Confession: one of these coolers spent our entire move as a paint stool before I ever filled it with ice. It survived. That’s either a great first data point or a sign I should be more careful with review products – you decide. Today we’re testing three coolers from Chilly Moose – the 16L Bowen, 12L Harbour Bucket and the 55L wheeled Explorer.
These coolers have sat out in 29°C/84°F daytime highs in June – let’s see how they fared and if there’s one that outperforms them all. Let me be the one to tell you that size does matter!
In full disclosure, Chilly Moose provided all three coolers for our review. They haven’t seen this review before publishing, and as always, the opinions and the leak tests are entirely ours.
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. Purchases made through our links result in a small commission to us at no charge to you. We only recommend products that meet our brand standards based on testing and first hand use by our authors.
COOLER SIZE CHECK
Which Cooler is Right for You?
In a hurry? The short version:- Paddling, Hunting, Heavy-Duty Lunch Bag = 16L Soft-Sided Bowen
- Dock, Bank Fishing, Job Site, BBQs = 12L Harbour Bucket
- Multi-Day Adventures or Game Storage = 55L Wheeled Explorer
Who Is Chilly Moose?
Chilly Moose is a family-run company finding its footing in the Canadian outdoor gear market. They were founded in 2019 and are based right here in Ontario, Canada.
How We Tested
For the most part, the testing conditions for all three of the Chilly Moose coolers were the same – hot, buggy, and curious. 🙂 Here’s how we tested the three various-sized coolers.
- Ice load: small coolers – 1 bag of ice (6.6lbs/3kg), large cooler – 4 bags (26.4lbs/12kg)
- Ambient temperature: day time range – 26°C to 29°C/78°F to 84°F, night time – 15°C to 19°C/59°F to 66°F
- Time checks: 4:30ish pm start, check-in at 8pm, 8am, 4pm until ice melt
- Leak test: on the two smaller coolers
- Carry test loaded: on all three
Chilly Moose 16L Bowen Soft Cooler Review
Designed for day use, the soft-hard hybrid Chilly Moose 16L Bowen is a wearable cooler made to be ultra-portable. It claims to be ultra-durable and super lightweight, while keeping snacks and drinks at a perfect temp. Let’s see if these claims for the ice pack cooler hold true.
Dimensions
Exterior: 15.5 x 11 x 12in, Interior: 14 x 9 x 11 in
Weight: 4.1lbs/1.86 kg
Material: EVA Foam
Colours: Frost White, Midnight, Olive, Slate
Warranty: Up to 5 years
- Shell is durable
- Retains ice for 12 hours
- It's light
- Holds a large ice pack
- Keeps drinks cold
- Leaks at zipper
Ice Test Results
Sitting out on a picnic table for 2 days was the soft-sided Bowen cooler. Starting at 4:30 pm, we loaded the cooler with one 3kg bag of ice. On this day, the high was 29°C/84°F and sunny, with a humidex that felt like 35°C/95°F – not bad for a Canadian June. The 16-litre insulated cooler bag sat in direct sun and shade (mostly shade). 19 hours on a single bag of ice through a 29°C/84°F day – I’d say that’s solid for a soft-sided cooler this size.
16L Bowen Features
I like the feel of the Bowen Cooler, plus the smooth material makes it easy to wipe clean. There are two zippers, both of which are large and easy to use. Chilly Moose does not label the cooler as waterproof – water does bead off the external material, but the zipper is another story.
One real limitation: tilt with melted ice inside and water pours straight out of the zipper. It’s a snacks-and-drinks-upright cooler, not a sloshing-around-the-truck-bed one. See our first impressions video below.
Heavy-Duty Handles
Carrying the loaded insulated cooler to the car felt nice in the hands – the handles are woven and soft. You do have a hands-free option – the shoulder strap is just as soft and adjustable. There is no padding. Being a light cooler, we don’t think there is a need for one.
Insulation
Inside the cooler bag, the insulation is about a couple of inches. As with the outside, the inside is just as easy to clean. Stelios borrowed the Bowen to use at a job site, having the cooler sit outside in a shady spot at 26°C/78°F, he was impressed that his drinks were still cold four hours later using only a large YETI ice pack.
Our Verdict on the 16L Bowen
Honestly, both Stelios and I love the Bowen insulated cooler. The olive and black looks really sharp amongst the outdoor gear. When loaded, the cooler still feels light and performs well at keeping our beverages cold for the day.
For us, our best use for the Bowen is on the boat while spending a few hours on the lake, at the job site, and in the car for the much-needed ice cream run. If you’re a paddler, the size works really well inside a canoe (tried & tested :)). And if you’re a hunter, you’ll be happy to know that unzipping the cooler is quiet and the colours blend well with the woods. That deer will never see you coming;). Instead of using ice cubes, we recommend using an ice pack instead. If you’re ready for a cooler that helps lighten the load, the 16-litre Bowen is on for $160 CAD.
Chilly Moose 12L Harbour Bucket Cooler Review
The Chilly Moose 12L Harbour Bucket is apparently ‘THE’ cooler to have – claiming to be wildlife resistant, with a no-sweat exterior, and Granite Tough. It’s designed to be your ultimate outdoor buddy. Let’s just see how reliable this outdoor buddy really is!
Dimensions
Exterior: 12.8 x 12.4 x 12.6in, Interior: 9.6 x 9.3 x 10.2 in
Weight: 6.4lbs/2.9 kg
Cans: 14
Ice: Fits 8.5lbs
Ice Rentention: 60-80 hrs
Material: Rotomolded construction, foam pressure-injected insulated walls
Colours: Comes in 9 colours
Warranty: Up to 5 years
- Solid cooler
- Pulls a double duty - cooler, table, stool
- Drinks stay cold
- Ice stays frozen
- Holds your catch if you forgot your fish bucket
- Leaks when tilted
- Bit heavy when loaded
Ice Test Results
We tested the Chilly Moose Harbour bucket using the same methods as the Bowen soft-hard shell cooler. The bucket cooler also sat out on a picnic table for 2 days, loaded with one 3kg bag of ice, four cans of pop and two bottles of water at 5:30pm. The high was 26°C/79°F, sunny and feeling like 34°C/93°F – overnight temp, a cool 18°C/64°F. It too sat in direct sun and shade. 36 hours later, the ice was melted.
12L Harbour Bucket Features
The Chilly Moose Harbour Bucket looks and feels like a solid cooler. Being a rotomolded construction, we weren’t worried about the cooler breaking, which is how it became our paint stool for a week. And a quick step stool for that one hard-to-reach shelf – Shh, don’t tell Chilly Moose! A week as a paint-stool and a step-stool – Granite Tough, confirmed. While we haven’t run into a bear yet, there have been a couple of curious baby raccoons attempting a break-in – unsuccessfully, I might add. For now, the count – wildlife = 0, Harbour cooler = 1. 😉
The Clasp and Lid
Although the clasp feels a little chintzy on the rotomolded bucket cooler, it does securely hold the lid in place. The lid is a form-fitted interlocking system designed to keep your drinks cool.
Unfortunately, our leak test revealed that when the 12L bucket is tipped, the melted ice inside drips through the locking system – turned the bucket away from the lock, and it still pours straight through the seam of the lid.
Here’s where I’m going to mention that the cooler was shipped with a fishy smell, so maybe the cooler is a return with a seam problem. If Chilly Moose ships out a replacement, we can retest and confirm. But for now, these are our results from the leak test.
Heavy-Duty Woven Shoulder Strap
It’s nice to have a hands-free option. The shoulder strap on the Chilly Moose Bucket is also soft and comes with a thin pad for the shoulder. Tighten the strap enough, and you can use it as a handle.
Weight
Empty, the Harbour Bucket weighs 6.4lbs. When loaded with ice and drinks, it’s a bit heavy. For Stelios – he had no complaints – didn’t even notice the weight.
Our Verdict on the 12L Harbour Bucket
For Stelios, the Chilly Moose Bucket is his favourite. It’s multi-use, feels comfortable walking with it, retains ice even in humid conditions and does not sweat at all. His favourite use for the bucket is on the fishing tinnie and the job site – holds enough drinks for the guys and takes up very little space. For the kids, it’s bank fishing off the docks. And yes, most often, the cooler is full of little treasures like found lures, or my favourite – a frog! Don’t worry, Mr. Froggy is alive and well – and the dock fishing cooler got a good scrubbing.
I must agree, the Chilly Moose is in fact your outdoor buddy. The use is endless – from BBQs, kids’ sporting events, to bank fishing, sailing, even the beach and worksites – this cooler performs well at keeping drinks cold, treasures safe, and a spot to prep your gear or rest your weary legs. So, if you’re looking for a multi-purpose cooler, the Chilly Moose Harbour Bucket at $180 might just fit that bill.
Chilly Moose 55L Wheeled Explorer Ice Box Cooler Review
The Chilly Moose 55L Wheeled Explorer Ice Box Cooler is designed for multi-day camping trips, fishing adventures, hunting trips, and the beach – if going with a large group. Boasting heavy-duty handles, durable all-terrain wheels, virtually indestructible construction, and industry-leading ice retention, the 55L Wheeled Explorer promises a lot – let’s see how much of it it delivers.
Dimensions
Exterior: 29.5 x 42 x 16.5 in, Interior: 22.8 x 30 x 11.8 in
Weight: 32.6 lbs/14.8 kg
Cans: 64
Ice: Fits 45 lbs
Ice Rentention: 10 days
Material: Rotomolded construction, pressure-injected insulated walls
Colours: Canoe Red, Great Lakes, Limestone, Moonstone
Warranty: Up to 5 years
- Solid contruction of the shell and wheels
- All-terrain wheels drive over almost anything in its path
- Lockable lid - prevents wildlife from getting in
- Has option to grip tow handle from two spots
- Chilly Moose sticker is bubbled and peeling
- Fish ruler hard to read
Ice Test Results
First, I must mention that we did not pre-chill the 55L wheeled icebox. Not from laziness, but time constraints. Unless a trip is preplanned and you’re diligent, most of us, especially with kids, pack and go. The time to last ice was tested with the same conditions as the other two Chilly Moose coolers, with one exception – Mother Nature decided to throw everything but snow at us.
Needless to say, the Chilly Moose 55L wheeled cooler can handle the wild Canadian weather!
The 55L rolling ice chest sat in Stelios’s truck bed loaded with 4 bags of ice (12kg/26.5lbs) as per the general guidelines of keeping coolers filled 2/3. This test started at 4:40 pm, with an ambient temperature of 28°C/82°F (felt like 34°C/93°F). It sat there until noon the next day, and then moved beside the picnic table until the end of day 2.
Nature decided it was time for a cool-off with a wicked display of thunderstorms. It’s now day 5, with the temperature sitting at 14°C/57°F with a little peak of the sun here and there. That’s quite the temperature swing! With five days in, we have just a handful of ice left. I’m going to speculate that under these conditions, this is a 6-day cooler, and that’s without pre-chilling – do that, and you’d likely squeeze out more. I will update the time to melt, once the ice fully melts.
55L Wheeled Explorer Features
From afar, the Chilly Moose 55L cooler looks heavy-duty, and that doesn’t change when you use it. It’s a heavy cooler at 35lbs – slightly lighter than a Pelican 55QT Elite (36lbs), but a little heavier than a 55L YETI Haul cooler (32lbs). The rotomolded shell is a thick-walled plastic that adds to the weight, but keeps the large cooler virtually indestructible. Add in heavy-duty wheels, a stainless steel handlebar, and the cost adds up pretty quickly.
Quick math suggests that with 1/3 of the space left for food and drinks would add an extra 27lbs, bringing the grand loaded cooler total to approximately 88lbs. Thank goodness for wheels!
All-Terrain Wheels and Handles
The wheels on the camping cooler are plastic and large and do in fact roll over tree stumps, pebbles, sandy-gravel mix, grass and dirt without hesitation. The dual-grip stainless steel tow handle is a welcomed addition and makes pulling the cooler easier. We had used many choice words on our Coleman Marine cooler that featured a telescopic handle, which decided to collapse on its own mid-pull – EVERY TIME!
On the other side of the 55L wheeled cooler, you’ll find a heavy-duty rope-style grab handle. Feels good in the hand and comfortable.
Lockable Lid
As with the Harbour Bucket, the large 55L cooler with wheels features the same form-fitted interlock lid system, with one exception – the lid is lockable. You can sleep easy knowing that those fuzzy creatures you adore so much won’t get into your food. Unless they take the cooler, then it’s game on! Embossed into the lid is a fish scale – to be honest, it’s hard to read on the moonstone coloured cooler.
Drainage
Draining heavy coolers is something any of us considers fun. You’ll be glad to know that the 55L rolling cooler does feature a quick drain release valve.
Ice Retention Pro Tip
If you can’t replace your ice, leave the ice water in the cooler – it helps insulate the remaining ice.
Our Verdict on the 55L Wheeled Explorer Cooler
Honestly, I think this is a beautiful cooler – not crazy about the branded sticker on a $540 cooler, but it’s a young company – it’s something that can be overlooked for now. I am looking forward to July when we can take this cooler on a longer family camping trip. It’s the largest cooler we have, so this should be a treat. For now, it’s being used as a drink cooler while we RV for the week. Stelios is looking forward to taking the cooler bird hunting – hmm, not sure I like the idea of Canadian Geese in the cooler – although it’s fitting for a Canadian-designed cooler.
For big families, multi-day camps, or hauling a cooler’s worth of trophy fish, the 55L Explorer is the one – just know it’s a commitment to store and move.
Chilly Moose Cooler Comparison Table
| 16L Bowen | 12L Harbour Bucket | 55L Wheeled Explorer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Soft-hard hybrid | Rotomolded bucket | Rotomolded wheeled hard cooler |
| Price (CAD) | $140 | $180 | $540 |
| Empty Weight | 4.1 lbs | 6.4 lbs | 35 lbs |
| Ice Retention (tested) | 19 hrs (1 bag, 29°C) | 36 hrs (1 bag, 26°C) | 6 days est. (4 bags, no pre-chill) |
| Leak Test | Pours from zipper when tilted | Drips/pours from lid seam when tipped* | Sealed – drain valve |
| Carry | Woven handles + shoulder strap | Padded shoulder strap | Wheels + steel tow handle + rope grab |
| Wildlife Resistant | No | Yes (raccoon-tested 😉) | Yes – lockable lid |
| Best For | Day trips, canoe, job site, ice-cream runs | Fishing, job site, BBQs, kids’ treasures | Multi-day camping, big groups, game/fish hauls |
*Possible defective unit – shipped with odour; retest pending if Chilly Moose replaces it.
Chilly Moose FAQs
1. Are Chilly Moose coolers any good?
Yes – in our testing, all three held ice well for their size, with the rotomolded Harbour Bucket and 55L Explorer performing the strongest. The Explorer kept ice for roughly six days through a Canadian storm swing, even without pre-chilling. Our one caveat: both the Bowen and our Harbour Bucket leaked when tilted (the bucket may have been a defective unit), so they’re best kept upright.
2. Are Chilly Moose coolers made in Canada?
Chilly Moose is a Canadian company, based in Ontario and founded in 2019, but the coolers themselves are designed in Canada and manufactured in China, according to Chilly Moose’s own product information. If buying Canadian-made (rather than Canadian-designed) matters to you, that’s a distinction worth knowing before you order.
3. How long do Chilly Moose coolers hold ice?
In our real-world tests: the 16L Bowen soft cooler held ice for about 19 hours, the 12L Harbour Bucket about 36 hours, and the 55L Explorer is on track for roughly six days. Hard rotomolded coolers hold ice far longer than soft ones, and pre-chilling plus keeping meltwater inside extends it further.
4. Chilly Moose vs. YETI – how do they compare?
We didn’t test them head-to-head, but on paper the 55L Explorer (35 lbs) sits between a YETI Haul (32 lbs) and a Pelican 55QT Elite (36 lbs) for weight, at a competitive Canadian price. The trade-off is brand maturity: Chilly Moose is younger, and small finish details (like a branded sticker on a $540 cooler) show it.
5. Are Chilly Moose coolers waterproof / leakproof?
Not fully. Chilly Moose doesn’t market the Bowen as waterproof, and in our leak test, both the Bowen (through the zipper) and the Harbour Bucket (through the lid seam) released water when tilted. Keep them upright with melted ice inside. The 55L Explorer has a sealed lid and drain valve.
6. What’s the best Chilly Moose cooler?
It depends on the job: the Bowen for day trips and paddling, the Harbour Bucket for fishing and worksites (Stelios’s pick), and the 55L Explorer for multi-day camping and big groups. See our comparison table above for the quick version.
Stelios’s First Impressions Video of the Chilly Moose Coolers
Which Chilly Moose Cooler Should You Buy?
If you want a cooler that takes very little space in a canoe and still ices your pop, the Bowen’s your match. Just keep it upright – that zipper’s not holding back meltwater. Grab the Bowen here. Ours is already packed for the next ice-cream run.
If you need a cooler that lets you sit, prep tackle, and chills your beer, then the Harbour Bucket is your best bud. Save the clean-up and keep it upright – ours leaked at the seam (possibly a defective unit, more on that above). Shop the Bucket Cooler here. The kids already claimed the bucket for their treasures – fingers crossed it doesn’t become a habitat for something. 😉
If you’re looking for a cooler with serious storage capabilities, then the Wheeled Explorer is your optimal choice. Just watch your back – it’s pretty heavy when loaded to the brim. Snag the 55L Explorer here. Stelios is already booking this one for his fall waterfowl hunt, and I’m buying industrial-strength vinegar for the cleanup!
Start Your ATV Journey Right:
- Best Bass Fishing Lures: use the Harbour bucket to store your prized bass
- Camping Gear Checklist: learn what to bring with your family-sized cooler
- Rugged Road 45 Review: compare the 55L Explorer
- Nephton Trails: where the 16L Bowen comes in handy
👉 Which cooler would you use most? Comment below.
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