AO Coolers Traveler Soft Cooler with High-Density Insulation

I couldn't tell from the photos, but the zipper top closes like a book bag, not a rectangular cooler. I thought it would be to large for a daily lunch or dinner bag, but it works well. I can't compare it to other soft sided coolers as I haven't bought any others but the construction seems very sturdy. The interior liner is some of the thickest plastic I've ever seen.I like it more as the zipper is straight across the top instead of making it into a "box".After a solid 6 months of using this for my lunch bag cooler, I thought I'd update and clarify my review. The top zipper is doube ended, a feature I like as you can open it from either side, or zip them together in the middle if you prefer.When opened, the cooler opens into a square shape. which makes loading it easier than say a Yet which only opens to a slit. The top is also insulated, where a Yeti is thick plastic. The interior plastic liner is a single piece, so it's not a formed fit, wrinkles and spaces make it a tad harder to clean out but a gargen hose and detergent is sufficien. The one piece construction avoids interior welded plastic seems as in the Yeti.I had doubts of the usefulness of zippered pocket. But they are very handy for storing some utensils or paper plates/napkins, The Yeti doesn't offer side pockets.The insulation is sewn through in some spots (sides, corners) which would effect performance.After 6 months as a truck lunch cooler I'm very satisfied. The Yeti is more extreme, but not needed at teh price point for keeping a tuna sandwich from becoming soggy.This product (AO) looks very similar to the Polar Bear brand but I paid $20 less than that one. I recommend it for the price to performance ratio.

This is my 2nd AO cooler of this type in under 3 year's. The reason it doesn't receive 5 stars are these 2 items. #1 The velcro on the handle breaks down pretty quickly and #2 The zipper broke on the main compartment around 2 year's after use. I'm a flight attendant and this bag gets a workout. I really like the side saddle bags and the insulation is top notch. Of course the deficiencies occured just outside warranty. My personal suggestion to AO is replace the velcro with heavy duty snaps and a more heavy duty zipper on the main compartment. I bought the additional warranty this time, I really like this bag overall.

Nice enough cooler. Took it camping in Death Valley (80° days and 55° nights). It kept 10 pounds of ice intact for 2-1/2 days. Given a bit of care you can expect about 2 full days of ice in a warm climate. I made sure to keep it in the shade and under the sleeping bag for extra insulation when it wasn’t in use. Also used a layer of Mylar bubble wrap material, the type used for car window shades, to fill empty space and trap cool air near the food. I like the side pockets, which, if stuffed with insulating material like towels, would likely help keep the contents cold longer. The pockets are big. To give you an idea of the size, they can easily accommodate large paper plates, and in terms of volume a pocket can hold a few bananas, a half dozen tangerines, and an avocado. A couple cons, some of which have already been mentioned: no leaks as long as it’s upright, it will leak through the zipper if on its side; the zipper pulls are lightweight and I expect they will break, but not the end of the world, that’s easy enough to fix; the stitching holding the straps seems likely a weak point, but I wouldn’t expect stitching separation would compromise the function of the straps. Bottom line is it’s a good design and better then most thinly insulated soft coolers, it should last quite a few years with moderate use, but it’s not a Yeti, which would likely not hold ice much longer but might last a decade because of higher quality materials.

I bought this cooler for our family vacation (4 of us) to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. We did a lot of hiking and I wanted to have some snacks and waters with us in the car at all times. I also bought the Cooler Shock Large Dry Packs to go with it. This worked out so well. It was the perfect size for us, not too big and wieldy, but still large enough to fit plenty of drinks for the 4 of us and even sandwiches. I also really liked that the cooler had side pockets for dry good. The Cooler Shock Large Dry Packs worked amazingly well, too. These packs kept everything cool without any of the melted ice mess.

I work for the railroad and I've been using the 24-pack AO Cooler as an overnight lunch bag for several months now. Keeps everything cold for my two-day trips (using freezer packs and pre-frozen foods). It's holding up well. I carry 1gal of water plus glass containers of frozen food = heavy. No problems with the zippers or the handle so far (though I wish the carry handle had some padding). The full-width side pockets are indespensible - love the side pockets!Going to get a bigger one for road trips. Highly recommend.PS: I was concerned the 24-pack size might be too big for use as a lunch bag, but it's not. I'm glad I didn't get the smaller size.

Got this for my teaching work in the Cambodian countryside. Keeps Ice all day and has very useful side pockets. I put my cooling-vest, har, etc in the pocket and pur ice, the cooling packs, water, etc inside. Still has ice the next morning even after all day in 100F heat! Only downside I found is water rushes out through the zipper if it gets turned over while bouncing down brutal dirt roads.

After much research I went with AO 24 Deluxe. I am not disappointed at all. I love the side pockets and the overall quality is great. I use it as a lunch kit and can’t speak to the insulation yet as it’s winter in Canada... Only complaint would be the shoulder strap is too short to put over your head and wear across your body. Can’t go wrong for the price.

This cooler keeps things on ice for two days, even in hot temperatures. It's very durable and large enough to easily hold 3 human kidneys.

Solid construction for the price

Great cooler. Highly recommend.

Good quality and kept everything cool