With more people eating lunch away from home, cooler bags have become increasingly popular for storing and transporting foods at the right temperature. There are different types of cooler bags available with varying features and capacities. This post provides an overview the various types of cooler bags as well as their key advantages and limitations.
Cooler Bags, Soft Materials VS. Hard Materials
Soft Cooler Bags
Soft cooler bags are made from insulated nylon fabric or polyester and have flexible sides that allow the bag to fold up when not in use. They come in various sizes from small lunch bags to large bags that can hold enough food for a family picnic. Some features of soft cooler bags include:
• Easy to fold and pack away
• Lightweight and portable
• Affordable price
• Can be washed in a washing machine
• Not as durable as hard-sided coolers
• Offer less insulation compared to hard-sided bags
Soft cooler bags come in multiple compartments with separate pockets that can be used to organize food and drinks. The handles allow you to carry the bag easily. Many bags have shoulder straps so they can be worn like a backpack for hands-free carrying. Padded handles and straps improve comfort.
Hard Cooler Bags
Hard cooler bags are made from heavy-duty plastic or metal materials and feature leakproof zippers. The rigid construction, thick insulation and tight seals make these cooler bags the most efficient at maintaining the temperature of contents. Some benefits of hard cooler bags are:
• Highly durable and leakproof design
• Offer the best insulation to keep foods cold for extended periods
• Easy to clean smooth interior surface
• Widely available in different sizes
• Relatively expensive compared to soft and folding cooler bags
• Heavy and not as portable as soft or folding bags
Folding Function For Cooler Bags
Similar to soft bags, folding cooler bags are made from insulated fabric but have rigid bottoms that give them more structure. Sometimes, we also call this kinds of cooler bags as cooler bag insulated lunch. This allows the bag to stand upright when opened. When not in use, the sides can be folded flat against the bottom. Some advantages of folding bags include:
• Can stand upright for easy access to items
• More durable than flat soft bags due to rigid bottom panel
• Offer better insulation than flat soft bags
• Lightweight and compact for storage
• Often cheaper than hard-sided coolers
• Not as durable or leakproof as hard coolers
Some folding bags have telescopic handles for easy lifting while others have backpacks straps. The rigid base provides stability and structure while the insulated sides help maintain the temperature of contents. Many folding bags come with additional features like bottle holders, utensil organizers and leakproof lining.