Last updated on September 19th, 2024.
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There are plenty of coolers out there on the market in all forms of shapes and sizes.
Getting my hands onto the Oyster Tempo, I’m convinced to say there’s none cooler than this beauty from Norway. But can it also convince with performance? That’s what we’ll find out in this review.
Let me give you a little intro into how the Oyster cooler came about. The team around CEO Ole Sandberg wanted to come up with a solution that was environmentally friendly and high performing at the same time. Not to forget that they did an incredible job in the design department. This cooler looks quite a bit like an old airstream caravan – sleek and timeless.
Disclaimer: All products in this guide are independently researched by our team. We only recommend products we believe in and never get paid for the reviews. Learn more about our review process here.
The Technology Behind the Tempo
A cooler’s main job is to keep things on the inside cool, no matter if it’s food or drinks. The better the insulation, the better the performance to keep your favorite snacks and beverage cold for as long as possible. Here’s what the Oyster team stepped in by creating a highly-insulating container wall that drastically increased the cooling performance. Secondly they improved the thermal bridge between the inside and outside and thirdly they increased thermal circulation which is the speed of thermal energy inside the cooler that defines how quickly the desired temperature is reached on the inside. If you want to dig into these technical details, I recommend taking a closer look at Oyster’s website.
It’s Got the Looks
What I like in particular about the Tempo is the fact that this cutting-edge technology is applied to a cooler that really boasts a lot of retro charme with its fully body aluminum design. During the unboxing I felt reminded of unboxing an Apple product as everything is neatly organised and perfectly placed in the packaging.
The Tempo comes with an aluminum handle that is replaceable for a shoulder strap within seconds which is great for when your cooler is fully loaded.
Streamlined Usability
The Oyster opens with a big lid and features one main big compartment. You can get the cooler by itself or go for the bundle (which I recommend as you get the shoulder and the two thermal batteries with it).
The great thing about the thermal batteries is the fact that they are designed to fit exactly into the bottom of the cooler maximising use of space. On top of it you can place your beverages and food for a day’s fishing.
During my fishing trips with the Oyster I’ve found that using the two cooled down thermal packs will easily give you enough cooling power for a summer’s day out on the water. Ideally, you want to put in your beverages in a chilled state since that will of course use less energy to cool them down once inside the Tempo.
Capacity wise I had no problem fitting 24 regular cans or even 9 regular bottles of wine. The Tempo might look quite a bit smaller from the outside, for example when compared to the YETI Roadie 24, but don’t be fooled, its thinner walls create a lot of space on the inside regardless.
Downsides
You get the point: I’m a fan of this cooler. However, there are a few things that I realised when using the Tempo during the summer. First of all, regarding its usage on a day to day basis: the Tempo doesn’t have a drainage system. Now I didn’t have any issues with that but I just want you to be aware of this in case you want to throw ice cubes into your cooler on hot days (not that you would need them if you follow my advice and put your beverages in chilled).
Another issue I faced with the Oyster was the fact that the lid comes off rather easily when you open the cooler. I had that happen to me a few times. You can easily put it back on but just be aware that the lid will sink in case you drop it into the water. The same goes for the screws of the exchangeable handle. It’s a great system in my eyes but dangerous to exchange them on a rocking boat.
The Oyster cooler’s sleek aluminum design also has the downside of it being prone to scratches and dings. Again here, this won’t decrease performance but just like with a iPhone it hurts to get a crack in the screen (at least some people). Also, I want to make you aware that you might see your finger prints on the cooler occasionally. And last not least, you should be aware that the cooler (because of the aluminum) gets hot rather quickly (not that you should do that with a cooler anyway) if you leave it out in the sun for a while…
A last word of warning if you’ve been using YETI coolers in the past. The Tundra and Roadie are designed for the wild (YETI gives a bear guarantee) and you can throw them around, stand on them, sit on them and even use them as a casting platform when fishing from a boat.
I wouldn’t recommend any of the mentioned activities for the Oyster. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a sturdy cooler but still not on the level of the YETI.
The Verdict – Oyster Tempo Cooler Review
The Tempo is a beautiful piece of gear. It will make heads turn no matter if you take it out for a day of fly fishing or onto an old wooden boat. Best thing is, this cooler also performs really well. Its price tag is big with the cooler paired with the bundle coming in at $495. Yes, you can get chilled drinks for less, but you won’t find a better looking and more thought-through cooler out there.
GET IT AT OYSTER (they only sell B2C)
