Everything feels better right after a cold drink. Whether you are relaxing on a beach or hiking on a mountain, consider taking a cooler with you to keep your drinks immersed in ice. The best ones will keep them cold the entire day and beyond as long as you keep the lid closed. Most people are familiar with the hard-shell coolers but it is the soft-shell versions that are changing the game. Here’s why a soft cooler is better than a hard one:
Carry Hands-free as a Backpack
Some soft coolers are available as rectangular shoulder bags that look just like hard coolers. Unzip the top to reveal the contents. This is fine for some people, especially if you are just driving to the beach. However, many prefer to use the backpack version of this as they can keep their hands-free and ensure a balanced load on their shoulders. This is important when walking across long distances in rugged terrain. The portion directly in contact with the back is extra soft with padding to prevent pain or irritation.
Lighter Weight to Lessen the Load
Comparing the weights of soft and hard coolers, the former is usually lighter for items of the same size. Every ounce counts when you are hiking since these can feel like a pound when you are tired after hours on your feet. Anything that can reduce the load is welcome. After all, the drinks and the ice are already quite heavy. The container should not add much to this to reduce the difficulty of the climb.
Easy to Fold and Store When Empty
A rigid cooler will retain its shape no matter what. While this can have some advantages, it is no ideal when you want to put it away for storage. It will take up a lot of volumes even when empty. In contrast, an empty soft cooler won’t have to be a burden anymore. The user can just roll or fold it up and place it inside another backpack to simplify the journey down from the mountain peak.
Less Prone to Damage Due to Falls
Hard coolers are also susceptible to damage if they fall hard on the ground. They could sustain cracks and break their handles. When this happens, their cooling capacity may be diminished as cold air can escape through the cracks. In contrast, soft coolers are made of fabrics so they won’t break. Find ones with tough exteriors so that these won’t develop holes.
