you might be considering a good old Coleman. For this 50 Quart Xtreme 5-Day Hard Cooler, Coleman featured heavy-duty wheels, so that you can effortlessly roll it over any terrain your kid may be playing on. This is extremely helpful and comfortable as you’ll be able to take your cooler almost anywhere.
This cooler model counts also with high-capacity, being able to hold up to 84 cans. This means you’ll have plenty of room for refreshments for the entire team! In a few words, if you want to go for a safe bet, you can’t beat a classic Coleman with wheels.
Features:
- High capacity: Holds up to 84 cans
- Heavy-duty wheels
- Have-a-seat lid: Closed lid supports up to 250 lb.
- Cup holders molded into the lid
- Telescoping handle
- Compact storage
- Xtreme Technology
- Extra wall insulation
- Keep ice up to 5 days in temperatures as high as 90°F
- Weight: 2 pounds
- Color: black
- Dimensions: 23 x 18 x 18 inches
- Made in the USA
Coleman Excursion Portable Cooler
Coleman Excursion Portable Cooler, 9 Quart
- Portable beverage cooler with 9-quart capacity
- Large enough to hold 9 cans or a full meal
- Durable integrated lid hinges withstand repeated opening and closing
- Bail handle for easy, 1-handed carrying
- Made in the USA
This is an old but gold choice. The Coleman 9 Quart Excursion Cooler holds up to 9 cans, you’ll have plenty of space to pack a full meal. You can take it almost anywhere as it is very easy to carry around thanks to its bail handle.
The Coleman 9 Quart Excursion Cooler is a good small budget choice that will never disappoint.
Features:
- 9-quart capacity
- Large enough to hold 9 cans or a full meal
- Durable integrated lid hinges
- Bail handle
- Dimensions: 9.3 x 11.3 x 12.9 inches
- Weight: 2.7 pounds
- Colors: blue, red
- Made in the USA
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YETI Tundra 45 Cooler
YETI Tundra 45 Cooler Desert Tan
- The YETI Tundra 45 combines versatility with durability with a capacity of up to 26 cans with a recommended 2:1 ice-to-contents ratio
- Ice stays ice thanks to up to 3 inches of PermaFrost Insulation and an extra thick FatWall design is certified Bear-Resistant
YETI Tundra coolers are some of the most reliable products for sports parents. The 45 cooler is built for any climate conditions, making it perfect for long outdoor tournaments, and even for hiking and any kind of adventure.
It features permafrost insulation along with a fat wall design. This combo creates a seal that’s ideal for keeping drinks cool. Also, its rotomolded construction ensures high durability and withstanding any harsh weather, not to mention they look amazing.
Lastly, this is a super-premium option from a hype brand. They might be expensive but they’re really popular and effective.
Features:
- Fat wall design
- Permafrost insulation
- Rotomolded construction
- Colors: coral, desert tan, high country, navy, river green, sagebrush green, seafoam, white
- Dimensions: 26 x 16 x16.75 inches
- Weight: 27.5 pounds
- Made in the USA
Here is a round up of all our favorite coolers for softball tournaments sorted by price:
Image Credit: “Baseball Practice” by Viola Ng is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
