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Head-to-head · Best Soft Cooler Bags

YETI Hopper Flip 12 vs YETI Hopper M30 2.0

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

YETI Hopper Flip 12 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.7 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about Boaters, anglers, and beachgoers who want a bombproof, truly leakproof personal cooler and will pay a premium for it. — read the strengths below before deciding.

YETI Hopper Flip 12
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Soft Cooler Bags
YETI Hopper Flip 12
$250as of Jun 7

The Hopper Flip 12 is the soft cooler most testers reach for when leakproofing and durability matter more than price. GearJunkie named it Best Overall and CleverHiker logged just under four days of ice retention in a melt test. The rigid cube holds 24 cans, and the HydroLok zipper is genuinely watertight once you accept that it takes two hands. It is expensive, but it is the cooler that survives the most abuse.

Strengths
  • — Held ice for just under four days in CleverHiker's controlled melt test before reaching 50F internally
  • — Leakproof HydroLok zipper kept water in even when tipped or carried sideways
  • — DryHide shell shrugged off scrapes, punctures, and UV after seasons of beach and boat use
Watch-outs
  • — At $250 it is one of the most expensive 12-liter soft coolers sold
  • — HydroLok zipper is stiff and needs two hands plus zipper lube to slide smoothly
  • — Boxy footprint takes up more car space than a collapsible duffel-style cooler
$250 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
YETI Hopper M30 2.0
Ranked #3 in Best Soft Cooler Bags
YETI Hopper M30 2.0
$350as of Jun 7

The Hopper M30 2.0 is the group-haul tote in YETI's soft lineup, swapping the zipper for a magnetic MagShield mouth that loads like an open bag and snaps shut on its own. GearJunkie awarded it best magnetic-closure tote and Treeline logged strong ice retention in direct sun. It is heavy and very expensive, and the closure is leak-resistant rather than leakproof, but nothing else here carries 42 cans this easily.

Strengths
  • — MagShield magnetic opening stays open for loading then seals with a gentle push, with no zipper to fight
  • — Held ice in 90F direct sun for more than 10 hours with about half remaining frozen near 24 hours in Treeline's test
  • — Huge 42-can / 32-lb-ice tote capacity for groups and weekend trips
Watch-outs
  • — At $350 it is the most expensive cooler on this list by a wide margin
  • — Magnetic closure is leak-resistant, not fully leakproof if the bag tips over
  • — Heavier than the Flip 12 at nearly 7 lb empty
$350 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

YETI Hopper Flip 12

More leakproof and abuse-resistant than the RTIC Soft Pack 30 or RTIC Soft Pack 20, but holds far less than the tote-style YETI Hopper M30 2.0 and costs more than twice the AO Coolers Canvas 24 Pack.

YETI Hopper M30 2.0

Carries far more than the YETI Hopper Flip 12 or either RTIC Soft Pack, but is the heaviest and priciest here; the magnetic mouth is easier to load than the RTIC Soft Pack 30's stiff zipper but is leak-resistant rather than fully leakproof.

Specs side-by-side

SpecYETI Hopper Flip 12YETI Hopper M30 2.0
Capacity24 cans / 16 lb ice42 cans / 32 lb ice
Volume13 L30 L (13 wine bottles)
Empty Weight3.1 lb6.8 lb
Outside Dimensions14.3 x 10.7 x 12 in25.2 x 11.9 x 17.3 in
ClosureHydroLok leakproof zipperMagShield magnetic with quick-release buckles
ShellDryHide high-density fabricDryHide high-density fabric
InsulationColdCell closed-cell foamColdCell closed-cell foam
Ice Retention~4 days (tested)48+ hours (tested)
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