Our new Marine Ultra Soft Sides collection will keep your drinks and contents cold (or hot) all day long. Sturdy, stylish, and destined to become the indispensible companion for smooth sailing. While our testers noted this cooler is large and heavy and not the easiest to lug around, we also appreciate that the cooler floats in the water, is spill- and leakproof, and comes in four sizes.
And then they took them to task, bringing them along on adventures short and long, paying close attention to the aforementioned metrics to pass judgment. Reviews are available in case you need a second opinion and you’re new to the cooler world. The color and size options are also made clear so that you don’t end up getting a soft igloo soft cooler cooler bag that is either too big or too small for your needs. This Igloo soft side cooler is another option with an adjustable shoulder strap so that you can carry it in whatever way feels comfortable. Handlebar attachments specifically for bike rides are included, and the metal bottle opener helps in case you’re carrying beers.
The fully-welded waterproof cooler design includes a leakproof zipper, leakproof liner, and waterproof exterior that keeps the cold in and water out. Wherever your adventuring takes you, the Igloo 40-Can Rolling Cooler travels with you. In addition to testing soft coolers on their own, we also compared their performance with those of insulated shopping totes and hard coolers. On the whole, we found that the soft-sided igloo soft cooler coolers we tested kept things colder longer than an insulated shopping tote, but not quite as long as a large hard-sided cooler. This makes them ideal for a day at the beach or a few days of camping, but not for longer trips or when just running a few errands (where insulated shopping totes really excel). The best models were extremely portable and kept ice frozen for three days—impressive for a soft-sided cooler.
Two and a half hours after filling them, we checked to see how much of the ice had melted. We considered how comfortable the coolers were to carry and whether they made the experience more convenient or enjoyable. They also went through a durability test, which involved slamming them onto the ground, throwing them down a flight of stairs, and flipping them upside down to check for leaks. We also tested 23 backpack coolers in our lab, and included the best in this roundup.
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. 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.
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. In our testing, we found the side handles of the Fishpond Blizzard Soft Cooler and OtterBox Trooper 20 Cooler were stalwart and comfortable to grab.
One exception is REI Co-op, which offers a full refund or replacement within one year of purchase for members (90 days for non-members). Finally, it’s worth noting that many companies provide different warranties for their hard-sided versus soft-sided offerings. For example, YETI’s hard-sided Tundra series is covered with a five-year warranty compared to three for the Hopper collection. External Attachment Points
Many soft coolers, including YETI’s Hopper Flip 12 and REI Co-op’s Cool Haul 24, have daisy chain webbing along the outside for securing extra gear.