Xspec 60qt Review

The Xspec is a rotomolded cooler with dual handles and an internal height that easily accommodates an upright, average-sized wine bottle. It features an integrated fish ruler, a built-in compass, two bottle openers, removable handles, tie-downs, a lock plate, a pressure release valve, a dual-use drain, and anti-skid feet.

Insulation

When it comes to insulation performance, the Xspec is one of the best, providing cooling power strong enough for most endeavors. It held temps below the USDA-recommended safe food threshold of 40ºF for 6.1 days during our torturous insulation testing and held onto temps under 50ºF (a great all-around beer temperature) for a grand total of 6.7 days. It's also dry-ice compatible, which can go a long way toward extending the freshness of your food.

The Xspec is rotomolded and filled with 3 inches of polyurethane foam to provide reliable insulation. A freezer-style (think "flattened tube") gasket completely seals the contents of this box. The bottom not only has anti-skid feet but also several raised sections to help keep your cooler away from the hot surfaces of summer — a clever design to help keep its contents cool.

Moving and Lifting

A 60-quart ice chest is never going to be your favorite piece of gear to cart around, but there are a few things about the Xspec's design that make it less painful than some. Weighing 30 pounds before loading it with an array of food and beverages, it's on the lower end of average weight among similar models we tested.

The two sets of handles are fairly comfortable to use, though we've already discussed that the indented pair could be deeper for more comfort, but they are shallower to facilitate easy removal and replacement of the second set of handles. The longer handles are made of hard plastic but have a good curve, which helps with carrying comfort. They're not as nice as some foam handles we tested, but they're above average for in-hand comfort.

One area where the Xspec really gets it right is the dimension ratio of this big box. A short, long cooler is much harder to carry around solo. A tall, narrow cooler is easier to carry but can be harder to pack into your car or find things buried at the bottom. The Xspec is one of just a few we tested that thread the needle of the ideal height-to-length ratio. It's narrow enough to be carried by yourself, without being so tall that it becomes top-heavy or harder to find contents hidden at the bottom.

Packable Space

While most coolers are fairly simple to load contents into their cavernous interiors, we've found that some are more accommodating than others. What we appreciate about the Xspec is how convenient it is to pack into the car while still being tall enough to fit most common objects standing upright inside.

If you plan on bringing a 2-liter bottle of soda or a chilled bottle of white wine, both will fit standing upright in the Xspec. With 13 inches of internal clearance, standard wine bottles will also fit even with the cork replaced, safely bringing home your leftovers. We also measured this advertised 60-quart icebox to actually have a 61-quart capacity. Many coolers we tested don't actually have the volume they claim, often falling short.

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Ease of Use

One of our favorite aspects of the Xspec is how simple and straightforward it is to use. The previously discussed latch design also makes opening and closing the chest much easier than some of the muscley all-rubber T-latches, which require two hands to operate. The Xspec latches can be a bit more challenging on your fingertips, but overall, we think they're pretty easy. The dual-function drain works well and efficiently, with an interior channel and a small lip that facilitates emptying meltwater with relative ease. The air pressure release valve is also an excellent addition. Whether you're experiencing temperature changes from early morning to mid-afternoon or gaining elevation as you head up into the mountains on your adventures, this valve makes certain that you'll never be stuck wrenching and cursing at your cooler's lid.

Like so many similar coolers we tested, the Xspec has two sets of handles for carrying solo or with a partner. The indented handles on the underside of the ends of the lid are easy to find and use. They are a bit shallow compared to many others, letting your fingertips jam into the tie-down slots a little too readily for our taste. However, this shallow design comes in handy, though, for easily removing the second set of handles. These cleverly designed grip-and-webbing handles are easy to remove in a few seconds if you'd rather leave them at home, with your cooler securely tied down in the back of your trailer or boat. Replacing them is just as easy thanks to the slightly shallow primary handles, which effortlessly allow you access to the required attachment points. Some other coolers we tested with similar removable handles proved harder to replace, with deeper indented hand grooves, and we appreciate the ease and simplicity of the Xspec.

Should You Buy the Xspec 60qt?

We find there's a lot to love about the Xspec 60qt. It brings solid insulation performance, a very functional design, and top-notch features to the table, attached to a pretty reasonable price tag. If you're after a reliable cooler that's a joy to use and built to last, but don't want to spend a fortune, this chest is a well-rounded competitor.

What Other Coolers Should You Consider?

If you don't need as much capacity, you cannot go wrong with the smaller Xspec 45 Towable, which adds incredible portability to an equally well-insulated chest. If you can afford to spend a bit more, the Canyon Outfitter 55 V2 is an incredibly durable cooler with an excellent balance of features and solid insulation. For the convenience of wheels in a larger size, the Yeti Roadie 60 will deliver the goods, although it'll cost you more, while the Rovr RollR 60 is another unique option at a similar size, capable of being towed behind a bike.