The Arctic Zone Titan Guide Series 36 Can Cooler is our new Best Buy. The build quality and aesthetics of each cooler were also taken into consideration. We’re the testing team at Reviewed, which means we designed and implemented the experiments involved in this article. And, with the variety of storage compartments, you’ll be able to carry everything you need. When you’re ready to store the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze, the interior is treated with Microban, so it will resist mildew and odor-causing bacteria. Greg’s a co-founder of bestcooler.reviews and author of 100+ product reviews and comparisons on this website.
Four tie-down points on the cooler will help with that during transport in a vehicle. The quality of materials influences the waterproofness, durability, insulation value, and whether or not the face fabric produces condensation. The materials also determine the comfort, breathability, support, and overall cost. The lid has a small pop-up Velcro door to provide easy access when the cooler is zipped shut, though we wish the small entrance was a bit larger. It’d also be great to see the door and lid closures upgraded so they don’t leak. We also tested the Orca Walker Tote ($225), which is equally well-made but in a slightly different style.
The third Hydro Flask design to make our list this season is the 20 L Carry Out Soft Cooler, which splits the difference between their Insulated Tote and backpack-style Day Escape above. For just $90, the Carry Out is the largest option of the bunch with a 38-can capacity (without ice), and the wraparound zipper makes access and cleaning quick and easy. And like the premium Day Escape, the Carry Out boasts a thick (600D) exterior that’s highly durable and water-resistant, along with welded seams to keep spills and splashes at bay.
That said, “cans” is the most commonly used measurement for soft coolers (hard-sided models are generally listed in quarts), and we’ve utilized that spec throughout this article whenever available. That said, there are still some discrepancies to be aware of, the biggest of which is whether or not ice is included in that estimate. We did our best to clarify in the write-ups and comparison table above, but it’s an important distinction to keep in mind when shopping for a soft cooler. Soft coolers are ideal for shorter trips or when you don’t want to lug a heavy hard-sided cooler. Often much lighter, soft-sided coolers still promise to keep food and drinks cool for days, if needed.
The chips help with immediate cooling, and the chunks keep your food fresh over a longer period of time. However, this Orca soft cooler is a direct and more affordable alternative to our best upgrade pick. During our cold retention tests, the Yeti Hopper Flip 18 maintained an internal temperature of below 40°F for over 46 hours.
The handles on the Hydro Flask Day Escape Tote were a great length and easy to slide over one shoulder. We periodically checked, making notes regarding melt rate, condensation, and leaks. Each reported time is based on when 100% of the ice was converted to water. But when traveling outdoors, these controlled variables disappear and the ice will likely melt faster.
We could fit 20 cans easily in this 24-can cooler or 12 cans with snacks and food. The thick and durable insulation kept our drinks cold for many hours. Hard coolers are still the gold standard in cold-retention, but soft coolers provide distinct benefits, such as portability made possible by their lighter weights and flexibility. To find the right cooler, igloo trailmate browse our tested recommendations and read our tips at the bottom of this article. High-performance hard coolers from brands such as Yeti have raised the bar for what consumers expect (and what they expect to pay) from coolers. That shift has spilled over into the soft cooler category and has pushed quality soft coolers’ performance (and price).
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. igloo water cooler The thick foam surrounding the entirety of your contents provides reliable insulation for an above-average amount of time. A single long opening makes it uncomplicated to load and easy to search.
Many of these coolers have handy features that add to their overall convenience. Both the Engle Roll Top and Arctic Zone Titan Zipperless come with bottle openers on the outsides of the bag, though we struggled to effectively use the one on the Titan. The Engel and IceMule include air valves, which help eliminate excess warm air within the bag. Additionally, a handful of these float in water, so you can tug them along on your next river day. These include the RTIC models, IceMule drybags, and the Yeti Flip. In an interesting twist, the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze has neither a zipper nor a roll-top — it’s not even fully sealed.
In use, we’ve found this area useful for keeping valuables like keys close at hand (we use a carabiner to attach them). And we particularly like the stretchy bungee system on the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze, which makes it easy to secure a lightweight jacket or small towel on top. 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 just 4 hours at the low end for the Hydro Flask 20 L Insulated Tote to three or four days at the high end for Engel’s HD30 (24 hours is pretty standard). 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.