The Best Soft Cooler Backpacks for Outdoor Adventures
Best for the best value: REI Co-op Cool Trail Split Pack
Pros: Very efficient for solo adventures or a date
Cons: Smallest cooler compartment
Price: $85
Please excuse my Robocop reference, but my notes on the Split Pack had the same cadence as that movie’s banger 80s tagline: part backpack, part cooler – all trailready. While the Dayventure also split the pack into two compartments, both worked as coolers—the Split Pack really differentiated with this backpack on top cooler on the bottom design. In good news, it had s sturdy, fully enclosed, pocket to keep sandy towels and my kids wet bathing suit separate from the leftovers of our lunch during the ¼ mile hike out for a remote beach picnic. In not-so-good (specific to my snack focused family) news, it couldn’t hold more than a light lunch’s worth of food in there with an ice pack. If you are purchasing this as an individual or for a couple, the cooler compartment will serve you well, but think of sizing up to one of the other coolers on this list if buying for a family.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I use a backpack cooler for?
Backpack coolers are best for day trips because they are super portable but don’t have the thermoregulation chops of a hard sided cooler. If you need a cooler to retain ice for a whole weekend or keep your food cold for a longer trip, you would be better served with a hard cooler.
How durable are backpack coolers?
Like any piece of gear, backpack coolers run the gamut when it comes to durability. Traditionally soft coolers were super flimsy but that has changed in the past decade with some genuinely burly soft backpack coolers coming to market like everything from Yeti as well as the surprisingly durable (for the price) ICEMULE.
Should I use a disposable cooler?
No. Never. Please don’t use a disposable cooler. They are one of those uniquely terrible items that doesn’t work well (a disposable cooler will hold on to ice significantly less well than any cooler bag on this list), is wasteful, and actually doesn’t make sense financially. If you have to buy five of those things you have spent as much money as the Carry-Out cooler above.
Source: https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/best-soft-sided-cooler-backpacks
