Igloo Trailmate Journey vs Marine: What’s The Difference?

Igloo’s Trailmate Journey and Trailmate Marine Coolers are ultra-portable wheeled coolers with a slick design and tons of features.

At first glance, the two coolers may seem pretty much identical. It's hard to tell whether or not they are any different at all and if you should spend any extra to get the Marine version when it looks the same as the Journey.

But when you take a closer look, it becomes pretty obvious that one is a much better buy. 

So before you spend your hard earned cash, you may be wondering, what exactly are the differences between the Igloo Trailmate Journey and Igloo Trailmate Marine? 

When comparing the Igloo Trailmate Journey vs the Igloo Trailmate Marine, there are a lot of similarities. They’re both sleek, high-capacity, high-clearance, wheeled coolers, bursting with added features.

But the Trailmate Marine actually includes all the same upside of the Trailmate Journey, with the added UV protection, antimicrobial liner, and anti-skid wheels you might expect from a marine cooler — for only a 10% higher price tag. 

Even though the Trailmate Marine is designed for use on boats, the added benefits are helpful for nearly any use. From boats to campgrounds to beaches, the Trailmate Marine is strictly the better cooler. 

What Are The Differences Between The Igloo Trailmate Journey And Marine? 

The differences between Igloo’s Trailmate Journey and Trailmate Marine Coolers aren’t immediately obvious — especially if you’re not that familiar with marine coolers to begin with. 

After all, both coolers share the same build, offer the same insulation, and have the same super high clearance wheels that make them one of the most portable coolers on the market. 

But once you break it down, there are several notable differences between the two that set the Marine apart. 

UV Protection

On a boat (or even the beach or back yard), your cooler is likely to spend quite a bit of time out in the sun. 

Over time, the sun’s UV rays will degrade your cooler, leaving you in the market for another sooner than you’d like. 

Unlike the Trailmate Journey, the Trailmate Marine is treated with UV protection to help extend its life — regardless of the conditions it faces. 

Antimicrobial Liner

Any enclosed environment that stores food, drink, and moisture is bound to get a little funky. Add in some ocean water and it’s all but guaranteed. 

Luckily, the Trailmate Marine is treated with an antimicrobial liner to help prevent stains and odors caused by bacteria. 

Anti-Skid Wheels

If you’ve ever been on a boat, you already know that anything that isn’t anti-skid or tied down is going to shift and slide around on deck. 

The Trailmate Marine is equipped with all-terrain, super-grippy, non-marking wheels, to help your cooler stick right where it belongs and prevent scuffs on your deck.

The Journey’s wheels are the same size, offer the same clearance, and ride just as smooth, but are a bit more prone to slipping, sliding, and scuffing. 

Carry Handles

Color Options

The Trailmate Journey comes in seven different color palettes, while the Trailmate Marine is limited to two.

But there’s a reason for it. 

Marine coolers traditionally come in white for two reasons — white does a better job of reflecting sunlight, white coolers helps keep ice longer compared to dark coolers, and white also matches the aesthetic found on most boats. 

White is also better from a UV protection standpoint. The plastic is less likely to degrade as it reflects more light and doesn't get as hot.

Ultimately, none of the color options for the Trailmate series are particularly inspiring.

Even going with the basic white with black or gray trim of the Marine won’t feel much like you’re missing out when compared to the relatively dull color options the Journey offers anyway.   

Price

So how much will all those extra features the Marine offers actually set you back?

Probably not as much as you’d think. 

The Trailmate Marine retails at around $280, compared to the Journey’s $250. Just a little over a 10% difference for a cooler that offers quite a bit more and will likely last longer as well.  

Is The Igloo Trailmate Journey Or Marine The Better Cooler?

Outside of price and color options, the Trailmate Marine offers everything that the Journey does and then some. 

So the real question is, are the extra features of the Marine actually worth the extra cash?

If you plan to use your cooler on a boat or even in harsher conditions, like on the beach, the Marine is a no-brainer and more than worth the slightly higher price tag.

Even if you're just planning on putting it in the boot of your car the non-slip feet still come in handy.

If you’re only going to use it for easy car camping and backyard barbecues, saving a few dollars isn’t necessarily the worst idea — but the Marine is a straight up better cooler for only about $30 more. 

When it comes down to it, both of Igloo’s Trailmate Coolers are pretty easily outclassed by some of the wheeled, roto-molded coolers on the market — like RTIC’s Ultra-Light Wheeled Hard Cooler (which is a bit smaller, but is a much better cooler in a very similar price range) or Yeti’s Wheeled Roadie Cooler (if you really want to go all out).