The smallest design in our guide is the Mountainsmith Takeout, which weighs less than a pound. The heaviest soft cooler is the 6.5-pound OtterBox Trooper 20 Cooler, which has a 19L capacity and the best ice retention. According to our ice retention test, this cooler is capable of holding ice for up to 78 hours, igloo water cooler which is what the brand claims — and is also the strongest ice retention among the coolers on our list. To put the size in perspective, this cooler could fit ounce cans. While the Trooper 20 ($250) is a bit expensive, it stands out as the best soft cooler on the market, and should last for many seasons of use.
Take this soft insulated cooler bag along camping, hiking, fishing, relaxing on the beach, or to a family picnic thanks to rolling wheels, a height adjustable pull handle, and side carry handles. Once you get to your destination, grip the T-bar zipper pull and easily unzip and unload your zippered cooler. Pack several lunches or up to ounce cans in the cooler’s 2 spacious interior compartments.
YETI is the Cadillac of cooler manufacturers and credited with catalyzing the growth of the premium rotomolded market. Their mid-range Hopper Flip 12 is case in point, combining thick, closed-cell foam insulation with a burly and hardwearing shell that’s confidence-inspiring igloo water cooler and highly resistant to snags and tears. We also found the cooler very easy to load and unload with a well-executed, zipper-equipped opening that’s wide, fully leakproof, and provides nearly uncompromised access to food and beverages.
This cute cooler carried and chilled several cans of microbrews and several sparkling waters. We also used it day-to-day on drives to bring along lunch, snacks, and beverages. We also wanted to pick a diverse list is prices, functions, and specialties. From igloo soft cooler there, we purchased the best 30 coolers we could find to take to our lab in Brooklyn for testing. It’s tall enough for wine bottles and can carry about 18 cans with ice, but it’s not so big you hate to carry it, and it only weighs 3.6 pounds empty.
The shoulder strap is fine, but the handles are on the thin side and lack padding. Any gear’s durability comes down to a few simple factors—the quality of its materials and components, the method of construction, and the overall design. The coolers we tested feature a wide variety and quality of materials. We assessed durability over months of use, paying attention to how they handle daily rigors. We threw them around, dropped them on the ground, and filled them to the brim with heavy drinks. We also packed, emptied, repacked, and bounced them around in back seats and truck beds, left them out in the sun for hours, strapped them into water-logged boats, and anything else we could think of.
Additionally, a handful of these float in water, so you can tug them along on your next river day. These include the RTIC models, IceMule drybags, and the Yeti Flip. Our expert panel consists of Maggie Nichols, Genaveve Bradshaw, and Becca Glades. Whether it be setting off on a trip in her van or hanging out by the crag, she always has a cooler full of goodies to keep her company. Rebecca’s STEM background helps her bring an analytical mindset to the table, along with a passion for finding the best gear out there.