Our other grievance is we wish there was an exterior pocket on this soft cooler to help carry utensils and napkins or slide in trash. The 1-inch closed-cell high-density foam worked well to keep our food and beverages chilled while baking under the sun during a mid-summer music festival. We’re not surprised, given RovR makes one of the best hard-side igloo trailmate coolers, hands down. The robust zipper closure takes some effort and time to open, but the wide T-shaped pull makes the job comfortable. The Hydro Flask Day Escape Tote ($150) offers a streamlined, lightweight, and durable design. We used this cooler for park BBQs and loved how comfortable it was to slip over our shoulders and carry.
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. Whatever drinks and snacks your soft cooler holds will be able to stay in prime consuming condition thanks to the insulation.
Currently we offer FREE FedEx/UPS small package Ground shipping and FREE ABF/YRC freight ground shipping on most orders of $199 or more within the 48 contiguous states. Some irregular shaped or oversized items may include a special handling charge. The charge will show on the product detail page of applicable products. For the igloo water cooler most part, this backpack did a good job preventing leaks, though a small amount of water seeped through once the ice melted. When filling it with perishable food, we were able to fit quite a lot inside, along with enough ice packs to keep everything cold. We’re big fans of the retro appearance and structured design too.
Without considering overall capacity, the most portable coolers will be more comfortable to carry for longer distances. For the weekend warrior, the rugged adventurer, the daily luncher, the boater, the weekday commuter, the beach-goer, the Sunday hiker, the park picnicker, the snack provider (aka MOM)…the list goes on. It has streamlined hitch points, too, perfect for being snugged down with a utility cord on a paddle trip, or clipping a bottle opener. If you need a cooler that’s super durable and easier to handle than its stubborn-sided clan, snag one of these.
On the outside, a large zippered pocket provides a good amount of dry storage, and its duffel-style handles can be joined together for easy transportation. Its flexible shape allows you to fold it flat for storage (a unique feature that most of the competition can’t claim) and easily accommodates tall objects, such as 750 ml wine bottles. We’ve vetted, purchased, and tested over 30 soft coolers since 2017. Our most recent test compares 17 of the best models available today. Soft coolers offer portability and versatility that traditional hard coolers can’t.
Each bag weighs less than 1 lb., and storage space ranges from six to 36 cans. The items in this cooler will stay cold for long than most of Igloo’s other options, as the ice retention can function for two days. This comes in handy for triathlons and other long competitions that will require plenty of drinks and snacks for refreshment. Whatever cooler brand you trust should be able to provide items that can satisfy you in any situation. At roughly 9.5 x 8 x 7 inches and just over a half-pound, it’s conveniently compact and lightweight. We packed it with a one-person meal, including food, a drink, and ice.
A final highlight is the accessory-ready exterior, which allows you to easily connect add-ons like their Rambler Bottle Sling or SideKick Dry Gear Case (sold separately). During the warmer months, there’s nothing better than sitting on a beach or in a park with a cold can of something refreshing and some chilled snacks to munch on. While we’ve previously tested hard-sided coolers, we decided to focus on soft-sided coolers, which promise to keep food and drinks cold without the heft and bulk. Much like the brand’s hard-sided gallery, Yeti delivers best-in-class soft designs with the Hopper Flip. It powerfully preserves ice and keeps fare colder for longer, which is key for full-send days and muggy, hot conditions.
To put the size in perspective, this cute cooler could fit six 12-ounce cans. For day-long roams, weekend adventures, road trips, or running errands, these soft coolers kept our provisions chilled without weighing us down. For more information about soft coolers, check out our buyer’s guide, comparison chart, and FAQ at the end of this article. We’ll always have a spot in our gear closet for a hard cooler, but soft coolers have proven to be just as essential. They weigh less and are easy for one person to grab and quickly transport from the deck to the truck bed.
And where the Yeti still had about half of its ice frozen, our testers reported only about 20 percent of the ice placed in the Icemule stayed frozen. Instead, you should use freshly frozen cubed ice, ice blocks, or reusable ice packs. The prices of soft coolers in our guide range from the $30 Mountainsmith Takeout, which is the smallest cooler, to the OtterBox Trooper 20 Cooler ($250) with top-shelf ice retention.
The well-constructed, premium Hydro Flask Day Escape Tote is available at a moderate price ($150). One has a zip closure for security, and the other latches via Velcro. The eco-friendly design features a recycled polyester upper and recycled nylon bottom.