Specs are compiled from manufacturer listings and verified buyer reviews and can change over time — please confirm the key details on the product page before buying.
A cooler that slides across a wet deck is not just annoying — it is a heavy box with a lid that pops open and a drain plug that finds every scupper. The fix is a tie-down kit: brackets that bolt to the deck, plus straps or cords that pull the cooler down and keep it down. The one worth buying is the RTIC Cooler Tie Down Kit, because its 40-inch straps and stainless J-hooks work with any cooler brand and it does not care whether you own a Yeti or a rotomolded no-name. Below you’ll find nine real kits, sorted by what they actually do well.
This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
You’ll see which kits use plastic and which use stainless, which need tools to release, and which let you lift the cooler out in one motion. If your cooler slides across the boat deck or truck bed, one of these nine kits will pin it down.
Top Picks
How To Choose The Best Yeti Cooler Tie Down
A tie-down kit is a small purchase with an outsized job: it holds a loaded cooler still while the boat rocks, the truck turns, or the trailer bounces. Get it wrong and you are re-strapping every trip. Get it right and the cooler stays put without a second thought. Here is what actually separates one kit from another.
Decide between a bolt-down bracket kit and a strap-only kit
Bracket kits screw four corner pieces to the deck, then stretch bungee cords or straps across the cooler — that is the classic marine layout, and it is what most of these products are. A strap-only kit like the FORTEM set works differently: the straps wrap around the cooler and hook to anchor points you already have. Bolt-down keeps the cooler locked in one spot; straps let you move it.
Check the hardware material, not the strap color
Saltwater eats cheap metal fast. Stainless steel hardware is what you want on a boat, and several kits here specify it — the RTIC J-hooks, the Kuuma bracket-and-screw set, and the Pelican deck plates all name stainless. Plastic brackets are fine on a trailer or truck bed, but they will not shrug off UV and salt the way nylon and stainless do.
Match the kit to your cooler’s size and shape
Almost every kit here claims to fit “virtually all sizes and makes of coolers,” but a large rotomolded box is a different job than a small day cooler. Wider coolers need longer straps or wider bracket spacing. If you run a big Yeti Tundra, favor the kits with adjustable-length straps rather than a fixed bungee.
Think about how often you remove the cooler
If the cooler lives on the deck permanently, a permanent bolt-down is the simplest, strongest answer. If you carry it to the beach or into the truck between trips, a removable chock system — where the chocks pop off the base plates without tools — saves you fighting a hook every time.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Model | Best For | Mount Style | Hardware Material | Included Pieces | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTIC Cooler Tie Down Kit★ Best Overall | Universal boat and truck mounting | Corner mounts + 40″ straps | Stainless steel J-hooks | 2 mounts, 2 straps | Amazon |
| FORTEM Ratchet Straps 4-PackTop Performer | Strapping a cooler to a roof rack or trailer | S-hook + soft loops | Rubber-coated stainless handles | 4 ratchet buckles, 4 soft loops, 4 S-hook straps, carry bag | Amazon |
| VersaChock Removable KitMost Versatile | Tool-free removal between trips | Removable chocks on flush base plates | ASA plastic | Chocks, base brackets, 12 stainless screws | Amazon |
| Seachoice Cooler Mounting | Budget deck bracket kit | Corner mount | — | 4 brackets, 2 bungee straps | Amazon |
| YUSOVE Cooler Mounting Kit | Saltwater deck on a budget | Corner mount | Nylon | 4 base pieces, 2 elastic cords | Amazon |
| T-H Marine CMK-1-DP | Flush low-profile deck mount | Corner mount | Nylon with stainless center hook | 4 corner brackets, 2 bungee straps | Amazon |
| SUNOOM Boat Cooler Mounting Kit | Fast removal on a small boat | Corner mount | Nylon | 4 corner pieces, 2 quick-connect straps | Amazon |
| Kuuma 51960 Tie Down Strap Kit | RV, boat, and truck bed | Bracket + J-hook straps | Stainless steel | 2 straps, 2 brackets, 8 screws | Amazon |
| Pelican Cooler Tie-Down Kit | Pelican Elite owners who want a factory-fit kit | Deck plates + handle straps | Stainless steel | 2 polyester straps, 2 deck plates | Amazon |
Detailed Reviews
1. RTIC Cooler Tie Down Kit
Our pick — 4.5+★ from 300+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
Two corner mounts and 40 inches of strap that grip any cooler brand you already own.
The strongest argument for this kit is that it stops caring what cooler you bought. Two mounts bolt down, and 40-inch straps with stainless steel J-hooks crank the box flat to the deck. That 40-inch length is the number that matters: it is long enough to reach across a wide rotomolded cooler, so you are not fighting a short cord that runs out of stretch halfway over the lid.
Owners like that the two mounts bolt down fast and the J-hooks hold the cooler flat through washboard roads and rough water. Trail driving with a loaded cooler in back is the exact scenario owners describe, and the same hold carries over to boat decks and rough weather. If you want a comparison point, the RTIC’s stainless J-hooks are a step up in corrosion resistance over the plain bungee-and-plastic corner kits lower on this list.
At 12 ounces it packs down small enough to keep as a spare, and the two-mount, two-strap setup covers the standard corner-to-corner pull. Honestly, the only thing to weigh is that it is a permanent bolt-down — brackets stay on the deck once installed, so plan your cooler position before you drill. Drill once, in the spot you want, and the brackets stay out of the way after that.
Where it earns its keep
- 40-inch straps reach across wide rotomolded coolers without running short.
- Stainless steel J-hooks resist salt and weather far better than plain plastic corners.
- Fits all cooler brands, so a Yeti, RTIC, or Igloo all mount the same way.
- Light 12-ounce kit that stows as a spare between installs.
Before you drill
- Permanent corner mounts mean the deck gets screw holes you cannot undo.
- Only two mounts and two straps included, so it suits a corner-pull layout rather than a full wrap.
Reach for this if: you want one kit that works with any cooler brand and you are ready to bolt brackets down once and forget them.
Look elsewhere if: you pull the cooler in and out constantly and want a tool-free release every trip.
2. FORTEM Ratchet Straps 4 Pack
Ratchet straps that clamp a cooler to a roof rack like it is welded there.
This is not a bracket kit — it is four full ratchet straps, each 1 inch wide and 15 feet long, with a 1650 lb break strength and a 550 lb working load. In plain terms, the break strength is how much force snaps the webbing, and the working load is the safe everyday limit. So you can put a loaded cooler plus gear on a roof rack and not think twice about the strap giving out on the highway.
Where it beats the bracket kits above is flexibility. The S-hooks and soft loops let you build an anchor point wherever metal meets metal, whether that is a trailer rail, a UTV bed, or the frame of a truck rack. Quality is what people bring up most about this set, and the four-buckle pack means you always have a spare in the bag. The rubber-grip handles make it easier to pull the ratchet tight without shredding your palm.
Two honest notes. First, “ratchet” means you tension it by cranking a lever — if you want to re-strap in a hurry, a bungee kit is faster. Second, a few users find the release latch stiff when it is under heavy load, so keep the pull smooth and straight. Both are the cost of a 1650 lb ratchet set, not reasons to skip it.
What this set pulls off
- 1650 lb break strength with a 550 lb working load handles a loaded cooler and then some.
- Four 15-foot straps gives you enough length for roof racks, trailers, and truck beds.
- Soft loops and coated S-hooks protect painted surfaces at the anchor points.
- Carry bag keeps all four buckles together in the truck.
The trade-off
- Ratchet tensioning takes longer than snapping a bungee cord on.
- The release latch can need a firm, straight pull under heavy load.
Yes if: your cooler rides on a roof rack, trailer, or UTV bed and you want one set of straps that also hauls everything else.
No if: you want a permanent deck bracket that lets you drop the cooler in without a ratchet every time.
3. Removable Cooler Mounting kit. Made in THE USA
The chocks pop off their base plates by hand, so the cooler comes out without a fight.
Most tie-down kits are a commitment: once the brackets are down, the cooler lives there. This one flips that around. Flush base plates mount permanently with the 12 included #10 1/2-inch stainless steel screws, and the chocks themselves detach by hand — no tools, no unhooking. If you fish one morning and haul the cooler to a campsite the next, that detail changes your whole routine.
The integrated hooks on each chock give you a real tie-down anchor point for transport, so the cooler is not just wedged in — it is lashed. Owners describe the look as factory-installed, which tracks with a Made in the USA kit built from ASA plastic and finished carefully enough to blend into a deck or truck bed.
You get everything to bolt it down in one box: the base plates sit flush and take up minimal deck space, and there is enough screw hardware to mount all four corners without a hardware-store run. The one thing to size up is the material. ASA plastic (a tough engineering plastic that handles sun and weather) is strong, but it is still plastic — a large, heavy cooler deserves wide spacing between the chocks. Set them generously and it holds.
What makes it different: a removable chock system rather than a fixed strap-and-bracket, so the cooler comes out of the mount in one motion.
What to plan for: the flush base plates still need drilling, and the spacing between chocks is on you — set them wide for a big cooler.
Best for: the boater or truck owner who loads and unloads the cooler every trip and wants a mount that gets out of the way.
Consider the RTIC instead if: you want maximum stainless steel in the fastener and a simpler bracket-and-strap layout.
4. Cooler Mounting Kit
Nylon corners and elastic cords that hold a cooler on a sun-baked deck without cracking.
Four plastic base pieces and two elastic cords — that is the whole kit, and that is the point. The base pieces are set apart to form a corner cradle, the cords stretch across the cooler, and it stops sliding. The build here is nylon rather than the thin, brittle plastic some marine kits use, and the spec sheet calls out UV and heat resistance, which matters when the deck sits in direct sun all day.
Fit is the selling point. It is listed for Yeti, RTIC, Igloo, Engel, and Coleman, and the corner-mount layout adapts to different box sizes. You also get year-one warranty coverage, which is more backup than several kits on this list offer. For a boat owner who wants a simple deck tie-down without going premium, this does the job.
The catch is weight class. At a hair over 0.73 kg for the kit, the corners are light-duty — a large rotomolded cooler deserves a stainless-hardware kit like the RTIC or the Kuuma. But for a day cooler on a small boat, this is the no-fuss, budget-sensible pick.
The value read: nylon corners with real UV and heat resistance for a deck that cooks in the sun, plus a one-year warranty behind it.
Pick this if: you run a standard-size cooler on a small boat and want a light, budget-friendly corner kit that shrugs off sun.
Step up if: your cooler is large and heavy — go stainless instead of nylon corners.
5. T-H Marine CMK-1-DP Cooler Mounting Kit, White
Flush corner brackets that barely raise the deck line and a stainless hook that will not rust.
Deck space is precious, and this kit respects that. The molded, UV-resistant corner brackets have interior screw holes so the bracket sits flush against the surface instead of standing proud of it. Four brackets and two hold-down straps are in the box, and the nylon bungee straps carry molded hooks plus a stainless steel center hook that the maker calls corrosion-proof.
In use, it does the basic job well — it stops the cooler from wandering across the deck. Owners confirm it works as a cooler tie-down, and the flush mount means less toe-stubbing on a crowded boat. The compatibility claim is broad: it fits virtually all sizes and makes of coolers.
One nuance matters before you buy. The brackets are sized for a typical deck box, so a giant rotomolded cooler (a thick, molded-plastic cooler like a Yeti) may want wider spacing than the four corners give you. Buyers report it works great for standard coolers but is not ideal for the very largest ones. Match it to a mid-size cooler and it is a tidy, low-profile answer.
Why the flush mount matters: interior screw holes pull each bracket tight to the deck, so you keep your deck space and lose the trip hazard.
Size it honestly: it fits virtually all coolers, though very large boxes are better served by a wider-spread kit.
Right choice for: a mid-size cooler on a boat deck where flush, out-of-the-way brackets matter.
Think twice if: you own a huge rotomolded cooler that needs more spread than four corner brackets provide.
6. Boat Cooler Mounting Kit White Universal Cooler Tie Down Kit
Impact-resistant nylon corners and quick-connect straps built for saltwater duty.
High-impact white nylon is the headline here, and it is not just marketing. The kit is listed as corrosion-resistant and UV-resistant for saltwater use, which is the combination you want on a boat that lives outdoors. The six-piece set is four corner pieces with two pre-drilled screw holes each, plus two nylon bungee straps with a stainless steel center hook.
What sold me on the layout is fast removal. The flush corner brackets take up little deck space, the straps hook on or off in seconds, and the cooler comes free when you need it. The kit also handles more than coolers — it will secure tackle boxes and other block-shaped items to a floorboard or stable surface. At 0.74 kg for the whole set, it is light enough that adding it to a small boat rig changes nothing about the load.
The caveat is scale. This is a corner-cradle design, so it is happiest with a standard day cooler. Very large rotomolded boxes want the wider strap reach of something like the RTIC kit above. For everything else, it is a neat, salt-ready mount.
What stands out
- High-impact white nylon rated for saltwater use, with UV resistance.
- Stainless steel center hooks resist corrosion in the spray zone.
- Quick-connect straps for fast cooler on-off, no tools needed.
- Corner pieces have two pre-drilled holes each for a firm flush mount.
Keep in mind
- Corner-cradle design is best matched to a standard-size cooler.
- Nylon brackets, not stainless, so a very heavy box is a stretch.
Suits you if: the boat sits in salt air and you want an impact-resistant, UV-resistant corner kit with fast strap removal.
Skip if: you need to lash a huge rotomolded cooler — reach for stainless with longer straps.
7. Kuuma 51960 Cooler Tie Down Strap Kit
All-stainless hardware that will not rust — brackets, screws, and J-hooks included.
Every single piece of metal in this kit is stainless steel, and the maker says it will not rust or corrode. That is the whole reason it exists: you mount the two brackets to a boat deck, truck bed, or trailer, and the stainless survives the weather that eats cheaper hardware. The kit ships with two straps, two stainless mounting brackets, and eight stainless screws — everything you need to install it in one go.
The J-hook fastener works like the RTIC’s hooks, so the straps anchor firmly and pull the cooler down rather than just wrapping it. At 12.8 ounces, the kit is light enough to tuck away, and it is equally at home strapping a cooler into an RV or a pickup bed as it is on a boat. Where it differs from the nylon corner kits is the hardware: stainless brackets instead of plastic corners, which is why it sits in the premium tier.
The honest trade-off is that it is a permanent bracket setup with two mounts, so you are committing to a fixed cooler spot and a corner-pull layout. If that is what you want, the stainless construction is worth the extra. If you need to move the cooler often, the removable chock kit is the friendlier route.
The stainless sell: stainless brackets, stainless screws, stainless J-hooks — a kit that lasts in saltwater and sun where cheap hardware rusts.
The commitment: two permanent brackets mean one fixed cooler position, so pick the spot before you screw down.
Go here if: rust is your enemy — a boat deck, a coastal trailer, or a damp truck bed — and you want stainless throughout.
Look elsewhere if: you need a kit that lets you lift the cooler out without tools each trip.
8. Seachoice Cooler Mounting
Four corner brackets and two bungee straps — the classic deck kit at its simplest.
This is the old-school approach: screw four corner brackets to the deck, stretch two bungee straps over the cooler, done. It fits virtually all sizes and makes of coolers, so you are not matching a brand. At 8 ounces it is the lightest kit on this list — versus the RTIC kit’s 12 ounces — so it is the one to throw in a tackle bag as a spare.
Where it earns the budget label is the hardware. The brackets are described in user feedback as thin plastic, and while they do the basic job of stopping the cooler from sliding, they are not the durable stainless the premium kits offer. If you want a cheap, lightweight deck mount for a standard cooler and nothing more, this covers it.
The construction is the honest catch. Thin plastic brackets and bungee cords will hold a normal cooler on a calm deck, but they will not take years of hard sun and heavy loads the way a stainless or nylon kit will. Buy it for a standard cooler on a calm deck and the thin plastic brackets hold up fine.
The budget reality: eight ounces of kit with four brackets and two straps, ready to install on any deck with virtually any cooler.
Worth it for: a light-duty deck mount where weight and a low cost matter more than long-term hardware.
Not for: a heavy cooler or a boat that sees years of sun — you want stainless or nylon there.
9. Pelican Cooler Tie-Down Kit
Two heavy-duty polyester straps and two stainless deck plates designed around Pelican Elite coolers.
If you already own a Pelican Elite, this is the kit built to match it. You get two heavy-duty polyester straps and two stainless steel deck plates with stainless screws — the metal that matters, in the material that survives a wet truck bed or boat deck. The straps attach either to molded-in handles or to the included tie-down slots, so you have a choice of anchor method.
One small detail earns its keep: the straps are designed not to interfere with the lid opening or closing. That sounds minor until you have a cooler you cannot open without unhooking a strap. It also matters that the kit is purpose-fit to the Pelican Elite line, which is the reason it sits near the top of the price range — you are paying for a dedicated fit.
The limitation is obvious once you see it: this is not a universal kit. It is made for Pelican Elite coolers, so a Yeti, RTIC, or Igloo owner should look at the RTIC kit or the VersaChock instead. For a Pelican Elite, the purpose-fit straps and stainless deck plates are worth the premium.
Why Pelican owners like it: straps that clip to molded-in handles or tie-down slots and leave the lid free to open.
The narrowed fit: built for Pelican Elite coolers, so other brands should look at a universal kit.
Built for: Pelican Elite owners who want a purpose-fit stainless kit and a lid that opens without unhooking anything.
Otherwise: if your cooler is not a Pelican Elite, buy the universal RTIC kit instead.
Know the Specs
Mount style: corner brackets vs removable chocks vs straps
Corner-bracket kits screw four pieces to the deck and stretch bungee cords or straps across the cooler — simple, permanent, and tough to top for a cooler that lives in one spot. Removable chocks mount flush base plates and let the chocks lift off by hand, which suits anyone loading and unloading the cooler every trip. Strap-only sets like the FORTEM ratchet kit skip the brackets entirely and tie the cooler to anchor points you already have. Pick by how often the cooler leaves the mount.
Hardware material: stainless, nylon, or plastic
Saltwater and sun separate the kits fast. Stainless steel, such as the J-hooks and bracket screws on the RTIC and Kuuma kits, resists rust and corrosion over the long haul. High-impact nylon, used on the SUNOOM and YUSOVE kits, is UV-resistant and strong while staying light. Thin plastic corner brackets do the basic job but are the shortest-lived of the three. On a boat, favor stainless or nylon.
Strap type: bungee cords vs ratchet straps
Bungee straps and elastic cords hook on and off in seconds, which is what makes the corner-bracket kits so easy to live with. Ratchet straps use a crank lever to pull tension, so they clamp harder and hold heavier loads — the FORTEM set reaches a 550 lb working load. Bungee is faster; ratchet is stronger. Match the strap to the load and to how often you re-strap.
Fit: universal versus brand-specific
Most kits here state they fit virtually all sizes and makes of coolers, which means the corner brackets adapt to different box footprints. A brand-specific kit like the Pelican tie-down is built around one cooler line and its handle and slot layout, so the fit is cleaner but narrower. Universal is the safer buy if you own more than one cooler or plan to change brands.
Common Questions
Will the RTIC Cooler Tie Down Kit fit a Yeti Tundra?
Do I need to drill holes in my boat deck to install a cooler tie-down?
What is the difference between a bungee-cord kit and a ratchet-strap kit?
Will stainless hardware rust on a saltwater boat?
Can I use a cooler tie-down kit on a truck bed instead of a boat?
Is a removable cooler mount stronger than a permanent one?
How much strap length do I need for a large cooler?
Will the Pelican Cooler Tie-Down Kit fit a Yeti or an Igloo?
Do these kits stop the cooler from sliding on a wet deck?
The Bottom Line
For most boaters and truck owners, the yeti cooler tie down answer is the RTIC Cooler Tie Down Kit. It works with any cooler brand, uses stainless J-hooks that survive the weather, and its 40-inch straps reach across a wide rotomolded box. If you want maximum stainless and a rust-proof bracket-and-screw build, grab the Kuuma 51960. And if you pull the cooler in and out every trip, the VersaChock removable kit is the one to reach for, since the chocks lift off by hand with no tools. Any of these three stops the cooler from sliding — pick the mount style that matches how often you move it.
How we choose
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of November 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
As an Amazon Associate, Tactical Gear Guy earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect which products we feature.