Kenai 65 Review

The Kenai 65 is a rotomolded cooler with dual sets of handles and an internal height of 12.25 inches that accommodates standard 2L and wine bottles. It features tie-down points, rubber feet, and a dual-sized drain plug.

Performance Comparison

Insulation

In our insulation test, we saw other large coolers outperform the Kenai. It managed 3.5 days of sub 40°F temperatures — well under the average across all coolers we tested, including much smaller models. It managed another few hours of internal temperatures below 50°F, for a total of 3.8 days of refreshing beverages. This below-average performance is likely influenced by a comparatively thin, less substantial gasket around the lid, which unfortunately became disfigured and warped during our testing from sun exposure. It also leaves a large gap between the ends of the rubber strip, covered by a piece of tape that can't quite maintain a proper seal.

Durability

The body of the Kenai 65 feels solid and sturdy. We sat, stood, and jumped on this box and felt no caving or flexing that made us worried about its strength. Compared to thinner and flimsier models, this one feels quality. When left to sit in the hot sun, though, the lid began bowing slightly, but perceptively, outward. The latches are attached by a single screw that burrows into the body of the cooler, rather than a replaceable pivoting post, like so many of its competitors. And, as previously mentioned, the rubber gasket meant to seal the top became warped quickly during our testing. However, we found no issues with the rubber feet or thick handles.

Ease of Use

The Kenai 65 has a few features that stand out from the crowd when it comes to ease of use. The latches feature a unique design, combining fairly flexible rubber sections with metal posts sticking out from either side to hook around the top lip of the box. This makes them very easy to put in place and remove when you want to open your cooler. If you dislike the stiff latches on many other high-end coolers, this is a point of attraction with this cooler. We did find that when we intentionally dropped this cooler (for testing purposes), the latches popped open, where other models remained closed.

On the other side of the spectrum, the Kenai has a drainage channel that runs the full length of the cooler, effectively directing meltwater toward the opening. While the drain is dual-sized, unlike most similarly designed drain plugs, this one has a drainage hole on just one side of the plug, rather than all the way through the piece.

Portability

The 65 quart Kenai weighs just over 27 pounds, which is on the light end of average among similarly sized models. It has the standard double set of handles — indented into the hard plastic side and webbing-covered rope with rubber grips — that do a fine job providing handholds while moving this fairly large cooler. It's about as pleasant to carry as you can expect for a model this size, slightly hitting your knees as you walk and being a touch too large to comfortably walk through a doorway at speed.

Features

This cooler comes relatively free of features, though Kenai offers many accessories for additional purchase that we didn't test. It has tie-down slots on either side, paired with grooves on the edges of the lid in numerous locations that help keep a wide webbing strap from sliding too far when secured in your vehicle. The drain plug lacks a leash (as do most we tested), though the rubber feet on the bottom of the box come in handy holding it in place on slippery surfaces. This burly box is not certified as “bear resistant” by the IGBC. While this is notable to some, we don't place much importance on it.

Value

The price tag that comes along with this rotomolded ice chest is about on par with similar-looking models. However, after testing it out and seeing its underwhelming insulation performance and sun exposure issues, we're not sure it's worth the cost. We've tested several models that cost less but perform better, making this a relatively low-value option for us.

Conclusion

Despite initially high expectations, the rotomolded Kenai 65 failed to impress us with its insulation prowess or durability. Though it comes with a price tag akin to many high-end coolers, this model falls short of the competition in our testing.