The straps are adjustable so that carrying the cooler is a piece of cake, and the grip handles are made of rubber to ensure that. Color options for this cooler include slate blue and tan, sandstone and red, and tank green and black, which should blend in depending on what environment you’re exploring. Ice bags weigh between 1 and 3 lbs for an easy carry, and you can carry up to 30 cans, depending on which bag you choose. This Igloo soft side cooler is another option with an adjustable shoulder strap so that you can carry it in whatever way feels comfortable. Handlebar attachments specifically for bike rides are included, and the metal bottle opener helps in case you’re carrying beers. The Original is made with an exterior of 840-denier UV-resistant nylon wrapped around open-cell foam.
Importantly, not all coolers measure interior capacity in the same way. Some use cans as a unit of measure, while others use liters, quarts, or gallons. That said, “cans” is the most commonly used measurement for soft coolers (hard-sided models are generally listed in quarts), and we’ve utilized that spec throughout this article whenever available.
Hydro Flask is a brand better known for its water bottles, but the company also makes coolers. The 20-liter Carry Out Soft Cooler carries the igloo water cooler same design ethos as other products sold by Hydroflask. The Hydroflask soft cooler contains a BPA-free liner and has a jaunty exterior.
Some 24 hours after we put ice into the Titan, the inside temperature only raised 5 degrees—better than both Yeti coolers we tested. There’s no zipper on the lid—just a Velcro-like igloo water cooler closure—so be sure the cooler stays upright in transportation. And while it claims to hold 30 cans with ice, we found it much easier to fit 20 cans with adequate ice.
The items in this cooler will stay cold for long than most of Igloo’s other options, as the ice retention can function for two days. This comes in handy for triathlons and other long competitions that will require plenty of drinks and snacks for refreshment. As with all soft coolers, you shouldn’t leave the RTIC igloo soft cooler Soft Pack Cooler out in the sun or resting on very hot surfaces like the back of a pickup truck or on top of a picnic table for a long time. Although the exterior of the cooler is made of a durable, thickly coated nylon—waterproof and tough—the sun and heat will degrade the material and slowly wear it out.