This is another type of soft cooler that you can trust to keep items cold for longer periods. The insulation lets your ice last for at least one day, making it perfect for camping by the lake or quick fishing trips with friends and family. Whatever food and drinks are stored inside this ice chest will be able to stay cold for the entire day. While standing as one of the smaller options on this igloo water cooler list, enough retention is provided for a day at work or an afternoon at the park with friends and family. Igloo also focuses on keeping nature lovers happy with options such as the Outdoorsman group. Some versions of this ice chest come in the form of soft lunch boxes for short journeys or use for kids, while Square and Hardtop Gripper cooler bags are better suited for heavier packing.
The paper pulp of the Recool composts easily in the backyard, and it performs basically as well as any cheap single-use cooler. 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.
If the foam feels denser than that and doesn’t compress much at all, you probably have your hands on closed-cell foam. Many soft cooler manufacturers also sell compatible accessories that can attach directly to the outside of their coolers. For instance, Hydro Flask’s 20 L Day Escape has thread-through points on the outside for securing one of their Dry Storage Bags (offered in small, medium, and large sizes). 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.
Performance wise, this igloo soft cooler proved itself to be below average—keeping the interior cool for about 38 hours, about 60% behind the Yeti Flip. Ice is heavy so the ability to wheel it around rather than carry it is great. Even when it’s chock-full of ice and cans, this Arctic Zone cooler is easy to maneuver.
We tested the extra-large 33-liter size and the 23-liter large size, which is probably plenty for most people’s day trips. While perhaps not its most exciting use, we also found the Icemule Pro a great addition to grocery trips to keep refrigerated and frozen items cold in my vehicle. Additionally, unlike hard coolers, the difference in ice retention igloo trailmate between soft-sided models isn’t all that sizable, which can make it harder to justify spending up for such a premium and expensive model. To be sure, these top-end designs have their appeal for those who want the easier portability of a soft cooler without compromising on build quality, but they’re not worth the investment for most.