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 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. Previously, we tested hard coolers in the summer in Baltimore through a week that saw highs of 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and lows of 64 to 72 degrees.
However, the Cool Trail Pack failed to stay below 40° F after just 9 hours, making us not excited to entrust it to keep any sensitive food items fresh. Our expert panel consists of Senior Review Editor, Maggie Nichols, and her crew of adventure-loving friends. Maggie has spent over 15 years as an outdoor and backcountry guide, from backpacking the Sierras and Andes to rafting South Africa and Utah.
According to the ice retention test, this cooler can retain ice for 57 hours and fit ounce cans. While they’re not standardized measures, we have found that most cooler companies’ estimates of their cooling power are reasonably helpful for rough comparison. A soft cooler that claims 24-hour ice retention is usually
lighter duty than one that claims three days or more. You should never consider these numbers as performance guarantees, but as a crude spec to gauge where a cooler stands within the category, I find the estimates useful. Most soft coolers focus on toting cans and measure their capacities in can increments.
We appreciate all of the pockets to help us keep odds and ends organized. There are two zippered pockets, including one that fits a phone, and two huge, broad mesh pockets. The flat backside wall alleviates bounce when we were using the shoulder strap. We also appreciated the water-resistant exterior pocket, which is easy to open and close. We miss the top handle, but the two side grab handles are robust and ergonomic.
Our testers loved this pack’s comfort compared to other large backpack coolers, thanks mainly to the extra padding and chest and waist straps. RovR even sells small SnackR food containers that fit neatly into the IceR, which can keep food 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. Carefully designed with premium details and longer ice retention for extended adventures, our high-quality cooler bags are still more affordable than others out there with similar performance.
The wide opening is great for quick, easy access, and the leakproof seal prevented melted ice from dripping out (and also prevented rain from seeping in during storms). 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. ◊Pricing, selection, and availability of store clearance items are determined by each store. Items may be display models or not exactly as shown and may not be available in all stores. There is no administration fee charged for entering into a special payments plan. Each month during an equal payments plan you are required to pay in full by the due date that month’s equal payments plan instalment.
It can retain ice for approximately eight hours and has the look of a nice bag you’d bring to the market. This is essentially a high-performance backpack, great for packing in lunch or dinner on a more involved route that might require you to be hands-free. There’s a wide-roll opening for amazing access, a dry compartment, and an insulated area large enough for a six-pack and ice. Hit the hills with a full meal (and liquid pairings) on your back. Here’s one of the more portable options, built extremely tough and ready for all kinds of mishandling while on the trail or in the boat. The mildew resistant outer layer is a nice touch if you’re like us and sometimes forget to fully clean the thing after each and every use.