While we wouldn’t recommend it for extended hikes, this cooler outperformed its price point for an extended weekend in and out of the car and hanging around outside. We also found that the chest strap, which is not adjustable, is placed too low for busty women, so beware.

Layer strategically Put things you need last at the bottom, so when you go rummaging in the bag, it's for the shortest amount of time possible. Claims on how long they keep your food cool for vary from product to product, from a few hours to several days. Ways to keep your family living costs down, and kids of all ages happy Get our Family newsletter – it's free monthlyThis design is lightweight, simple, and sustainable. Made of recycled materials, it’s durable and easy to clean. The bottom is textured and rigid enough to stand up on the beach or uneven ground. The inside is shiny, like a whitewater raft, and rinses out clean. We appreciate the minimal seams in this cylindrical design and secure strap attachments. All the cool bags we tested so far perform decently, but the best ones keep water cool all day, whereas in the worst, the water is closer to room temperature by the end. Leakproof

To replicate getting bits in and out of the bag, we open and close it at regular intervals throughout the test. The Food Standards Agency recommends you keep your fridge set at 5°C, so that cold food stays at around 8°C. You'll want to keep your bag below 5°C, especially if you have perishables, for as long as you want to keep eating and drinking stuff from the bag.Throw the cooler in the freezer: Cool your cooler. Starting with a chilled cooler means there is one less thing for your ice to chill. We also performed a controlled in-house ice retention test to verify brand claims. For the experiment, we filled each cooler 70% with fresh, frozen cubed ice and set them in a shaded, dry indoor space at about 65 degrees Fahrenheit.