Oyster  Tempo Cooler Bundle

This negative review is not about the quality of the cooler; REI just dropped the ball making sure you're getting what you ordered. I ordered the bundle to save a bit on the ice packs vs ordering directly from Oyster, but this bundle came with a damaged cooler -- plastic parts scuffed, lid hinges were broken, and the ice packs were not in the container. Very disappointed since I was looking forward to using it this weekend. Will have to return.

I ordered this as a new item; it has just arrived without original packaging. It has dents, scratches AND food residue inside.

The first cooler I ordered arrived in terrible shape. The original Oyster tape on the box was cut and taped over, the lid had liquid stains that did not come off, and the cooler was covered in scratches. The ice packs were just thrown into the box, making for a really poor unboxing experience for a premium product. When I went to return it, the employee mentioned they were out of stock but offered me the floor display model. Ironically, the display model was in better condition than the "new" one I received, but I didn't want a floor model. I ended up returning it at a different REI location that had stock, but to my surprise, the replacement wasn't much better. Once again, the original orange Oyster tape was cut and resealed with clear tape. Inside, the cooler wasn't even in its protective box anymore, it was just floating around loose on top of the accessory box. It was also covered in dark, oily stains, and the ice packs looked like they were thrown in instead of being secured in their cardboard cutout just like the first box. For the premium price tag, the quality control and packaging should be significantly better. It really feels like Oyster is offloading the cheaper "Oops Edition" cosmetic seconds (which they usually sell at a discount on their own site) to REI.

This cooler is incredible. It's dramatically lighter than my Yeti, it feels like it weighs less than half. I can throw it over my shoulder with the strap and take it anywhere. I'm now using it for things I never thought of before, like bringing cold items home from the grocery store. The design is so crisp it feels like Apple made it and the double hinge that lets me open it from either side is truly brilliant. Now the best part, I haven't needed any ice! The cold packs keep everything absolutely frozen. No ice means no water mess and no smell!!!! INCREDIBLE.

In thanks giving I had to bring hot food an hour away. Once I arrived There was no oven room for us to heat our dishes , my hot food stayed steaming hot and delicious for 2 plus hours . Ready fly the table when I took it out . Just another amazing use in addition to the cold use that it just rocks at .

The Oyster Tempo cooler absolutely does what it promises in terms of keeping the contents ice cold for a long time. It’s by far the best performing cooler we have owned (and should be for the price!) The only problem is that they only offer this one size and the size is a little too small for our needs. It’s suitable for one night camping trips (food + a few drinks) but one wine bottle won’t fit without taking up a disproportionately large amount of space. You may need to use this cooler in addition to a separate cooler if you have a large family or are sharing with friends or have lots of drinks (especially non-standard containers like wine bottles or cartons or jugs)

I really appreciate not needing to pre-chill this cooler. It really does an amazing job at getting cold and keeping items cold for an extended period relative to my experience with premium coolers from other brands. I think the key differentiators are the all aluminum construction and the vacuum sealed walls. The aluminum structure allows for a more even temperature distribution throughout the entire cooler and you can really tell the difference. I use this cooler professionally as well as for recreation and it's performing beautifully in both settings!

I tried to buy one of these expensive coolers, as a gift, from REI that wasn't damaged (dented or scratched), but I could not. The 2 in the store were all beat up so the manager ordered one for me, to be sent to my home, that was supposed to be from the warehouse, meaning it would be new in the box. It showed up and was another dented one, obviously not new in the box, but rather plucked off the floor of another nearby REI store. So I returned it and gave up because REI could not guarantee that they could get me a new in the box cooler. For the amount of money these coolers cost, I think its reasonable to expect to buy one in new and undamaged condition. Good luck doing that at REI. Everyone was nice enough during the process, but I wasted enough time to feel compelled to write this review.

I have always enjoyed coolers but I LOVE this thing! No pre-cooling and it even stays cold for days in a hot car! I only wish they made one hakf as big as well for me to take my lunches to work.

Yes, it is pricey. But it gives unparrallel cold keeping ability without the need for a messy ice bath. I was on a day trip for 19 hours in mid 80's temps. The cooler was in the car the entire time and opened frequently for snacks. At the end of the trip, canned drinks were still very cold, yogurt was very cold and i was comfortable putting it back into fridge for another day use,and no ice mess to clean. I only used the 2 freezer ices it came with.