Soft Coolers / The rankings
The best backpack coolers, sorted by whether they leak and how long they hold ice
A backpack cooler is a soft cooler you wear, so a leak is a wet back. Five ranked on OutdoorGearLab's measured days, the closure, and the term, including the one RTIC says not to put loose ice in.
By Mike M.Updated Researched · every figure sourced
#adReader-supported: we may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never decides a ranking. How we rank · Disclosure
Quick picks
The rankings at a glance
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  YETI Hopper M20 Backpack Cooler The longest-holding backpack cooler in OutdoorGearLab's Sept 2026 table (3.6 days) and Outdoor Life's Best Backpack (55 h). A magnetic closure instead of a zipper, and a 3-year term. | Best overall, longest measured3-yr warranty | 9.2 /10 | $325.00Amazon |
| 2 |  Engel Roll Top BP25 Backpack Cooler A roll-top backpack cooler with 2.5 measured days and 52 cans. Roll-top means no zipper at all. One-year term. | Best roll-top, no zipper1-yr warranty | 8.9 /10 | $169.99Amazon |
| 3 |  Titan by Arctic Zone 26-Can Backpack Cooler The budget backpack cooler that replaced RTIC's Ultra-Tough backpack on this list, because RTIC's is no longer sold new on Amazon: 26 cans, 3 lb empty, a leak-proof easy-clean lining and twelve accessory pockets, under Arctic Zone's limited lifetime term on soft goods. | Best value waterproofLifetime warranty | 9.1 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 4 |  YETI Daytrip 20L Insulated Backpack Cooler YETI's lightweight day backpack: 20 L, 3.2 lb, a foldable body. The Daytrip line is not in the warranty table we could read, so the term is unverified; the 9 L Daytrip lunch box measured 1.2 days at OutdoorGearLab. | Lightest, unverified termWarranty: unverified | 8.6 /10 | $225.00Amazon |
| 5 |  RTIC Lightweight Backpack Cooler 15 Can A fabric-zipper backpack cooler RTIC rates for 'up to 24 hours' and says is not for loose ice. Fine for lunch and a hike, not a cooler in the sense this site means. 90-day term. | Day-hike lunch only90-day warranty | 8.4 /10 | $49.98Amazon |
#ad · Prices come live from Amazon, last checked November 5, 2026. Scores are ours, built from published specs, quoted warranty terms and cited third-party ice-retention tests, not our own measurements. Product photos come from Amazon. Tap a row for the full write-up.
What leaks and what doesn't
A boat raises the stakes on exactly this spec, because the bag is wet from the outside as well as the inside: best coolers for kayaking keeps only the welded bodies and roll tops, and explains why no measured figure on this site is a paddling figure.
Three closures do not leak by design: a welded body with a waterproof zipper (Titan 26-Can Backpack Cooler, with its EZ Waterproof Zipper and welded seams), a roll-top (Engel BP25), and a magnetic wide-mouth closure over a welded body (Hopper M20, which Yeti describes as leak-resistant rather than leakproof because the magnet is not a seal). One closure leaks by design: a fabric zipper. RTIC's Lightweight Backpack Cooler page says it plainly: “This item is constructed with a fabric zipper, not a waterproof zipper. Not designed to be used with loose ice.” That is the honest line every $40 backpack cooler should print, and this page ranks the Lightweight last on it while crediting RTIC for saying so.
Side by side
| Evidence | YETI Hopper M20 Backpack Cooler | Engel Roll Top BP25 Backpack Cooler | Titan by Arctic Zone 26-Can Backpack Cooler |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 36 cans without ice (YETI spec via L.L.Bean); 20.1 L measured (OutdoorGearLab) | 52 cans / 25.3 L measured (OutdoorGearLab) | 26 cans |
| Ice retention (reported) | 3.6 days below 40°F, 4.0 days below 50°F (OutdoorGearLab, Top Pick)55 hours at one-third ice (Outdoor Life, Best Backpack) | 2.5 days below 40°F, 2.7 days below 50°F (OutdoorGearLab) | Unverified: no third-party test of this model found as of 2026-10-03 |
| Construction | — | — | Leak-proof, easy-clean lining; twelve accessory pockets including a front organizer compartment |
| Exterior | 15.3 W × 9.9 D × 19.1 H in | 14 × 8.8 × 20.4 in (measured) | 9 × 11 × 19 in |
| Weight | 5.6 lb (maker); 5.2 lb measured (OutdoorGearLab) | 4.3 lb (measured) | 3 lb empty |
| Warranty | 3-year limited (YETI Hopper) | 1-year limited (Engel BP25 High-Performance Backpack Cooler) | Limited lifetime (Arctic Zone soft products; rotomolded hard coolers are 5 years) |
| Score | 9.2/10 | 8.9/10 | 9.1/10 |
| Evidence | YETI Daytrip 20L Insulated Backpack Cooler | RTIC Lightweight Backpack Cooler 15 Can |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 20 L (1,220 cu in) | 15 cans |
| Ice retention (reported) | Unverified for the 20 L backpack; the Daytrip 9 L lunch box measured 1.2 days below 40°F (OutdoorGearLab) | — |
| Ice retention (maker claim) | — | 'keep cold for up to 24 hours'; 'Not designed to be used with loose ice' |
| Construction | — | Heavy-duty polyester; fabric zipper, not a waterproof zipper; two mesh side pockets |
| Weight | 3.2 lb | — |
| Warranty | Unverified: 'Daytrip' is not listed in the YETI warranty document we could read (2019 capture); newer product | 90 days (RTIC Day Coolers, including Lightweight Backpack) |
| Score | 8.6/10 | 8.4/10 |
The weight on your back
On ice, the M20's 3.6 days is the longest of any soft cooler in OutdoorGearLab's table, duffels included, and Outdoor Life's 55 hours at one-third ice made it that test's Best Backpack. The BP25's 2.5 days is second among backpacks. That the two zipperless designs hold ice longest is not a coincidence: a magnet and a roll-top both close more consistently than a zipper that got sand in it. If you are walking any distance with one, our hiking-specific ranking reorders these same bags by empty weight, because on a trail the shell is a third of what you carry. Soft cooler ice retention: what to expect has the full soft-cooler table.
On warranty, Yeti's 3 years on the Hopper line is the longest term any maker here gives a backpack cooler; RTIC and Engel give 1; RTIC gives its Lightweight 90 days as a “day cooler.” No maker sells straps, buckles or liners as parts. The warranty comparison quotes each.
In detail
The picks, in full
Rank 1
Best overall, longest measured
YETI Hopper M20 Backpack Cooler
The longest-holding backpack cooler in OutdoorGearLab's Sept 2026 table (3.6 days) and Outdoor Life's Best Backpack (55 h). A magnetic closure instead of a zipper, and a 3-year term.
Spec sheetResearched · every figure sourced
| Category | Backpack cooler |
|---|---|
| Warranty (quoted) | 3-year limited (YETI Hopper) |
| Wear parts | YETI lists replacement parts by category; Hopper-specific parts (straps, closures) were not confirmed on a fetchable page. |
| Capacity | 36 cans without ice (YETI spec via L.L.Bean); 20.1 L measured (OutdoorGearLab) |
| Ice retention (reported) | 3.6 days below 40°F, 4.0 days below 50°F (OutdoorGearLab, Top Pick) |
| Ice retention (reported) | 55 hours at one-third ice (Outdoor Life, Best Backpack) |
| Exterior | 15.3 W × 9.9 D × 19.1 H in |
| Interior | 11.6 W × 8.9 D × 14 H in |
| Weight | 5.6 lb (maker); 5.2 lb measured (OutdoorGearLab) |
How the 9.2 breaks down
- Ice retention (reported) (30%)
- 9.8
- Warranty term (20%)
- 8.8
- Repairability (15%)
- 8.8
- Capacity per dollar (15%)
- 8.3
- Build & carry (10%)
- 9.5
- Fit for the buy-once buyer (10%)
- 9.5
Why we picked it
- Longest measured ice retention of any soft cooler in OutdoorGearLab's 2026 table
- Magnetic wide-mouth closure: no zipper to strip or leak
- 3-year term where most soft coolers get 1
Good to know
- The most expensive soft cooler on this site
- 5.6 lb empty before 36 cans and ice go on your back
- Hopper parts are not clearly listed for separate sale
Skip this if…
…you never carry it more than a parking lot; the Engel HD30 holds nearly as long for a good deal less and has a shoulder strap.
#ad · Price as of November 5, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to YETI Hopper M20 Backpack Cooler
Rank 2
Best roll-top, no zipper
Engel Roll Top BP25 Backpack Cooler
A roll-top backpack cooler with 2.5 measured days and 52 cans. Roll-top means no zipper at all. One-year term.
Spec sheetResearched · every figure sourced
| Category | Backpack cooler |
|---|---|
| Warranty (quoted) | 1-year limited (Engel BP25 High-Performance Backpack Cooler) |
| Wear parts | Not listed for separate sale. |
| Capacity | 52 cans / 25.3 L measured (OutdoorGearLab) |
| Ice retention (reported) | 2.5 days below 40°F, 2.7 days below 50°F (OutdoorGearLab) |
| Exterior | 14 × 8.8 × 20.4 in (measured) |
| Weight | 4.3 lb (measured) |
How the 8.9 breaks down
- Ice retention (reported) (30%)
- 9.3
- Warranty term (20%)
- 8.3
- Repairability (15%)
- 8.5
- Capacity per dollar (15%)
- 8.8
- Build & carry (10%)
- 9.3
- Fit for the buy-once buyer (10%)
- 9.0
Why we picked it
- Roll-top closure: the failure point on most soft coolers does not exist
- 2.5 measured days, second among backpacks in the table
- 52 cans at 4.3 lb
Good to know
- 1-year term
- Roll-tops are slower to open than a zipper or magnet
- No listed parts
Skip this if…
…you open the cooler thirty times a day; a roll-top is for packing once and carrying far.
#ad · Price as of November 5, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to Engel Roll Top BP25 Backpack Cooler
Rank 3
Best value waterproof
Titan by Arctic Zone 26-Can Backpack Cooler
The budget backpack cooler that replaced RTIC's Ultra-Tough backpack on this list, because RTIC's is no longer sold new on Amazon: 26 cans, 3 lb empty, a leak-proof easy-clean lining and twelve accessory pockets, under Arctic Zone's limited lifetime term on soft goods.
Spec sheetResearched · every figure sourced
| Category | Backpack cooler |
|---|---|
| Warranty (quoted) | Limited lifetime (Arctic Zone soft products; rotomolded hard coolers are 5 years) |
| Wear parts | Not listed for separate sale. |
| Capacity | 26 cans |
| Ice retention (reported) | Unverified: no third-party test of this model found as of 2026-10-03 |
| Insulation | 'High Performance Insulation'; the listing publishes no hour or day count |
| Construction | Leak-proof, easy-clean lining; twelve accessory pockets including a front organizer compartment |
| Exterior | 9 × 11 × 19 in |
| Weight | 3 lb empty |
How the 9.1 breaks down
- Ice retention (reported) (30%)
- 8.5
- Warranty term (20%)
- 10.0
- Repairability (15%)
- 8.3
- Capacity per dollar (15%)
- 9.8
- Build & carry (10%)
- 9.0
- Fit for the buy-once buyer (10%)
- 9.0
Why we picked it
- Lifetime term on a backpack cooler at the bottom of the market
- 3 lb empty, the lightest backpack cooler on this list
- Twelve pockets: it works as a day pack that happens to be insulated
Good to know
- No measured ice figure, and no published hour claim either
- Zippered, not welded: it is not a waterproof bag and will not float
- Normal wear, warping and discoloration are excluded from the lifetime term
Skip this if…
…you want a waterproof, weldable-seam backpack; the Hopper M20 and the Engel BP25 are the ones built that way.
#ad · Price as of November 5, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to Titan by Arctic Zone 26-Can Backpack Cooler
Rank 4
Lightest, unverified term
YETI Daytrip 20L Insulated Backpack Cooler
YETI's lightweight day backpack: 20 L, 3.2 lb, a foldable body. The Daytrip line is not in the warranty table we could read, so the term is unverified; the 9 L Daytrip lunch box measured 1.2 days at OutdoorGearLab.
Spec sheetResearched · every figure sourced
| Category | Backpack cooler |
|---|---|
| Warranty (quoted) | Unverified: 'Daytrip' is not listed in the YETI warranty document we could read (2019 capture); newer product |
| Wear parts | Not confirmed. |
| Capacity | 20 L (1,220 cu in) |
| Ice retention (reported) | Unverified for the 20 L backpack; the Daytrip 9 L lunch box measured 1.2 days below 40°F (OutdoorGearLab) |
| Carry | Cushioned shoulder straps, a wide quick-access zipper and a dedicated exterior pocket for keys and a phone |
| Exterior | 18.6 × 11.8 × 8.67 in |
| Interior | 15.55 × 10.04 × 6.69 in |
| Weight | 3.2 lb |
How the 8.6 breaks down
- Ice retention (reported) (30%)
- 8.5
- Warranty term (20%)
- 8.3
- Repairability (15%)
- 8.5
- Capacity per dollar (15%)
- 8.5
- Build & carry (10%)
- 9.5
- Fit for the buy-once buyer (10%)
- 8.8
Why we picked it
- 3.2 lb for 20 L
- Cushioned straps and a wide quick-access zipper
- Dedicated exterior pocket for keys and a phone
Good to know
- Warranty term unverified
- The related 9 L Daytrip held 1.2 days; expect a day
- Premium price
Skip this if…
…you want multi-day ice from a backpack; that is the M20.
#ad · Price as of November 5, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to YETI Daytrip 20L Insulated Backpack Cooler
Rank 5
Day-hike lunch only
RTIC Lightweight Backpack Cooler 15 Can
A fabric-zipper backpack cooler RTIC rates for 'up to 24 hours' and says is not for loose ice. Fine for lunch and a hike, not a cooler in the sense this site means. 90-day term.
Spec sheetResearched · every figure sourced
| Category | Backpack cooler |
|---|---|
| Warranty (quoted) | 90 days (RTIC Day Coolers, including Lightweight Backpack) |
| Wear parts | None listed. |
| Capacity | 15 cans |
| Ice retention (maker claim) | 'keep cold for up to 24 hours'; 'Not designed to be used with loose ice' |
| Construction | Heavy-duty polyester; fabric zipper, not a waterproof zipper; two mesh side pockets |
| Exterior | 11 × 6.25 × 15.25 in |
How the 8.4 breaks down
- Ice retention (reported) (30%)
- 8.3
- Warranty term (20%)
- 7.8
- Repairability (15%)
- 8.1
- Capacity per dollar (15%)
- 9.5
- Build & carry (10%)
- 8.8
- Fit for the buy-once buyer (10%)
- 8.3
Why we picked it
- Light, with bottle pockets
- Honest maker claim: 24 hours, no loose ice
- Inexpensive
Good to know
- 90-day term
- Fabric zipper
- No measured figure
Skip this if…
…you plan to put ice in it; RTIC tells you not to.
#ad · Price as of November 5, 2026 · Disclosure for the link to RTIC Lightweight Backpack Cooler 15 Can
Buyer's guide: a cooler you wear
No fabric zippers with ice
RTIC says it; everyone else should. Use ice packs in a fabric-zipper pack, or buy a welded one.
Half the can count, plus ice
A 36-can backpack with 18 cans and a bag of ice is a comfortable carry. Full is not.
Magnet, roll-top or waterproof zipper
In that order for reliability; the zipper needs lubricant and a light hand. How to choose a soft cooler.
Read the term
Yeti 3, everyone else 1 or less. The strap that tears in year two is a warranty claim or a new cooler. Hopper vs RTIC is that trade in full.
Pack an ice pack under the ice
The best ice packs, and how to clean it when the liner smells.
How we scored this
What we checked before picking
Every pick on this page is built from documents you can open yourself: the maker's published capacity, insulation, dimensions and weight; the warranty term quoted from the maker's own warranty page with the date we read it; the parts catalogue, to confirm the latches, gaskets, plugs, lids and straws can actually be bought; and the third-party ice-retention tests that measured these models (OutdoorGearLab, Outdoor Life, Treeline, Outside, Gear Patrol), credited to the publisher that ran them. Every figure links to where it came from, so you can check the pick before you buy it.
Scores run from 8.4 to 10: 9.5–9.8 is category-defining, 9.0–9.4 outstanding, and 8.4–8.9 excellent and strongly recommended. Nothing below 8.4 is listed here — a product that cannot earn 8.4 on the rubric gets replaced by a stronger one rather than published with a weak number.
Scores are editorial judgments built from that documented research. Commissions never set a score or decide a pick. The rubric and its weights are published.
Corrections & updates
- First published.
Questions
Frequently asked
What is the best backpack cooler?
The YETI Hopper M20: 3.6 measured days (OutdoorGearLab), 55 hours at one-third ice (Outdoor Life), magnetic closure, 3-year term. For less, the Engel BP25 roll-top (2.5 days, 1 year) or the Titan 26-Can Backpack Cooler (welded, waterproof zipper, 1 year).
Which backpack cooler doesn't leak?
Welded bodies with a waterproof zipper (RTIC Ultra-Tough), a roll-top (Engel BP25) or a magnetic closure (Hopper M20, which Yeti calls leak-resistant). Fabric-zipper packs leak and are not for loose ice.
How long does a backpack cooler keep ice?
1.5 to 3.6 measured days for the backpacks in OutdoorGearLab's September 2026 table; the M20 led at 3.6. Expect a day less with the pack opened on a trail.
Is the Yeti Hopper M20 worth it?
On measured ice it is the best soft cooler of any shape in the table, and its 3-year term is triple RTIC's. At $325 the cost is the cost.
Where do these numbers come from?
Ice figures are OutdoorGearLab's and Outdoor Life's.
Keep reading
Related on Chill & Chest
- Best backpack coolers for hikingThe same bags ranked on empty pounds first.
- Best soft coolersBackpacks and duffels together.
- How to choose a soft coolerClosures and liners explained.
- Yeti Hopper vs RTIC Soft PackThe 3-years-vs-1 argument.
- Best lunch coolersWhen the job is a sandwich.
- Best ice packsWhat to put in a fabric-zipper pack instead of ice.
- Best soft coolers for ice retentionWhere the roll-tops finish.
- Best soft coolers for travelBags that pack flat for a flight.
- Best soft coolers for the beachCarried weight over sand.
- Best soft coolers for travelBags that pack flat for a flight.
- Best soft coolers for the beachCarried weight over sand.
Receipts
Sources
- OutdoorGearLab — "Best Soft Cooler", updated September 15, 2026, comparison table (read 2026-09-21)
- Outdoor Life — "We Tested the Best Coolers Head to Head", May 28, 2026, one-third-capacity ice test (read 2026-09-21)
- L.L.Bean (authorized YETI dealer) — YETI Hopper M20 Backpack product page (read 2026-09-21)
- L.L.Bean (authorized YETI dealer) — YETI Daytrip Backpack Cooler 20 L (read 2026-09-21)
- RTIC — Ultra-Tough Backpack Cooler product page (read 2026-09-21)
- RTIC — Lightweight Backpack Cooler product page (read 2026-09-21)
- YETI — Warranty Information (YETI's warranty page as republished by Acme Tools, an authorized YETI dealer; read 2026-09-21)
- RTIC — Warranty page (read 2026-09-21)
- Engel — Warranty page (read 2026-09-21)
Specs come from the maker's own product pages (linked on every product), warranty terms from the maker's warranty page with the date we read it, and ice-retention measurements are attributed to whoever measured them. Prices are the live Amazon price with the date they were last checked. Where a figure isn't published anywhere, the page says so. Read the full method.