There are much better ways to get some skin in the game than having it pulled off by your cooler’s zipper.
Otterbox is not firing warning shots here. Their Trooper Soft Coolers compete directly with YETI’s Hopper Two 20 and 30, boasting longer ice retention, more features, much improved usability, and lower prices.
The Otterbox Trooper 20 uses the lunchbox-style shape of YETI’s smaller coolers, but again, with a buckle instead of a zipper. It comes in at a $50 lower MSRP than the YETI Hopper Two 20, but is currently going for $75 less on Otterbox’s site.
The Trooper 20 features an external water-resistant pocket and two modular mounting points for Otterbox’s accessory ecosystem. More on that as they get released.
Empty, the Trooper 20 weighs 6.49 pounds, compared to 4.4 pounds for the Hopper Two 20. That combined with its form factor means that while the Trooper is far more enjoyable to use, the Hopper Two 20 is going to be much easier to carry.
The Otterbox Trooper LT 30 is the most exciting thing in coolers right now. With a massive, easy-to-use wide mouth opening, external pockets and accessory mounting panels, and the option to carry it messenger or backpack style, there’s nothing else out there on this level of usability.
The LT 30 weighs in at 6.69 pounds empty compared to the Hopper Two 30's 5.5 pounds, but fill a backpack and messenger bag with 50 cans of beer and see which one is easier to carry. The LT 30 has an MSRP of $50 less than the Hopper Two 30, but is currently going for $80 less on Otterbox’s site.
If I could only own one cooler, and really, how many coolers do most people need, this is the one.
I got a quick hands on with the new soft coolers coming from Hydro Flask and Corkcicle at Outdoor Retailer in January. Stay tuned for a deeper dive with those.