The Best Soft Coolers of 2026

How We Examined Mushy Coolers

Our workforce has developed cooler guides yr after yr, objectively testing dozens of sentimental, arduous, and backpack coolers within the area, from whitewater raft journeys to fly fishing adventures and music festivals within the mountains.

Our Skilled Testers

Lead tester Morgan Tilton, Senior Editor specializing in SnowSports Purchaser’s Guides, coordinated 5 studious gear testers to journey with and study the comfortable coolers on this information from ultrarunners and ski mountaineers to fly fishing and whitewater rafting guides. With that check workforce, she wrote the unique comfortable coolers and backpack coolers purchaser’s guides that have been first printed in 2022.

Devoted out of doors fanatic Constance Mahoney explores trails, goes fly fishing, and crews 100-mile races: She is aware of when to put money into high-quality gear and when budget-friendly choices will do the job. Constance has been a GearJunkie contributor since 2019, after she reviewed out of doors gear for FitnessTravelGear.com for 2 years.

Gear tester Makena Gross is the assistant ski patrol director and a ski and bike patroller at Brian Head Resort, alongside instructing wilderness medication programs. Whereas adventuring all through the Southwest, Gross took these coolers on a mess of actions, starting from day journeys to the lake to go fishing and swimming to multiday street journeys. Gross at all times checks the coolers throughout a variety of circumstances. 

Skilled athlete and equipment analyst Dane Tudor is a supervisor for Gravity Logic, the place he designs mountain bike trails and operates equipment when he’s not large mountain freeskiing. For the heavy lifting, Tudor takes alongside comfortable coolers and backpack coolers, carrying 1000’s of energy into the woods for 12-hour days constructing bike parks all through North America.

Our Mushy Coolers Ranking System

Past the general score, we charge every of those 4 pillars of sentimental cooler efficiency on a scale of 1-10: 

1. Subject Sturdiness

Mushy coolers are inherently extra susceptible than rotomolded arduous chests. We consider the burly issue: the denier of the outer shell (like YETI’s DryHide or Arctic Zone’s Rhino-Tech), the integrity of RF-welded seams, and the standard of the {hardware}. The outside ought to face up to tree sap from the bottom and overgrown branches whereas mountain climbing to the river. 

2. Ice Retention

Whereas comfortable coolers aren’t designed for multi-day journeys, they need to protect ice or hold an ice pack chilly sufficient for the supposed use. Past area testing in real-world eventualities, we carry out standardized ice-melt checks — usually filling the cooler two-thirds with ice in a managed surroundings — to supply an goal baseline. This lets you differentiate between a 6-hour picnic tote and a 48-hour weekend workhorse.

3. Portability & Ergonomics

The first purpose to decide on a comfortable cooler over a tough one is the benefit of transport. We charge how the cooler feels when absolutely loaded. We have a look at strap padding, weight distribution (like Backsaver know-how), and the slap issue — whether or not a boxy cooler uncomfortably thumps in opposition to your leg whereas mountain climbing. If it’s a burden to hold from the automobile to the campsite, it fails a key aim.

4. Ease of Entry

Waterproof zippers seal off liquid however are sometimes arduous to open and shut. Different designs, with magnets or zipper-free lids, can add comfort for one-handed use and get rid of the battle. Whereas each choices have their deserves, we area check for efficiency. We additionally think about further conveniences, reminiscent of exterior stash pockets, built-in bottle openers, and inside dry-storage cabinets.

Our Testing Grounds

Our crew took these coolers by myriad circumstances from summertime park BBQs to tenting in Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, guiding fly fishing periods on rivers, bike park constructing in British Columbia, and road-tripping to ski mountaineering within the Pacific Northwest.

Our Testing Course of

For this comfortable cooler information, we examined the most well-liked, revolutionary, extremely acclaimed, and bestselling merchandise with numerous storage and carry capacities, ice retention skill, and throughout a value spectrum.

We additionally carried out a managed in-house ice retention check to confirm model claims. For the experiment, we crammed every pre-cooled cooler roughly 70% with contemporary, frozen cubed ice and set them in a shaded, dry indoor area at a gentle common of 65 levels.

We periodically checked, making notes relating to soften charge, condensation, and leaks. Every reported time is predicated on when 100% of the ice was transformed to water. This information gives a benchmark. However when touring outside, these managed variables disappear and the ice will doubtless soften sooner.

Purchaser’s Information: Select a Mushy Cooler

Storage Capability

Select a comfortable cooler primarily based on the storage capability and kind of help you want for the load. A brilliant malleable product just like the Snow Peak Mushy Cooler won’t be the perfect for carrying dozens of heavy cans in comparison with a extra inflexible design just like the RTIC 20 Can.

The bigger the group, the extra cargo area you’ll want. The comfortable coolers in our information vary from the ICEMULE Impulse, which inserts a lunch, to the 38L Snow Peak Mushy Cooler. Most of our selection comfortable coolers are both bigger (30 L to 38 L) for group multiday journeys or extra compact (12 L to 19 L).

Dry Compartments

Apart from the insulated storage you may want a comfortable cooler with a dry compartment to hold miscellaneous stuff.

Some coolers just like the Booe 30L Waterproof Insulated Tote solely have the principle storage compartment with no different pockets or mesh liners to place further objects in. Nevertheless, this cooler presents dry facet storage with the flexibility to take out the liner the place you may add objects in between the outside shell and the liner.

Pockets

For group, a few of these comfortable coolers supply further storage pockets — each inside and on the outside — that’s excellent for stowing objects like telephones, keys, chapstick, or utensils.

Coolers such because the RTIC 20 Can have an exterior zip-up pocket that matches small objects, like your telephone, keys, and pockets, and is waterproof for further safekeeping. Pockets might be zippered or mesh — like on the Titan by Arctic Zone 30 Can Zipperless HardBody — or envelope model.

Attachment Factors & Equipment

Mushy coolers include numerous attachment factors and different options to boost performance. That features arduous clip factors, webbing straps, and bungee cords for carrying further gear. The ICEMULE Impulse presents distinctive straps that can be utilized to connect it to bike handlebars.

You may additionally see coolers with a hitchpoint grid, just like the YETI Hopper Flip 12 Mushy Cooler, which has daisy chain loops you could clip your keys, different carabiners, or straps to for added objects. A grid system can be used to safe your cooler down on a standup paddleboard or boat.

Many fashions additionally characteristic reflective logos and built-in bottle openers.

Nevertheless, it’s value noting that many comfortable coolers lack tiedown factors, which could possibly be significantly useful for river adventures or bike journeys. Having this characteristic would supply further safety on your gear whereas on the go.

Straps & Handles

Handles and straps are constructed with a wide range of supplies. Some are extra ergonomic, comfy, and sturdy than others.

Most comfortable coolers have facet or prime handles, two straps that swing as much as safe collectively above the cooler, or a detachable shoulder strap. A bunch of designs have a mix of handles and straps, too. For coolers on the bigger facet, just like the YETI Hopper M15 Tote, it’s key to have padding on the hand or shoulder straps for consolation whereas carrying a completely loaded cooler.

In our testing, we favored the vast, comfortable materials of the 2 swing-up straps on the Snow Peak Mushy Cooler.

Mushy Cooler Weight

The weights of sentimental coolers are usually mirrored by their dimension and capability. The smallest design in our information is the ICEMULE Impulse, which weighs lower than a pound. The heaviest comfortable cooler is the 5-pound YETI Hopper M15 Tote, which has a 17L capability and the perfect ice retention.

Even the heaviest comfortable cooler in our information is lighter than a tough cooler. For comparability, the YETI Tundra 45 Cooler weighs 23 kilos, and the RovR Merchandise RollR 45 weighs greater than 37 kilos.

Mushy Cooler Form

Mushy cooler totes are lengthy, slender, and streamlined in opposition to your facet. They’re comfy to hold over a shoulder. Nevertheless, taller coolers get trickier with entry to buried objects, so you need to be aware when packing the cooler.

Mushy coolers which are wider or extra bucket-style are simpler to entry, so far as discovering a selected merchandise. However, they’ll really feel extra cumbersome to hold over a shoulder. Coolers with a broad, flat floor that rests in opposition to you may assist take up that swing and bounce.

Boxier coolers might be simpler to stack — so long as the partitions and base are inflexible — whereas sleeker coolers can extra doubtless slip behind a seat in your automobile. Shorter, extra compact coolers are simpler to slot in tight areas on a ship.

Mushy Cooler Supplies

A comfortable cooler’s supplies embrace the outside, insulation, inside liner, and handles. A variety of prime closures exist, the commonest being waterproof and leakproof zippers or non-waterproof and leakproof zippers.

We take note of that variable to know if a cooler must at all times be upright. Some distinctive closures don’t permit leaks. Different coolers have magnetic seams, like fashions made by YETI. Welded seams additionally assist stop leaks.

Mushy coolers might have shoulder straps — that are usually detachable — buckles, attachment factors, and inside or exterior pockets. Some pockets have sturdy, waterproof zipper closures, however many should not weather-resistant or secured with a closure.

The standard of supplies influences the waterproofness, sturdiness, insulation worth, and whether or not or not the face material produces condensation. The supplies additionally decide the consolation, breathability, help, and total price.

Sure comfortable coolers are constructed from recycled supplies, providing eco-conscious choices on your out of doors excursions.  

Mushy Cooler Base

The bottom of a comfortable cooler can play a big position within the integrity of your cooler. A robust base retains your cooler partitions from collapsing, whereas a flimsy base might end result within the partitions caving in.

One other issue is how well-insulated the bottom is. A thicker, extra insulated base can hold your contents cooler for longer whereas it’s sitting on a scorching truck mattress, dock, or boat.

Each the RTIC 20 Can Mushy Pack Cooler and the YETI Hopper Flip 12 Mushy Cooler are extra box-shaped and have a thick, sturdy base that gives stability and insulation help.

Tote-style coolers together with the Booe 30L Waterproof Insulated Tote have welded seams on the bottom that stop leakages and hold the chilly insulation from escaping.

Ice Retention

We accomplished our ice retention check with managed variables. Every comfortable cooler was stationed indoors at round 65 levels, shaded, and crammed with the identical ratio and kind of ice.

Ice Retention Check Outcomes

For a wide range of circumstances, the comfortable coolers on this information present sufficient cooling energy to serve a variety of recreation wants.

Whenever you use a cooler exterior, many components affect a pack’s ice retention, together with the frequency of opening the cooler, direct daylight, and ambient temperature. For example, one comfortable cooler preserved ice for 60 hours throughout our check however just for 18 hours throughout one toasty automobile camp journey.

Correctly Pack a Mushy Cooler

One of the simplest ways to pack a comfortable cooler is to pre-chill it. This easy step could make a big distinction in holding your meals and drinks chilly. You’ll be able to pre-chill the cooler by putting ice packs or crushed ice inside for a number of hours to keep up a low temperature.

After a pre-chill, start with a layer of ice on the backside, adopted by your meals and drinks. Pack these tightly to reduce air area, which helps hold all the things chilly. General, you desire a ⅔ to ⅓ ice to meals/drink ratio.  

Place heavier objects on the backside and lighter ones on prime, grouping related objects for straightforward entry. This is not going to solely hold your cooler organized but additionally make it simpler to search out what you want. Make the most of any exterior or inside pockets for small objects like utensils, holding them separate from the principle contents.

As soon as packed, make sure the cooler is closed up utterly to reduce air publicity and stop temperature loss. Fill any further area with contents, as a result of air hastens the ice soften. If wanted, you would pack crumpled paper or small towels to take up air area. Attempt to keep away from frequent openings — as every time you do, chilly air escapes, elevating the temperature inside.

Ideally, while you arrive at your vacation spot, place the cooler within the shade on a cool floor. This may assist preserve its temperature and stop the acceleration of ice soften.

Look after Your Mushy Cooler

Some comfortable coolers have supplies which are mildew-resistant and antimicrobial like the inside liner of the RTIC Mushy Pack. YETI additionally treats the inside and exterior of its Hopper Flip comfortable coolers to be mildew resistant, which helps with holding your tote sanitary whereas extending the lifetime of the product. 

Between makes use of, you may clear the inside of a comfortable cooler with a sponge, lukewarm water, and normal dish cleaning soap. You’ll be able to wipe down the outside and zipper, too — don’t miss the ft and backside, which contact floor surfaces. Let the inside utterly air dry or use a towel to wipe down earlier than zipping shut for storage. 

Essentially the most hermetic, temperature-regulated, and waterproof comfortable coolers boast burly zippers that take hand grease to open and shut. A handful of manufacturers even ship you residence with zipper lubricant, like RTIC and YETI. 

For example, YETI advises making use of the lubricant to the back and front of the zipper together with the enamel and seal. RTIC says so as to add a few drops, after which open and shut the zipper a number of occasions. The moisturizer might be utilized each 6 months to assist defend the zipper enamel — across the time you head in for an oil change. Simple. 

Worth & Worth

The value of a comfortable cooler is mirrored by the quantity, weight, carry design, sturdiness, high quality of supplies, equipment, dry storage, and ice retention.

Checking the tags, the costs of sentimental coolers in our information vary from the 12-liter Mountainsmith Sixer ($40), which is among the many smallest coolers, to the YETI Hopper Flip 12 ($250) with top-shelf ice retention.

Finances Mushy Coolers

Loads of comfortable coolers are pretty comfy to make use of and dependable (so long as it’s not too sunny or scorching scorching out) within the less-than-$100 class. These selection designs embrace a variety of designs such because the REI Co-op Campwell 18 L Folding Cooler ($40) and Titan by Arctic Zone Bucket Tote ($53).

You’ll be able to anticipate that these coolers will serve you nicely on a half-day outing, workplace commute, grocery retailer run, or picnic. They’ll be pretty small and on the softer facet of the spectrum — don’t count on a lot backbone or weight-bearing prowess.

Mid-Tier Mushy Coolers

Reasonably priced comfortable coolers have extra garnish than price range designs. The dimensions is bigger — like for the Snow Peak ($130) — or the design is extra intricate and area of interest, just like the bicycle-friendly ICEMULE Impulse ($100), which comes with handlebar attachments.

The RTIC 20 Can ($99) is among the many sturdiest, stoutest comfortable coolers in our information. In case you don’t need your comfortable cooler to topple over, snag this one.

You can even discover designs constructed with high-end supplies, just like the YETI Daytrip 14L, however they’re comparatively compact and lack sturdiness, in order that they haven’t ran into the premium value tier.

Premium Mushy Coolers

The YETI Hopper M15 Tote ($300) occupies the premium finish, which was the queen of ice retention with 96 hours of keep energy. The amount is on the bigger finish for comfortable coolers. The attachable shoulder strap is admittedly smooth, sturdy, and comfy, plus there’s an exterior pocket and ample attachment factors for equipment. These are the small print that comprise a top-notch comfortable cooler design.

With common ice retention however waterproof prowess, the Booe 30L Waterproof Insulated Tote ($200) is close to that high-tier value, too. It presents a higher quantity of quantity and area in comparison with smaller comfortable coolers on our record. Additionally, this tote’s liner is detachable, so the piece can double as a dry bag.

Steadily Requested Questions

There’s utility for each designs. Arduous coolers are extra sturdy and stout and have a bigger dimension vary, given they’ll maintain extra weight with out collapsing. Arduous coolers can even protect ice for longer durations and a few even are available an electrical choice, making certain your objects keep persistently chilly. In case you’re happening a weeklong automobile tenting journey with restricted entry to ice, it’s advantageous to have a tough cooler for contemporary meals.

However, a comfortable cooler is a most popular selection for being light-weight, simple to hold — particularly for one individual — and easy to move. The compact sizes are nice for picnics, day journeys, in a single day tenting, and grocery procuring. One other profit is a few comfortable coolers are collapsible, in order that they occupy much less area in storage than a tough cooler.

For street journeys, you may separate daytime drinks and snacks right into a comfortable cooler, which limits opening of the arduous cooler and preserves ice.

If the cooler’s seams should not welded and leakproof, they’ll leak. Mushy coolers can even leak by the lid closure if the zipper isn’t waterproof or the clasp isn’t leakproof.

Some comfortable coolers are superior at ice retention, which is mostly mirrored within the price ticket however not at all times. Some pricier coolers supply ample ice retention combined with different qualities like sturdiness and capability.

In our side-by-side ice retention check, the comfortable coolers that retained ice the longest have been the RovR TravelR, YETI Hopper Flip 12, RTIC 20 Can, that are every able to holding ice for as much as 72 hours, to every model’s declare. Nevertheless, the YETI Hopper M15 Tote was the reigning champ at retaining ice for as much as 96 hours.

It was intently adopted by the Titan by Arctic Zone Bucket Tote, which held ice for 70 hours. The bottom ice retention recorded was 25 hours for the Mountainsmith Sixer.

In every day adventures, soften velocity barely fluctuates primarily based on the frequency of opening the cooler, how lengthy it’s open, ambient warmth, and direct daylight. A bunch of different variables affect ice retention, too, together with the kind and amount of ice, further area within the compartment (which decreases effectiveness), and if the cooler was prechilled.

For many comfortable coolers, dry ice will burn the inside supplies. As an alternative, you need to use freshly frozen cubed ice, ice blocks, or reusable ice packs.

For the longest-lasting ice retention and cooling functionality, purpose to make use of a 2:1 ratio of ice to contents. You’ll be able to rapidly prechill your cooler with a sacrificial bag of ice a number of hours earlier than loading it up, particularly if the cooler was saved in a scorching place. Or, carry the cooler inside a cool room to decrease the temperature the night time earlier than use.

The kind of ice makes a distinction. Block ice and contemporary cubed ice from freezers are denser than chipped ice or crushed ice from ice machines. In case you get tremendous strategic, you should use a mixture of block ice — which melts slowly — and cubed ice — which cools down the container rapidly.Because the ice melts, it’s preferrred to retain the ice water, which helps the opposite ice keep chilly. Restrict your entry to the cooler as a result of opening it up releases the chilly air.

Hold your cooler within the shade to lengthen that low temperature. In case you’re below direct solar, toss a towel or blanket over the cooler to assist alleviate a warmth spike.

Each comfortable coolers and arduous coolers have their strengths and weaknesses. Arduous coolers are typically higher for longer journeys or catering to bigger group sizes, whereas comfortable coolers are nice for shorter journeys for fewer individuals. 

The advantages of arduous coolers are that they usually are extra sturdy, sturdier, and hold ice longer than comfortable coolers. Some downsides to arduous coolers are that they’re tougher to maneuver and carry, and they are often tougher to retailer since they don’t compact like comfortable coolers do.

However, the advantages of sentimental coolers are that they’re extra compact, retailer nicely, are extra light-weight and simpler to hold. Though they don’t protect ice for so long as arduous coolers, there are a number of neat design options, like further pockets, hitchpoints, and extra carrying strategies. 

It actually is good to have choices to select from relying on what journey you’re planning. Having a tough cooler designated for meals for the journey and having a comfortable cooler to get your drinks separated generally is a useful solution to arrange and hold your issues chilly and contemporary.

When choosing the proper dimension comfortable cooler, it’s essential to issue within the variety of individuals you’ll be serving and the length of your outing. For example, a bigger cooler that may retailer extra meals and drinks is perhaps mandatory for an extended journey, reminiscent of a weekend tenting journey. 

One other key consideration when selecting a comfortable cooler is the kind of objects you’ll be packing. In case you’re planning to carry cumbersome objects like sandwiches or bigger containers, an even bigger cooler can be extra appropriate. Nevertheless, in case you simply have to carry a number of drinks a smaller cooler will do the trick. This issue, together with portability, ought to information your choice. In case you are searching for superior portability in a cooler, take a look at backpack coolers, as an alternative.

Along with selecting a bigger quantity for an extended journey or for outings in hotter climates, study the ice retention and think about how a lot cooling energy you realistically want. The higher the quantity, the extra ice you may match contained in the cooler.

Lastly, some coolers include further pockets or compartments, which might improve group. You may need to select a barely bigger dimension to reap the benefits of these options.