Wheels start to matter once a cooler is too heavy to carry full by yourself, which for most people means 70 quarts and up. GATR, the cooler and drinkware brand from Thibodaux, Louisiana, puts solid rubber off-road wheels on two sizes: the GATR 70 with Wheels ($450, 80 cans plus ice, 42 lb empty) and the GATR 110 with Wheels ($500, 150 cans or 100 water bottles plus ice, 50 lb empty). The 70 suits tailgates and long weekends for 5 to 8 people. The 110 is for deer camp, offshore days, week-long trips and big events.

When are wheels on a cooler worth it?

Look at the empty weights first. The GATR 45 is 29 lb empty, the 70 is 42 lb and the 110 is 50 lb. Then add ice, drinks and food. Ice and cans are heavy, so a full cooler weighs a lot more than the empty number. A full GATR 45 is already a two-person carry with its heavy-duty handles. Past that size, you want wheels.

Wheels pay off when:

• The walk is long. Parking lot to the tailgate spot, campsite to the car, the boat launch to the dock.
• You are often alone. If nobody is there to grab the other handle, wheels let one person move a full cooler.
• The cooler is big enough to need them. On a 70 or 110 full of ice and drinks, carrying is a job for two.

Wheels matter less when the cooler goes from the truck bed to the boat deck and stays there. In that case a GATR 45 with handles may be all you need.

What makes GATR wheels different

• Solid rubber, no air. They cannot go flat. No pump, no patch kit, no surprise on the morning of the game.
• Built for off-road. They roll over grass, gravel, asphalt and sand. Soft, deep sand is hard work for any wheels, so pull rather than push if it starts to bog down.
• The cooler stays put. A wheeled cooler that rolls around a truck bed, buggy or boat deck is a problem. GATR's wheeled coolers stay where you set them until you lift from the far end to roll.
• Casting platform lid. The textured lid on the 70 and 110 doubles as a casting platform. With the latches closed, you can stand on it.

GATR 70 vs GATR 110: side by side

Both share the GATR hard cooler build: a one-piece rotomolded polyethylene shell with no seams, about 2 to 3 inches of foam in the walls and lid, a freezer-style gasket, replaceable Signature GATR latches, dual stainless bottle openers that double as padlock-ready locking plates, a drain sized for a standard garden hose and non-slip grip feet.

When to size up to the 70

• You feed 5 to 8 people, or you are out for three days or more.
• It is the one cooler for tailgate season, a backyard party or a long weekend at the coast.
• You fish inshore and want a lid you can stand on and a 26-inch ruler.
• You want room in the truck bed for other gear. The 70 is 33.3 inches long outside, versus 38.3 for the 110, so measure the space you have.

When to size up to the 110

• Week-long trips, deer camp, or a hunting lease where the next ice run is far.
• Offshore days where the catch needs room, and the 30-inch ruler is useful.
• Big events: a crawfish boil, a family reunion, a church fundraiser.
• You want two dividers to keep food, drinks and catch apart.

Only go to the 110 if you can fill it. A half-empty big cooler loses ice faster than a full smaller one. If you will not fill it, a 70, or a 45 plus a soft cooler, is the better buy. For more on ice, see how long a GATR cooler holds ice.

When a 45 with handles is enough

Plenty of people do not need wheels at all. The GATR 45 ($300, 42 cans plus ice, 29 lb empty) is the size most people should buy. Pick it over a wheeled cooler if:

• It is a family weekend, a day on the water or a work rig.
• Two people are usually around to carry it full.
• It mostly rides in the truck and gets set down close by.
• You want a second cooler anyway: a 45 for food and an Egg 25 backpack for drinks covers a lot of trips.

Which GATR to pick

• Tailgates, parties and long weekends: GATR 70 with Wheels, $450.
• Camp, offshore, week-long trips and big crowds: GATR 110 with Wheels, $500.
• Most families and day trips, no wheels needed: GATR 45, $300.

All ship free in the USA, since orders over $75 ship free. Still deciding on size? The cooler size guide compares all four hard coolers, and the tailgating cooler guide covers planning for a crowd. Heading out for deer or ducks? See choosing a cooler for hunting.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best coolers with wheels?

GATR makes two wheeled coolers: the GATR 70 with Wheels ($450, 80 cans plus ice) and the GATR 110 with Wheels ($500, 150 cans plus ice). Both have solid rubber off-road wheels that cannot go flat and a lid you can stand on.

Should I get the GATR 70 or the GATR 110?

Get the GATR 70 for tailgates, parties and long weekends for 5 to 8 people. Get the GATR 110 for deer camp, offshore days, week-long trips and big events, but only if you can fill it.

Do GATR cooler wheels go flat?

No. The GATR 70 and 110 use solid rubber off-road wheels with no air, so they cannot go flat.

Will a wheeled cooler roll around in my truck bed or boat?

GATR's wheeled coolers are designed to stay put in a truck bed, buggy or boat until you lift the far end to roll them.

How much does a GATR wheeled cooler weigh?

The GATR 70 with Wheels weighs 42 lb empty and the GATR 110 with Wheels weighs 50 lb empty. Ice, drinks and food add a lot more, which is why wheels help.

Do I need wheels on a 45-quart cooler?

Usually not. The GATR 45 is 29 lb empty and has heavy-duty handles; full, it is a two-person carry, which is fine when it rides in the truck and gets set down close by.

Can wheeled coolers roll on sand?

GATR's solid rubber wheels roll over sand, but deep soft sand is hard work for any wheels. Pull the cooler behind you rather than pushing it if it starts to bog down.