The 5 Best Soft Coolers, According to Our Editor After Months of Testing

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Best Soft Cooler Overall

Yeti M15 Tote Soft Cooler

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If you’re a long-time Yeti fan, it’s probably no surprise that this Yeti soft cooler ranks at the top of my list. To cut to the chase, Yeti’s ice retention is unbeatable. Couple that with Yeti’s sleek cooler designs, quality materials and endless cooler accessories, and it’s no surprise why Yeti is the best overall.

If you’re wondering why I’ve listed the M15 Tote over the Hopper Flip, it boils down to personal preference. I prefer the look and feel of a tote-shaped cooler over a box-shaped one. However, they’re virtually the same cooler regarding ice retention and construction materials.

The Yeti soft coolers keep things cold the longest (I’ve tested a few, including Yeti hard coolers; the M12 Backpack made this list, too). The ice stayed intact after 24 hours with no noticeable melting, and after 40 hours, the contents were still cold. Typically, soft coolers cannot keep contents cold as long as hard coolers, but Yeti soft coolers make it well past the 24-hour mark.

The M15 Tote is the newest addition to Yeti’s Hopper Soft Cooler line, and it’s made with MagShield, which means magnets sit at the opening and make the cooler easy to open and close. The heavy-duty magnets lock in the cold and roll down so the whole cooler buckles shut for an added layer of protection. Additionally, the cooler’s fabric is incredibly durable and UV-resistant. The M15 can fit 32 12-ounce cans (without ice), while the larger M30 can hold 42 cans (without ice).

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Best Backpack

Yeti M12 Backpack Soft Cooler

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It should be no surprise that my favorite backpack cooler is also from Yeti. The M12 Backpack Soft Cooler is a tad smaller than the M15 Tote, but they have the same shape, appearance, capabilities and features. In fact, the only notable differences are the size and carrying straps.

The M12 Backpack also has the same MagShield opening that says open while loading and unloading the cooler and snaps closed when pushed shut. The magnets create a leak-resistant shield, which means your back won’t get wet no matter where you’re taking it or how long you’re hauling it. The M12 Backpack also features a kangaroo side pocket for small items and a grid system for attaching small accessories. The M12 can fit up to 20 12-ounce cans (without ice), and the larger M20 can hold 36 cans (without ice).

If you’re deciding between the M15 Tote and the M12 Backpack, you’re really choosing between two carrying styles. Do you want backpack shoulder straps or a single shoulder strap with top handles? As I said, I came to prefer the tote design for short trips and dinner parties. But if you plan on hiking with your cooler, I’d go with the backpack.

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Best Compact

BruMate MagPack Soft Cooler

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Made for on-the-go adventures, the new MagPack Soft Cooler from BruMate is lightweight. Similar to the Yeti soft coolers, it has a magnetic lid instead of a zipper top to seal in the cold, and its soft outer shell is waterproof and puncture-proof. This small but mighty cooler keeps things cold for 24 hours and sometimes longer.

The BruMate MagPack comes in three sizes: 12-can, 18-can and 24-can. The two smaller sizes have shoulder straps, while the largest size is designed as a backpack. The largest weighs under eight pounds, and the smallest weighs six pounds. BruMate soft coolers can be a bit heavier than other soft coolers I’ve tested, but that’s a small tradeoff for its compact design and cooling capabilities.

The smallest 12-can cooler fits most of my daily needs and is perfect for medical supplies or baby food. As I mentioned, many soft coolers won’t last a day and a half before their inner contents become melted or soggy. With this cooler, contents remained cold to the 48-hour mark. I found that it has a similar ice retention rate to Yeti’s soft coolers. However, if you need items to stay frozen or extra cold for more than a day, I’d recommend repacking the ice (or refreezing ice packs) at the 24-hour mark.

I’ve had the Brumate MagPack the longest of all my soft coolers. It’s been dropped, slammed into objects and squished by car doors. It honestly still looks new, and its shape has remained unaltered. This is my favorite soft cooler for small items that need cooling. It also works great as an oversized lunchbox for long jobs and day trips.

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Best Large-Capacity

HydroFlask 20L Carry Out Soft Cooler Pack

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If you need to haul (and keep cool) tall bottles of wine or other long items, this is the soft cooler for you. The Hydro Flask 20L Carry Out Soft Cooler Pack has an impressive capacity for its size. I fit 2 full bags of ice in it during testing! The easy-access hinge top makes dumping in ice, loading and unloading easy, too—perhaps easier than any other soft cooler I tested.

The Hydro Flask soft cooler has super lightweight insulation, plus padded back and shoulder straps for comfortable carrying. Its lightweight body is easy to carry, durable and water-resistant, but its lighter insulation means shorter ice retention. Still, it keeps things cold for up to 24 hours. I also got it to keep a bag of ice for 48 hours, but most of the ice had melted by then. So, while it may keep items cold past 24 hours, it will likely not keep them frozen.

This soft cooler has generous stretch pockets for water bottles and other items. Since it holds large items, it would be the perfect portable backpack cooler for tailgating. Weighing a little over 2 1/2 pounds, it is also the most comfortable to carry. I’d opt for a darker color; the trillium (light pink) got dirty very easily.

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Best Budget

RTIC Soft Pack Cooler

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If you’re looking for a large soft cooler that’s under $100, then the RTIC Soft Pack Cooler might be your match (in the 12- or 20-can size). In my opinion, it’s also one of the best-looking coolers of the bunch. I snagged the limited-edition snapdragon color, which is a mauve pink in person, and it’s beautiful. I hope they bring the color back permanently.

The RTIC Soft Pack Cooler is built to float, so it’s perfect for float trips, swimming and fishing. It comes in 12-, 20-, 30- and 40-can sizes and a handful of colors, which seem to change frequently. It’s also durable and lightweight. RTIC says the cooler keeps contents cold for two days, which is true, but it doesn’t keep ice for two days. The cooler held ice for 16 hours, but the ice had melted significantly by the 24-hour mark. By day two, the ice was almost completely melted. Still, this soft cooler would be perfect for a day out on the boat (assuming you’re not out for more than 12 hours or so).

I will say that the tight zipper seal, though sometimes hard to open, does keep water from getting into the cooler when thrown into the pool. It also didn’t stain or get scratched outdoors and is easy to clean. (This cooler and the BruMate MagPack were the easiest to clean.) One other cool feature is that you can personalize the RTIC soft cooler with text, monograms, images and other designs, so you can pick your cooler out from the crowd.

Months of Product Testing Coolers

Our shopping editor, Mary Henn, has spent the last year and a half testing different soft and hard coolers on and off. Earlier this year, she began testing soft coolers like the BruMate MagPack. In response to our readers’ increased interest in coolers, she tested as many soft coolers as possible. That led to months of cooler testing, culminating in this list, just in time for football season.

Currently, Mary is testing more coolers and related items, including the best cooler accessories. That way, you can make consumer-informed decisions based on real-life testing before you buy.

How a Power Outage Helped Me Find the Best Soft Coolers

My search for the best soft coolers began at the start of summer. With trips planned and pool days ahead, I knew I’d have ample opportunity to test coolers. However, I did not anticipate what would happen at the end of summer. Long story short, we lost power for more than three days due to an electrical fire caused by a storm. Naturally, we had just stocked our deep freezer, and I was worried we’d lose hundreds of dollars in frozen food. When I realized it would be days before power was restored, I loaded up every cooler I had handy with our most expensive foods and drove to our nearest relative, who had plenty of freezer space.

That unplanned cooler testing proved that the most well-insulated coolers can keep food cold even without ice added. I filled the Yeti coolers with frozen meat, and it remained frozen for the hour-long drive; the interiors of the coolers were chilled from the blocks of meat, too. Of course, I did additional testing with ice, overnight tests, durability tests and more to evaluate the performance of each soft cooler.

FAQ

Are soft-sided coolers any good?

Yes! They’re typically lighter, more compact and therefore more portable than hard coolers. So, they’re perfect for day trips, going to the pool, packing a picnic or keeping items cold on the way home from the grocery store.

What coolers are as good as Yeti?

Regarding impressive ice retention, BruMate soft coolers are on par with Yeti soft coolers. I’ve found that RTIC coolers don’t hold ice quite as well, but they sell for less money. If you don’t need to keep things cold or frozen for more than 24 hours, RTIC is a solid choice.

Are RTIC soft coolers as good as Yeti?

The RTIC soft cooler listed above has many great features: it floats in water, it’s portable, and it’s lightweight, to name a few. However, if ice retention is your main concern, RTIC soft coolers don’t compare to Yeti soft coolers.