These dry bag coolers did great in our submersion tests, and they float, making these a great option to take along on the kayak. The top half of the bag is a normal non-insulated pocket that can be used for hiking layers or cutlery. The cooler itself can hold 16 cans and can even pack in a wine bottle, though it does cause the pack to bend a bit. It’s worth noting that all coolers in our lineup can hold a wine bottle. Among backpack models, the RTIC Backpack 30 and the Engel Roll Top BP25 Backpack reign supreme. Much like other RTIC models, the Backpack Cooler 30 is made from heavy-duty materials, including a watertight zipper.
This is thanks to its stretchy side pockets, top flap zipper pocket, and bungee. It’s also able to fit a wine bottle inside or within one of the external side pockets. The Engel HD30 and RTIC Soft Pack include small low-profile pockets great for keys or a phone. The HD30 is the largest in our lineup and will fit just about any odd-shaped food item you could take on your picnic.
After throwing it on the ground during our tests, there were no scuff marks or visible damage. Though the Dolphin Mini is billed as leakproof, water seeped through the zippers once the ice had melted. But if you skip the ice and just fill it with food and a drink, this won’t be an issue. While they’re not standardized measures, we have found that most cooler companies’ estimates of their cooling power are reasonably helpful for rough comparison.
Adjustable pockets not meant for cold-retention encircle the IceR. However, we recommend buying the sold-separately ChillR ice pack inserts, which slide into the compartments to keep bottles cold for shorter periods. With many exciting drybag coolers now on the scene, the IceMule Pro 33 handily holds its own among the rest. It proves itself incredibly easy to use and comfortable to carry.
They’re also generally much smaller than hard-sided designs, typically offering around 30 liters of capacity at the high end. With this in mind, soft coolers have limited appeal for multi-day outings. Instead, they’re best-suited for weekend getaways or day trips to the park or beach, tailgates, afternoons on the igloo water cooler water, or quick errands like grocery store runs. They can also be a great supplement to a larger hard-sided model, providing additional space to store extra food or beverages when camping with a larger group. And we always focus on providing you with long-lasting cold retention, the whole point of a cooler!
To help you find the ideal cooler for your needs, we tried several firsthand, evaluating each for capacity, insulation, design, features, and value. Next, we narrowed it down to versatile, durable, leakproof options that are actually worth buying. Justin Park is a Breckenridge, Colorado-based writer and videographer covering action sports, health & fitness, and the outdoors. From multi-day backpacking and hunting trips to simple road trips to weeks on Lake Powell in 100+ degree temperatures, he’s dependent on quality coolers in the field. He currently likes the Hydro Flask Day Escape 20L for quick road-tripping and the Yeti BackFlip for more serious cooling on the go.
Here’s a snapshot of new and unreleased soft coolers our testers are considering for future updates to this guide. To test the best soft coolers, we filled each igloo water cooler one with ice to see how long it took for the ice to melt. We placed two sensors designed to track temperature changes over time inside each soft cooler.