The bag boasts a large capacity, capable of carrying up to 42 cans. It also has no trouble keeping its contents below the FDA-recommended igloo water cooler 40 degrees Fahrenheit for over two days. If your plans take you to the water, this cooler is completely waterproof and floats well.
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. The large roll-top design allows easy access to its contents, so you won’t have to remove everything on top to reach that igloo trailmate cooler last cold soda at the bottom. Toss this on the kayak or paddleboard, or tug it along on your next float trip. Regardless, if it topples overboard, you can rest assured it won’t get soaked or sink. It also performs quite well among backpack models in our insulation testing and is solidly durable.
Even with a friend to help, this fully loaded bag isn’t the ideal cooler to cart a mile down the beach. But, if you want good performance that isn’t hard on your wallet, the AO Coolers 24 Pack Canvas Cooler would be a better option. At first glance, the AO Coolers 24 Pack Canvas Cooler may not look like much. It doesn’t have the snazzy laminated exterior and waterproof zipper that so many others boast. Yet underneath this unassuming exterior is a great soft cooler that’s simple to use and easy to love. The thick foam surrounding the entirety of your contents provides reliable insulation for an above-average amount of time.
After a few hours on an 85-degree day, we were shocked to see the insulated lining prevented almost all the ice from melting while keeping the drink fridge-cold. When testing soft coolers, we focused on performance, capacity, and how comfortable each is to carry. Performance issues aside, this Coleman soft cooler is easy to store and easy to carry, and a fine soft cooler option for day trips or hikes. Likewise, they each have excellent internal capacity, with the RovR fitting 39 cans and the AO 36. The REI Pack Away and Arctic Zone Deep Freeze 30 also impressed us with their storage features and capacity.
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. Additionally, unlike hard coolers, the difference in ice retention between soft-sided models isn’t all that igloo trailmate cooler sizable, which can make it harder to justify spending up for such a premium and expensive model. To be sure, these top-end designs have their appeal for those who want the easier portability of a soft cooler without compromising on build quality, but they’re not worth the investment for most.
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.