The bag felt surprisingly secure, with no contents jostling around. The Trail Split, Pack Away, AO 24 Pack, and the Maelstrom Backpack 35 all have traditional, user-friendly zippers and just the right amount of handy design elements and features. The AO and REI Pack Away are as easy to use as a simple duffel bag.
The Yeti Hopper Flip 18’s steep price tag—over $250—knocked it out of first place for best soft cooler. For being so small, it is expensive for the average consumer, despite its quality construction. The Yeti Hopper Flip 18 is one of the best soft coolers you can buy right now. Read on for a look at the best soft coolers on the market right now. Igloo has the best selection of coolers with wheels and handles, making it easy to bring your snacks, drinks, and other refreshments wherever the party is headed. Scroll through our collection of ice chests with wheels and find the one that suits your lifestyle.
All in all, this cooler performs well above its price tag and offers a strong value. If you’re looking for a model with a waterproof zipper, check out the Yeti Hopper Flip 18. Waterproof Soft CoolersMany of the coolers above utilize highly water-resistant zippers or openings, but very few have fully waterproof constructions. One exception is the Icemule Classic, which has a dry bag-like shape and exterior with a roll-top closure that can be fully submerged in water. This makes it particularly great for activities like kayaking or paddle boarding when it might be exposed to a lot of water. It also floats, which provides added assurance should conditions get rougher than expected.
Insulated backpacks are exactly what you need to keep your snacks, beverages, and lunch fresh on your next adventure. Wherever the road takes you, you can rely on an Igloo backpack to keep your goodies cool. They’re comfortable, effective, and even stylish — find the right backpack cooler for your lifestyle today. 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.
Several models we tested challenge the idea that more money equals a better cooler, offering exceptional values and some impressive niche performances. Before we started timing how long our drinks stayed cold, this review began with market research into which soft coolers are even worth testing. Every year, the number of impressive-looking soft coolers grows, and we’ve been expanding our selection of test-worthy models since 2017.
Finally, we filled each of the soft coolers with soda cans to compare against the claimed carrying capacity. When compared to other soft coolers in our guide, a few design choices—like placement of the side handles under the hook point for the strap making it feel very cramped—knocked a few points off. It has a leak-proof zipper, adjustable shoulder strap, and Molle webbing. The Orca Soft Cooler impressed us with its modular storage is and adorable whale tale zipper pulls.
Other FeaturesA few other notable features to be on the lookout for include integrated bottle openers and vacuum ports for adding or releasing air. Icemule’s Classic has a similar valve system, although in this case, the process involves adding air to boost cooling capabilities and buoyancy and removing it to compress the cooler down for storage. Most cooler manufacturers provide a “claimed ice retention” spec in their product listings (Yeti is one major brand who does not). From our list above, times range from 24 hours (which is pretty standard) to three or four days for Engel’s premium HD30. That said, we always take manufacturer-provided specs with a grain of salt, and there isn’t an established, standardized test here. If we had to generalize it, we would say that you should expect to get approximately half of the claimed ice retention time in real-world use, give or take a bit depending on your specific circumstances.
This handy pack stayed under 40 degrees for 60 hours and 67 hours under 50 degrees. The Engel BP25 follows close behind, only differing in the 50 degree test, igloo soft cooler lasting 64 hours. Rather than a zip top, the BP25 has a roll top, resembling a dry bag. The low price tag does come at the cost of some durability, though.
Extra large cooler bags from Igloo are your best choice for excellent cold retention. Insulated duffel and tote bags with features like integrated cup holders and reinforced handles and carry straps. With Realtree® camo or Igloo’s UV resistant marine line, these extra large sized insulated soft coolers have all the cooling power you need for your next hunting trip or a weekend on the boat. In our lab tests, it provides top-notch insulation, keeping raw foods appropriately cold (below 40 degrees Fahrenheit) for three days. While many soft coolers have bulky zippers that are difficult to use or narrow openings that hinder access, the Engel is remarkably easy to use.