10 Best Insulated Backpacks for Outdoors: 2021 Reviews & Buying Guide

Unlike the insulated backpack cooler, a regular cooler works with electricity. This is why it is still one of the best ways to keep your food and drinks warm or cold. The electricity supply gives it consistent power, enough to keep its engines running and your meals at just the right temperature. It’s no wonder it’s an incredibly popular household equipment.

Unfortunately, it has a few problems. For starters, portability is a major issue. We don’t know about you, but we think it’ll be pretty difficult to haul a 40-pound refrigerator around just to get a cold bottle of beer every now and then. But, in the electric cooler’s defense, there are portable models out there. However, they’re made for one purpose. 

On the other hand, an insulated (lightweight) backpack can function as your cooler/large capacity backpack and as a storage unit for your other items. That, dear friend, is one of the things that make the insulated backpack/cooler bag absolutely perfect.

In this guide, we’ll be recommending some of the best-insulated backpack/cooler bag models to you with comprehensive reviews. Afterward, we’ll tell you everything you need to know before buying one. Excited? Yeah, so are we.

Our Top 3 Picks

As we said, in this article, we’ll recommend ten of the best insulated backpacks for you with detailed reviews. Virtually all of them could be your next best backpack cooler, large capacity, or otherwise. But, these three are, without a doubt, top-tier products with great customer ratings. It’s no wonder they’re our top three picks.

1. TOURIT Cooler Backpack (Best designed backpack): Coming in on top of our favorites is TOURIT’s backpack. This TOURIT cooler backpack has the makings of an excellently designed backpack. It can easily keep 30 cans cool or warm for 16 hours with no leakage in its coolers as an insulated pack. Finally,t’s multifunctional and can support any adventure you like.

2. Coleman Soft Backpack Cooler (Best germ-resistant backpack): With its simple yet appealing design, this soft cooler backpack can do just what you want. The Coleman soft backpack cooler weighs just 17 ounces but can store up to 28 cans. This boosts its customer ratings significantly. The best part? It is germ-resistant.

3. Gardrit Insulated Backpack (Best for large can capacity): The sheer size of this pack is what makes it particularly appealing. With the capacity to store 35 cans, there’s very little you can’t fit here.

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What is the best insulated backpack for your use?

Generally, an insulated backpack/cooler bag has its advantages. You’ll see that in many reviews. But, you wouldn’t quite enjoy any of those advantages if you don’t buy a good one. Unfortunately, the market is flooded with products that don’t nearly live up to their marketing hype or the praise they get from reviews. So, the chances of someone picking the wrong backpack cooler/insulated pack are a bit high. To prevent that from happening, we’ve written a list of the best insulated backpacks for you to use. Without further ado, let’s dive right in!

1. TOURIT Cooler Backpack (Best designed backpack)

We’re going to start our best backpack insulated cooler collection with one of the most popular brands in the market with heavy-duty backpacks and others for park day trips. Unlike some others that don’t quite consider it necessary to stand by their word, TOURIT makes it a principle or provide quality. You can see this in all the exciting features packed into this TOURIT insulated backpack. Wondering what those are? 

Well, the first, and perhaps most notable, is the cooling period. For a total of 16 hours, this TOURIT backpack will keep your food, snacks, and drinks insulated in its coolers. With freeze packs, you can achieve a comfortable 15°C. This is largely possible due to the high-quality thickened PEVA hot-pressed material used in its production. 

Besides that, as it should, the backpack uses thickened foam and essential liners. The combination of these two components ensures that the pack is leakproof, especially in its coolers. 

Outside the excellent functionality, this insulated backpack/cooler backpack isn’t too bad on the eyes either. The design is stylish, and many users seem to think it’s pretty great. Something that’s worth noting about the design is that it doesn’t sacrifice looks for function. The production material is tear-resistant and is designed to serve you for quite a while.

Product Specifications

Dimensions: 13 x 7.5 x 15.8 inches

Weight: 1.1 Pounds

Material: 600D Oxford + Food Grade EPE Foam + Heat-welded PEVA

Color: Grey

Key Features

1. Multiple Compartments: The backpack has a main compartment large enough for beers, sandwiches, beers, juice, etc. Beyond that, though, there are two front zipper pockets, two water bottle holders, and one mesh-style non-zipper pocket on the strap. The last one is particularly useful for keeping your mobile phone.
2. Leakproof: Once you put anything inside its coolers, you can rest assured that it’s not coming out unless you want it to. We can credit this to the high-density insulation material as well as the leakproof liners within the backpack and its coolers. 
3. Durable: This backpack cooler is made of tear-resistant and water-resistant fabric. 
4. Multifunctional: This backpack can function perfectly for road trips, at home, and as a travel backpack, lunch backpack, for picnics, hiking, beach visits, and any other adventure you can think of.

Pros

• This lightweight backpack can function for different purposes.
• Its coolers alongside the other parts of the backpack are leakproof.
• It is durable and light at the same time. 
• It has a stylish and aesthetic design.

Cons

• It doesn’t have a significant amount of storage space for communication devices.

Final Thoughts

If you’re the type of person swept away by aesthetics, you’ll most likely love this insulated cooler bag/insulated cooler backpack. If you’re attracted to functionality, you should find this backpack up to par as well. Why? This insulated backpack is designed to cater to virtually all individuals. As such, by all means, this is an excellent insulated cooler bag/insulated cooler backpack for keeping your meals and drinks cool.

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2. OUTXE Cooler Backpack (Best cooler-laptop bag) 

Coming in as a close second to our first best cooler backpack is OUTXE’s insulated backpack/cooler bag. The manufacturers used what might be the perfect term to describe the pack – “two birds with one stone.”

This term is primarily because the insulated cooler bag/insulated cooler backpack, large and functional, is perfectly designed to function as a backpack and a cooler. At this point, you’re probably wondering why that’s special. After all, every other cooler on this list is a backpack too. 

Well, the truth is that many producers lean in one direction more than the other. Some producers thin out their insulation material to optimize for regular items. Others don’t leave enough room for regular stuff backpacks carry. So, they’re either more of regular backpacks than they’re coolers or vice versa. Now, you must see what we mean.

If you’re still a tad confused, you should know that this pack has a laptop compartment big enough to hold 15-inch laptops. When foods, snacks, and cans of drinks aren’t being hauled, you can keep your books, clothes, and other items within.

Alongside all these, the pack has waterproof materials covering it. It also doesn’t allow leakage from the coolers while keeping your 25 cans of drinks in the main compartment. To cap it all, the backpack isn’t much of a hassle to carry around. 

Product Specifications

Dimensions: 12.9 x 6.7 x 16 inches 

Weight: 700g

Outer material: Rainproof Nylon

Inner material: Insulated food-grade PEVA

Capacity: 22L

Key Features

1. Extensive cooling period: This insulated backpack/cooler bag has coolers that can keep your food and beverage cans cool for as long as 18 hours.
2. Multiple compartments: There’s a large zippered laptop pocket at the back. Alongside that, this lunch backpack comes with a small front pocket that you can zip up as chip bags and two side pockets for a water bottle and wine bottles.
3. Comfortable: Both backpack straps on this insulated cooler bag/insulated cooler backpack are adjustable. Alongside that, they are well-padded, just like the back panel. 
4. Durable: The backpack is made of water-resistant nylon that doubles as rip stopping fabric.

Pros 

• It can carry around your laptop with ease. 
• It is multifunctional. 
• It’s pretty easy to carry around with its adjustable straps and whatnot.
• This lightweight backpack can protect your personal items from water.

Cons

• It’s a bit on the small side and might not do well on long trips with many cans of drinks.

Final Thoughts

One of our favorite things about this backpack is the laptop compartment. Of course, many people might not be too keen on taking their laptops into the wilderness for a hike. But, it’s still a pretty neat feature to have. The only thing we wish was that the backpack was a tad bigger and could accommodate extra cans.

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3. Coleman Soft Backpack Cooler (Best germ-resistant backpack)

If you’ve ever wondered what a simple lunch backpack looks like, you’ve just hit the jackpot with the third of our best backpack coolers. Unlike some other manufacturers, The brand doesn’t bedevil this Coleman soft backpack cooler with flamboyant designs or incredibly loud colors. With its simple, somewhat vintage khaki color, it stands out beautifully. So much so that you might be inclined to think that it’s just a regular lunch backpack. 

But, that couldn’t be further from the truth as this soft cooler backpack easily keeps your food, snacks, and cans of drinks cool for 24-hours within its coolers. Besides that, it ensures that there’s no leakage whatsoever from the coolers or anywhere else. This is possible because of the backpack’s seams that have been welded in heat. Their unique nature makes it practically impossible for melted ice to begin seeping out of the soft backpack cooler. 

Finally, this soft cooler backpack has a germ-resistant liner. Considering that the pack is intended to store food and drinks, we can’t emphasize the importance of this feature enough. The germ-resistant liner is made of plastic that’s been treated with antimicrobials. As such, it can easily prevent mold, mildew, and odors from creeping into your soft cooler backpack or food, snacks, and drinks.

Product Specifications

Dimensions: 12.2 x 6.3 x 19.29 inches

Weight: 17 Ounces

Color: Khaki

Size: One Size

Key Features

1. Germ resistance: Unlike many others, the Coleman insulated backpack/cooler bag pays special attention to the cleanliness of your food and drinks. Of course, you still have to clean the bag yourself. But, the company plays its part by lining the insulated cooler backpack or insulated cooler bag with antimicrobial plastic. That way, you won’t have to worry about mildew, odors, or mold.
2. Leakproof: The backpack employs seams that have been welded with heat for this purpose. Melted ice, spilled drinks, perspiring champagne glasses, etc. won’t be able to get out without you wanting them to.
3. Convenience: The shoulder straps are well-padded such that you can carry the bag without pain. Beyond that, there are also two large handles on the side. They make it easy to move your bag even when it’s fully loaded.

Pros

• The backpack is germ-resistant. 
• It has two side handles for carrying the backpack even when your pack is filled. 
• It makes adequate space provision for other items like napkins, spoons, etc.

Cons

• The backpack isn’t water-resistant.

Final Thoughts

Khaki shorts, tops, pants, and even bags have been around for as long as we can remember. At this point, they’re pretty much a part of us. If you buy this insulated backpack, the chances are that it will become a part of you as well.

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4. Sunflora Picnic Backpack (Best multi-person backpack)

Sunflora takes the fourth position on our list of the best backpack coolers. In a display of what some might refer to as thoughtfulness, Sunflora created this backpack for four people to use at a time. It’s perfect for you, your partner, and your kids to take out. Now, this doesn’t mean the pack has a strange buddy system where you and your partner(s) carries a different part of the bag. Instead, it means that it can hold enough food for four different people. Strangely, this unique feature isn’t evident in the backpack’s size.

The blue and stripe design might not score 10/10 in design. It certainly might not be one of your first options if you’re checking out looks only. But, the backpack certainly pulls a significant amount of weight in functionality. This is obvious in the special compartment for your tableware. With this pocket, you can keep your plastic wine glasses, napkins, plates, etc. This is just right, considering that it’s packing enough food and drinks for four people. 

There’s a waterproof zipper pocket that you can easily remove. There, you can keep your ice without worrying about it getting the bag wet. There’s also a detachable water bottle holder for keeping your water bottle in the backpack.

Product Specifications

Product Dimensions: 16.3 x 12.5 x 7.3 inches

Item Weight: 7.12 pounds

Key Features

1. Impeccable organization: Apart from providing space to keep your food and drinks cool for extended periods, this pack helps you store cutlery, too. For the latter, the backpack has nearly perfect organization. From the smallest spoon to the biggest plate, there’s a storage compartment for every single thing.
2. Excellent cutlery: The backpack comes fully equipped with spoons, forks, wine glasses, and everything else for you, your partner, and your kids. Additionally, all these items are created of superior quality materials. You don’t have to worry about them getting spoiled soon. This makes it perfect for picnics, hiking, etc.
3. Simple design: The backpack colors are blue and white&black stripes. There’s not a lot of glitz or extravagance—just simplicity.

Pros

• It’s perfect for use by multiple people.
• It is incredibly well-organized. 
• Its cutlery is durable and reliable. 

Cons

• The design might need a little work.

Final Thoughts

One of the most appealing things about this insulated backpack is its cutlery. They don’t exactly give you golden spoons and forks fit for a king. But, they provide you much more practical plastic cutlery that is sure to stand the test of time. With additional insulated space for food and drinks, you’re very likely to get your money’s worth for this backpack.

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5. OAGear Backpack Cooler (Best leak-proof backpack) 

We’ve officially reached the middle of our best backpack coolers list, but the OAGear backpack cooler is far from average. How do we know this? 

Well, to begin with, the OAGear backpack cooler has excellent leakproof features. We can credit this to the heat-sealed leak-proof liners that surround the bag and the coolers. But, with every other insulated backpack boasting of this, that’s not very special, is it? The truth is that it isn’t. 

But, what’s special is the fact that these leak-proof liners are designed to last for a whopping five years! That’s five years of using the bag without ever once worrying about water getting out of the coolers. At least, not unless you want it to.

Besides that, the OAGear backpack cooler has enough space to keep up to 20 cans of beverages… with ice! Finally, there are two side pockets backpack/shoulder straps.

Product Specifications

Dimensions: 12.25 x 16.5 x 7.75 inches 

Weight: 0.48kg

Materials: 600D poly, PEVA line

Key Features

1. Durability: With 600D polyester material, the OAGear backpack cooler is made to last.
2. Extensive leak-proof liner lifespan: The manufacturers can guarantee that the leakproof liners in the coolers would last for five years.
3. Comfort: The shoulder straps are properly padded to guarantee comfort.

Pros 

• It has long-lasting leak-proof liners.
• It’s durable. 
• It is comfortable and easy to carry around with padded shoulder straps. 
• It comes in multiple colors.

Cons

• Its size is quite small and can only store 20 cans of beverages.

Final Thoughts

One thing that never ceases to excite us about this backpack is the long-lasting leak-proof liner. If you’ve ever had to deal with leaking bags, you’ll understand. If you never want to deal with leaking bags, then you should get this insulated backpack.

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6. Piscifun Insulated Cooler Backpack (Best for ease of cleaning) 

 One of the best and most popular manufacturers within the backpack coolers industry is Piscifun. They’re known for their sports backpacks, heavy-duty backpacks, cooler backpacks, and lots more. So, it’s really no surprise that they made it to our list. But, they’re not just here for their past work or “glory days.”

For starters, this model of backpack coolers is well-designed with multiple colors. The design is so good that, in that regard, it could easily pass for a regular backpack. With four essential color combinations, you have a wealth of options to choose from. 

Additionally, this version of backpack coolers offers comfort in the form of breathable materials. So, you wouldn’t have to worry about trapping heat between the back panel and your back, causing heat and discomfort. Finally, the backpack is really easy to clean. This is so even after keeping your food insulated in its coolers for 18 hours. 

Product Specifications

Dimensions: 9.45 x 6.7 x 16.54 inches

Cooler size: 6.88 x 4.72 inches 

Weight: 24.6oz

Material: Nylon

Key Features

1. Lightweight and durable: One would think that these two qualities don’t go together. But, with this Piscifun lightweight backpack cooler, they truly do. The high-density nylon fabric is strong enough to guarantee durability. Alongside that, the compression straps help remove pressure from zips on any zippered pocket, guaranteeing longevity for this lightweight backpack cooler.
2. Easy to clean: The backpack’s material doesn’t allow dirt to linger on its surface. So, even after using it for hours, the backpack, its coolers, and everything else remain fairly easy to clean.
3. Comfortable, ergonomic design: The back panel, shoulder straps, etc. are well-padded. The backpack is also designed such that you have ample space for keeping other belongings dry.

Pros 

• It is very easy to clean after use.
• Its coolers can keep your food cold for 18 hours. 
• There’s a separate compartment that helps to keep your clothes dry.

Cons

• It can’t hold up to 20 packs with an ice pack.

Final Thoughts

The design is absolutely splendid. If that was the only metric for measuring excellence, the bag would score an easy ten. But, beyond the design, it does what it can to guarantee functionality. However, if you’ll be needing a pack for more than one person, you might want to get something bigger. This is especially true for grown men, women, and bigger kids.

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7. FORICH Backpack Cooler (Best for multiple compartments)

Our seventh backpack with cooler is renowned for rich (pun intended) features and satisfying functionality. Unlike many other regular (cooler) backpacks, the main compartment doesn’t open on the side. Instead, much like a regular cooler, it opens at the top. 

Once open, the main compartment gives you access to 30 cans of storage space. Besides spaciousness, you’ll also get leak-proof liners. We know this is leak-proof because this backpack’s manufacturer recently upgraded its materials. Now, it uses leak-proof PEVA liners and insulated thickened materials to keep your bag nice and dry. Great, right?

Apart from that, there are multiple pockets for keeping your stuff. The best part is that you can rest assured that the pack is durable, despite hauling 30 cans.

Product Specifications

Dimensions: 18.1 x 13.3 x 7.9 inches

Weight: 0.93kg

Material: Foam

Key Features

1. Multiple compartments/storage spaces: There’s one main compartment/cooler compartment, two big zippered pockets for dry items, and one pocket on the lid for small items. Alongside these, there’s one mesh pocket for your phone, two side pockets, and one beer bottle opener.
2. Lightweight and durable: The backpack is light but still strong enough to withstand rips, tears, etc. 
3. Multifunctional: You can use it for different outdoor activities. This makes it great for road trips and as a travel backpack, lunch backpack, beach/camping/fishing backpack, etc.

Pros

• This backpack with cooler can store up to 30 cans of beverages
• It is multifunctional. 
• It is durable yet light.

Cons

• The zippers are a slight cause for concern.

Final Thoughts 

You might need to be a tad careful when using the zippers on this backpack. But, other than that, you don’t quite have much to worry about because the backpack functions well for men, women, and kids.

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8. Matein Insulated Cooler Backpack (Best for USB charging spot)

Much like every other on our list, this backpack easily provides you with all you need in an insulated backpack. But, it goes two steps further. The first is that it can accommodate a 17-inch laptop comfortably. The second is that it has a USB port to charge your phone on the go easily. These two features are two main reasons users are so in love with this pack.

Product Specifications

Backpack Dimensions: 19 x 14 x 9 inches 

Laptop compartment: 15 x 11 x 1.8 inches

Lunch box compartment: 13.5 x 6.8 x 7.5 inches 

Item Weight: 2 Pounds

Material: Polyester fabric

Key Features

1. Substantial provision for tech: There’s a space for you to keep your laptop, however large. Additionally, you can charge your mobile device with the USB port available.
2. Durability: The backpack is manufactured from polyester fabric. This is both rip-resistant and water-resistant.
3. TSA-friendly: The backpack easily opens to 180-degrees. That way, you can quickly show your items to airport security and get on with your day.
4. Multipurpose: The bag can function at home and as a travel backpack, school backpack, daily backpack, and a laptop backpack.

Pros

• It is incredibly versatile. 
• The pack is water-resistant.
• It’ll help you get past airport security faster. 
• It can hold a 17-inch laptop. 
• It has a charging port.

Cons

• Its coolers can only keep your food cold or warm for about 2-4 hours.

Final Thoughts

This is perhaps the best backpack that seems to have it all. From a laptop compartment to a USB port, there’s almost nothing you can’t get here. Unfortunately, it only keeps food insulated for a very limited period. Regardless, i’s still pretty good for men, women, and teens. 

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9. TOURIT Backpack Cooler (Best waterproof backpack)

Making a second appearance on our list is the TOURIT brand again with another TOURIT cooler backpack. This time, TOURIT has a 1.6-pound backpack that can store about 28 cans. This TOURIT cooler backpack will guarantee excellence in more ways than one. How? 

The TOURIT insulated backpack is made of premium, high-density materials that offer water-resistance and comfort while carrying the TOURIT backpack is on your back. This TOURIT backpack also ventilates itself to prevent wetness from condensation. Besides that, the TOURIT backpack is leak-resistant with multiple compartments/storage spaces. What’s more, this TOURIT insulated backpack keeps your food insulated for sixteen hours in its coolers. 

Product Specifications 

Dimensions: 17.7 x 11.8 x 7.5 inches

Weight: 1.6 pounds 

Capacity: 25L (up to 28 cans)

Key Features

1. Water resistance: This TOURIT backpack is made from materials that prevent water from getting in. 
2. Comfort: The shoulder straps are adjustable and well-padded. The TOURIT backpack has external ventilation to prevent your clothes from getting wet due to condensation.
3. Multiple Pockets: There’s 1 main compartment, two mesh side pockets. Apart from the side pockets, there’s one big zippered pocket in front for utensils. There’s also one lid zippered pocket with one mesh pocket and one beer bottle opener on the shoulder strap.

Pros

• This TOURIT backpack is easy to clean.
• It is water-resistant and highly durable. 
• It can store up to 28 cans of beverages. 
• Its coolers can cool for about 16 hours. 

Cons

• The waterproof material wouldn’t function if you put ice directly into the TOURIT backpack cooler/ lightweight insulated cooler bag or insulated cooler backpack.

Final Thoughts

We wish that this TOURIT backpack could store your food and drinks for longer. That would’ve been perfect. But, if you’re not looking to go on a long trip with a heavy-duty backpack, you’re fine. This backpack with a bottle opener should serve you well.

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10. Gardrit Insulated Backpack (Best for large can capacity)

The last backpack on our list is incredibly roomy. So much so that it can store up to 35 cans of drinks within. It is guaranteed to prevent any form of leakage. Its design is simple yet comfortable and thoughtful. Finally, it is incredibly versatile.

Product Specifications 

Dimensions: 15 x 6.18 x 9.65 inches

Weight: 1.46 Pounds 

Material: Polyester

Key Features 

1. Large capacity: The backpack can easily haul up 35 cans of drinks.
2. Versatility: It is great for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, cycling, and any other adventure you want.
3. Multiple compartments: There’s a roomy main compartment, two zippered pockets in front, and two spaces for water bottles. Besides these, there’s also an insulated pocket with a zipper and a mesh strap pocket for your mobile phone. 

Pros 

• It is versatile, useful for hiking, camping trips, the beach, park, etc.
• It has an incredibly large capacity, being able to haul far more than 24 cans.
• Its wide opening is great for loading items into it.

Cons

• Some might consider it a bit too big.

Final Thoughts 

Our last backpack is nothing close to mediocre. It is an excellent and versatile backpack that will serve you well when you’re at the beach, park, camping, hiking, or anywhere else. Alongside that, it is easy to carry. While it could use a few tweaks here and there, it’s still a great insulated cooler backpack to pick on Amazon as it is great for adult men, women, and teens.

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What should you look out for before you buy an insulated backpack?

The primary reason anyone purchases a cooler/ lightweight insulated backpack on Amazon is to keep your food at appropriate temperatures. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining cats and dogs, or you’re in the middle of a heatwave. The backpack should be able to keep your food warm or cold for as long as it is designed. But, this can’t happen if the insulated cooler backpack doesn’t have certain features that could make it the best backpack with excellent ratings and high purchases on Amazon. That’s why you should look out for certain things before insulated backpack purchases on Amazon. A few of them include:

1. Comfort

The comfort you get from using the bag isn’t directly related to the bag’s ability to keep food warm. But, it directly impacts your ability to carry the backpack on your back. This is especially because you’re likely to be walking a bit of a distance with the backpack. As such, your insulated cooler bag/backpack must be comfortable. This is absolutely non-negotiable before making Amazon insulated cooler backpack purchases.

So, to make sure you’re getting the best backpack, ensure that the backpack isn’t heavy and it has a grab handle. Indeed, the food you’ll put into it will add to its weight. But, the last thing you want is the backpack adding to your worries. Besides that, the most important thing is padding. Even if there’s a grab handle, the shoulder straps, chest strap, and back panel should be excellently padded. That way, the shoulder straps and back panel don’t dig into your back or shoulders while using your insulated cooler backpack. 

2. Capacity

Some cooler backpacks can pack as little as 24 cans, excluding lunch. Others can go as high as 35 cans of drinks. Make sure that your insulated cooler backpack is just the right size for what you need before you begin making insulated cooler backpack purchases on Amazon. If you’re going to be taking your family out on lunch picnics, hiking, beach trips, day trips, etc. be sure to pack something that’ll contain lunch for the family. If you are packing just enough lunch or cans for yourself, make sure your pack isn’t unnecessarily large. After all, we don’t imagine you can all finish 24 cans of soda in a day. That way, the insulated cooler backpack would be good for packing lunch on day trips, road trips, beach trips, camping trips, etc.

3. Pockets

Of course, your cooler backpacks are meant to carry lunch and drinks. It’s the main reason people keep making insulated cooler backpack purchases on Amazon. But where will you keep your keys? Or your mobile phone. What if you’re wearing a gown with no pockets? What if you’re wearing a pair of jeans with small pockets that are as useful as a flashlight during the day? You’re certainly not going to glue your belongings to your back. In situations like these, your backpack with cooler would need to be your extra storage space. If you don’t have enough pockets, you’ll have to carry everything else separately.

4. Size

Contrary to what you might be thinking, this isn’t the same as the capacity required in cooler backpacks. You see, if your backpack is big enough to haul your entire family’s lunch, that’s great and it definitely gets it better ratings after insulated cooler backpack purchases have been made on Amazon. But, if you’re not Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, you might not be able to carry it and that’s not the best thing to deal with. 

As a person with a petite body, choose a backpack with great ratings that goes with your body size. If you’re physically larger, you shouldn’t go for a small backpack. It would be colossally inconvenient. So, while the required capacity is important, you still need to balance it against your size. At the very least, you should be able to pick up the bag at the grab handle without leaning to one side, even if you’re going camping/hiking.

5. Insulation

This is, unarguably, one of the most important traits in an insulation backpack that people use in their best backpack ratings after making purchases. Without it, you might as well just be carrying a regular bag. So, ensure that the pack is properly insulated. 

The inner layers should be thick enough to keep your lunch warm or your cans cold. This should be so regardless of the weather conditions outside. 

Alongside keeping your food at the right temperature, the backpack should be leak-proof. The last thing you want is for ice to melt and for your clothes to get drenched as a result. So, pay attention to this part.

FAQs

Q1: How long can a backpack cooler work? 

This depends on different things. For starters, the temperature outside can affect the one inside. If you’re experiencing a blizzard in Alaska, your hot chocolate can only remain hot for so long. This is assuming you’re in a blizzard, at least. 

Apart from this, if your insulation layer isn’t thick enough, your temperature wouldn’t last very long. Finally, if your food wasn’t very hot or cold before putting it in, it’ll lose temperature soon enough. However, many producers estimate their backpack insulation between 12-24 hours., depending on different factors in their coolers

Q2: Do you need to clean your cooler backpack? 

Yes, as a matter of fact, you do. If your ice melts, for example, it could mix with your food. When that happens, it’ll create a bit of a mess. Your backpack straps should also get dirty from mixing with sweat on your shoulders so often. Finally, your backpack will come in contact with the ground more often than not. 

Q3: Do you need ice to use the backpack cooler?

Not particularly. If you want to keep food warm, ice would be counterproductive. If you want to keep it cool, you could use ice, but it’s not compulsory. This is because you can simply ensure your food is cold from the onset. That way, you’ll be preserving the cold. However, it’s still advisable to use ice, especially if you’re going to be using the backpack for a while. 

In conclusion

An insulated backpack is absolutely splendid, considering all it can do for you. However, if you choose the wrong one, you might be shooting yourself in the foot, Mr. Wile E. Coyote. That’s why we’ve given you all the information that could possibly pique your interest in this article. All that’s left now is to make your purchase decision. Even if you’re indecisive, our top three picks with excellent customer ratings will help you. For now, sayonara buddy!