You can wipe down the exterior and zipper, too — don’t miss the feet and bottom, which touch ground surfaces. Let the interior completely air dry or use a towel to wipe down before zipping shut for storage. Some soft coolers have materials that are mildew resistant and antimicrobial like the interior liner of the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler. YETI also treats the interior and exterior of its Hopper Flip soft coolers to be mildew resistant, which helps with keeping your tote sanitary while extending the life of the product. Most soft coolers are simple with a central insulated compartment for food and beverages.
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 igloo water cooler 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.
All in all, this cooler performs well above its price tag and offers a strong value. If you’re looking for a model with a waterproof zipper, check out the Yeti Hopper Flip 18. Pockets and Organization
Soft coolers come in a range of shapes and designs, but many include at least one exterior pocket for stashing small valuables like a phone, wallet, or keys. In use, we’ve found these to be incredibly useful and helpful for keeping track of our belongings whether we’re spending a day at a local state park or enjoying an afternoon at the beach. We also appreciate when these pockets are water-resistant, which provides a little extra assurance against splashes or precipitation.
The staunch base also allowed us to set the cooler on variable surfaces and was easy to clean. They each have a thick, waterproof exterior that can handle being tumbled around. These models also feature a protective layer on their undersides to help prevent holes and abrasions. Additionally, both Engels were dry inside after our submersion test, indicating they have watertight zippers. Depending on the amount of perishables you plan to take with you and how far you’re going, you may have already put some limitations on your adventures.
We’ve tested several of these styles, and the RTIC Backpack 30 is hands down our favorite for sheer carrying comfort. It features padded carry handles and a comfy over-the-shoulder sling. The bag felt surprisingly secure, with no contents jostling around.
We liked the wide, soft material of the two swing-up straps on the Snow Peak Soft Cooler. We pay attention to that variable to know if a cooler needs to always be upright. Some unique closures include the clasp of the OtterBox Trooper 20 Cooler, which doesn’t allow leaks. Soft coolers that are igloo trailmate wider or more bucket-style are easier to access, as far as finding a specific item. Coolers like the OtterBox Trooper 20 Cooler with a broad, flat surface that rests against you can help absorb that swing and bounce. Even the heaviest soft cooler in our guide is lighter than a hard cooler.
Models with flexible shapes, adjustable straps, and extra padding go a long way toward making these something you don’t mind carrying. The RTIC Soft Pack is also a favorite, with its soft, malleable body and long padded shoulder strap that makes it far more pleasant across your body when weighed down. The softer canvas exteriors and flexible insulated walls of the AO 24 Pack and REI Pack Away are much more comfortable bouncing against our sides and feel like a duffel bag. The RovR TravelR 30 is the right size to keep up with those larger pack days. This rugged cooler can hold up to 39 cans and keeps them below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for just over three days.
Our winner, the Engel HD20 22qt Heavy-Duty Soft Sided Cooler Tote Bag, kept ice frozen for three full days. Our Best Buy, the Coleman 30-Can Portable Soft Cooler, Space Blue, kept ice frozen for two and a half days—great performance for a fraction of the price. To keep the weight down, this Pelican soft cooler’s insulation measures only half-an-inch thick. It kept its interior below 40°F for 27 hours—one of the lowest of any of the soft coolers we tested. We were able to fit 24 cans in this soft-sided cooler and enough ice to keep them cold all day. After four hours on a hot, sunny afternoon, the ice had hardly melted, and the drinks were still nice and cold.