Carhartt’s take on the soft cooler is this dual-compartment backpack. The lower section is insulated for keeping drinks and perishable items cold, the upper portion is meant to hold anything else you want to bring along, and there’s a front zipper pocket for small items. You could technically fit 24 igloo trailmate cans if you put them in both compartments and didn’t add any ice. But we got about 10 cans in the insulated section, with enough ice to keep them cold. Whether you’re planning a day at the beach, a picnic at the park, fishing at the dock, or a solo hike, you’ll be glad to have a soft cooler on hand.
Don’t get us wrong, this Igloo soft cooler has versatile storage. But the lack of the rigid bottom means it flops around when you’re not pulling it. Ice is heavy so the ability to wheel it around rather than carry it is great.
Field use takes place in various environments, from hot desert hikes to road trips from muggy Minnesota to sunny California, for a well-rounded set of conditions. All this adds up to a comprehensive review, which will thoroughly equip you to make a well-suited soft cooler purchase. There are a number of things to look for when shopping for a soft cooler, including capacity, packability, portability and — perhaps most importantly — ice retention and insulation. To discern the capabilities of these coolers, our testers loaded them with various types of ice (both bulk and packs), beverages, foodstuffs and more.
We tried the 16-can size (which means it can fit up to 16 cans without ice) and were able to fit 13 cans plus enough ice to keep them chilled. Though wine bottles are likely too tall, you could also fill it with a picnic lunch, sandwiches, or snacks and juice pouches for a kids’ sports game. There are spacious side pockets where you can stash your keys, phone, sunscreen, or a book as well, plus an external securing bungee. The best option we tested was undoubtedly the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler.
Meanwhile, the Maelstrom and the Trail Split have a traditional backpack style that’s easy to get in and out of. The RTIC Backpack has a large internal capacity, and as a result, makes the rest of the bag rather large. The footprint of the pack can feel rather bulky, especially if you’re packing only a few snacks.
Tack on a handy stash pocket at the front and webbing loops to attach Hydro Flask’s Dry Storage accessories, and the Carry Out stands out as an excellent value for what you get. Speaking of cold retention, igloo soft cooler we were pulling out frosty beverages well past the 36-hour mark. The TravlR features four daisy chains for lashing additional gear, plus two handles and a padded shoulder strap for carrying.