No other cooler would’ve fit into the awkward floor space behind our seats. The cooler was hauled in and out of the open truck bed countless times, faced torrential downpours, withstood long days in the direct sunshine, didn’t collapse under other stacked gear, and sat in mud at camp. While the can measurement standard is helpful, keep in mind you’ll need to devote at least some of that volume to ice. The amount of ice you put in a cooler is totally subjective and depends on how cold you want the cooler’s contents and the conditions and temperatures in which you’ll be taking the cooler.
Our testers liked how the ice consolidated in the center helped even out the weight and noted it was comfortable to carry by hand. The most durable coolers we tested are the Engel HD30 and Yeti Flip 12. These models feature incredibly tough, wear-resistant outer fabric, durable components, sturdy zippers, reinforced stitching, and a design made to be used and abused. Even after several years of regular use, they work just as well as when they were new and still look nearly as nice.
REI has a knack for balancing performance and affordability, and their Cool Haul 24 is no exception. Like much of its soft-sided competition, the REI bag also includes daisy-chain webbing for securing extra igloo water cooler gear, as well as a handy bottle opener. And because the Cool Haul’s inner insulated box can be separated from the outer shell, cleaning is a snap (the shell can also be used without the liner as a tote).
The compact cooler was full of brews, sparkling water, and lunch food. We really liked the touch of the side rope handles — they’re smooth, tough, and easy to grab and hold. Our other grievance is the zipper only goes around halfway, stopping at an awkward spot that limits access and ability to clean the inside of the cooler.
But when the handgrip is detached into two separate pieces, they’re not comfortable to grasp. The Snow Peak Soft Cooler did well on a weekend road trip to climb in Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains and camp out, but wouldn’t be able to retain ice for longer durations. Our ice retention test corroborated that experience, showing the cooler is capable of holding ice igloo soft cooler for nearly 2.5 days. But the flexible walls allowed us to flatten and fold the cooler for easy storage, saving us space in a tight apartment. The Arctic Zone Titan Bucket Tote ($53) is a great budget cooler that keeps our ice cold for long durations. A trio took the cooler fly fishing on Colorado’s Gunnison River, carrying along water and various canned beverages.
But, the seamless liner did hold the water and showed no sign of leaks. According to the ice retention test, the Takeout can retain ice for 21 hours. To put the size in perspective, this cute cooler could fit six 12-ounce cans.
At the brand’s partner factory in the Philippines, the designers and sewers choose mixed-and-matched fabric for each pack. One of our favorite products overall was the Snow Peak Soft Cooler 38 ($170). Even given its large size, it was still very comfortable to transport, due to the soft, malleable walls. With the simple, wide handles Velcroed together, we could sling the cooler over our shoulders when it was fully loaded.
So we used a different shoulder strap to carry the cooler on our 15-minute walk to our picnic spot. The cooler’s exterior is made with stout ripstop nylon that easily wipes down. The Igloo Pursuit Tote igloo trailmate ($100) preserved our bubbly water, hummus, pepperoni, peppers, and arugula while car camping and crewing the Hardrock 100. For grab-and-go, there’s a handle on the back and a carry tote-style strap.
Note that RTIC coolers are not IGBC (International Grizzly Bear Committee) certified. If that’s necessary for you, here’s IGBC’s list of certified bear-resistant products (PDF). The RTIC 65 weighs 36.5 pounds and measures 32 by 17 by 18 inches on the outside. Unlike several other competitors, the RTIC 65 has two drainage ports for quick cleaning and draining. Bestcooler.reviews, established in 2015, is a leading blog-style magazine dedicated to reviewing and blogging about coolers.