Pelican vs RTIC:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, RTIC had more branded searches than Pelican among cooler box brands worldwide. RTIC had about 220,000 branded searches, while Pelican had 18,400. RTIC made up 13.7% of all cooler box brand searches we track, and Pelican accounted for 1.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about cooler box brands, RTIC appeared in all five answers and Pelican in one. RTIC was mentioned before Pelican in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
RTIC, about 12 searches for every 1 for Pelican
Who does AI mention more?
RTIC, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
RTIC, named ahead of Pelican in every answer
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Top cooler box brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, RTIC appeared in all five answers. Pelican was mentioned in one out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. RTIC was listed before Pelican in every answer.
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.
- RTIC5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Coleman5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Igloo5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
YETI3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Engel3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Pelican1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Esky0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Dometic0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Icey-Tek0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about cooler box brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which cooler box brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best cooler box brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best cooler box brand for camping and travel?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best cooler box”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“insulated cooler box”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Pelican or RTIC more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Pelican and RTIC by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine cooler box brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for RTIC, Pelican. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Esky | YETI | RTIC | Coleman | Engel | Igloo | Dometic | Pelican | Icey-Tek |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 29.2% | 16.1% | 13% | 16% | 10.8% | 6.4% | 7.5% | 0.8% | 0.23% |
| Nov 2025 | 26.9% | 18.1% | 16.4% | 14.7% | 12.1% | 4.8% | 5.9% | 0.9% | 0.25% |
| Dec 2025 | 25.5% | 21% | 15.6% | 13.9% | 13.7% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 0.7% | 0.29% |
| Jan 2026 | 36% | 13.3% | 9.7% | 16.1% | 13.2% | 4.4% | 6.5% | 0.66% | 0.28% |
| Feb 2026 | 38.7% | 14.4% | 10.4% | 14.2% | 9.9% | 4.7% | 6.7% | 0.71% | 0.25% |
| Mar 2026 | 32.4% | 17.8% | 11.8% | 14.5% | 8.5% | 7.2% | 6.8% | 0.89% | 0.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 26.1% | 18% | 13.1% | 14.3% | 8.3% | 12.3% | 6.7% | 1.1% | 0.2% |
| May 2026 | 22.2% | 22.8% | 16.6% | 12.1% | 7.3% | 10.7% | 7% | 1.1% | 0.25% |
| Jun 2026 | 20.4% | 25% | 18.6% | 11.1% | 6.9% | 10% | 6.5% | 1.3% | 0.19% |
| Jul 2026 | 24.3% | 24.4% | 16.2% | 10.9% | 6.2% | 9.9% | 6.6% | 1.2% | 0.23% |
| Aug 2026 | 26.8% | 22% | 14.6% | 12% | 7.5% | 8.9% | 6.9% | 1.1% | 0.26% |
| Sep 2026 | 28% | 18.8% | 13.7% | 12.5% | 9.3% | 9.1% | 7.2% | 1.1% | 0.22% |
How has the Pelican and RTIC comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- RTIC was ahead of Pelican in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Pelican’s share of searches among cooler box brands worldwide moved from 0.8% to 1.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 12.3K to 18.4K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, RTIC’s share of searches among cooler box brands worldwide moved from 13% to 13.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 201K to 220K.
How did search popularity change for cooler box brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, RTIC lost share of searches among cooler box brands worldwide, from 14.6% to 13.7%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Pelican worldwide rose 49.1% over 12 measured months, from 12.3K to 18.4K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
5 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Pelican’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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