Gear review: YETI Hopper M20 Backpack Soft Cooler

This new hands-free cooler straps on like a backpack and boasts impressive thermal performance.

What is it?

YETI Hopper M20 Backpack Soft Cooler

What sets it apart?

This new hands-free cooler straps on like a backpack and boasts impressive thermal performance thanks to YETI’s proprietary ColdCell Insulation — a closed-cell foam technology that locks in the chill. The new MagShield Access offers a wide opening for easy loading, while a strip of powerful magnets ensures a secure closure. This design gives the Hopper M20 a dependably leak-resistant seal that stands open when you need to reach inside and seals tightly with a gentle push.

How do I use it?

Featuring a DryHide Shell made of high-density fabric that resists punctures and UV rays, the YETI Hopper M20 is treated with a mildew-resistant chemical that protects it inside and out. Measuring 18 1/2 x 9 1/2 x 18 3/4 inches, the cooler features a spacious interior that can hold 52 pounds of ice or 28 beverage cans (using a 2:1 ice-to-can ratio). Available in alpine yellow, Bimini pink, navy and charcoal, the M20 includes two side handles and over-the-shoulder backpack straps for convenient lifting and short-range transport.

How much?

$325

Angler’s insight:

A sturdy, flat bottom makes the M20 a legitimate upright cooler — no need to lean it or prop it up — so it packs and travels well. One of the M20’s well-conceived design points is the HitchPoint Grid (a MOLLE-style system) on the front, sides and backpack straps that allow you to connect a Rambler Bottle Sling or Sidekick Dry Gear Case, attach sunscreen or hand sanitizer bottles, connect a mini-flashlight for after-hours missions or strap in a beach towel or light jacket.

More information:

YETI.com