REI Co-op  Pack-Away 12 Soft Cooler

Wanted a cooler to keeps drinks cold, carryout food hot, and folds flat in the trunk when not being used. Pizza: Fits large pizza hut box (it's tight but it zips closed). Bucas Casserole: Works, pocket makes impromptu handle. Cans of Pop: Fits 3x4 in cooler mode. Wine bottles: Fits 1 to 4 in cooler mode. I'm so happy I don't have to juggle multiple containers or have a rigid cooler taking up space in my trunk!

Love the design of this cooler. It's what I've been looking for in a cooler to travel to beach with, take on one/two day river trips, etc. However, when I loaded it up with drinks and ice, after a few hours, I noticed water drops coming through the side of the cooler. After that, it wasn't a full-on stream, but enough condensation was coming through the cooler that it soaked the carpet it was sitting on. I didn't expect the zipper to keep from leaking if turned on its side, but the fact that water comes through the side of the cooler keeps me from using it in the car, etc., which is a deal killer for me. Will unfortunately be returning to REI.

First, REI makes no claims that this cooler is watertight. It has a strong, seamless liner along the bottom and held ice packs chilled overnight no problem. I would not dump straight ice into ANY soft cooler. Zipper is YKK, and has a little dust cover along it. I also have had no issues with the hooking system/eye hooks. You have to twist to release the straps, and unless you're tossing it around, they aren't going to come undone. It also helps if you hook the top one first, then the bottom if you are going for the box-style setup. I think this product meets all my expectations of an REI design. It also has molle-style webbing on the front and a little slide-pocket. I have a few backpacks and other gear from them, and this is the same. No frills, great quality.

Based on previous reviews, I was worried about this cooler leaking. I put about a gallon of water in it and left it in my bathtub for 24 hours to test it, and as you can see in the pictures there isn’t a single drop that leaked through. I haven’t tested how long it will keep things cold yet, but it seems decently insulated.

I bought this for the beach + hiking + picnic seasons and this is proving to be handy! Pros: - Affordable - Does keep things cool - Easy to clean the inside if something spills - Can configure in a couple of different ways to keep your content snugly fit - No/minimal leaking when your ice pack melts completely Cons: - Awkward strap/handle length. Handles are too short to be used like a tote, and straps are a tad bit too long for me (164 cm) - With your ice packs, bringing a picnic for 4 for was a little tight. More than enough for 2-3 though. It probably doesn't keep things as cool as cooler box, but it does the job for me and I like how compact they can be!

When I got my first cooler, I hadn't paid attention to how it folded up and thought I'd been sent the wrong item. But I quickly discovered, because it's padded and waterproof, it worked great for carrying my 2 laptops and assorted papers, so I kept it. I recently ordered two more after seeing how to fold them up (simple) and will use one, along with some bubble wrap, for my camera and lenses when shooting from the car. The other will be another computer bag. If you're just using these as coolers, you're missing out. They're good for lots of stuff that needs a little padding and water protection.

I bought this to mount on my Honda CB500X adventure motorcycle. It worked perfectly since it has webbing on both sides allowing me to secure it to my bike. I camped over the weekend (September) keeping my drinks cold with four frozen water bottles.

Just purchased this and used it in our car from Seattle to Cannon Beach, Oregon. Left our house 9AM and after a few stops arrived 5:30PM. Everything was still cold!! Even in the car at 70 degrees outside. I used freezer blocks instead of lose ice cubes. Very happy with this purchase. Took it to the beach too. Love that it folds flat for stowing. Worth the purchase and great price!!! The 12 pack worked better for us than 6 pack size. Brought lots of food and beverage. Stoked when I find a good product that works!

My wife and I were looking for a light weight cooler to carry a few cans or bottles of refreshments along with sandwiches or snacks to take down to the lake and back. We go down almost 100 stairs to get to the lake. Hence we did not want to carry a large cooler to the lake. This fits the bill perfectly. It's light weight so when we climb back up the stairs it's easy to handle and carry. It's nice to be able to undo it and carry a rather flat bag back up the stairs....

Just the right size and color for a personal medical bag for temperature sensitive meds like insulin when travelling and also other meds. Such medical only bag does not count against carry on luggage. Have not tried it for that but have used it for car travel for organizing medical and first aid supplies, with option of shoulder strap or hand carry. Got the orange color to stand out. Unlike some other insulated bags the zipper works easily and freely and plenty of should strap adjustment.