We also appreciate when these pockets are water-resistant, which provides a little extra assurance against splashes or precipitation. A few models that include functional stash pockets include the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler, ORCA Walker Tote, and Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze. Some insulated cooler bags are ideal for one-day excursions and short-term activities. Before making a purchase, make sure the cooler igloo soft cooler you choose will keep your food and beverages cold for as long as you need. The prices of soft coolers in our guide range from the $30 Mountainsmith Takeout, which is the smallest cooler, to the OtterBox Trooper 20 Cooler ($250) with top-shelf ice retention. Various exterior pockets are available in some designs, including streamlined fabric and mesh pockets with no closure or bungee straps.
Most of our choice soft coolers are either larger (30 L to 38 L) for group multiday trips or more compact (12 L to 19 L). During the warmer months, there’s nothing better than sitting on a beach or in a park with a cold can of something refreshing and some chilled snacks to munch on. While we’ve previously tested hard-sided coolers, we decided to focus on soft-sided coolers, which promise to keep food and drinks cold without the heft and bulk. While the Boss is very durable and comfy to carry, it didn’t do as well in ice and cold retention compared to Yeti’s Hopper BackFlip backpack cooler. Some 24 hours after we put ice in the coolers, the inside temperature of the Boss increased by 19 degrees compared to just 7 degrees in the Yeti. And where the Yeti still had about half of its ice frozen, our testers reported only about 20 percent of the ice placed in the Icemule stayed frozen.
For instance, the REI Co-op Cool Haul Soft Cooler preserved ice for 60 hours during our test but only for 18 hours during one toasty car camp trip. Each soft cooler was stationed indoors at around 65 degrees, shaded, and filled with the same ratio and type of ice. The materials are high-quality with closed-cell foam insulation, a vinyl-coated polyester exterior, and snazzy YKK zippers. But without a shoulder strap, it wasn’t ideal to transport the Hobie Cooler more than short distances. But even with a pad, the strap was not comfortable for the weight-to-weight ratio of this tall cooler.
The exterior pockets provide ample space for cutlery, keys, a wallet, and a phone. Additionally, a bungee can hold onto a beach towel or jacket, and the daisy chains can clip on extra gear. Even when packed to the brim with drinks, food, and ice, this cooler backpack was easy to lift and comfortable to carry.
For this story, she compiled insights from our long-term soft cooler tests, combed through product specs, and researched various types and styles of coolers. 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 igloo trailmate your life so much cooler. If the cooler’s seams are not welded and leakproof, they can leak. Soft coolers can also leak through the lid closure if the zipper isn’t waterproof or the clasp isn’t leakproof. Soft coolers that are wider or more bucket-style are easier to access, as far as finding a specific item.
If you’re looking for a less expensive backpack style cooler, the Maelstrom Backpack 35 is nearly half the price of the RTIC. This lightweight cooler was easy to carry with the padded messenger-style strap. You can also use the grab handles if you’d rather not sling it over your shoulder. It’s super durable, too, standing up to wear and tear while preventing water from seeping out.
Though we didn’t see any major issues throughout our tests, we found the attachment points and zippers to be on the weaker side. With this in mind, the bag isn’t waterproof, and the zipper tends to leak. During our cleaning test, we had a bit of trouble with this backpack. The soft internal material tends to get soggy and needs extra time to dry out. All things considered, the bag is fairly inexpensive, so if you’re only needing the occasional soft cooler, this will do the trick.
Our winner, the Engel HD20 22qt Heavy-Duty Soft Sided Cooler Tote Bag, kept ice frozen for three full days. Our Best Buy, the Coleman 30-Can Portable Soft Cooler, Space Blue, kept ice frozen for two and a half days—great performance for a fraction of the price. Dry bags are a staple of river trips, as are heavy, bulky hard-sided coolers. The Icemule Pro essentially combines the two into an insulated, durable dry bag perfect for a day on the water. Like a good dry bag, the Icemule Pro has a roll-top closure that it claims will not let water in or out and allows you to trap air inside for extra insulation.
Backpack coolers like the Hydro Flask 20 L Day Escape are the easiest to manage with full harnesses that can be worn like a standard daypack (we outline these more in depth below). RovR Products’ RollR collection put them on the map in the wheeled cooler category with a competitive mix of durability and ice retention. Their latest TravelR 30 takes aim at the soft-sided market but retains much of what we love about the RollR, including a sturdy build and high attention to detail. The two coolers also share key features like waterproof zippers and shoulder straps that are both nicely padded and removable. Added up, the TravelR is another premium and thoughtfully built design from the Boulder-based brand.
Small cooler bags typically store up to 12 standard cans, while large soft side coolers can store close to 45 cans. Whether picnicking, hiking, fishing or camping, a soft-side cooler is a must-have for keeping snacks and cool drinks at hand. Because soft-side coolers and cooler bags aren’t made of rigid plastic, they’re lightweight and easy to carry virtually anywhere, often weighing not much more than what’s stored inside. For most soft coolers, dry ice will burn the interior materials. Instead, you should use freshly frozen cubed ice, ice blocks, or reusable ice packs. Plenty of soft coolers are fairly comfortable to use and reliable (as long as it’s not too sunny or scorching hot out) in the less-than-$100 category.