The brand recently launched the 28L TravelR 30 ($250), a tall-standing and oval-shaped soft cooler with generous space. The Mountainsmith Sixer ($35) was a great cooler for lunch on the go. Our tester, a Colorado-based electrician and mountain biker, packed it with a canned drink, sandwich, fruit, and chocolate.
For the ultimate in portability, soft-sided backpack-style coolers are the way to go. The designs borrow heavily from hiking daypacks, sharing features like shoulder straps, padded backpanels, and exterior pockets for added gear storage. Additionally, backpack coolers are fairly expensive considering their modest storage capacity and all-around performance (the Day Escape is pretty average in this category at $200). But if the approach to your favorite picnic spot or fishing hole involves walking more than a half mile or so, it may be worth the investment. For more on the topic, check out our article on the best backpack coolers. Traditional hard-sided coolers lead the charge in ice retention and durability, but for those who don’t need a week’s worth of cold food and drinks, a soft-sided cooler can be a viable alternative.
People Companies That Care Logo is used under license, © 2022, TI Gotham, Inc. Edibles that only need to be chilled should be placed closer to the top of the cooler. Additionally, as dry ice constantly emits carbon dioxide, store it outdoors or, lacking that, in a well-ventilated area. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners.
However, when you open the main zip, you’ll find one large insulated compartment for all the best goodies. The cooler is large enough to hold a wine bottle inside or outside in the mesh pockets. With comfortable straps and plenty of storage, there’s not much you can’t do with this bag. Take all your favorite goodies to the lake, pack up for a barbeque, or carry a lunch to the zoo.
The most obvious, for starters, is that hard shell coolers are far more rigid than their soft shell counterparts. This cooler is so rigid and strong that you can actually sit on it without any fear of it collapsing under you, even if you’re a larger person. By contrast, soft shell coolers cannot typically support more than a few pounds atop them. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company’s efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear.
Our huge lineup of bags comes in all shapes and sizes with multiple ways to carry, so take a dive into all our options to figure out which one/s will make your life so much cooler. We have long admired RovR for the intention that goes into its products, and this recent release is no different. The TravlR is designed so that you can drop the brand’s cleverly segmented KeepR cooler basket right in, upping the cold retention, transportability and ruggedness of an already handy product. While both of these types of coolers are designed, in concept, to do the same thing — i.e. keep their contents cold for an extended period — there are some pretty important differences between them.
Like much of its soft-sided competition, the REI bag also includes daisy-chain webbing for securing extra gear, as well as a handy bottle opener. And because the Cool Haul’s inner insulated box can be separated from the outer shell, cleaning is a snap (the shell can also be used without the liner as a tote). From the office to the gym, on lunch break in between classes or weekend adventures, there is always a time and place for an Igloo insulated cooler bag. Our cooler bags come in a wide variety of silhouettes colors and patterns – it’s time to travel in style. Our cooler backpacks, totes and bags are great for day trips and picnics to keep your food cold during the day.
The handles on the Hydro Flask Day Escape Tote were a great length and easy to slide over one shoulder. We periodically checked, making notes regarding melt rate, condensation, and leaks. Each reported time is based on when 100% of the ice was converted to water. But when traveling outdoors, these controlled variables disappear and the ice will likely melt faster.
Rebecca’s STEM background helps her bring an analytical mindset to the table, along with a passion for finding the best gear out there. Together, this team searched far and wide to find the best soft coolers available on the market. Before investing in a soft cooler, it can be helpful and prudent to consider how long it’s covered under warranty. A one-year warranty is pretty standard in the igloo soft cooler soft cooler market, (like what you get with RTIC), while three to five years is fairly generous. For reference, YETI and ORCA both offer three-year warranties on their soft coolers, while Hydro Flask leads the charge with a five-year policy. Importantly, all of these are limited warranties that solely cover defects in materials or workmanship and exclude damage from typical wear and tear.
The third Hydro Flask design to make our list this season is the 20 L Carry Out Soft Cooler, which splits the difference between their Insulated Tote and backpack-style Day Escape above. For just $90, the Carry Out is the largest option of the bunch with a 38-can capacity igloo trailmate (without ice), and the wraparound zipper makes access and cleaning quick and easy. And like the premium Day Escape, the Carry Out boasts a thick (600D) exterior that’s highly durable and water-resistant, along with welded seams to keep spills and splashes at bay.