In addition to its rubber-foam insulated body, it also has exterior grid straps where you can attach hiking gear. The shell is made from a puncture- and UV-resistant fabric, and both the exterior and interior are treated to resist mildew, according to the brand. The wide-mouth opening is leakproof and zips almost all the way open for easy access, plus it can fit up to 11 cans, according to Yeti. Many soft-sided coolers do an incredible job of retaining ice on hot days, sometimes for over 24 hours. This might be necessary in certain instances, but if you’re using yours for a day trip and only need it to keep pre-chilled items cold for a few hours, you might not even need ice.
Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company’s efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. In the pursuit of data, he’s plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. In most situations, the best way to utilize dry ice is to place it at the bottom of your cooler, wrapped in newspaper. Place the items you’d like to stay frozen or colder on top of dry ice.
The 1-inch closed-cell high-density foam worked well to keep our food and beverages chilled while baking under the sun during a mid-summer music festival. We’re not surprised, given RovR makes one of the best hard-side coolers, hands down. The robust zipper closure takes some effort and time to open, but the wide T-shaped pull makes the job comfortable. Brand new to the soft cooler scene, RovR just bridged their long-standing hard cooler craftsmanship into their sister category.
Like a good dry bag, the Icemule Pro has a roll-top closure that it claims will not let water in or out and allows you to trap air inside for extra insulation. Our testers noticed a bit of a leak from the roll-top closure when inverting the cooler. It also has the added benefit (significant on the water) of making the bag float.
igloo soft coolerOur testers loved this pack’s comfort compared to other large backpack coolers, thanks mainly to the extra padding and chest and waist straps. Besides its ability to hold cold temps and ice for days, our testers liked the size and shape of the cooler. They also liked how leak-proof it is and the two handles on each side of the cooler’s body. However, they were not impressed with the lack of padding on the Hopper Flip’s shoulder strap and how heavy it was (it’s about 1.5 pounds heavier than the similar Orca Walker 20-Can). 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.
igloo soft coolerAll things considered, it’s an excellent portable ice chest for picnics, boating, road trips, or hanging out at the beach, as long as you don’t have to carry it too far. And the price is reasonable for such a high-quality, likely long-lasting cooler. The clear winners in this category are the backpack-style coolers, as this distribution of weight across both shoulders and resting behind you will almost always beat out a unilateral carry.