Are you planning to go on a trip? Have you already decided which cooler to bring with you on the trip? Are you confused between which cooler to choose among hard cooler and soft cooler?
If yes, then don’t worry. There exist handy coolers, which have an excellent insulation capacity, such that they can retain the warmth or coldness of beverages and ice for an extended period. Also, both soft and hard coolers have their pros and cons.
Yeti is one of the most famous brands when it comes to such handy coolers. If you want to explore more about coolers, we have a comparison between the soft cooler option by Yeti, the Yeti hopper, and the hard cooler known as Yeti Roadie.
Yeti Hopper
Yeti is one of the most famous brands for coolers, tumblers, or water bottles. If you want a quality product with a great capacity and avoids leakage, then a Yeti hopper can be an ideal choice. Yeti hopper flip 18 was initially designed in 2014 and is a popular choice among people who want a soft cooler.
Later, after the Yeti hopper’s success, in 2017, Yeti released an enhanced version of the Yeti hopper known as hopper two.
Yeti hopper provides you a wider choice in size, with volume capacity varying from 20 oz, 30 oz, and 40 oz. Apart from this, if you love going into woods, then too, Yeti hopper flip 18 will not bother you because of its puncture-resistant shell.
Additionally, you will find it very easy to carry Yeti Hopper Flips flip 18 with a strap and durable handle. But the main reason for the popularity of the Yeti Hopper Flip is its soft shell, because of which you can easily carry it even in your backpack.
With a capacity of 14 cans, this cooler is just perfect for taking it on a family vacation, long drives, and picnic. Apart from this, it can be an ideal gift for your son or daughter.
Pros:
- Because of the high-density fabric, it perfectly keeps the ice and beverages intact inside it without any leakage.
- The zipper in this soft cooler is another reason for keeping the Yeti Hopper Flip waterproof.
- Easy to carry because of its softshell. One can even keep it in a backpack while traveling.
- Has a total capacity of storing up to 14 cans at a time.
- Available in three different sizes.
Cons:
- Because of its soft shell, Yeti Hopper Flip slightly stays behind other coolers when it comes to durability and sturdiness.
Yeti Roadie
If you are looking for a durable cooler, then a Yeti Hopper Flip can’t be an ideal choice. Thanks to Yeti, it provides an entirely different range of hard coolers for those who want durable and hard shells.
Along with this, it is an excellent solution if you store ice in it for a more extended period. Because of 2-inch thick insulation, it is perfect for keeping the ice and beverages at a constant temperature when kept in this hard cooler.
It is easy to carry cooler, and its portability is enhanced with a shoulder strap that comes in the packaging of this cooler. You can take it anywhere; whether it is hardwoods or sea voyage, because of its hardness, Yeti Roadie is going to serve you perfectly.
If you are worried about the leakage of beverages of water from the cooler, then again, no need to worry. With a heavy-duty rubber attached at the border of its cap, it avoids leakage. Because of rotomolded construction, it is waterproof as well.
Although it is available in just one size, still, it is an ideal choice if you want to go with quality, durability, and sturdiness. With a capacity of 14 cans, you can keep a 2:1 ice to content ratio in this hard cooler.
Pros:
- Because of its fat wall design, it is known as one of the most durable coolers to carry on long vacations or traveling.
- With a capacity of 14 cans, it is perfect for the long run as well.
- Waterproof and leakage proof cooler with a sturdy body.
- Especially designed with a bear-proof phenomenon.
- It can store up to 20 pounds of ice at one time.
Cons:
- The only problem with Yeti Roadie is that it is available in just a single size. That means it doesn’t provide a size option to its users.
Features Face to Face: Yeti Hopper Flip vs. Roadie
Outer Body
When we compare a soft cooler with a hard cooler based on exterior construction, the winner is undoubtedly hard.
Even though the Yeti Hopper Flip flip 18 provides a puncture-proof outer cover, it can still quickly get a hole when not taken care of. Thus, if you want to visit woods or other places like this, then Yeti Hopper Flip is not ideal. But, if you want a cooler, which is easy to carry on a vacation or road trip, then undoubtedly, the Yeti Hopper Flip can be the ideal choice because of its compact size and dimensions.
On the other hand, Yeti Roadie is designed so that it is an ideal choice for those who love adventure. Because of the bear-resistant and scratch proof body, it will be the perfect companion if you want to carry cold water or ice with you.
Thus, again, we can’t doubt the durability of either of the products. But, ultimately, it depends on the reason why you need a cooler.
If you want a durable cooler for woods, then Yeti Roadie is the ideal choice. But if you want a compact cooler for long trips and vacations, then must go for Yeti Hopper Flips.
Sizes
Sizes in which the coolers are available is another factor which we can compare while looking for soft and hard coolers by Yeti.
You can find three different sizes in Yeti Hopper Flip with the volume capacities of 20 oz, 30 oz, and 40 oz.
But when it comes to Yeti Roadie 20, you will find just a single size available in the cooler, which can ideally store up to 20 pounds of ice and 14 cans of beverages in it.
Thus, in terms of sizes, the Yeti Hopper Flip avails a wider variety when compared with the Yeti Roadie. Therefore, if you want to explore more sizes, look for Yeti Hopper Flip, but if the size doesn’t matter for you, Yeti Roadie 20 is the long-lasting choice.
Portability
Although all the products by Yeti are designed in such a way to provide ease of handling them while traveling, thus, when it comes to portability, both Yeti Hopper Flip flip 18 and Yeti Roadie 20 can be the suitable choice.
Yeti Hopper Flip 18 is the soft cooler containing a handle and a shoulder strap to carry it. The Yeti Roadie 20 is the hard cooler but again includes a handle and a shoulder strap.
The difference between both arises in terms of their weight. While on the one hand, the Yeti Hopper Flip is the softer cooler, with its outer body made up of fabric; thus, it doesn’t weigh much. On the other hand, being a hard cooler, Yeti Roadie 20 has 15 pounds of weight.
Thus, if hardness doesn’t matter much to you, it is easier to carry Yeti Hopper Flip flip 18 compared to Yeti Roadie 20. But if you want a heavy-duty cooler, which is portable as well, then go for Yeti Roadie 20.
Ice Storing Capacity
Yeti Hopper Flip is made up of puncture-proof fabric, also known as the dry hide shell, which is not just waterproof but provides insulation against UV rays and mildew. Also, the internal storage case of the Yeti Hopper Flip has been certified by the FDA.
Its outer and inner case provides excellent insulation and extended ice-holding capacity to Yeti Hopper Flips flip 18. And as a result, it can retain ice for 2 to 3 days at a time, depending on extreme temperature factors.
In contrast to this, Yeti Roadie has a plastic outer shell, which provides a 2 inches thick insulation layer. Inside the plastic coating, it contains a gasket, which is rated as a freezer grade. With all these factors, it has ice retention of 4 to 6 days, which again depends on some factors.
Thus, when it comes to ice retention, Yeti Roadie is our winner. But again, depending on the situation, your demand may vary as well.
So, in a single snapshot, if you want a cooler for a shorter period or find some way to refill the cooler in your way, then considering a Yeti hopper is not a bad option. But if you are going to woods or on any other adventure where you need to retain ice for a longer time, then obviously, Yeti Roadie can be the best option.
Application of Yeti Hopper and Yeti Roadie
Yeti Hopper:
If you are going on short trips or long walks where you don’t require additional durability and want a light cooler, then a hopper can be an ideal choice. Because of its shoulder strap and negligible weight, you can easily carry on your shoulder or back.
Yeti Roadie:
But if you want a cooler for some long trips like mountaineering, hunting, fishing, or camping, Yeti Roadie is a better option. Because of its heavy-duty build, it is more convenient for adverse situations. The only drawback of Yeti Roadie is its heavyweight.
Stand-Out Features: Yeti Hopper vs. Yeti Roadie
Although both Yeti Hopper flip 18 and Yeti Roadie have their advantages and disadvantages, the common thing in both these Yeti coolers is their top quality and durability. Yeti never compromised with the quality of products and always tried to serve the best of its users.
Yeti Hopper
- Soft Cooler:
Unlike hard coolers, Yeti Hopper backflip is a softer cooler, which means it has a soft outer body, making it easier to carry the cooler. However, the softness of the Yeti Hopper is both a pro and a con for the cooler. It is helpful in terms of portability because of its lighter weight. But it is more prone to punctures and not ideal to be taken in woods or at hunting.
- Sizes:
The reason why Yeti coolers stand out is that you can find the size options in it. It is available in three different sizes that provide a volume of 20 oz, 30 oz, and 40 oz, respectively.
Yeti Roadie
- Bear Resistant Build
The most impressive feature of Yeti Roadie is its bear-resistant build. It is designed with heavy-duty material, ideal for adventurous spots like woods, mountains, and even the sea.
- Durable Construction
Known as a hard cooler, Yeti Roadie is rotomolded, known for providing durability and strength to the products. Thus, even if you throw this cooler from a significant height, nothing will affect it.
Other Coolers That Are Comparable to Yeti
Although Yeti provides one of the best known and most famous ranges of coolers, yet some other brands are equally efficient as that of Yeti. You can find a lot of reviews comparing Yeti vs. Rtic. Rtic is another known brand in the world of coolers and tumblers.
Rtic vs. Yeti has a very neck to neck competition.
Apart from this, Orca, Pelican, and Engel can be the alternatives to Yeti in terms of quality and durability.
Conclusion
When it comes to Yeti hopper vs. Roadie, there isn’t much difference between both the coolers. Yet, the functionality and the usage of both of them differ in one way or another.
Yeti hopper backflip is an ideal cooler if you are going on a short trip and want a lightweight cooler.
Yet Yeti Roadie is a better option if you want a sturdy cooler with greater ice retention capacity.
Ultimately it depends on what all features you are looking for in the handy cooler.
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