It closes like an old-school hard cooler, with a plastic lid that nestles snugly into the top of its plastic body. Despite not being airtight or leakproof, it managed to hold ice for 40 hours during our testing. Other coolers have igloo soft cooler more traditional zippers that aren’t watertight yet still provide effective insulation, like the RTIC Backpack, REI Pack Away, and AO 24 Pack. Among the smaller coolers, the Yeti Hopper Flip 18 and RovR KeepR are top performers.
A few models that include functional stash pockets include the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler, ORCA Walker Tote, and Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze. The opening style and closure system of a soft-sided cooler may not seem all that important, but we can tell you firsthand that it will have a sizable impact on both convenience and overall performance. Engel’s HD30, for instance, has a fairly narrow opening that’s stiff and requires considerable effort to keep open while loading and unloading food and drinks (the welded zipper doesn’t help). YETI is the Cadillac of cooler manufacturers and credited with catalyzing the growth of the premium rotomolded market. 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. We also found the cooler very easy to load and unload with a well-executed, zipper-equipped opening that’s wide, fully leakproof, and provides nearly uncompromised access to food and beverages.
Our ice retention test corroborated that experience, showing the cooler is capable of holding ice for nearly 2.5 days. One of our favorite products overall was the Snow Peak Soft Cooler 38 ($170). Even given its igloo trailmate 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.
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. Finally, we filled each of the soft coolers with soda cans to compare against the claimed carrying capacity. When compared to other soft coolers in our guide, a few design choices—like placement of the side handles under the hook point for the strap making it feel very cramped—knocked a few points off. When we lugged this Yeti around, we liked the feel of the handles and shoulder straps. The hitch points on the front allows for you to secure all sorts of gear within easy reach.
The leak-resistant design keeps water from getting out and turning your drinks warm, and the waterproof exterior keeps excess water from getting in. The straps are adjustable so that carrying igloo soft cooler the cooler is a piece of cake, and the grip handles are made of rubber to ensure that. Igloo also focuses on keeping nature lovers happy with options such as the Outdoorsman group.
The higher-end models feature heavy rubber or treated nylon, have heavy-duty zippers and components, reinforced and welded seams, and more robust designs and construction. All of these aspects affect the overall durability and lasting power. To preserve food for more than 24 hours, you will need to use a combination of ice chunks and ice chips.