Hard coolers are still the gold standard in cold-retention, but soft coolers provide distinct benefits, such as portability made possible by their lighter weights and flexibility. To find the right cooler, browse our tested recommendations and read our tips at the bottom of this article. 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. Whether you’re going the super affordable route or looking for coolers with the most high-end design features, you can find the perfect Igloo cooler bag right here.
Unlike several other competitors, the RTIC 65 has two drainage ports for quick cleaning and draining. Additionally, as dry ice constantly emits carbon dioxide, igloo soft cooler store it outdoors or, lacking that, in a well-ventilated area. The build quality and aesthetics of each cooler were also taken into consideration.
Bestcooler.reviews, established in 2015, is a leading blog-style magazine dedicated to reviewing and blogging about coolers. Both co-founders of the site, Luke and Greg, are two genuine cooler geeks igloo water cooler and have been so for ages. Both guys share their passion on this website, covering different types of coolers, posting in-depth buying guides and reviewing tens of different products every year.
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.
During our cold retention tests, the Yeti Hopper Flip 18 maintained an internal temperature of below 40°F for over 46 hours. Overall, we think this Arctic Zone cooler is a generalist crowd pleaser. You can easily roll it from the igloo soft cooler parking lot to the beach, or detach it and sling it over your shoulder. It’s tall enough for wine bottles and can carry about 18 cans with ice, but it’s not so big you hate to carry it, and it only weighs 3.6 pounds empty.
Overall, the Rtic Soft Pack Cooler is well insulated, but it lacks the versatile storage of its competitors. Also of note, you can get this model in backpack cooler form for a similar price. The Yeti Hopper Flip 18’s steep price tag—over $250—knocked it out of first place for best soft cooler. For being so small, it is expensive for the average consumer, despite its quality construction.
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 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.