Columbia vs RTIC:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Columbia had more branded searches than RTIC among backpack cooler brands worldwide. Columbia had about 245,000 branded searches, while RTIC had 220,000. Columbia made up 17.2% of all backpack cooler brand searches we track, and RTIC accounted for 15.4%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about backpack cooler brands, RTIC appeared in three of the five answers and Columbia in none.
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Top backpack cooler brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, RTIC was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Columbia did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Hydro Flask4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
YETI4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
RTIC3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Igloo1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Columbia0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Coleman0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Corkcicle0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Pelican0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Carhartt0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about backpack cooler brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which backpack cooler brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best backpack cooler brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best backpack cooler brand for day trips?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best backpack cooler”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“insulated backpack cooler”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Columbia or RTIC more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Columbia and RTIC by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine backpack cooler brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Columbia, RTIC. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Hydro Flask | Columbia | RTIC | Coleman | Igloo | Corkcicle | YETI | Pelican | Carhartt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 33.7% | 22.4% | 12.3% | 15.1% | 6% | 8.3% | 1.4% | 0.75% | 0.04% |
| Nov 2025 | 30% | 33.5% | 12.3% | 11% | 3.6% | 7.4% | 1.5% | 0.67% | 0.04% |
| Dec 2025 | 30.7% | 31.8% | 12.6% | 11.2% | 3.7% | 7.5% | 1.8% | 0.56% | 0.06% |
| Jan 2026 | 34% | 28.8% | 9.2% | 15.2% | 4.1% | 6.8% | 1.1% | 0.62% | 0.05% |
| Feb 2026 | 35% | 23.3% | 11.5% | 15.6% | 5.2% | 7% | 1.4% | 0.79% | 0.07% |
| Mar 2026 | 32.9% | 16.1% | 14.7% | 18% | 8.9% | 6.6% | 1.6% | 1.1% | 0.06% |
| Apr 2026 | 30.2% | 13.5% | 15.1% | 16.5% | 14.2% | 7.4% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 0.06% |
| May 2026 | 28% | 11.4% | 20.9% | 15.3% | 13.6% | 6.8% | 2.5% | 1.4% | 0.05% |
| Jun 2026 | 26.5% | 10% | 24.2% | 14.5% | 13.1% | 6.5% | 3.6% | 1.6% | 0.06% |
| Jul 2026 | 31.3% | 9.7% | 20.8% | 14% | 12.8% | 6.3% | 3.4% | 1.6% | 0.06% |
| Aug 2026 | 37.5% | 11.6% | 16.7% | 13.7% | 10.2% | 6.1% | 2.8% | 1.3% | 0.06% |
| Sep 2026 | 31.6% | 17.2% | 15.4% | 14.1% | 10.3% | 7.7% | 2.3% | 1.3% | 0.06% |
How has the Columbia and RTIC comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: RTIC took it in April 2026, Columbia took it in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Columbia’s share of searches among backpack cooler brands worldwide moved from 22.4% to 17.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 366K to 245K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, RTIC’s share of searches among backpack cooler brands worldwide moved from 12.3% to 15.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 201K to 220K.
How did search popularity change for backpack cooler brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Columbia overtook RTIC and Coleman to rank 2nd among backpack cooler brands worldwide, with 17.2% of the searches.
In September 2026, RTIC lost share of searches among backpack cooler brands worldwide, from 16.7% to 15.4%.
How are branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Columbia’s and RTIC’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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