Last Updated on September 12, 2023
Looking for the best cooler for camping in hot weather? A portable desert cooler can be a life saver to fight off extreme temperatures if you live in the desert or are planning a desert camping trip. Evaporative air coolers are different from standards fans for they not only cool the air but add humidity to it, making the heat less dry and overall more enjoyable. Water coolers can be just as useful by keeping your drinks fresh even when it feels like a thousand degrees outside.
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Best Portable Coolers for Desert
Evaporative Air Coolers
Evaporative air coolers are what you need when you are hiking in the high desert. Unlike air conditioners, which remove humidity from the air, evaporative air coolers use the natural cooling process of water evaporation to generate humidity and refresh the air surrounding you, which is ideal for hot, dry climates. They are also generally cheaper than air conditioners, which makes them a nobrainer if you live in the desert.
Honeywell OUTDOOR/INDOOR Evaporative Air Cooler
Premium quality cooler with a powerful air flow that covers up to 850 sq. ft. indoors and up to 12 yards outdoors, with 3 different speed settings. [Check Price] [Honeywell Store]
Hessaire MC37M Portable Evaporative Cooler
Compact yet powerful cooler that covers up to 950 sq. ft. indoors. Can also be used as a regular fan without water. [Check Price] [Hessaire Store]
NewAir AF-310 Portable Indoor Outdoor Evaporative Air Fan and Humidifier
Budget friendly option for those who don’t need high performance, with a 100 sq. ft. range. It’s very lightweight and portable thanks to its slim design. [Check Price] [NewAir Store]
Water Coolers for Desert
Water is high in everyone’s list of desert camping essentials and staying hydrated should be your top prority whenever you are travelling in the desert. But if you dont want your water to have the same temperature as the hot sand you are stepping on, then you better get yourself a desert-proof water cooler.
YETI Hopper Portable Cooler
YETI has a range of soft cooler bags which are both sturdy and lightweight, made with durable material and a highly insulated, leak-proof design – making them ideal for desert hiking and backpacking in hot weather. [Check Price] [YETI Store]
Earth Pak Heavy Duty Waterproof 20-Can Soft Cooler Bag
One of the few budget friendly options that can compete with the YETI in terms of quality. This is a very well made soft cooler bag with great insulation capacity and great durability. Highly recommended. [Check Price] [Earth Pak Store]
Picking the Best Water Desert Cooler
There are a few features you should be looking into when selecting a water cooler to bring with you to the desert:
- Insulation – needless to say, it’s important that the cooler keeps your drinks chill and food fresh, especially more so under the scorching desert heat
- Durability – weather in the desert can be unpredictable and subject to windstorms, sand storms and flash floods – make sure your cooler is made of strong and durable enough material to survive all of these.
- Size and portability – the cooler should be fairly light and compact so that it won’t be an unnecessary weight to carry around in the desert, making you consume energy. The main purpose of a desert cooler is to keep you hydrated, not make you sweat even more.
Desert Camping Essentials Checklist
- Camping Tent
- Sleeping Bag
- Desert Backpack
- Jacket
- Desert Hiking Boots
- Sunscreen
- Plenty of water
- Food for desert
- First aid kit
- Travel insurance covering desert activities
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