# YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler (YETI) and Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler (Pelican) among hard coolers. Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler is the cheaper of the two at $310.95.

## Side by side

| Spec | YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler | Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $325 | $310.95 |
| Brand | YETI | Pelican |
| Capacity qt | 45 | 50 |
| Can capacity | 28 | 38 |
| Ice retention days | — | 8 |
| Rotomolded | Yes | Yes |
| Empty weight (lb) | 24.6 | 26.39 |
| Bear resistant certified | Yes | Yes |
| Drain plug | Yes | Yes |

## Key differences

- Capacity qt: YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler 45 vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler 50
- Can capacity: YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler 28 vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler 38
- Empty weight (lb): YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler 24.6 vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler 26.39

## What reviewers say

**YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler** — Only one whitelisted tester (Pro Tool Reviews) has a hands-on review of this exact model; the rest (OutdoorGearLab, GearJunkie, Treeline) fall outside the tester whitelist. Pro Tool Reviews field-tested it over a triple-digit summer, praising rotomolded durability and real ice retention while flagging the steep price. (1 sourced review.)

**Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler** — Only one whitelisted tester—Reviewed (USA Today)—lab-tested this exact Pelican 50QT Elite model. Reviewed measured 135 hours of cold retention (interior to exceed 40°F, filled halfway with ice in a 72°F / 50% RH lab) and praised the feature set and sturdy build, but flagged the cooler as heavy (26.4 lb empty), bulky to move for its capacity, and relatively expensive. (1 sourced review.)

## Sources

- YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler: https://www.yeti.com/coolers/hard-coolers/tundra/tundra-45.html (yeti.com, verified 2026-06-20)
- Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler: https://www.pelican.com/us/en/product/coolers/elite/50qt (pelican.com, verified 2026-06-20)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/hard-coolers/yeti-tundra-45-vs-pelican-elite-50qt/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, YETI Tundra 45 Hard Cooler ($325) vs Pelican Elite 50QT Hard Cooler ($310.95) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/hard-coolers/yeti-tundra-45-vs-pelican-elite-50qt/
License: CC BY 4.0.