If you’ve got the budget, it’s almost certainly worth opting for a hard-sided model instead. You’ll incur a sizable weight penalty, but the boost in cooling capabilities and overall performance igloo trailmate will be well worth that tradeoff for many. RovR Products’ RollR collection put them on the map in the wheeled cooler category with a competitive mix of durability and ice retention.
With Igloo’s soft coolers, you have plenty of choices, depending on the situation. While all of these soft coolers have a touch of black on the outside, the three main choices for colors are agama teal, blaze red and acid green. Each bag weighs less than 1 lb., and storage space ranges from six to 36 cans.
Finally, we filled each of the soft coolers with soda cans to compare against the claimed carrying capacity. The RTIC Soft Pack Cooler has a similar feel and look to a Yeti cooler but comes at a more accessible cost. A 2-inch closed-cell foam boosts the insulation—it only raised about 11 degrees between two and 24 hours of having it filled with ice during our lab test (compared to about 7 degrees for the comparable Yeti we tested). While the KeepR is an excellent drinks caddy, it’s also a perfect picnic option as you can still tote ice for cold drinks but use the compartments for utensils, dishes, and food for two or a small group. RovR even sells small SnackR food containers that fit neatly into the IceR, which can keep food hot or cold. Our testers liked how the ice consolidated in the center helped even out the weight and noted it was comfortable to carry by hand.
We’ve also used this cooler for nearly five years for grocery runs in Hawaii, and it’s still going strong. One charm of the RTIC 65 is its reasonable price, which allows us to be far less careful with this equipment than we are with something as expensive or desirable as a Yeti. With the Igloo IMX series of coolers to Igloo MaxCold and BMX cooler options, Igloo hard coolers make a great choice for many…
On a related note, comfortable shoulder straps and/or grab handles can go a long way toward maximizing portability, which we outline more in depth below. The IceMule Pro doesn’t deliver multiple days of extreme ice retention, but it’s enough to get you through a hot day. When emptied, it’s much more collapsible than stiffer softer coolers meant to retain ice for multiple days—an important feature when conserving space in a boat or on a pack. Stiffer soft coolers are not collapsible and take up the same amount of space regardless of whether they’re in use.
The sensor at the top of the cooler was removed daily to record its findings and simulate the temperature gains that occur when a cooler is opened during normal use. We ran these temperature tests until there was no ice inside the cooler. And, with the variety of storage compartments, you’ll be able to carry everything you need. When you’re ready to store the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze, the interior is treated with Microban, so it will resist mildew and odor-causing bacteria. However you’re getting in on the action — playing in the game/match, hitting the gym or tailgating to the stadium lot — we’ve got the coolers for staying hydrated while having fun.
The zipper is supremely leak-proof and the DryHide exterior resisted scratches and punctures. The Yeti Hopper Flip 18 is one of the best soft coolers you can buy right now. This soft cooler performs very well, keeping the interior below 40°F for a little over 40 hours. We still think it’d put up impressive numbers during a day at the beach since it has a secondary opening on the top secured by Velcro for quick access. A lifelong user of coolers, he appreciates the innovation of soft backpack coolers. For a few years now, Nathan has loved his Yeti Hopper BackFlip and Yeti Hopper Flip, but the Icemule cooler packs mentioned in this roundup are quickly becoming his new go-to’s in certain situations.
This makes it particularly great for activities like kayaking or paddle boarding when it might be exposed to a lot of water. It also floats, which provides added assurance should conditions get rougher than expected. RTIC’s Soft Pack also falls into this category, and although it’s technically not fully waterproof, the tough shell and leakproof design should stand up well if it ends up taking a dip. While the can measurement standard is helpful, keep in mind you’ll need to devote at least some of that volume to ice. The amount of ice you put in a cooler is totally subjective and depends on how cold you want the cooler’s contents and the conditions and temperatures in which you’ll be taking the cooler. Just make sure to read the specs carefully and assume that max can carrying capacity listed is for only cans in most cases.
We didn’t throw this backpack cooler off the side of a mountain (yet), but we probably could, and it’d be fine. Icemule’s Boss Backpack Cooler is incredibly rugged and has some serious insulation. “The design reminds me of a single big backpack that people use for backpack travel,” is how one of our testers put it. Icemule uses proprietary fabrics, welded seams, and extra-padded straps to make this one heavy-duty yet comfortable backpack. Our testers loved this pack’s comfort compared to other large backpack coolers, thanks mainly to the extra padding and chest and waist straps. If you’re looking for a collapsible and durable option at a more affordable cost, we highly recommend the Icemule Classic.
Performance wise, this igloo trailmate 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.