The Best Coolers Have Zero-Degree Chill

Nothing improves an outdoor adventure better than a cold drink, and the best coolers will keep that beverage icy cold for days at a time. That goes for camping trips, backyard parties, barbecues, boating trips, or long days at your Airbnb’s pool. And these coolers aren't just about keeping your beers, hard seltzers, orange wines, or non-alcoholic drink of choice cold—they'll also keep your sandwiches, potato salad, and overpriced blackberries from spoiling despite the the mid-summer heat and humidity.

It's getting hot as hell out there, and the only thing separating you and a warm can of beer is one of these coolers. You're going to need something that can take a beating, won't leave you with a puddle of lukewarm melted ice (i.e. water), and won't break your back mid-way to your campsite. As summer approached, we took some of our favorite coolers (and a few newcomers to the beverage-cooling scene) to the beach to see which ones kept their cool in the heat. Whether you have your own beach day planned or want to spend a Lazy Sunday on your own outdoor sofa, grab one of these coolers and get ready to chill, literally.

The Best Coolers, According to GQ

Relax, amigo: You can shop our top coolers right here without digging through all that ice.

• The Best Cooler, Overall: Yeti Tundra 45, $300
• The Best Yeti Alternative: RTIC Ultra-Light Cooler, $210 $199
• The Best Soft Cooler: RTIC Soft Pack Cooler, $99
• The Best Cooler Tote Bag: Hydro Flask Day Escape 18L, $150 $75
• The Best Rolling Cooler: Igloo ECOCOOL Roller Cooler, $140
• The Best Backpack Cooler: CamelBak ChillBak, $325

The Best Cooler, Overall: Yeti Tundra

We’ve used a variety of Yeti products over the years, from coolers to koozies, so we had high expectations when testing the Tundra. Available in sizes between 33 liters all the way up to a massive 311 liters, the Tundra is the coolest cooler around. The Tundra’s super-thick walls are pressure injected with trademarked insulation, which protect your goods from the effects of the outside temperature, i.e. your ice-cold drinks stay cold even in a hell-like landscape.

The Yeti brand has loyalty comparable to Apple or Patagonia, and we’re happy to report that this cooler will not disappoint—go ahead and get your hopes up. It has an uncanny ability to hold ice and low temperatures (a laser temperature gun tells no lies), even when we placed it directly in the Carolina sunshine on a 90 degree day. We also appreciate that Yeti includes a dry goods basket to stop sandwiches from getting soggy. The cooler has a premium construction, which is apparent in the heavy-duty T-rex handles, the cool colorways, and overall durability.

We should note that because Yeti uses three inches of its PermaFrost insulation, the interior may not be as spacious as you’d expect at first glance, so pick a size accordingly. The cooler’s also on the heavy side, but that’s the cost of entry for bear-proof materials and insane levels of insulation. Yes, there are cheaper coolers, but we’re not convinced there are any better ones.

The Best Yeti Alternative: RTIC Ultra-Light Cooler

Yeti coolers are famously durable and cold, but they’re also famously expensive. If you don’t think of a cooler as a status symbol, then you’ll appreciate the RTIC brand (pronounced “Arctic”). RTIC and Yeti coolers are strikingly similar, and the two Texas companies have a complicated history. But if you want a heavy-duty cooler that can hold ice for days, RTIC delivers at a lower price point. The RTIC 52-Quart Ultra-Light Cooler is bigger and lighter than the Yeti Tundra 45, yet comes in at only $199. You can’t fail to notice that the clasps, marine-grade handles, and overall design are similar on both coolers.

Our testers raved about their RTIC cooler, which can hold ice for days, no sweat. This hard cooler is significantly lighter than similar premium coolers, making it easier to take to and from your party, marina, or campsite. Our RTIC-loving friends report that these coolers hold up to years of abuse, so don’t be afraid to really throw it around. We also recommend using RTIC ice packs with this cooler, as they’ll improve performance and give you extra space for cans, bottles, and food.

The Best Soft Cooler: RTIC Soft Pack Cooler

RTIC doesn't have the brand name recognition as Yeti, but we wholeheartedly believe it gives the Abominable Snowman's eponymous brand a run for its money. It's not quite half the price but performs spectacularly well and is just as durable and road-ready. Likewise, soft-side coolers may not hold ice quite as long as their hard-bodied brothers, but we were still impressed with this cooler’s ability to keep our items cool. The ice may have melted, but the resulting slush actually kept our drinks colder compared to items resting on top of ice in a nearby Yeti. And because of the waterproof zipper and interior, you don’t have to worry about leakage. In fact, the watertight zipper is so tough that RTIC provides zipper lube (the zipper can be tricky to maneuver, especially one-handed). For daytrips, a mix of beverages and food, or picnics, RTIC’s Soft Pack is ready to go.

We loved the Sage color of the cooler we tested, and we found the handles, straps, and zipper to be extremely high quality, though somewhat lacking in padding. The combination of 1.5 inches of insulation and a waterproof design make this a hardier option than most soft coolers. To make the most of the interior space, we once again recommend using RTIC ice packs. And while we tested the 20-can version of this cooler, but smaller and larger sizes are also available.

The Best Backpack Cooler: CamelBak ChillBak

CamelBak's ChillBak is the Inspector Gadget of backpacks. It has enough space to carry up to 24 cans and 15 pounds of ice, but for those hoping to nix a trip to the water fountain, the pack also includes a six-liter water pack that connects to a spigot for quick and easy hydration. Rather than sipping directly from the spigot like with other hydration packs, you can use this reservoir and tube to refill water bottles without missing a step. While CamelBak describes this as a 30L cooler backpack, the interior cooler only holds 24L (the water reservoir holds the missing 6L). The padded straps keep your shoulders comfortable, although the weight distribution of this backpack could be better. Fully packed, it felt unwieldy and top-heavy. Despite the chest and waist belts, we wouldn’t advise using this on super-long treks.

Like the Hydro Flask tote, it held its temperature surprisingly well for a soft-sided cooler. I was skeptical of the Velcro-style closure on the interior cooler lid, but combined with the roll-top, my items lost only a 3 to 4 degrees of temperature over 24 hours of testing. That said, be careful of leaks if the cooler flips over.

The Best Cooler Tote Bag: Hydro Flask Insulated Tote

We love Hydro Flask and its insulated water bottles, and the company brought its chill technology to a tote bag, the bag of choice for on-trend young folks. The surprisingly stylish cooler is easy to clean, and despite its roomy 18-liter capacity, is surprisingly lightweight and portable. The sides of this bag aren’t as rigid as Yeti’s cooler tote, and even when packed full of ice and cans, it didn’t feel unwieldy or heavy. A padded shoulder strap helps with that, and it’s got a wide enough base to stand up on its own. This cooler was a surprise favorite in our testing, and it easily passed the leak test. The watertight zipper was surprisingly easy to open and close. Plus, the Day Escape held ice and cold temperatures longer than the brand’s boxier soft coolers. We do wish this tote came in more than two colorways, though.

The Best Rolling Cooler: Igloo ECOCOOL Roller Cooler

Don't carry it, backpack it, or tote it—roll it! Igloo's massive (85-liter) roller cooler is an easy way to schlep your goods without breaking your back. It's good for keeping ice chilled for a whopping five whole days, and its oversized wheels can make light work out of the roughest, bumpiest terrains. Basically any cooler top acts as a side table, but this Igloo model includes four dedicated coasters to keep your beverages just a little more secure from slipping and sliding.

6 More Coolers We Like

From air mattresses to camping tents, Coleman knows a thing or two about outdoor gear. So it makes sense that its portable cooler is worthy of being on this list. A smart budget cooler, it's built almost exactly like the Igloo roller cooler. Unlike the Igloo, the lid of the Coleman cooler doesn't stay open so you have to keep one hand on the cover while you're digging through the ice, bottles, and cans to find exactly what you're looking for.

REI's cooler backpack looks a little nicer than Camelbak's in that that the Cool Trail looks more gorpcore than Silicon Valley. Unfortunately, it's not as good at keeping things cold and it's only leakproof if you remember to pack in the actual cooler insert, a removable accessory that allows the Cool Trail to function as a regular old hiking pack. It's filled with additional pockets, though none of them actually add to the cooling functionality.

We'll never quit raving about L.L.Bean and its ludicrously capacious bags, so of course we're going to included the insulated take on its much-loved tote when we're talking about coolers. It's about twice the price of our typical favorite canvas tote, adding in leak-proof insulation that's as good for keeping drinks cold as it is for trips to the grocery store to make sure your ice cream doesn't melt, your beef doesn't spoil, and your milk doesn't curdle. Hold it how you please—whether by the shoulder or short straps—and yes, you can also get this bag monogrammed

Snow Peak is essentially the cool kid brand of outdoor gear and workwear. Its soft cooler has a generous 38-liter capacity, clocking in at a light 38 pounds. It's built like a soft version of the Yeti Tundra but won't keep cool as long, though that's not to say its insulation isn't top of the line. We like that you can use the carry strap or tag-team cooler-carrying duties thanks to the hand straps on either side of the bag.

It's fun, it's cute, and it's fashion's favorite outdoor accessory to collab with other than a Nalgene water bottle. This is good for acting as a personal-use cooler (it only holds six cans), but it's easy to use and makes for a nice canvas for some personalization.

Looking for a lightweight, easy-carry cooler you can use for picnics in the park or quick daytrips? Then reach for Hydro Flask’s soft-side cooler. We recommend loading it up with ice packs, as it’s definitely not leakproof. Still, we liked the padded shoulder strap, color options, and durable exterior fabric.

Brümate is a fairly new cooler and drinkware company, and its latest product is this beast of a cooler, the BrüTank. Its 55-quart capacity can hold up to 48 cans with 40 pounds of ice, and it'll keep all that chilled for seven days. There's also a built-in drink dispenser and an included dry goods rack so you can keep items like food away from the ice.

Obviously you need your cooler to keep things cold, right? So, what else do you need to keep in mind to pick the right cooler for your next adventure?

Capacity: If all you're looking for is something to take on a cute little picnic date, something small, like a personal-sized soft-side cooler will do the trick. But if you have a huge summer rager coming up? You'll need something with a larger capacity to make sure everyone stays properly hydrated (read: buzzed) at your shindig. Some cooler brands use quarts and others liters to describe capacity, so we recommend checking to see how many cans a cooler holds. A 45-quart cooler that can hold 50+ more cans is a good starting point for a party cooler.

Insulation: All brands seem to have their own proprietary insulation to make sure the interior of its cooler retains the chill and doesn't get affected by the outside temperature. Premium coolers like the Yeti Tundra will also have a gusset around the lid to further protect from loss of temperature, while some coolers will only have a zipper, which isn't so great at keeping things inside cold for as long. For soft coolers, look for air-tight zippers, which at least provide a secure seal.

Portability: An unfilled cooler might be light and easy to carry, but once you throw in pounds of ice and a football team's worth of Gatorade, then you're just asking for a trip to the chiropractor. Some of the best portable coolers come on wheels, which make it easy to haul a hundred pound's worth of ice, food, and drink. You can also opt for cooler backpacks or tote bags, both of which free your hands, essentially turning you into a pack mule for the refreshments.

In pervious versions of this guide, we recommended a mix of coolers from brands like Yeti, RTIC, Igloo, and Coleman. For our latest update to this piece, we tested the Yeti Tundra 45, RTIC Soft Pack Cooler, Hydro Flask Day Escape, Hydro Flask Carry Out Cooler, and the CamelBak Chillbak. We also got some first-hand experience with the RTIC Ultra-Light Cooler. These coolers were tested with an assist from the beaches of Charleston, South Carolina and hot, humid days.

When reviewing these coolers, we checked to see how convenient they were to lug around, how easily they packed up and held ice, and whether they leaked or showed other red flags. As a final test, we filled each of these coolers with ice, food, and drinks and used a laser temperature gun to see how well they held their temperature over a period of 24 hours. Some, like the Yeti Tundra 45, displayed an almost miraculous ability to keep their cool and keep ice from melting. We noted which coolers aced our ice test, and which struggled.