Quick Take: The Rocky 41QT from BougeRV is a great fridge/freezer for overlanders looking for a flexible option for cold food storage. It’s also available in larger sizes, and several smart features allow users to dial in this fridge to fit their needs.
BougeRV Rocky 41QT
Overlanding without a fridge is doable, but let’s be honest: the convenience of keeping food cold over long periods and/or hot days can’t be understated. There are loads of fridges out there in a variety of sizes and factors, but the Rocky series from BougeRV offers a unique combo that is a great fit for a wide array of rigs and use cases.
The BougeRV Rocky 41 Quart Fridge Freezer has many of my favorite features on a fridge, so out of the box, I was impressed. With stainless steel construction, a flippable lid that opens on the long edge, and handles that fold flat, this fridge ticks a lot of boxes. However, BougeRV takes it a step further with a flexible version of the dual-zone fridge/freezer functionality and an optional integrated battery that allows you to go wire-free with your fridge.
On the outside, you’ll find plastic bumpers around the edges and stainless steel panels. The stainless portions did tend to pick up scratches since they have a polished finish. However, this didn’t bother me, and all of my steel storage cases have various scuffs and dents. I see it as a slow journey to a brushed finish, but it’s worth noting. The recessed control panel is easy to use, and the position helps protect it from damage. The handles are sizable and provide an easy grip when moving the fridge. Plus, they’re spring-loaded and fold flush when not in use, so there’s less of a chance of snagging gear or banging a shin on them. On the backside, a handy bottle opener is tucked away. At the bottom, you’ll find 12V DC and 110V AC power inputs. The aforementioned lid opens on the long edge, so there’s less chance it won’t be able to open fully in your rig. You can swap which side it opens on in a minute since that release mechanism is easy to use.
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The Rocky 41QT is 28×17.7×15.8 inches on the outside. Inside, the compressor takes up a bit of room, but there’s room for 57 cans, or 41 quart bottles, obviously. Fridge size largely comes down to personal preference, but this was plenty of storage for two travelers for four-day three-night trip for me. With some careful packing and planning you could easily stretch a couple of more days out of this fridge.
Dual Zone When You Need It
One of the coolest parts of testing out this fridge was the dual-zone functionality. Most of my truck fridges have been on the smaller side, and they’ve all been single-zone. When I needed to take something frozen, I would just plan on cooking it once it had thawed while keeping the fridge at a temperature that chilled the rest of the food on the trip. However, with the Rocky 41, I’ve been able to decide if I needed that freezer section on the fly. It’s as easy as sliding out the center divider and dialing in the temperature for both sections. If I need to switch back to freezer mode, just drop the divider back in and adjust the temperature in the freezer section. Since the zones have independent controls, you could run both in freezer mode if needed. I’ve never needed 40 plus quarts of freezer space on a trip, but that could be handy for a trail-side ice cream social.
Battery Power Built In
The theme of flexibility continues with the optional battery from BougeRV. With a rated capacity of 15,600mAh, it features pass-through charging, meaning that when the fridge is plugged into the wall outlet or your rig, the battery is also charging. I really appreciate that it’s truly integrated and mounts flush to the fridge behind a pop-out panel versus some other battery fridge combos that require a wired connection. Runtime off of the battery includes lots of variables, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the battery had only dropped from 75 to 25% capacity overnight in 70-degree Fahrenheit temperatures with a less-than-optimal fridge loadout. BougeRV advertises that the battery offers approximately ten hours of refrigeration off of battery power. I can only assume that includes chilling the food because my experience showed much better performance.
And, the wireless functionality doesn’t stop with the fridge. BougeRV offers a mobile application that allows you to control the temperature, monitor battery level, and swap power modes at the touch of a button.
After testing the Rocky 41QT from BougeRV on several trips and events over the course of several months, I think it’s a great fridge/freezer, especially at an entry-level price for plenty of overlanders and backcountry explorers who are figuring out what works for them. From the lid to the battery and to the dual-zone capability, it offers flexibility in so many ways that you can really dial in what kind of cooling your overland adventures need.
I only had a few complaints, but none were unmanageable or major. Once again, it’s worth stating the metal portions pick up fingerprints and scratches relatively easily, and after several months of use, the Rocky 41 does have a few dents. I didn’t baby it, and none of this affects functionality, but these marks are noticeable on the mirror finish. I was surprised that the fridge didn’t fit either of my slides. The 17.7-inch width is kind of wide, especially for a 41-quart fridge. My fridge slides have previously been used with 35 and 45-quart fridges, but the shorter, more squatted stance of this BougeRV fridge should be kept in mind. Finally, I did notice that when both sections were set to a refrigeration temperature, the side of the divider closest to the compressor tended to dip a few degrees colder. Again, it’s not a big deal, but if you want to make sure liquids don’t turn into slushies, it’s something to consider.
What to know:
- Features: Removable divider for single or dual-zone use, flippable lid, bottle opener, fold-flush handles, and stainless steel construction.
- Optional Battery: Rated capacity of 15,600mAh, it features pass-through charging and offers at least 5 hours of power.
- Temperature Setting Range: -4°F~+68°F
- Rated Voltage: DC12V/24V, AC100~240V (using the adapter), Solar (12~50V)
- Weight: 40.6 lb.
- Warranty: 2 Years
- MSRP: $549.99 with optional battery $749.98
