A smaller cooler tote bag may be ideal for a day hike with your significant other, whereas a more sizable cooler is great for larger outdoor gatherings. In our testing, we found the side handles of the Fishpond Blizzard Soft Cooler and OtterBox Trooper 20 Cooler were stalwart and comfortable to grab. We liked the wide, soft material of the two swing-up straps on the Snow Peak Soft Cooler. We pay attention to that variable to know if a cooler needs to always be upright.
Insulated duffel and tote bags with features like integrated cup holders and reinforced handles and carry straps. With Realtree® camo or Igloo’s UV resistant marine line, these extra large sized insulated soft coolers have all the cooling power you need for your next hunting trip or a weekend on the boat. The price tags on modern soft coolers may be shocking if you haven’t shopped for one before. Most higher-end offerings are well over $100, and the top-of-the-line options are as much as $300 or more.
Unlike hard-sided models that can keep food and beverages cold for days (or even weeks) on end, soft models aren’t built to keep contents cold for more than a few days at maximum. They’re also generally much smaller than hard-sided designs, typically offering around 30 liters of capacity at the high end. With this in mind, soft coolers have limited appeal igloo trailmate for multi-day outings. Instead, they’re best-suited for weekend getaways or day trips to the park or beach, tailgates, afternoons on the water, or quick errands like grocery store runs. They can also be a great supplement to a larger hard-sided model, providing additional space to store extra food or beverages when camping with a larger group.
Let the interior completely air dry or use a towel to wipe down before zipping shut for storage. Some soft coolers have materials that are mildew resistant and antimicrobial like the interior liner of the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler. YETI also treats the interior and exterior of its Hopper Flip soft coolers to be mildew resistant, which helps with keeping your tote sanitary while extending the life of the product. According to our ice retention test, the REI Co-op Cool Haul is capable of holding ice for up to 60 hours.
Still, if you’re looking for a cooler that has the aesthetics, design, and toughness of a Yeti but don’t want to spend quite the amount (we don’t blame you), the Orca is a solid alternative. 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.
We’re the testing team at Reviewed, which means we designed and implemented the experiments involved in this article. Though robust and watertight, its zipper is much easier to use and comes with zipper lubricant, helping it remain explicative-free. The Yeti Flip and the RTIC SoftPak also igloo soft cooler come standard with zipper lubricant that helps their zippers glide more easily, though they aren’t as smooth as the Engel. Lubricant needs to be reapplied to zippers frequently, especially in dry, hot outdoor environments. We independently evaluate all recommended products and services.
While adventuring, this cooler did a noteworthy job of preserving ice in sunny conditions and exceeded the capabilities of other coolers we tested. A two-way zipper provides easy top access, and the igloo trailmate cube shape nicely slides into tight spaces on a boat or in the truck bed. But we wish the side mesh water bottle pockets were hardy like the rest of the cooler — they felt flimsy and easily snagged.