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Good news, you don't need to haul a heavy, hard-sided cooler to get your picnic to the beach. A soft cooler can often get the job done with less weight and less bulk. We bought and tested over 50 to see which ones actually hold their chill, and which ones are just nice to look at.
Since 2017, we have been testing coolers of all types. We load them up, take them for walks, and test out how long they keep cold. Our exhaustive testing will help you find the perfect soft cooler, no matter your budget.
If you're willing to spend a little more, the Engel HD30 is worth every penny. It holds a lot, keeps cold, and is totally waterproof.
If you're not interested in spending over $100, the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30 is a great choice. It'll keep your entire family's lunch cool for the day's outing, and it's super easy to use.
If you need to keep ice for days on your next camping trip, we've also tested and outlined our favorite hard-sided coolers.
Editor's Note: Our soft cooler review was updated on September 15, 2026, after retesting some of our favorites and to include additional cooler models from Tourit, Yeti, and REI.
Quick Picks
Here's a quick list of our favorite Soft Cooler recommendations.
The Engel HD30 holds cold longer than almost anything else in this review, and takes on more food and drink than any soft cooler we tested — 63 cans with room left over, or enough food to feed a family of four for a long weekend. Aside from its spectacular ice retention and accommodating size (we should mention you can fit a wine bottle), it is fully waterproof and durable - those who hang out on boats or braving whitewater will appreciate this. Plus, it includes thoughtful additions, like a pocket for your phone and a bottle opener. If you want the best soft cooler that money can buy, this is the one we wholeheartedly recommend time and time again.
But all these good points aren't without trade-offs. At $200, it's one of the most expensive bags here, and at 4.5 pounds empty, it's one of the heaviest before you've loaded a single can. When fully packed, our shoulders were a bit sore once we finally made it to the beach. Still, for the multiple days of cold food, we think the tradeoff is worth it. If you really only need a day trip's worth of use, this cooler could be overkill. Instead, the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30 could be a better choice for about a third of the cost.
For its price, the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30 packs a lot of punch (or at least a lot of cans). Its large, boxy design holds plenty of food and beverages. Plus, the shelf keeps delicate food (like your fresh home-cooked sourdough) off the ice and soggy-free. The zipperless design is easy to get in and out of, and we loved how comfortable it is to carry. Just flop the lid over and throw on the shoulder strap, and you're ready to go. The exterior includes a spacious pocket, a bottle opener, and a bungee cord, which we used to secure a picnic blanket. It kept our food plenty cool for the day trip, and even stayed below 40ºF for a couple of days.
If you need a fully sealed cooler, this isn't it. If it happens to topple over, any liquid will spill out. That said, we don't recommend this on turbulent boats or uneven rocky shorelines. If you think you can keep it upright, this shouldn't be a problem, and it rarely was a complication we experienced. In fact, we think it is a fair trade-off, especially for those on road trips that don't need to be messing with a pesky zipper to get the kids a snack.
One of our favorite features of the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30 is how easy and quick it is to get in and out of. It keeps items organized and fresh off the ice.
If you're gone for long hours during the day and need something to keep your lunch cool, the Lifewit Large Insulated 24 is an excellent choice. It is large enough to hold a few drinks, lunch, and some snacks, and will keep it all below 40ºF for a little over 24 hours. When working 12-hour shifts, one of our reviewers loved this cooler because it held enough to get her through the shift without spending extra money on snacks, yet she wan't hauling in a full-sized bulky cooler. When empty, it is lightweight, and it folds up to tuck away into a backpack.
While you can fit 24 cans in this cooler, it isn't ideal. The soft sides become strained at this weight, and it isn't the most comfortable to sling over a shoulder. But for its intended use of a large lunch and some extras, it is perfectly stable and comfortable. And, while it will keep you covered during a long day out, we wouldn't choose this one for an overnight trip or anywhere with long sun exposure, as its insulation can't keep up. For that, we recommend shelling out for the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30 or Engel HD30 so your food keeps cool.
The Sparter 30-Can Backpack costs less than a couple of six-packs and still swallows 35 cans. Empty, it hit our scale at just over a pound, so the only weight on your shoulders is the stuff you actually wanted to bring. We love that our hands stay free when carrying this bag, meaning we could carry even more snacks and treats to our picnic. It also includes an exterior pocket for your keys and phone. “This is the one bag in the test I'd carry a mile up a beach trail without complaining about it,” one of our testers said after a day of hauling lunch and drinks through soft sand. Plus, it folds up small and takes up little room in storage.
It held food below 40 degrees for about a day and a half and kept drinks below 50 degrees only slightly longer, which covers a beach afternoon or a tailgate but runs out well before a second morning. This backpack also isn't leakproof, and you wouldn't want it to topple over on your drive home, as any water will seep out of the seams. If you don't need a backpack style, the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30 offers more value in terms of insulation performance and durability.
The premium price tag on the Yeti Hopper M20 comes with excellent insulation performance and durable materials that rival burly hard-sided coolers. We packed up 36 cans and were able to keep them cool for four whole days. This is the cooler you'd want to hold your perishables for a weekend camping trip as the ice you put in will be the ice you dump out before heading home. The bag is fairly accommodating, even capable of holding an upright wine bottle or enough food for a family of four for the weekend. Plus, the backpack straps make it extra convenient to carry. To make it even better, this bag is fully waterproof and very durable. It won't get beaten up on sitting on rocks at the campsite.
That said, we think it is overkill for just a day trip. If you don't frequently take 3-day camping trips or need a waterproof seal, you could be just as happy with a cheaper product. While it certainly will work, it is undoubtedly expensive. And, we don't love the roll-top design when it is full as it can be hard to buckle. Still, if you like the performance of a hard-sided cooler but want the convenience of a backpack-style soft cooler, this is the one you should get.
Need your perishables cold and dry while you're out on the water? If there is any possibility of your cooler landing in the water, the IceMule Jaunt 15 is your best bet. This insulated dry bag is surprisingly good at keeping its contents at food-safe temperatures, with almost three days of temps below 40ºF. We love how this pack can be worn as a backpack or rolled up to be shoved within a backpack or attached to a paddleboard's bungee. The valve allows air to escape so you can cinch this bag down even smaller. Plus, when empty, it stores flat.
This bag is best suited for one or two people heading out for the day. For a family, we recommend the Engel HD30 as it'll hold over two times as much. The IceMule Jaunt 15 is also fairly expensive for how small it is. While it has an exterior pocket, it is just big enough to hold a phone and not much else. Still, the drybag style has its perks, like saving space, that the boxy options can't offer.
Dry bag style coolers are perfect for river floats. Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw
This cooler didn't sustain any damage during our durability testing and floats well on water (when properly sealed). Credit: Matt Lighthart
Product Comparison Table
Even fully loaded the Engel HD30 is a pleasure to carry. Credit: Matt Lighthart
How We Tested
Before we started timing how long our drinks stayed cold, this review began with market research into which soft coolers are worth testing. Every year, the number of impressive-looking soft coolers grows, and we've been expanding our selection of test-worthy models since 2017. Testing consists of a quantitative ice melt test and extensive field use. The ice melt test was carried out in a controlled environment with the internal temperature of the coolers monitored and analyzed in accordance with the USDA's Refrigeration and Food Safety Guidelines. Field use occurs in various environments, from hot desert hikes to road trips from muggy Minnesota to sunny California, for a well-rounded set of conditions. All this adds up to a comprehensive review, which will thoroughly equip you to make a well-suited soft cooler purchase. See our full How We Test article for additional testing details.
Our testing of soft coolers is divided between four rating metrics:
Insulation (35% of total score weighting)
Convenience (25% weighting)
Portability (25% weighting)
Packability (15% weighting)
We put our soft coolers through countless, rigorous tests to find the best. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Why Trust GearLab
This review is lead by Becca Glades, Kenji Mowrey, and Genaveve Bradshaw. Becca brings her previous experience of spending 12-hour shifts away from home and needing to stay nourished the entire time without spending extra money. Now she chases around two young kiddos and often takes picnics to the park or road trips around the state. A good portable cooler is always in the car and packed with goodies. Kenji leads our lab testing team and uses his degree in Outdoor Product Design to keep a keen eye on the details of every cooler. Genaveve (Gena) has been part of our cooler team for years. As a climber and frequent traveler, she needs a good cooler to stay by her side for long days out to stay fed and hydrated.
Our team uses these coolers just like you would to see how they perform in everyday life.
Analysis and Test Results
Each contender's overall score is carefully calculated through a myriad of tests spanning four crucial, mutually exclusive metrics. To discover the best cooler for every use, we divided our testing into individual and comparative assessments of every model's Insulation, Convenience, Portability, and Packability. All four of these metrics include numerous tests and evaluations that inform each cooler's score in that metric. We weighted each metric according to its importance to the general experience of using a soft cooler. When the metrics' scores are totaled, each cooler ends up with a score between 1 and 100. Here we break down those metrics individually and discuss the best performers across individual tests and full metric scores.
We use temperature probes to accuractely test how well each cooler maintains a food-safe range. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Worse Value
Better Value
What's the Best Value?
When it comes to performance in soft coolers, you often get what you pay for in terms of durability and insulation value.
The Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30, packs away nicely and has useful storage pockets and strong insulation.
The Sparter 30-Can Backpack holds ice for a day out and is among the most comfortable coolers we've tested.
Among the cheapest we recommend is the Lifewit Large Insulated 24. It's surprisingly easy to pack and convenient for casual use at a bargain price.
The Arctic Zone Deep Freeze pairs a lot of features with a reasonable pricetag. Credit: Abriah Wofford
Insulation
The FDA recommends keeping perishable foods that require refrigeration at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit; this helps prolong their freshness by slowing down the bacteria and other such nasties from growing inside. Keeping a larger cooler cold will require putting more ice or ice packs inside than what is required to keep a smaller cooler cold, as most coolers recommend at least a 1:1 ice-to-food ratio, if not even more ice. Making sure your items are cold before they go into the cooler is another way to add insulation value to any cooler. Keeping your food or beverages cold is the number one reason to purchase a cooler; thus, it is the most rigorous metric in our testing. Our head-to-head hot room insulation tests highlight which coolers provide the greatest insulation value.
Insulation Rank
We noted two critical temperature thresholds during our testing: 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. While 40 degrees is the food-safe threshold recommended by the FDA, 50 degrees represents the average ideal max temperature for serving beer. Of course, the ideal beer-drinking temperature depends on the beer you enjoy and your preference. The American Homebrewers Association provides the optimal beer serving temperatures. We chose 50 degrees as the maximum beer serving temperature and as a second benchmark temperature to easily grasp the rate of temperature increase as the ice melts in each cooler.
Packed in ice, we use a temperature gauge to measure the time it takes for these coolers to reach 40 and 50 degrees. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Looking across the full lineup, the Yeti Hopper M20 is in a class of its own. It held food-safe temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for 3.6 days and kept drinks cold below 50 degrees for a full four days — pack it Friday morning and Monday night's chicken is still safe to cook.
For those looking for more space, larger models like the Engel HD30 or the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30 impressed us most, with the HD30 sitting at the top of the list. It managed to hold sub-40-degree temps for 3 days and sub-50-degree temps for 3.3 days.
Shown here are our insulation test results. The two critical points are at 40 and 50 degrees. We note how long it takes for each cooler to reach these two thresholds, as this informs us how long these coolers can keep food and drink at safe temperatures. These have been broken down into cooler type: small, large, backpack, and lunchbox/tote.
Often the combination of convenience and insulation is why we reached for certain bags. When headed out for the day, or just packing food to get from our home to the rental cabin in the woods, a cooler like the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30 was our pick, even though it didn't rival those with 3-day cold temps. The same was true for the Yeti Daytrip 9L and Lifewit Large Insulated 24, which is a great lunch box, but not necessarily the pick for a weekend camping trip.
The Daytrip 9L is a great lunchbox or smaller soft cooler, but it won't fit enough for the whole family. Credit: Matt Lighthart
A cooler's closure system is an important design component when discussing insulation. It used to be that an airtight zipper and waterproof exterior indicated solid insulation. Models like the Engel HD30, RTIC SoftPak 20, and two Yeti Hopper Flips (12 and 18 still use this old-school approach, and their performances prove that this continues to be a winning combination. However, new closure solutions have been introduced as the soft-sided cooler market has become more innovative over time.
The heavy-duty waterproof zippers on the Yeti Hopper can be a pain to open, but they are effective in improving insulation performance. Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw
In an interesting twist, the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30 has neither a zipper nor a roll-top — it's not even fully sealed. It closes like an old-school hard cooler, with a plastic lid that nestles snugly into the top of its plastic body. It's lined on the outside by a thinly insulated fabric bag. Despite not being airtight or leak-proof, it managed to land in the upper-middle of the pack during insulation testing.
Convenience
To evaluate this metric, we focused on how easy the coolers are to load and unload, how they open, how challenging the zipper or closing mechanism is, and if they stay open while you pack them full or require a second pair of hands. We also looked at the features each came with and evaluated their usability. We discovered that just because a bottle opener is clipped onto the end doesn't mean it will reliably open bottles. Finally, we wiped down the interior to see how easy it was to clean each cooler after a long day of use.
One of the most frustrating qualities of many models we tested is their challenging zippers. So far, manufacturers haven't been able to produce a zipper that's both fully waterproof and easy to use. Many soft cooler zippers require two hands to open and close and involve quite a bit of straining and muttering through clenched teeth. However, some are easier, like the Carhartt Dual-Compartment, which smoothly opens and loads easily with the flip top.
The Carhartt Dual-Compartment Lunchbox gave us no troubles when reaching for a snack. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Engel HD30 is a different story. The zipper is genuinely watertight, but it is tricky to handle. Once open, it is easy to get in and out of, and we think the superb ice retention is worth it.
One of the easiest coolers to get in and out of is the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30. No zippers means you can flop open the lid and dig around, which was our preference when finding a snack during a road trip.
The HD30 seals well, but the waterproof zipper may be an inconvenience if you plan to open and close your cooler often. Credit: Matt Lighthart
When full, the Yeti Hopper M20 was hard to manage. The large, somewhat stiff fold top can be tricky to roll and securely clip. This takes two hands and some strength, so it isn't a cooler we want to frequently open and close.
The Yeti Hopper M20 wins at insulation, but is impressively challenging to seal closed. Credit: Matt Lighthart
A Note on Floatation
While some models may be designed to be watertight and even floaty for use in and around water, please be advised that none of the coolers in our review are meant to be used as flotation devices.
We test each cooler for how easy it is to move around fully loaded. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Portability
Depending on the amount of perishables you plan to take with you and how far you're going, you may have already put some limitations on your adventures. If a cooler is a burden to carry empty, it certainly won't become easier to handle once filled. So, to start this metric assessment, we considered weight.
Once packed full of ice and perishables, every cooler becomes exponentially heavier. This is where portability features come into play — extras like straps, handles, and padding. How practical and comfortable is it for you to lift and carry your fully loaded bag wherever you are headed?
Backpack-style coolers often do well in the portability and comfort test. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Backpack-style coolers are the clear winners here, simply because two shoulders share a load better than one. Yet not all backpack coolers are created equally comfortable, and not all totes are unpleasant to handle.
The Yeti Hopper M20 is the easiest to get around. The backpack straps are padded and comfortable enough to wear with the cooler fully packed with cans. The carry handles are also padded and conveniently placed on each side. If you have some ground to cover with your cooler or need your hands free, the Hopper M20 is a solid choice.
The Yeti Hopper M20's backpack straps are comfortable and offer exceptional portability. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Across the board, we found Yeti to have portable products with comfortable handles. Both the Hopper Flip 12 and 18 were easy to load and carry with their padded shoulder straps. The Yeti Daytrip 9L also has comfortable straps and its light weight makes it even easier to get around.
The Yeti Daytrip 9L is easy to move around, partially due to its size and partially due to its comfortable straps. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Of course, weight and portability are only part of the picture. A featherweight cooler that doesn't do its job — holding all your snacks and keeping them well chilled — quickly becomes useless. The real question is how much usable space you get for every pound you carry, and then whether that cooler can actually keep things cold once you get there.
Backpack Cooler Volume-to-Weight Compared to Portability and Insulation
Volume-to-Weight Ratio (Liters Per Pound)
Portability Score
Insulation Score
Sparter 30-Can Backpack
14.6 L per lb
7.3
4.1
IceMule Pro 33
8.7 L per lb
5.7
6.3
IceMule Jaunt 15
8.7 L per lb
5.8
7.4
Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 24 Backpack
7.7 L per lb
7.2
4
Engel Roll Top BP25 Backpack
5.9 L per lb
6.7
6.8
Yeti Hopper M20
3.9 L per lb
8.7
10
Tourit Backpack 30
13.0 L per lb
5.7
5.3
Lunchbox / Tote Cooler Volume-to-Weight Compared to Portability and Insulation
Volume-to-Weight Ratio (Liters Per Pound)
Portability Score
Insulation Score
Lifewit Large Insulated 24
16.5 L per lb
7.0
4.3
Clevermade Pacifica Collapsible Bag 30
10.9 L per lb
6.5
5.1
Carhartt Dual-Compartment Lunchbox
10.7 L per lb
5.8
2
Engel HD30
9.3 L per lb
8.1
8.3
AO Coolers 24 Pack Canvas Cooler
8.3 L per lb
6.7
6.1
Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 30
5.4 L per lb
7.9
5.7
RTIC Soft Pack 30
4.9 L per lb
7.7
4.9
Yeti Hopper Flip 18
3.7 L per lb
8.8
6.4
Yeti Hopper Flip 12
3.0 L per lb
8.8
4.2
REI Co-op Campwell 18 Folding
14.6 L per lb
7.7
4.6
Yeti Daytrip 9L
3.5 L per lb
8.7
3.3
Despite being one of the lightest coolers in our lineup, the Tourit Backpack 30 was among the least pleasant to actually carry. Loaded up, it doesn't distribute weight well, so what should feel like no burden starts to nag on a longer walk.
The Tourit distributes weight awkwardly, and we didn't love wearing it for longer periods. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Packability
To test these soft coolers' packability, we headed out to trails, picnics, and backyard barbeques to see which were the easiest to get around. We considered how adaptable each cooler is to different sizes and shapes of contents: can it fit a carton of eggs for a breakfast cookout or a bottle of chilled Pinot Grigio for that fancy picnic? Extra points were awarded for additional handles or useful features like daisy chains for clipping accessories like a bottle opener or car keys, or even to secure the cooler to a truck bed.
In terms of lunchbox packability, the Lifewit Large Insulated is a winner for day-to-day use. It'll easily hold your lunch or a few snacks for the kids. Plus, its exterior front pocket can hold a phone, keys, wallet, and a small book. It also has additional net pockets on each side.
The Lifewit has a pocket on front and two net pockets on each side, meaning you can carry more than just your perishables. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The AO Coolers 24 Pack Canvas Cooler opens wide and flat for easy loading, and it's the pick when you're feeding a crowd — there's enough room for a full run of party drinks with ice, or a weekend's worth of groceries for a couple.
The exterior pocket on the AO Coolers 24 is one of our favotire features for the essentials. Credit: Abriah Wofford
At the other end, roll-top closures like the IceMule Jaunt and the Yeti Hopper M20 hold the least. Neither can be organized since it is just a large bag. If you don't mind your perishables resting directly against ice, this isn't an issue. Otherwise, we recommend one with a shelf like the Arctic Zone Titan.
Here we show how many cans fit within the IceMult Jaunt 15. Credit: Matt Lighthart
How to Pick the Best Soft Cooler
If you're interested in a cooler to keep your frozen items and perishables fresh, here are three types to consider.
Here we are loading bags of ice into each cooler for insulation testing. Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw
Tote Bag Cooler
If you have a long commute to and from the grocery store and find that your meat defrosts or ice cream melts by the time you get home, you need a soft cooler to keep your food fresh. Lightweight tote-style coolers can be great for the grocery store as they often fold up easily to stow away in a cabinet or under the seat of your car. Some you can easily carry around at the store or fit into your cart. That said, we don't recommend lower-grade totes for anything other than grocery store runs or picnics, as they can be tiresome to carry and don't often insulate as well as other styles. However, upgraded models have entered the market in recent years, offering far superior insulation, even if the over-the-shoulder or handheld carry form still doesn't prove particularly comfortable if you need to walk distances with your cooler in tow.
Today's upgraded tote-style soft coolers often outperform many hard coolers on shorter trips with perishables. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Lunchbox Coolers
Lunchbox-style soft coolers are similar to over-the-shoulder totes, but they come with more structured sides, often constructed out of sturdy materials for rugged or waterproof use. Sold in small single-use and larger group-picnic sizes, they tend to be boxier in form (be it square or somewhat cylindrical) and may incorporate heavyweight closures and/or thicker insulation. They are also generally less collapsible than totes and therefore less convenient to stow away when not in use. With potentially wider dimensions and harder edges, they can also be less comfortable to carry. However, updated design strategies are making some models easier to use and carry and increasingly better at safekeeping perishables for longer.
Tote and lunchbox style coolers are great for quick jaunts down to the beach or grocery store. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Backpack Cooler
If you find yourself camping for several nights, hiking long trails, or requiring your cooler to keep your food fresh for more than one day, backpack coolers are the way to go. This style spreads the weight of your load more broadly across your back, making it easier to carry your supplies over distances. And, if you need something that will keep your beverages cool while paddling on the lake or floating on a river, a waterproof rollover-top dry-bag style cooler can be a great option to keep up while keeping your snack items dry.
Dry bag style coolers are perfect for river floats. Credit: Genaveve Bradshaw
Hard Coolers
If you're heading out for more than three or four days, you're going to want a hard cooler. Soft coolers are built for day trips and weekends — even the best insulators in this review will run out of ice before a long haul is over, and refilling isn't always an option once you're off the grid. If you're planning longer trips or need something that lives in the truck bed, check out our hard-sided cooler review.
Hard coolers have the best insulation power, bar none. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Other Soft Coolers to Consider
Hydro Flask Carryout: The Carryout line is available in various sizes, colors, and backpack styles, though they are pricey.
Maelstrom Backpack 35: We tested this one and think it is a reasonable product. However, it is so similar to the Tourit Backpack 30 and of the two, we prefer the Tourit.
Tourit Collapsible 48: After testing this product, we weren't all that impressed. It is essentially a large lunchbox with floppy walls and poor insulation performance. We think the Lifewit Large Insulated 24 is a better value product.
Carhartt 24-Can Two Compartment Backpack: This is another product that we have tested and had lackluster results with. For its price, there are far better choices with better cooling.
IceMule Classic 15: While we love our IceMule Jaunt 15, the the Classic 15 just doesn't compare. If you have the choice between the two, we suggest the Jaunt.
Conclusion
A soft cooler can make your weekend getaway much more enjoyable and afforable with your favorite snacks and meals packed and ready. They are also a great choice for lunchboxes or carrying the soccer team's snacks. Regardless of where you are headed, we hope our thorough testing and passion for coolers help you find the best one for your budget.
—Becca Glades, Kenji Mowrey, and Genaveve Bradshaw
