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Igloo Marine Ultra 70 Review

With its large capacity, good insulation performance, and approachable price tag, this cooler is here for a good time, but might not be here for a long time
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Igloo Marine Ultra 70 Review
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Price:  $80 List
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Manufacturer:   Igloo
Kolby Anderson
By Kolby Anderson ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  May 1, 2025
Contributions From: Genaveve Bradshaw
57
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#18 of 25
  • Insulation - 50% 6.2
  • Durability - 20% 4.9
  • Ease of Use - 15% 6.2
  • Portability - 10% 5.0
  • Additional Features - 5% 3.8

Our Verdict

The Igloo Marine Ultra 70 boasts a large capacity at an affordable price, especially compared to similar offerings. It delivered adequate insulation performance in our testing and features several improvements to improve its durability and lifespan compared to previous Igloo models. The Igloo offers a lot of bang for your buck, but keep in mind that you get what you pay for, and although they've made some upgrades, we still have some concerns about the longevity of this cooler. The Igloo isn't for everyone, and those who need a water-tight lid, a wide variety of accessories, or the ability to lock their cooler will want to consider another one of the top coolers we tested.
REASONS TO BUY
Large capacity
Approachable price
Well-insulated
REASONS TO AVOID
Leaky lid
Not lockable
Longevity concerns

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Igloo Marine Ultra 70 is a part of Igloo's Marine Cooler Collection that has some new durability-focused upgrades to address common points of failure in previous models. The hinges are from Riteflex resin, which they describe as “An impact-resistant, highly flexible, temperature and chemical-resistant material.” The lid is fully insulated, and stainless steel hardware is used throughout the cooler.

The lid latch of the Igloo Marine Ultra is made of plastic and stainless steel.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Insulation


When it comes to meeting those expectations, the Igloo Marine Ultra kept things below 40 degrees for just over four days. Once that threshold was passed, the 50-degree point came and went fairly quickly, less than half a day later. Overall, this performance was just slightly below the average of all the tested coolers.


igloo marine ultra 70 - the swing-up handles of the marine ultra 70 make it easy to tug and...
The swing-up handles of the Marine Ultra 70 make it easy to tug and pull around.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Durability


Carrying the Igloo in our slosh test was okay for a few small steps, but as soon as we started a normal stride, water splashed out the sides with each step.

The lid of the Igloo is by no means water-tight, as our tester Gena found in our water slosh test.
Credit: Matt Lighthart


The Marine Ultra 70 is part of Igloo's Marine Collection, so it's disappointing that this cooler does not have non-slip feet or a textured/grippy lid. It could become quite slippery if the plastic got wet, as often happens when using a marine cooler in its intended environment. The handles are the best we've seen from Igloo, made of a grippy textured plastic, which makes it easy to yank and pull the cooler around. Our tester, Gena Bradshaw, mentioned, “I would like to see some reinforcement for the handle attachment points.” The attachments did not break during testing, but it isn't hard to picture them snapping off after carrying one too many heavy loads. It seems Igloo is headed in the right direction with this model, featuring some longevity-focused features like stainless steel hardware in the hinges and latch, and constructing it with UV-protected material to help shield the cooler from sun damage.

The Igloo Marine Ultra 70 handles are the best we've seen from the manufacturer so far.

Ease of Use


In the past, from Igloo, we've seen slippery, untextured plastic used on the handles, so our review of the Marine Ultra 70 was a pleasant surprise. We love the texturized grip that is somewhat soft and squishy to the touch on the new handles on the Igloo, even if we are sorry to say these are the only handles on the entire cooler. The manufacturer claims a capacity of 102 cans. Our test team fit 114 12-ounce cans. The simple design of this cooler makes it easy to pack, and we like the detent in the lid's hinges that enables it to stay open on its own, too. The drain plug is threaded to hook up a water hose if you'd like, which is nice, but we wish it had more grip on it, as it can be quite difficult to remove, especially when wet.

igloo marine ultra 70 - we were able to fit 114 12-oz cans, which was 12 more than the...
We were able to fit 114 12-oz cans, which was 12 more than the manufacturer's capacity states, in the Marine Ultra.
Credit: Matt Lighthart


Lifting the Igloo Marine Ultra cooler is easier with its comfortable swing-up handles, though we feel it could be pretty heavy when fully loaded.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Portability


The Igloo Marine Ultra claims a whopping 70-quart capacity. In our measurement, we came up with 76 quarts. Either way, this is a formidable storage space for a cooler and puts the Marine Ultra well into “potentially very heavy” territory when fully loaded. The empty Igloo weighs 13.6 lbs, and while that's significantly lighter than most other coolers of this capacity, it still is pretty large and, when loaded up, is likely to become cumbersome to carry on your own. Our tester Gena said, “The handles don't feel terribly robust, but I appreciate that they flip out when you use them, thus protecting your hands from hitting the sides of the cooler when you walk.”


igloo marine ultra 70 - the marine ultra 70 features four self-draining drink holders molded...
The Marine Ultra 70 features four self-draining drink holders molded into the lid.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Additional Features


Featuring a fish ruler and four self-draining cup holders molded into the lid, the Igloo Marine Ultra has a few tricks up its sleeve, but nothing we haven't seen before. This particular cooler is only available in one size, although within the Igloo Marine Cooler Collection, an array of bigger and smaller-sized coolers is available. The only accessory for this model available from Igloo at the time of purchase is ice packs, which aren't specialized in any way specifically for this cooler. The Igloo comes with a one-year warranty, which is better than some but falls short in our minds, as most other models we reviewed offer 3 years coverage or more.

igloo marine ultra 70 - the stainless steel cable leash is nice for keeping track of the...
The stainless steel cable leash is nice for keeping track of the threaded drain plug.
Credit: Matt Lighthart


igloo marine ultra 70 - the igloo is relatively portable for being such a large-capacity...
The Igloo is relatively portable for being such a large-capacity cooler.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

Should You Buy the Igloo Marine Ultra 70?


The Igloo Marine Ultra 70 offers large capacity, decent insulation performance, and a great price. Igloo has stepped up its game with this cooler, delivering much-needed upgrades to improve critical components prone to failure, like the hinges, lid latch, and handles. Considering that, we think the Marine Ultra is a great buy for those looking for a high-capacity cooler on a budget. Still, we feel it falls short for marine-specific users, particularly given the lack of non-slip feet and grippy textured material in key locations. We also still have some durability concerns.

igloo marine ultra 70 - the igloo has a fully-insulated lid to help keep your drinks nice...
The Igloo has a fully-insulated lid to help keep your drinks nice and cold.
Credit: Matt Lighthart

What Other Coolers Should You Consider?


If you're in the market for a high-capacity cooler but Igloo Marine Ultra isn't right for you, check out the Xspec 60qt. It's similar in size to the Igloo and has higher insulation performance, better durability, and many useful additional features. If portability is paramount, the Xspec 45 Towable is an excellent wheeled cooler and a jack of all trades, delivering outstanding performance across all of our testing metrics. Yeti also offers a wheeled option with similar capacity and a stellar performance, the Yeti Roadie 60, but the price tag comes in 5.5x higher.

Side-by-Side Comparison
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Kolby Anderson and Genaveve Bradshaw

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