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In the Yeti vs RTIC soft cooler matchup, the RTIC Soft Pack 20 is the better buy for most people at $99 on RTIC’s site. RTIC now sells it as the Ultra-Tough Soft Cooler 20 Can. The YETI Hopper Flip 12 costs $250 on YETI’s site. Part of that premium buys a three-year warranty against RTIC’s one year. If you want the most room for the money, the RTIC Soft Pack 30 at $129 on RTIC’s site beats both. All prices were checked in October 2026.
I grew up around boats in the Florida Keys. The soft cooler always ended up wedged under a bench or doubling as a seat. Sun and sand wear it down first. Grit in a waterproof zipper turns a one-hand job into a two-hand fight. So before you compare prices, measure the gap under your bench and plan to rinse the zipper after every salt day.
The picks
- Best overall: RTIC Soft Pack 20. $99 on RTIC’s site, 20 cans, 3 pounds, and RTIC says it floats.
- Best for a boat day: YETI Hopper Flip 12. $250, 24 cans with no ice, HydroLok zipper, three-year warranty.
- Best budget: RTIC Soft Pack 30. $129 on RTIC’s site for 30 cans at 4 pounds.
- Best YETI for a group: YETI Hopper Flip 18. $300, 30 cans with no ice, 4.5 pounds.
Yeti vs RTIC Soft Cooler Price and Weight Compared
RTIC charges less than half what YETI does for the same can space, and the empty weights land close together. The table uses each maker’s own capacity and weight figures. Warranty terms come from each maker’s warranty page, and prices were checked in October 2026.
| Cooler | Price | Cans | Empty weight | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YETI Hopper Flip 12 | $250 (YETI) | 24, no ice | 3.0 lb | 3 years |
| YETI Hopper Flip 18 | $300 (YETI) | 30, no ice | 4.5 lb | 3 years |
| RTIC Soft Pack 20 | $99 (RTIC) | 20 | 3 lb | 1 year |
| RTIC Soft Pack 30 | $129 (RTIC) | 30 | 4 lb | 1 year |
Divide price by cans and the gap is plain. The Flip 12 works out to $250 divided by 24, about $10.42 a can. The Flip 18 comes to $300 divided by 30, or $10.00. Meanwhile, the RTIC 20 is $99 divided by 20, or $4.95. The RTIC 30 is $129 divided by 30, or $4.30.
Weight is closer to a tie. The Flip 12’s 48 ounces spread over 24 cans is 2.0 ounces a can, and the RTIC 30 carries about 2.1. The Flip 18 and RTIC 20 both land near 2.4. One catch, though: YETI counts cans with no ice, and RTIC does not say whether its count leaves room for ice. Pack ice and every number drops.
Yeti Hopper vs RTIC Soft Cooler Warranty
YETI covers the Hopper family for three years from purchase, and RTIC covers soft-sided coolers for one year. Both promise freedom from defects in materials and workmanship. Neither covers normal wear. YETI also excludes punctures, scratches and damage from third-party repairs or parts. It requires that you bought from YETI or an authorized dealer.
RTIC’s exclusion list is longer. It rules out water damage, abuse and commercial use. Coolers bought from third-party sellers such as eBay, factory seconds and second-hand units are out too. It also asks for proof of purchase and offers a repair or a one-time replacement. In practice, a flea-market cooler is covered by neither brand. A cooler that works on a charter boat is outside RTIC’s warranty from day one. For the hard-sided version of this fight, see our YETI, RTIC and Coleman cooler comparison.
Which Keeps Ice Longer, a Yeti or RTIC Soft Cooler?
No published test has run these two models side by side under the same conditions, so neither can be crowned on ice. RTIC claims up to two days when you follow its cooling tips. YETI gives no timeframe at all; its Hopper Flip page says it cannot give an exact one.
The independent numbers come from three different setups. Treeline Review left the Hopper Flip 12 in direct sun above 90°F and found about half its cubes intact after 20-plus hours. Outdoor Life measured 38 hours for the RTIC Soft Pack 30 to melt its ice, indoors at room temperature. Field & Stream, also indoors near 70°F, said its RTIC held ice for just under three days.
Sun versus a living room is not a fair fight, so those figures cannot rank the two brands. The packing advice matters more. The USDA says a full cooler holds its cold longer than a half-empty one. A separate drinks cooler also keeps the food cooler shut. It also says food should stay at 40°F or below. If you are still choosing a cooler type, start with our hard vs soft vs electric cooler guide.
Yeti Hopper Flip 12 for a Boat Day
The YETI Hopper Flip 12 is $250 on YETI’s site. It holds 24 cans with no ice, or 16 pounds of ice alone. It weighs 3.0 pounds and measures 14.3 by 10.7 by 12.0 inches outside. Insulation is ColdCell closed-cell rubber foam. YETI calls the HydroLok zipper 100% leakproof.
That zipper is also the main complaint. Treeline’s testers needed two hands to open it. Still, it kept sand and grit out after a fall off a tailgate. A tube of zipper lube comes in the box. Salt makes any stiff zipper worse. So rinse the track with fresh water after a day on the ocean. YETI says to clean it with mild dish soap, water and a soft cloth.
Need more room? The Hopper Flip 18 is $300, holds 30 cans with no ice or 28 pounds of ice, and weighs 4.5 pounds. Outside, it measures 17.7 by 11.5 by 12.8 inches. Its depth of 11.5 inches is still narrow enough for most deck spots.
RTIC Soft Pack 20 vs Soft Pack 30
The RTIC Soft Pack 20 is $99 on RTIC’s site for 20 cans at 3 pounds. The Soft Pack 30 is $129 on RTIC’s site for 30 cans at 4 pounds. RTIC now sells both as the Ultra-Tough Soft Cooler, though its product page address still says Soft Pack. Each uses up to 1.5 inches of closed-cell foam, welded seams and the RTIC EZ Waterproof Zipper.
RTIC also says the cooler floats, because those seams and the zipper make it air- and watertight. However, its front pocket is not waterproof, per RTIC’s own footnote. Keys and a phone belong in a dry bag instead. Outdoor Life called the zippers aggressive to open and close. Field & Stream had to lube its zipper out of the box and saw it sweat more condensation than other coolers.
For $30 more, the 30 Can adds 10 cans of space and one pound of weight. That makes it the cheapest can of space on this page. Still, the 20 is the one that fits low spots, as the next table shows.
RTIC Soft Cooler vs Yeti Hopper Flip: Kayak, Boat or Beach Cart
Height decides where a soft cooler fits. The RTIC Soft Pack 20 is the shortest at a listed 9.5 inches. The YETI Hopper Flip 12 stands 12.0 inches, the RTIC 30 stands 11.5 and the Flip 18 stands 12.8. Measure the gap under your boat bench or behind your kayak seat first.
| Cooler | Size (W x D x H) | Height | Fits best |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTIC Soft Pack 20 | 13.5 x 13.75 x 9.5 in | 9.5 in | Kayak tank well, low boat bench |
| RTIC Soft Pack 30 | 15.5 x 12.75 x 11.5 in | 11.5 in | Boat floor, beach cart |
| YETI Hopper Flip 12 | 14.3 x 10.7 x 12.0 in | 12.0 in | Narrow deck spot, beach cart |
| YETI Hopper Flip 18 | 17.7 x 11.5 x 12.8 in | 12.8 in | Open boat floor, beach cart |
YETI’s figures are exterior dimensions. RTIC lists one set of dimensions without saying whether they are inside or outside, so allow some extra room. On Colorado rivers I have lashed a soft cooler into a raft. A low, wide shape sits under a cam strap far better than a tall one. That favors the RTIC 20 on a kayak or raft and the narrow Flip 12 on a crowded deck.
Are RTIC Soft Coolers as Good as Yeti?
Yes for keeping drinks cold on a day trip, going by the published tests, but no on warranty. Both brands use closed-cell foam and a leakproof zipper, and both zippers are stiff. YETI’s edge is the three-year warranty and Treeline’s hot-sun result. RTIC’s edge is price, at less than half the cost for each can of space.
Neither the Hopper Flip nor RTIC’s soft coolers turn up in a search of CPSC recalls. The March 2023 CPSC recall covered the YETI Hopper M30 1.0 and 2.0, the Hopper M20 backpack and the SideKick Dry. YETI sold them from March 2018 to January 2023, and the hazard was magnet ingestion. If you shop used, check the model name first.
Skip the YETI Hopper Flip 18 if price matters. At $300, it costs $171 more than the RTIC Soft Pack 30 for the same listed 30 cans. Also skip any used Hopper M20 or M30 sold before 2023 unless YETI confirms it is outside the recall. And skip soft coolers for a multi-day trip with no ice stop. A rotomolded hard cooler is the right tool there. Our YETI Tundra 45, RTIC 45 and Igloo BMX 52 comparison shows why.
Yeti vs RTIC Soft Sided Cooler: Which Should You Buy?
Salt, sun and sand chew on every soft cooler I have kept on a boat deck in the Keys. So I shop on what one costs to replace. By that measure, here is the ranked call:
- Best overall: RTIC Soft Pack 20 at $99. Two of them cost less than one Flip 12, and RTIC says it floats.
- Best for a boat day: YETI Hopper Flip 12 at $250. A 10.7-inch depth for tight decks, a sand-resistant zipper and three years of coverage.
- Best budget: RTIC Soft Pack 30 at $129. The most can space for the money here.
- Best YETI for a group: Hopper Flip 18 at $300, if you want YETI’s warranty on 30 cans.
For the drinks, our insulated bottle comparison of RTIC, YETI, Hydro Flask and Stanley covers the same rivalry in steel.
Frequently asked questions about yeti vs rtic soft cooler
Does the RTIC soft cooler float?
Yes, RTIC says its Ultra-Tough Soft Cooler floats thanks to welded seams and a waterproof zipper. Its front pocket is not waterproof, so keep valuables elsewhere.
How do you keep a Yeti Hopper zipper from sticking?
Keep it clean and lubed. YETI says to wash the zipper with mild dish soap, water and a gentle cloth. Treeline Review notes a tube of lube ships with the Hopper Flip.
Was the Yeti Hopper Flip recalled?
No. The March 2023 CPSC recall covered the Hopper M30, the Hopper M20 backpack and the SideKick Dry, not the Hopper Flip.
How much ice fits in a Yeti Hopper Flip 12?
Sixteen pounds with nothing else inside, per YETI. The Hopper Flip 18 takes 28 pounds.
Published October 22, 2026.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.
