If you are an avid camper, you may have heard the name YETI and RTIC. YETI is the most popular and oldest cooler brand on the market. They manufacture premium quality coolers in both hard and soft cooler lines.
RTIC, on the other hand, is a newcomer to the market. They manufacture almost similar types of coolers like YETI. The overall design of the RTIC cooler is almost the same as YETI coolers. You may call them a carbon copy of YETI coolers. However, RTIC coolers are way cheaper than the YETI coolers.
Here, we are going to compare the YETI Tundra 45 and RTIC 45 cooler. Both are medium size cooler and designed for extreme ice retention. Let’s have a look at the differences between these two coolers:
Table of Contents
YETI 45 vs RTIC 45
| Model | YETI Tundra 45 Cooler | RTIC 45 Cooler |
|---|---|---|
| Image |  |
 |
| Dimensions | 26.00 x 15.50 x 16.00 inches | 26.50 x 16.50 x 16.00 inches |
| Capacity | 28 cans / 34 lb of ice | 36 cans / 40 lb of ice |
| Empty Weight | 23 pounds | 25 pounds |
| Ice Retention | 4-7 days | 5-7 days |
| Available Colors | 8 (Charcoal, Chartreuse, Coral, Desert Tan, IceBlue, SeaFoam, White, Navy) |
4 (White, Blue, Tan, Grey) |
| Features | Roto-molded construction 3 inches of Insulation Certified Bear-Resistant Integrated Locking System Dry goods basket included |
Roto-molded construction Great insulation Bear Resistant Integrated Locking System Non-Slip Feet |
| Warranty | 5 years | 1 year |
| Our Rating | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Price | Check Price | Check Price |
Related Comparison: RTIC 45 VS RTIC 65 Cooler
Dimensions & Capacity
First of all, YETI Tundra 45 is not a 45-quart cooler. 45 is just a model number. On the other hand, RTIC 45 is a true 45-quart cooler. The outside dimensions of YETI Tundra 45 is 26.00″ x 15.50″ x 16.00″ and RTIC 45 is 26.50″ x 16.50″ x 16.00″. So, the Tundra 45 is relatively smaller than the RTIC 45 cooler.
The Tundra 45 can hold up to 28 cans or 34 pounds of ice when RTIC 45 can hold 36 cans or 40 pounds of ice. So, in terms of capacity, RTIC 45 is bigger than the Tundra 45. It can hold a lot more items than the YETI Tundra 45.
Ice Retention Time
Both Tundra 45 and RTIC 45 comes with rotomolded construction and thick insulation. Both companies use thick insulation and freezer-quality gasket to maximize the ice retention time of the cooler. However, you can expect around 5-7 days of ice retention time from each of these coolers.
Design
As we already mentioned, RTIC coolers are a carbon copy of YETI coolers. You will not see much difference between the Tundra 45 and RTIC 45 cooler. However, YETI Tundra comes with 8 different colors ( Charcoal, Chartreuse, Coral, Desert Tan, IceBlue, SeaFoam, White, and Navy)whereas RTIC offers only 4 colors (White, Blue, Tan, and Grey).
Warranty
Here you will find a huge difference between these two cooler. YETI provides a 5-year warranty for all of the Tundra coolers. RTIC on the other hand provides only a 1-year warranty for their hard coolers. So, if you are concerned about the warranty, Choosing YETI Tundra 45 rather than RTIC 45 will be the best option for you.
RTIC 45 vs YETI 45- Which one to Buy?
Since both coolers come with almost the same features and benefits, it is quite difficult to decide which one to buy. If you need a lot of storage, then RTIC 45 will be the best option for you since it can hold more cans than the YETI Tundra 45. On the other hand, if you are much more worried about your investment and you need long time warranty for your cooler, the Tundra 45 from YETI can be the best option for you.
Related Comparison: YETI Tundra 35 vs YETI Roadie 20 Cooler