After many years, its durable construction has proven worth the investment, with consistent performance, unchanged over time, and even looking like we bought it last week. We exclusively cover soft-sided coolers above, which work well for those who just need a simple and portable option for road trips or day use. For multi-day trips, however, hard-sided models offer several added benefits over soft coolers. Namely, they retain ice for much longer (two to 10 days is standard), are inherently far more durable and hardwearing, and come in larger capacities.
This is due to its center ice holder, which closely resembles a hotel room ice box. This caddy is ideal for situations where quick access is preferred, like the kid’s soccer game or a backyard barbeque. With four storage compartments, you can create a fun party tray, with snacks in one and drinks in the others.
It’s also built with rugged materials, so you can trust that a few drops won’t cause much damage, though you might lose a snack or two. For the most part, this backpack did a good job preventing leaks, though a small amount of water seeped through once the ice melted. When filling it with perishable food, we were able to fit quite a lot inside, along with enough ice packs to keep everything cold. We’re big fans of the retro appearance and structured design too. For the weekend warrior, the rugged adventurer, the daily luncher, the boater, the weekday commuter, the beach-goer, the Sunday hiker, the park picnicker, the snack provider (aka MOM)…the list goes on. And remember—when picking the size you need, keep in mind what activities you’re most likely to partake in.
This cooler was comfortable to carry with the padded shoulder strap. But when filled with drinks and ice, it can be cumbersome and more difficult to haul across sand — backpack-style straps would igloo soft cooler probably make it easier. All 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.
With a unique spin, the cooler is compatible with a removable insert called the KeepR ($150), which organizes fare into different compartments like a golf bag. The dividers are secured via Velcro, so the compartments are adjustable. The center of the basket has a circular sleeve for the 3L Icer ($50), a double-wall vacuum-sealed ice holder with a 3.5-pound capacity.
A super malleable product like the Snow Peak Soft Cooler might not be the best for carrying dozens of heavy cans compared to a more rigid design like the RovR TravelR 30. Ultimately, due to the ice retention, the Pursuit Tote is a solid option for errands and small trips but be sure to cool the bag before use. According to the ice retention test, this cooler can retain ice for 40 hours. Some of these designs are actually very rigid, stout, and stackable. Others are fully collapsible and pliable, and we celebrate the space-saving option for storage. We didn’t throw this backpack cooler off the side of a mountain (yet), but we probably could, and it’d be fine.