The YETI Hopper Cool Bag is so good that it’s going be my go-to accessory this summer

The Yeti Hopper Cool Bag is one of the most unique coolers I’ve ever seen. For starters, it’s a tote bag that can keep cold for over 48 hours. Secondly, it’s a massive $300. Other coolers I’ve tested have managed the same feat for well under $70 (and triple the capacity).

Well, could it still be one of the best coolers around today? I think that depends on you. If you want a stylish, hardy, innovative cooler bag and you’re not opposed to paying hundreds more for a Yeti-branded product? Then sure.

I’m not going to pretend the Yeti Hopper Cool Bag isn’t excellent — of course it is. At this price, you’d hope so. It’s not quite as adept as the Roadie and Tundra ranges of hard coolers, and it won’t be as easy to carry as Yeti’s Hopper Backpack coolers, but it still performs its one job exceptionally well: it keeps things cold.

I’ll discuss all my testing in this Yeti Hopper Cool Bag review.

Yeti Hopper Cool Bag review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? A more portable version of a hard shell cooler box, for those who want more dexterity and portability
• What does it do well? Keeps cold for over 48 hours, even with regularly opening and removing cans
• What does it cost? $300 (15) / $350 (30)
• What are its weaknesses? It’s so expensive
• Anything else to know? Unlike Yeti’s Tundra and Roadie coolers, it’s not dry ice compatible — it will explode

Yeti Hopper Cool Bag review: Specs

Yeti Hopper Cool Bag review: Price & availability

The Yeti Hopper Cool Bag range is available in either M15 (20 inches wide, 15-quart capacity) or M30 (25 inches wide, 30-quart capacity) sizes. I tested the 15 size, but the 30 size is practically the same (just bigger). The Yeti Hopper Cool Bag M15 is $300 from Amazon U.S. and £300 from Amazon U.K.. Comparatively, the Hopper Cool Bag M30 is $350 from Amazon U.S. and £350 from Amazon U.K..

Yeti also makes the Hopper range in backpack styles. The backpack cool bag is available in M12 and M20; these are $275 on Amazon U.S., £275 on Amazon U.K., and $325 on Amazon U.S., £325 on Amazon U.K., respectively.

As with the Yeti Roadie Cooler, this is incredibly expensive for a cooler. The Coleman Classic Cooler (70 quarts) is just $84 and the Igloo Marine Ultra cooler (54 quarts) is $100.

Yeti Hopper Cool Bag review: Design & portability

As with other Yeti gear I’ve tested, where the Hopper Cool Bag really excels is its design. As the Hopper Cool Bag is shaped like a tote bag, it has one long, detachable shoulder strap, and two smaller straps on the top. The shoulder strap is padded too, which is a nice touch as the bag easily gets very heavy.

The magnetic snap opening is my favorite aspect of the Hopper Cool Bag. Yeti calls it ‘MagShield’, which sounds eerily similar to the magnetic charging on iPhones and took me a few tries to remember the difference between ‘MagShield’ and ‘MagSafe’.

Regardless, this MagShield opening is very competent. It’s protected by a pair of plastic buckles that are stiff and tricky to open, which is a good thing in terms of hardiness, but tricky if you don’t have massively dextrous fingers or are pretty weak (like me).

There’s a handy white tab that you can grab onto to open the cool bag — no fiddling with the magnetic strip. I found it virtually impossible to open the bag without pulling on this tab, so I’m confident that the bag won’t open accidentally and let in a bunch of hot air. The opening does not open or close of its own accord, so no need to worry when you’re filling the bag or throwing it around in your car.

The inside of the bag is made of thick, smooth material not dissimilar to the inner lining of lunch bags I had as a child. The Hopper Cool Bag is like those kid-friendly lunch boxes, but adult-ified to the max. Instead of keeping sandwiches and string cheese cool, it’ll keep up to 42 cans of beer cool. Yeti says the Hopper Cool Bag is constructed from “closed-cell foam”, can “withstand UV rays”, and is mildew-resistant.

I can’t speak personally on the scientific construction of the bag or its resistance to ultraviolet rays, but it performed well at keeping cans cool for over 48 hours — so it’s pretty good for a soft cooler.

Yeti Hopper Cool Bag review: Performance

To reflect real-world usage, I put 8 pounds of ice and 8 cans inside the Yeti Hopper at 11am on Monday. On Tuesday morning, it was around a quarter melted, but still mostly frozen and very cold.

I removed four cans over the course of Monday-Tuesday, and removed a final can on Wednesday at 9am, so there were three cans left by the 48-hour mark at 11am.

On Wednesday at 11am — 48 hours — everything was still cool. While the ice had all melted, the remaining water was extremely cold. All three of the cans were chilled perfectly, and the inside of the bag was cool. Although any food or drink would need to be in an airtight container (to prevent water getting in), it would still be cold.

I’m very impressed with this performance. Over 48 hours for a cool bag is extremely proficient and I would have no reservations taking this cool bag on a weekend camping trip.

Yeti Hopper Cool Bag review: Maintenance

Unlike the Yeti Rambler and Tundra ranges, Yeti only offers a 3 year warranty with the Hopper Cool Bag. The Rambler and Tundra range of cooler boxes gets a whopping 5 year warranty. Even the Cool Bag’s comparatively weak warranty is still better than Igloo’s 1 year warranty, though.

There’s no drain tap, given that it’s a backpack rather than a hard cooler box. When I cleaned the cool bag, I simply emptied it (by tipping it upside down), and used a sponge with warm soapy water and kitchen paper.

Yeti Hopper Cool Bag review: Verdict

Sometimes things are expensive for a reason: they’re just really good. And I think that’s the case with the Yeti Hopper Cool Bag. It kept my cans cool for 48 hours without breaking a sweat. Not only does it function incredibly well, but it looks a treat while doing so. Yeti offers a huge range of colors so you’ll be able to find a style that suits you.

If you want a cool bag that is truly the best of the best, then I have no reservations about recommending the Hopper wholeheartedly. It’s stylish, effective, and easy to carry. This is the best cooler I’ve tried so far.