To preserve food for more than 24 hours, you will need to use a combination of ice chunks and ice chips. The chips help with immediate cooling, and the chunks keep your food fresh over a longer period of time. According to our research and experiments, ideally, a cooler, by volume, should have twice as much ice or ice packs inside of it as it does food. Extra features, such as an exterior pocket for carrying utensils are a plus, but not at the cost of cooling capability or durability. However, this Orca soft cooler is a direct and more affordable alternative to our best upgrade pick.
In our testing, the Coleman Xtreme kept ice frozen for a full week (170 hours), 30 hours longer than the Igloo MaxCold (140 hours). It measures 28.4 by 15.8 by 17.5 inches, its design incorporates bevels and angles all over the place, and it has a ruler and cup holders molded into its lid. Insulation obsessives may want to fill those cup holders with Styrofoam, but considering how well this cooler performed in our tests, doing so doesn’t seem to be all that critical.
The design makes the Collapse & Cool offerings for Igloo’s soft bags easy to clean. Storage is easy thanks to the collapsible setup, and being leak-resistant allows the right amount of water to stay inside. Traveling in the outdoors may require carrying certain amounts, or sizes, of items each day or for the entire journey.
And we dig the bonus features like side pockets, webbing to attach gear to, and an attached bottle opener. Despite the product’s claim to be a leakproof cooler, we did have some leaking. But it was minimal and basically a non-issue considering the cooler’s price and how it faired in other portions of our test. The grip handle comes with an ergonomic and rubberized design to ensure the user’s hands don’t feel pressure or annoyance. The shoulder strap is adjustable in case you’re bringing plates of food or other items to a party, and the front slip pocket has space for extra food. The retention foam allows drinks and food to stay cold for a whole day, which will keep everyone at the occasion you’re attending satisfied.
Anything smaller, and you end up carrying a lot of bag and not carrying much of anything else. There just isn’t enough room in those smaller sizes for them to be functional for anything except an individual lunch or a few drinks. Durability varies considerably between soft coolers, and a good way to differentiate between models is to look at denier (D), which is igloo water cooler a measurement of fabric thickness. RovR’s TravelR 30 is another standout in terms of durability with a burly TPU base and welded seams that give it a very hardwearing feel. The third Hydro Flask design to make our list this season is the 20 L Carry Out Soft Cooler, which splits the difference between their Insulated Tote and backpack-style Day Escape above.
Traditional hard-sided coolers lead the charge in ice retention and durability, but for those who don’t need a week’s worth of cold food and drinks, a soft-sided cooler can be a viable alternative. Compared to hard models, soft coolers are considerably lighter, easier to carry, and often save you a good deal of cash. From burly waterproof options to packable designs that collapse down for easy storage, below we break down the top soft coolers of 2023. For more background information, check out our detailed comparison table and buying advice below the picks. If you’re less concerned about portability and instead prioritize cooling capabilities and durability, we’ve also compiled a list of the best hard-sided coolers.
That said, even the cheapest options on our list are reasonably well built and will get the job done for days at the beach or packing a lunch on the road, which will be enough to sway many. In our experience, the sweet spot is often right in the middle, with many of our most frequently used soft coolers offering space for around cans with ice. These designs are sufficiently sized for day trips or weekend road trips, manageable in terms of weight and portability, and won’t take up a ton of space in your vehicle or garage. YETI igloo water cooler is the Cadillac of cooler manufacturers and credited with catalyzing the growth of the premium rotomolded market. But their soft-sided offerings are nothing to scoff at and retain much of what’s made the brand so popular over the years, including excellent attention to detail, good ice retention, and decidedly sleek looks. Their mid-range Hopper Flip 12 is case in point, combining thick, closed-cell foam insulation with a burly and hardwearing shell that’s confidence-inspiring and highly resistant to snags and tears.