Coleman Classic 52 Qt vs Coleman Xtreme 50 Qt Wheeled
Quick verdict
Choose by your trip
- Coleman Classic 52 Qt: Two to four people on a weekend trip with food and drinks.
- Coleman Xtreme 50 Qt Wheeled: A family on a long weekend who rolls the cooler from car to site.
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Coleman Classic 52 Qt review
Best for: Two to four people on a weekend trip with food and drinks
A mid-size 52-quart chest for a weekend, with a 3-day ice claim and a drain; it has no wheels, so a full load is a two-hand or two-person carry.
Coleman's 52-quart Classic Series chest (model 5860) was sold earlier as the 316 Series. Coleman lists 80 cans (40 with 26 lb of ice), up to 3 days of ice, a 250 lb Have-A-Seat lid with four cup holders, a tethered drain plug, a stain-resistant liner and a built-in ruler. It weighs 8.6 lb empty.
Good
- 80-can capacity at 8.6 lb empty, light for a 52-qt chest
- Tethered drain plug and stain-resistant liner make cleanup easy
- Lid seats 250 lb; four cup holders fit a 30-oz tumbler
Watch for
- 3-day ice claim is short for a long weekend; plan to add ice by day 3
- No wheels; swing-up side handles mean a two-hand carry when full
Specs from Coleman Classic Series 52-Quart Hard Cooler product page, Amazon.com listing and Canadian Tire product page, checked Oct 26. We compare published specs and design; we have not tested it ourselves.
Check price on AmazonColeman Xtreme 50 Qt Wheeled review
Best for: A family on a long weekend who rolls the cooler from car to site
Coleman's current 50-quart wheeled Xtreme, with a 5-day ice claim at 90°F, wheels and a locking tow handle; at 12.7 lb empty it is heavier than the 52-qt chest.
The Xtreme 50 wheeled holds 84 cans, claims up to 5 days of ice at 90°F, and has a long telescoping locking handle, heavy-duty wheels, molded side handles and a leak-resistant drain. The Have-A-Seat lid seats 250 lb and has cup holders. It is the same design as the older Xtreme 50 listing and the wheeled sibling of the 52-qt Xtreme chest.
Good
- Locking telescoping handle and wheels let one person move a full load
- Coleman claims 5 days of ice at 90°F and 84-can capacity
- Leak-resistant drain and EZ-Clean top make cleanup quick
Watch for
- 12.7 lb empty, about 4 lb more than the non-wheeled 52-qt Xtreme
- Interior is 17.8 x 12.9 x 13.1 in; measure your food bins before buying
Specs from Coleman 50-Quart Xtreme 5-Day Hard Cooler with Wheels product page and Amazon.com listing, checked Oct 26. We compare published specs and design; we have not tested it ourselves.
Check price on AmazonSide-by-side
| Spec | Coleman Classic 52-Quart Cooler | Coleman Xtreme 50-Quart Wheeled Cooler |
|---|---|---|
| Price (typical) | $55 | $75 |
| Capacity (qt) | 52 | 50 |
| Maker's ice claim | 3 days | 5 days (at temperatures up to 90°F) |
| Holds | 80 cans | 84 cans |
| Weight (empty) | 8.6 lb | 12.7 lb |
| Wheels | no | yes |
| Drain plug | yes | yes |
| Handles | swing-up side handles | telescoping locking tow handle + molded side handles |
| Lid | Have-A-Seat lid, 250 lb, 4 cup holders | Have-A-Seat lid, 250 lb, cup holders |
| Build | hard-sided, TempLock FX insulation, stain-resistant liner, 15% less plastic | hard-sided, Xtreme-insulated walls and lid, low-CO2 foam, EZ-Clean top |
| Outside size | 25.2 L x 14.5 W x 16.75 H in | 22.6 L x 17.6 W x 17.5 H in |
Green marks the better figure where more (or less) is plainly better. Weights and ice claims are the makers’ own figures.
Common questions
Which one should I buy?
The Coleman Classic 52 Qt leads on price; the Coleman Xtreme 50 Qt Wheeled leads on maker's ice claim. Choose by which of those matter on your trips. Coleman Classic 52 Qt: A mid-size 52-quart chest for a weekend, with a 3-day ice claim and a drain; it has no wheels, so a full load is a two-hand or two-person carry. Coleman Xtreme 50 Qt Wheeled: Coleman's current 50-quart wheeled Xtreme, with a 5-day ice claim at 90°F, wheels and a locking tow handle; at 12.7 lb empty it is heavier than the 52-qt chest.
Where do these specs come from?
From each maker’s product page and retailer spec sheets, linked under each review. We compare published specs and design; we have not tested these products. Check the listing for the exact version you are buying.
Where do these prices come from?
These are recorded Amazon prices. Check the listings for current price and availability.
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