igloo water coolerThe Mountainsmith Takeout ($30) accompanied us on a standup paddleboard session down Colorado’s Slate River, a mellow run sans whitewater. This cute cooler carried and chilled several cans of microbrews and several sparkling waters. We also used it day-to-day on drives to bring along lunch, snacks, and beverages. The shape and weight feel easy to move around, and the handles are comfortable.
“If it’s too small, you can’t keep all your perishables at safe temperatures,” says Serge Krikorian, executive chef and owner of Vibrant Occasions Catering. If it’s too big however, it’ll be “harder to transport and will need more ice in order to keep the perishables at a proper temperature,” says Krikorian. While brands often advertise their coolers’ capacity using both quarts and the number of 12-ounce cans that can fit inside, keep in mind that only some companies factor ice into that equation. Below are some of the most popular hard and soft coolers on the market.
Your lunch and beer will easily fit, as even the smallest of these bags have a capacity of oz beer cans. Maria Cassano is a writer, editor and consultant who specializes in e-commerce. She has written outdoor and lifestyle content for dozens of publications, including Bustle, CNN, The Daily Beast, RealSimple, Allure and Better Homes & Gardens.
igloo trailmateWe’re the testing team at Reviewed, which means we designed and implemented the experiments involved in this article. Do it Best has been proudly serving the do-it-yourselfer since 1945. We are your local hardware store providing the best home improvement products to your community. The handles on the Hydro Flask Day Escape Tote were a great length and easy to slide over one shoulder.
The Yeti Hopper Flip 18 is one of the most expensive coolers on this list and we can see why. While putting this compact and lightweight cooler through its paces, we found every aspect to be highly engineered and durable. The zipper is supremely leak-proof and the DryHide exterior resisted scratches and punctures. Even when it’s chock-full of ice and cans, this Arctic Zone cooler is easy to maneuver. Plus, cargo nets on the side and a zippered flap on the front allow you to roll out all the essentials like wipes and additional snacks. The models that scored lower in our durability tests use light to mid-weight nylon or canvas with middle-of-the-road zippers and regular seam construction.
Nichols prefers soft coolers because they’re easier to transport. Since they’re often made from foam and fabric, they’re lightweight and easy to carry over your shoulder or on your back. They’re also usually more affordable than hard coolers, though they’re not as effective when it comes to retaining temperature, according to our experts. This bucket cooler backpack weighs less than a pound and sits comfortably over your shoulders thanks to its padded straps.
Stiffer soft coolers are not collapsible and take up the same amount of space regardless of whether they’re in use. We tested the extra-large 33-liter size and the 23-liter large size, which is probably plenty for most people’s day trips. While perhaps not its most exciting use, we also found the Icemule Pro a great addition to grocery trips to keep refrigerated and frozen items cold in my vehicle. As we’ve covered above, soft coolers are far easier to haul around than their hard-sided counterparts. In addition to weighing less, most come with padded straps and thick grab handles for carrying solo over your shoulder or by hand. Premium models tend to have great cushioning along the straps, as evidenced by RovR’s TravelR 30, RTIC’s Soft Pack Cooler, and Engel’s HD30.
Some of these designs are actually very rigid, stout, and stackable. Others are fully collapsible and pliable, and we celebrate the space-saving option for storage. Reviews are available in case you need a second opinion and you’re new to the cooler world.
We miss the top handle, but the two side grab handles are robust and ergonomic. The cooler didn’t take up too much space in the backseat, either. From picnics to standup paddleboard trips and road tripping up the coast, soft coolers have a solid place in our lineup of on-the-go refrigeration tools. Whatever food and drinks are stored inside this ice chest will be able to stay cold for the entire day. While standing as one of the smaller options on this list, enough retention is provided for a day at work or an afternoon at the park with friends and family. Color options for this cooler include slate blue and tan, sandstone and red, and tank green and black, which should blend in depending on what environment you’re exploring.