Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.
They’re lighter and easier to carry than hard coolers—and still damn good at keeping things on ice.
While hard coolers have had their own renaissance in recent years, the soft-sided kind has also seen a surge in popularity, given their lighter weight and portability. If you’re going to a barbecue or picnic, kayaking or canoeing, or to an outdoor concert or sporting event for the day, a soft cooler can be your best beverage-chilling friend.
Check out quick info on five of the best soft coolers below, then keep scrolling for in-depth reviews of these and other great options, plus tips on how to choose the right one.
Keeps contents cold for 3+ days, and the clamshell latch is leakproof.
Ordinary appearance belies remarkable performance.
Convenient and perfectly sized for short outings.
Soft sides conform to your body, eliminating pressure points.
Cavernous interior has room for everyone’s favorite drinks and snacks.
While traditional hard coolers are typically more durable and can keep things cold for days, they can be difficult to transport easily. Soft coolers are made of lighter materials and designed to be carried over one shoulder or like a backpack. The less rigid build helps to eliminate pressure points by conforming to your body without being awkward. Because of their portable design, they’re generally not available in capacities larger than 30 quarts, or 30 “can” volume—the number of beverage cans the cooler holds.
Soft coolers are ideal for one-day events and activities, although some models in our test can keep things cold as long as three days. The smaller sizes are great for carrying lunch or snacks, while the larger ones will hold a case of drinks to keep you and your friends hydrated. Soft coolers are also easier to pack in the car, as they will deform to fit into the available space—rather than take up a large, rectangular block of room like their hard-plastic brethren. One other benefit is that many soft coolers are collapsible, so they take up even less room when empty.
Every cooler on this list has been thoroughly vetted and evaluated by our test editors. We research the market, survey user reviews, speak with product managers and engineers, and use our own experience using these coolers to determine the best options. In a controlled setting, each of these coolers held ice as long as the manufacturers claimed when we filled them with ice. But we also tested in less ideal conditions, over 24 hours, with the coolers half full of ice—because, the world isn’t always a perfect place. We transported them by bike and car, carried them on our backs and over our shoulders, and left them out in the sun. All the while we evaluated them on thermal performance, ease of use, comfort, price, and aesthetic appeal to determine the coolers that will best serve the needs of anyone looking to keep their food and drinks cold.
The Trooper LT 30 is constructed by OtterBox, maker of some of the most secure, waterproof phone cases. The brand puts the same level of care into this cooler, which is waterproof from both the inside out and the outside in. The clamshell latch clamps securely closed and opens wide for easy access to the generous 30-quart capacity. Filled halfway with ice, the Trooper held onto 70 percent over 24 hours, and 1 percent over 72—with a water temperature of 35 degrees. And when we packed it full of food, drink, and ice, the cooler easily keeps things cold for more than 72 hours. A thermoplastic urethane-coated nylon covers the cooler, which has two water-resistant pockets in front and a shoulder strap that converts to backpack straps. The Trooper is most comfortable as a backpack, great for hiking, camping, rafting, fishing, and outdoor sporting events.
The aptly named Jaunt, from IceMule, is just about the perfect size for a day trip. It can hold up to 15 12-ounce cans, or 8 and lunch for two. The Jaunt has very basic, padded backpack straps that we found quite comfortable and convenient—more than adequate for the weight the cooler can carry. The simple roll-top closure, with a buckle, is very effective and watertight—just like a dry bag. We held it upside down with a gallon of water in it, and it didn’t leak a drop. As with other IceMule coolers, this one features an air valve, so you can blow extra air into the insulating layer to helps prevent thermal bridging between the outer shell and the insulation, which will cause the inside to warm up more quickly. The coated material covering the cooler is puncture-proof, with welded, waterproof seams, and is easy to wash—we never had to do more than wipe it down with a damp rag to keep it clean. It took 5.1 pounds of ice to fill the Jaunt half-way, and after 24 hours two thirds of that had melted. After 48 hours all the ice was gone, and the water temperature was 67 degrees Fahrenheit—which is absolutely in line with the “day-tripper” nature of this cooler.
Arctic Zone packed a lot of features into this 36-can Titan Guide, which makes it a fairly good value at around $80. Keeping with the “guide” theme, nylon strapping at each corner of the cooler provides multiple tie-down points for activities like boating or off-roading. We appreciated the sturdy molded bottom panel that helps the cooler maintain its shape and stabilizes it on uneven surfaces. But our favorite feature might be the top, which is a molded panel with can-shaped depressions in the corners and elastic straps that prevented our beverages from tipping when knocked or jostled. The lid also features a small access hatch, which we used to reach for a cold one without unzipping the whole lid or removing the drinks placed in the corner can holders.
When it comes to carrying your favorite beverage, you’ll be happy to know that Arctic Zone didn’t exaggerate on the capacity—we were able to easily fit 36 cans in the cooler, with some room for ice. During testing, we filled the Titan Guide halfway with ice—12.8 pounds of it—and after 24 hours there was just over 52 percent left. Forty-eight hours in, all of the ice had melted, and the water temperature was 46 degrees Fahrenheit. So a weekend’s worth of food and drink will stay cold—longer if the cooler has been packed tightly with pre-cooled contents. Other features include two generous insulated, zippered front pockets, a dedicated compartment for ice or an ice pack, elastic end pockets, a removable shoulder strap, and two handles.
Coleman’s Ultra Durable Wheeled Cooler works with or without the wheeled roller frame. That frame functions exactly the same as a carry-on roller bag, and removing it makes the cooler a couple of inches shorter and a little more than an inch narrower front to back. (Leaving it off also makes the cooler more stable on loose, soft surfaces like sand.) Two padded strap handles on the sides facilitate loading in the car or carrying. The Ultra Durable cooler will hold 42 cans as advertised, but we preferred to pack 36 and allow a little more room for ice. The coated, welded liner is leak-proof and easily wipes clean. Coleman claims the Ultra Durable will keep its contents cold for 42 hours, and in our test there was still 23 percent of the ice left after that. Additional storage comes in the form of a mesh pocket on each side, a zip pocket in the front, and crisscrossed bungee straps on top to hold larger things like a picnic blanket.
When Pelican leads the list of product capabilities with “an interior compartment that can hold up to four wine bottles,” you get a sense of the brand’s priorities in making the Dayventure Sling. For the record, enterprising oenophiles will be able to fit five bottles, with the last inverted and nested in the center. Prefer beer or soft drinks? The Dayventure will hold 12 cans, in six layers of two, with room for some ice. The size and weight make it easy to transport, with a single handle on the side or the included shoulder strap. While the Dayventure is ideal for day trips, it will easily keep its contents cold for two day—after 48 hours, it still had 10 percent of the ice we started with. Stand it up or lay it down because the zipper is watertight, and we found it quite reliable in testing. The liner and exterior shell are coated with thermoplastic urethane, which is waterproof, easy to clean, and puncture proof. Finally, there’s a single side pocket for things like cutlery, napkins, or your favorite bottle opener.
A couple of unique features set IceMule’s 25-liter Traveler apart from other coolers. It comes with an easily removable, padded butterfly harness that goes over both shoulders, sort of like a backpack. The harness is looser than a backpack though, and we were able to keep the cooler low on our backs—just above our hips—which made the weight more comfortable to carry when the cooler was full. Like the Jaunt, the Traveler features a valve, which allowed us to blow extra air into the insulating layer of the cooler to prevent thermal bridging. The shell is made of a coated material with welded seams and completely waterproof zippers. We were able to keep the shell and liner clean just by wiping them down with a damp rag. The wide, “Bowhead Top” made loading the cooler, and dumping out ice/water, super easy. Filled with 10.8 pounds of ice (halfway to the top), the Traveler had 56 percent left after 24 hours, and 1 percent left after 48. Packed properly, with no air gaps, this cooler will keep your perishables chilled beyond the weekend.
Bison’s 24-can SoftPak is a soft cooler in the truest sense: It’s completely collapsible. Initially that made it seem a little flimsy, but the soft foam insulation conformed to our back and side and acted as a cushion, making it very comfortable to carry with the shoulder strap. The flexible nature of the cooler makes storage convenient too, since it can be squashed to fit into tight spaces. It has an outer shell made from 1,000-denier vinyl, which is UV- and tear-resistant, as well as easy to clean. The zipper closure isn’t leakproof, so be careful about tipping it too far once the ice starts to melt. Capacity is the advertised 24 cans, and filled halfway with ice, the SoftPak hung onto 61 percent of it after a full day. The cooler easily keeps cold up to two days when packed properly and is great to take along just about anywhere you want cold drinks and a picnic lunch.
This cooler from LifeProof is just what it says: an insulated backpack. With the shape, scale, and features of a traditional pack, it’s easy to adjust and get comfortable carrying a case of your favorite beverage. The two padded shoulder straps connect with a sternum strap, and additional storage capacity comes from a mesh side pocket, a zippered side pocket, and a large pocket on the back. The cooler also comes with a reusable ice pack, a nice bonus because it’s less messy than using ice. In our test, we filled the Backpack Cooler halfway with ice, and after 24 hours, 12 percent remained. With the cooler packed properly, with food, drink, and ice, it will keep contents cold up to two days. The backpack is useful for all manner of day trips—just be careful when using ice in it, as the zipper isn’t leakproof.
At first glance, the Deluxe Canvas Cooler seems quite ordinary. The thermal protection the cooler offers, though, is far from ordinary. We packed it halfway with ice, and after 24 hours, 44 percent remained. Packed full with no air gaps, the cooler will easily keep its contents cold up to 48 hours. The shell is made of a nylon canvas and comes in solid colors with two dry side pockets—custom embroidery options are available, if you so choose. The soft, flexible insulation makes the cooler just about completely collapsible. Two sewn handles, a removable shoulder strap, and four D-rings facilitate carrying and stowing the cooler. Cinch straps on the ends ensure that the Deluxe Canvas can be closed up tight, reducing air gaps inside. Its capacity makes it a great size for lunches, small picnics, and day trips.
The Hopper M30 replaced the Hopper Two 30 we tested last year. It shares most of the features with the old model, including the DryHide shell, which is waterproof and UV- and puncture-resistant; shopping bag handles and a padded, removable shoulder strap; multiple D-ring tie-downs; and a flat, molded bottom. What’s new is a strong, self-closing, leak-resistant magnetic closure that extends the length of the cooler. Once closed, it folds to one side and secures with two buckle straps—sort of like a dry bag. This eliminated the zipper on the old model and greatly improved thermal performance. In our test, after 72 hours, the M30 still had 49 percent of the ice it started with. The only drawback to the new closure is its preference for staying closed. Loading or unloading can be a bit of a juggle trying to hold it open while adding ice or food. With the D-ring tie-downs—great for securing when boating or off-roading—the M30 is also good for beach trips, picnics and barbecues, and camping.