The Greatest Smooth Coolers of 2026

How We Examined Smooth Coolers

Our workforce has developed cooler guides yr after yr, objectively testing dozens of sentimental, exhausting, 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 delicate coolers on this information from ultrarunners and ski mountaineers to fly fishing and whitewater rafting guides. With that take a look at workforce, she wrote the unique delicate coolers and backpack coolers purchaser’s guides that had been first revealed in 2022.

Devoted outside 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 outside 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 educating 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 highway journeys. Gross at all times assessments the coolers throughout a variety of situations. 

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

Our Smooth Coolers Score System

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

1. Area Sturdiness

Smooth coolers are inherently extra susceptible than rotomolded exhausting 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 delicate coolers aren’t designed for multi-day journeys, they need to protect ice or hold an ice pack chilly sufficient for the meant use. Past area testing in real-world eventualities, we carry out standardized ice-melt assessments — usually filling the cooler two-thirds with ice in a managed setting — to offer 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 delicate cooler over a tough one is the benefit of transport. We price how the cooler feels when totally loaded. We take a look at strap padding, weight distribution (like Backsaver expertise), and the slap issue — whether or not a boxy cooler uncomfortably thumps towards your leg whereas mountain climbing. If it’s a burden to hold from the automotive to the campsite, it fails a key objective.

4. Ease of Entry

Waterproof zippers seal off liquid however are sometimes exhausting to open and shut. Various 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 take a look at for efficiency. We additionally contemplate further conveniences, similar to exterior stash pockets, built-in bottle openers, and inner dry-storage cabinets.

Our Testing Grounds

Our crew took these coolers by myriad situations 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 delicate cooler information, we examined the preferred, modern, extremely acclaimed, and bestselling merchandise with numerous storage and carry capacities, ice retention potential, and throughout a worth spectrum.

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

We periodically checked, making notes concerning soften price, condensation, and leaks. Every reported time is predicated on when 100% of the ice was transformed to water. This information supplies a benchmark. However when touring outdoor, these managed variables disappear and the ice will possible soften quicker.

Purchaser’s Information: Find out how to Select a Smooth Cooler

Storage Capability

Select a delicate cooler primarily based on the storage capability and kind of help you want for the load. An excellent malleable product just like the Snow Peak Smooth Cooler won’t be the very best 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 delicate coolers in our information vary from the ICEMULE Impulse, which inserts a lunch, to the 38L Snow Peak Smooth Cooler. Most of our alternative delicate coolers are both bigger (30 L to 38 L) for group multiday journeys or extra compact (12 L to 19 L).

Dry Compartments

Aside from the insulated storage you would possibly want a delicate 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. Nonetheless, this cooler affords dry aspect storage with the flexibility to take out the liner the place you’ll be able to add objects in between the outside shell and the liner.

Pockets

For group, a few of these delicate coolers provide 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 cellphone, keys, and pockets, and is waterproof for further safekeeping. Pockets will be zippered or mesh — like on the Titan by Arctic Zone 30 Can Zipperless HardBody — or envelope model.

Attachment Factors & Equipment

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

You might also see coolers with a hitchpoint grid, just like the YETI Hopper Flip 12 Smooth Cooler, which has daisy chain loops that you would be able to clip your keys, different carabiners, or straps to for extra objects. A grid system may also be used to safe your cooler down on a standup paddleboard or boat.

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

Nonetheless, it’s price noting that many delicate coolers lack tiedown factors, which could possibly be notably helpful for river adventures or bike journeys. Having this characteristic would offer 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 delicate coolers have aspect or high handles, two straps that swing as much as safe collectively above the cooler, or a detachable shoulder strap. A bunch of designs have a mixture of handles and straps, too. For coolers on the bigger aspect, 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 appreciated the extensive, delicate materials of the 2 swing-up straps on the Snow Peak Smooth Cooler.

Smooth Cooler Weight

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

Even the heaviest delicate 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.

Smooth Cooler Form

Smooth cooler totes are lengthy, slender, and streamlined towards your aspect. They’re comfy to hold over a shoulder. Nonetheless, taller coolers get trickier with entry to buried objects, so it’s important to be conscious when packing the cooler.

Smooth coolers which might be wider or extra bucket-style are simpler to entry, so far as discovering a particular merchandise. However, they will really feel extra cumbersome to hold over a shoulder. Coolers with a broad, flat floor that rests towards you’ll be able to assist take up that swing and bounce.

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

Smooth Cooler Supplies

A delicate cooler’s supplies embrace the outside, insulation, inside liner, and handles. A variety of high 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 forestall leaks.

Smooth coolers could have shoulder straps — that are usually detachable — buckles, attachment factors, and inside or exterior pockets. Some pockets have sturdy, waterproof zipper closures, however many will not be 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 delicate coolers are comprised of recycled supplies, providing eco-conscious choices on your outside excursions.  

Smooth Cooler Base

The bottom of a delicate 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 may 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 Smooth Pack Cooler and the YETI Hopper Flip 12 Smooth 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 forestall leakages and hold the chilly insulation from escaping.

Ice Retention

We accomplished our ice retention take a look at with managed variables. Every delicate cooler was stationed indoors at round 65 levels, shaded, and stuffed with the identical ratio and kind of ice.

Ice Retention Check Outcomes

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

Once you use a cooler outdoors, many elements affect a pack’s ice retention, together with the frequency of opening the cooler, direct daylight, and ambient temperature. For example, one delicate cooler preserved ice for 60 hours throughout our take a look at however just for 18 hours throughout one toasty automotive camp journey.

Find out how to Correctly Pack a Smooth Cooler

1. The easiest way to pack a delicate cooler is to pre-chill it. This easy step could make a big distinction in conserving your meals and drinks chilly. You possibly can pre-chill the cooler by inserting ice packs or crushed ice inside for just a few hours to keep up a low temperature.
2. 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 every part chilly. General, you need a ⅔ to ⅓ ice to meals/drink ratio.  
3. Place heavier objects on the backside and lighter ones on high, grouping related objects for simple entry. This won’t solely hold your cooler organized but in addition make it simpler to search out what you want. Make the most of any exterior or inner pockets for small objects like utensils, conserving them separate from the principle contents.
4. 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 possibly can 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.
5. Ideally, whenever you arrive at your vacation spot, place the cooler within the shade on a cool floor. This can assist preserve its temperature and stop the acceleration of ice soften.

Find out how to Take care of Your Smooth Cooler

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

Between makes use of, you’ll be able to clear the inside of a delicate cooler with a sponge, lukewarm water, and customary dish cleaning soap. You possibly can wipe down the outside and zipper, too — don’t miss the toes 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 delicate coolers boast burly zippers that take hand grease to open and shut. A handful of manufacturers even ship you dwelling 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 just a few occasions. The moisturizer will be utilized each 6 months to assist shield the zipper enamel — across the time you head in for an oil change. Straightforward. 

Worth & Worth

The worth of a delicate cooler is mirrored by the amount, 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.

Price range Smooth Coolers

Loads of delicate 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 alternative 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 possibly can anticipate that these coolers will serve you effectively on a half-day outing, workplace commute, grocery retailer run, or picnic. They’ll be pretty small and on the softer aspect of the spectrum — don’t count on a lot backbone or weight-bearing prowess.

Mid-Tier Smooth Coolers

Reasonably priced delicate coolers have extra garnish than funds designs. The scale 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 delicate coolers in our information. In the event you don’t need your delicate cooler to topple over, snag this one.

You too can 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 worth tier.

Premium Smooth 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 delicate coolers. The attachable shoulder strap is de facto glossy, sturdy, and comfy, plus there’s an exterior pocket and ample attachment factors for equipment. These are the main points that comprise a top-notch delicate cooler design.

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

Frequently Requested Questions

There’s utility for each designs. Arduous coolers are extra sturdy and stout and have a bigger measurement vary, given they will maintain extra weight with out collapsing. Arduous coolers can even protect ice for longer durations and a few even are available in an electrical possibility, guaranteeing your objects keep constantly chilly. In the event you’re happening a weeklong automotive tenting journey with restricted entry to ice, it’s advantageous to have a tough cooler for recent meals.

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

For highway journeys, you’ll be able to separate daytime drinks and snacks right into a delicate cooler, which limits opening of the exhausting cooler and preserves ice.

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

Some delicate coolers are superior at ice retention, which is mostly mirrored within the price ticket however not at all times. Some pricier coolers provide sufficient ice retention blended with different qualities like sturdiness and capability.

In our side-by-side ice retention take a look at, the delicate coolers that retained ice the longest had 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. Nonetheless, the YETI Hopper M15 Tote was the reigning champ at retaining ice for as much as 96 hours.

It was carefully 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 each day adventures, soften pace 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 delicate coolers, dry ice will burn the inside supplies. As a substitute, you need to use freshly frozen cubed ice, ice blocks, or reusable ice packs.

For the longest-lasting ice retention and cooling functionality, goal to make use of a 2:1 ratio of ice to contents. You possibly can shortly prechill your cooler with a sacrificial bag of ice just a few 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 evening earlier than use.

The kind of ice makes a distinction. Block ice and recent cubed ice from freezers are denser than chipped ice or crushed ice from ice machines. In the event you get tremendous strategic, you should utilize a mixture of block ice — which melts slowly — and cubed ice — which cools down the container shortly.
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 delay that low temperature. In the event you’re beneath direct solar, toss a towel or blanket over the cooler to assist alleviate a warmth spike.

Each delicate coolers and exhausting coolers have their strengths and weaknesses. Arduous coolers are usually higher for longer journeys or catering to bigger group sizes, whereas delicate coolers are nice for shorter journeys for fewer folks. 

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

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

It actually is right 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 delicate cooler to get your drinks separated is usually a useful option to set up and hold your issues chilly and recent.

When deciding on the correct measurement delicate cooler, it’s essential to issue within the variety of folks you’ll be serving and the length of your outing. For example, a bigger cooler that may retailer extra meals and drinks is perhaps vital for an extended journey, similar to a weekend tenting journey. 

One other key consideration when selecting a delicate cooler is the kind of objects you’ll be packing. In the event you’re planning to carry cumbersome objects like sandwiches or bigger containers, an even bigger cooler can be extra appropriate. Nonetheless, if you happen to simply must carry just a few drinks a smaller cooler will do the trick. This issue, together with portability, ought to information your choice. If you’re on the lookout for superior portability in a cooler, try backpack coolers, as a substitute.

Along with selecting a bigger quantity for an extended journey or for outings in hotter climates, study the ice retention and contemplate how a lot cooling energy you realistically want. The larger the amount, the extra ice you’ll be able to match contained in the cooler.

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