They weigh less and are easy for one person to grab and quickly transport from the deck to the truck bed. Parties and small get-togethers sometimes only need a small amount of drinks and snacks from your end, but you can’t always depend on everyone else to remember to bring their items. In this case, the Collapse & Cool soft cooler has the tough exterior and spacious interior to carry what you need and keep it safe. This is another type of soft cooler that you can trust to keep items cold for longer periods.
igloo water coolerAfter researching today’s best soft coolers, we selected several to try firsthand, including mini ice chests with soft-sided walls, insulated totes, foldable bags, lunch boxes, and cooler backpacks. After inspecting the coolers, we recorded our first impressions of the materials, capacity, quality, and appearance. Next, we packed them with drinks, food, and ice and brought them along to multiple outings to see how they performed in real-life settings.
The compact sizes are great for picnics, day trips, overnight camping, and grocery shopping. When you need cold food and drinks for a trip to the campsite, lake, or beach, look to the Igloo 40-Can Soft Cooler with Wheels. This compact cooler bag sports high-end quality and high-end style that’s made for anyone to use anywhere. Take this soft insulated cooler bag along camping, hiking, fishing, relaxing on the beach, or to a family picnic thanks to rolling wheels, a height adjustable pull handle, and side carry handles.
The Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze is the best soft cooler we’ve tested. It has a thick, waterproof exterior and a fully sealed rubber gasket around a plastic flip-top lid. This model also features a protective layer on its underside to help protect against abrasion. After years of testing and retesting, the Engel HD30 also performed admirably in our intensive hot-room testing, lasting a full 73 hours below 40° F internally. The Engel then continued to maintain internal temperatures at refreshing, sub 50° F for 88 and 79 hours, respectively. The Engel’s watertight zipper effectively seals insulated sides that are nearly 2 inches thick.
igloo soft coolerNot only that, but it proved to be leakproof, showing no signs of drips when we flipped it upside down with melted ice inside. Unlike hard-sided coolers, the pliable-sided construction of soft coolers makes them easy to store when not in use. Many soft coolers can be collapsed and stored away after being emptied and wiped clean of water.
This 100-quart option holds up to 160 cans and can keep ice frozen for days in temps as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the brand. It also has built-in cup holders that can hold 30-ounce tumblers and are molded to the lid to prevent spills. Plus, its 6-inch wheels and handle help make for easy travel, according to Coleman. The durable lid doubles as a seat that can support up to 250 pounds, while the leakproof drain plug and stain-resistant liner help with cleanup, as detailed on the brand’s website.
The benefits of a soft cooler are flexibility, lighter weight, and portability compared to hard coolers. Still, as you add insulation thickness and rigidity to improve performance, those benefits start to diminish. It’s hard to gauge how stiff or user-friendly a soft cooler might be from a product description since few manufacturers list the thickness of their cooler’s walls in their specifications. Many longer-lasting soft coolers weigh between 5 and 10 pounds, which gets heavier as you add heavy liquids and ice. Consider how long you need a cooler to retain cold and how far you might be carrying it on an average outing as you balance weight and performance concerns in your purchasing decision.
Various exterior pockets are available in some designs, including streamlined fabric and mesh pockets with no closure or bungee straps. Other coolers have external pockets with a Velcro latch, zipper, or waterproof zipper for security. According to our ice retention test, the REI Co-op Cool Haul is capable of holding ice for up to 60 hours.