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The 6 Best Soft Coolers
- WWPN Staff
The warmer months come with the excitement of outdoor adventures. Are you planning your next trip to the beach? A hike up the trails? A pool party? A hunting or fishing expedition? Or maybe a picnic? If yes to any of those, then a soft-sided portable cooler will come in handy for your food and drinks.
The best determinant for choosing the cooler to carry is to figure out how you intend to use it. Will it sit in the trunk of the car or will you carry it on a long walk? What do you intend to carry and how long do you intend to keep your food and drinks fresh and cool? This article provides a guideline on what each soft-sided cooler offers and how to make the best choice for your needs.
A Glance Into Some Of The Best Soft Coolers
About Soft-Sided Coolers
Soft-sided coolers work the same way traditional hard-sided coolers work. The covers insulate the interior from heat, so the inside remains cold, keeping your food and drinks cool and fresh.
Soft-sided coolers are easier to carry and more convenient compared to hard-sided coolers. They make excellent accessories when going camping, on long road trips, going to the gym, or when teeing at the golf course. They are often smaller and lighter than hard-sided coolers of the same capacity. They are collapsible, which saves space when you don’t have much to carry.
Soft-sided coolers come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Their exteriors are mainly made of vinyl or fabric. They come with straps for easy carrying as a backpack, a sling bag, or a courier bag.
The Best Cooler for 2024
Now that we know the different functions and types of coolers, it’s time to rank some of the best soft-sided coolers in the market.
Best Soft Cooler Overall - YETI Hopper M30 Soft Cooler
Product Specifications
- Capacity: 7.2 Gallons
- Dimensions: 25 by 12 by 17.5 inches
- Weight: 10.3lb
- Warranty: 5 years
Description
Like most YETI products, the M30 soft-sided cooler is highly durable and made from high-quality materials. The trendy eye-catching design is backed up by top-notch engineering, ensuring you look good and your food stays cool and fresh for longer.
The top opening of the M30 YETI soft-sided cooler replaces zippers with airtight magnetic locks to create a hydro shield closure. These magnets lock into place with only a gentle nudge.
The opening is reinforced with Quick-Release buckles so your cooler doesn’t open unexpectedly. With the magnetic lock and quick-release buckles in place, even piling heavy weights on top of the bag can’t burst open the cooler. The bad side is because the magnets snap back so quickly and tightly, often you’ll find that you need help loading in stuff.
The interior of the cooler is sheathed with Leak-proof Liner and held together using RF welded seams. The welded seams are far superior to stitching and guard against leakage. The Leak-proof liner provides a water-resistant interior while providing the exterior with puncture and UV-ray resistance.
What We Like
- Long-term warranties
What To Improve
The side pockets could be bigger with better insulation.
Best Backpack Soft-Sided Cooler - The IceMule Boss
Product Specifications
- Dimensions: 12.5 by 9 by 25 inches
- Capacity: 30 liters
- Weight: 7.2lb
Description
The IceMule Boss cooler is the ultimate badass backpack. It has a trendy design, it’s comfortable on your back, has great capacity, and has superior insulation capability.
You can hook a sleeping bag and blanket across the top and front. The zippers offer dry storage to the front and side pockets for waterproof enclosures. So, you can carry cameras and phones without fear even when kayaking or walking in the rain.
What We Like
- Across the back there’s the padded chest strap and lower strap for extra safety. The ergonomic design protects your back even on long treks.
- The back design offers ventilation so the bag doesn’t hold sweat between your back and the bag.
What To Improve
- It’s relatively expensive
Best Soft-Sided Cooler Under $100 - Polar Bear Original 12 Pack
Product Specifications
- Brand: Polar Bear
- Weight: 2lb
- Material: Nylon
- Insulation material: Foam
- Chamber width: & inches
Description
The Polar Bear brand makes two different lines of soft-sided coolers. There is the Original line of coolers and Deluxe line of coolers. Original line is the budget line, made of cheaper materials.
The Polar Bear Original 12-pack soft-sided cooler has an insulation lining of 1-inch-thick high-density foam. The cooler can keep ice frozen for more than 24 hours in temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The outer shell is made of luggage-grade nylon for longer durability. The seams are all double hemmed to reinforce waterproofing.
The top is sealed with rust-proof No. 10 weatherized zippers.
What We Like
- The high-quality hemming makes the soft cooler leakproof.
- The affordable price
What To Improve
Though the zipper is strong and rust-proof, they could make it waterproof too.
Best Soft Cooler + Hydration System Combo - CamelBak ChillBak 30L
Product Specifications
- Brand: CamelBak
- Capacity: 6-liter reservoir
- Weight: 4.54lbs
- Hydration system with a spigot for quick refills and hose for accessible hydration.
- TRU Zip waterproof zipper
Description
The ChillBak from CamelBak is a cooler backpack and hydration pack. You and your crew or family can easily quench your thirst on the go.
The insulation system keeps ice cold for 72 hours. The interior can hold 24 standard cans and 15lbs of ice.
What We Like
- The ChillBak is convenient to carry and easy to dispense liquids.
- The backpack straps are strong and durable
What To Improve
- It comes in only one color, Adriatic blue. The company could introduce more colors.
Best Lunch Cooler - RTIC Day Cooler
Product Specifications
- Brand: RTIC
- Dimensions: 11 by 6.25 by 15.25 inches
- Material: Polyester
Description
The RTIC day cooler is a lunch bag that’s lightweight and easily portable. It’s lined with high-density insulation to keep food and drinks cold for up to 24 hours.
What We Like
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Padded shoulder straps for comfort
What To Improve
- The insulation could be improved to keep food cool for longer.
- They could add a front pocket for extra storage.
Best Value Soft-Sided Cooler - Grizzly Drifter 20 Fliptop Soft Cooler
Product Specifications
- Brand: Grizzly
- Capacity: 20 quarts
- Dimensions: 14 by 11.5 by 14.5 inches
- Weight: 3lbs
- Material: Fabric
Description
The Grizzly Drifter 20 offers the best value for money. It can pack enough food and drinks for two and keeps ice frozen for 72-plus hours.
What We Like
- Easy opening large-coil zippers with thumb pulls. This makes it easy to snap open and remove food and snap it back shut.
- Welded seams protect against leakage and microbiological contamination.
- BPA-free
What To Improve
- It has a handle and a shoulder strap though they could add straps to carry as a backpack too.
Conclusion
There are many high-quality soft-sided coolers on the market. The ones we have featured in this guide are optimal for long outdoor adventures lasting days. They rank best for comfort, temperature retention, and leakage protection. Try either and share your experience with us in the comments.
