Our testers notd a bit of a leak from the roll-top closure when inverting the cooler. RovR even sells small SnackR food containers that fit neatly into the IceR, which can keep food either hot or cold. Our testers liked how the ice consolidated in the center helped even out the weight and noted it was comfortable to carry by hand. 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 for you, browse our tested recommendations and read our tips at the bottom of this article.
I also like how spacious each one of them is, with a large main compartment where you can keep everything. Your lunch and beer will easily fit, as even the smallest of these bags have a capacity of oz beer cans. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times.
All s packed full of ice and cans, heading into our hot room insulation testing. Ultimately, the ice retention is not as dependable as other coolers, in part because the cold water drains out. According to our ice retention test, this cooler is able to hold ice for nearly 45 hours. While we liked the size, capacity, and shape of the TravelR, the hand straps are not cushioned or wide enough to comfortably carry this cooler when it’s loaded with all the eats, drinks, and ice. Brand new to the soft cooler scene, RovR just bridged their long-standing hard cooler craftsmanship into their sister category.
Now, a wide variety of closure solutions continue to impress us with their ability to keep things chilled. igloo water cooler with the now old-school approach of having a water/airproof zipper include the Engel, RTIC SoftPak, and Yeti Hopper Flip. The Yeti M30 has replaced its waterproof zipper with an equally effective magnetic seal, the IceMule Pro has a roll-top , and the OtterBox Trooper features a fully sealed, plastic flip-top lid. 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 Yeti Hopper M30 and Engel HD30 then continued to maintain internal temperatures at refreshing, sub 50° F for 88 and 79 hours, respectively.
While it’s easy to get caught up in wanting the best, being realistic about using your soft cooler can help you choose one that works for your intended uses. Coolers have come a long way since glorified bags that offer a few hours of chilling, but that now-quaint level of performance may be all you need. And we have a huge selection of cooler bags for the beach, perfect for keeping you and your crew refreshed all day long. To test this batch of 15 coolers, we filled each with a comparable ice-to-can ratio of one-third cans to two-thirds ice.