The AO Coolers Canvas 24 Pack is the simple, collapsible, affordable pick. OutdoorGearLab liked its duffel-style handles, decent insulation, and fold-flat storage, and extended testing held food-safe temps for around 55 hours. The canvas shell is less rugged and weatherproof than the YETI and RTIC bags. For casual coolers, picnics, and tailgates, the value and packability are hard to beat.
Full review
Held food-safe temps for roughly 55 hours
The Canvas 24 Pack is a pleasant surprise on cold-hold given its simple design and low price. In extended testing it maintained USDA food-safe temperatures of 40F or below for roughly 55 hours, and The Inertia found that after 24 hours unopened the interior water measured 33.2F with almost all the ice still intact, tying for one of the best results in their group. The 3/4-inch high-density foam and TPU liner do more work than the canvas exterior suggests, and the numbers put the AO surprisingly close to coolers that cost two and three times as much.
Capacity is a flexible 24 cans plus 14 pounds of ice, which covers a family picnic or a tailgate. Because the body is soft and collapsible rather than rigid, you can overstuff it slightly or fold it down when empty, a versatility the boxy YETI and RTIC coolers do not offer, and a genuine advantage for anyone short on storage space at home or in the car.
The caveat behind the strong test numbers is that they come from a closed-cooler scenario; the duffel-style top zip is not as airtight as a welded waterproof zipper, so frequent opening and a less-than-perfect seal will erode that 55-hour figure faster than it would on a YETI. Packed full of ice and left closed, though, the AO holds cold long enough for most casual outings, which is exactly the use case it is priced for.
Folds flat for storage, unlike the boxy YETI
AO builds the Canvas 24 with a 600-denier polyester canvas exterior, a heavy-duty backing, and a Scotchgard topcoat for UV protection, over a welded, abrasion-resistant TPU liner. OutdoorGearLab praised the simple, easy-to-use design, the decent insulation, the duffel-style handles, and especially the fold-flat storage. Pack Hacker echoed that it is straightforward to pack and painless to use, calling out the convenient duffel handles as a highlight.
The design philosophy is deliberately basic: a top-zip duffel that prioritizes light weight, easy loading, and compact storage over the rugged, fully waterproof construction of pricier rivals. That makes it pleasant to live with for casual use, but it is not engineered for the abuse a boat or rocky beach dishes out, and reviewers are clear about where that line falls.
The canvas-and-Scotchgard combination is a long-running AO formula that has earned a loyal following precisely because it is unpretentious and durable enough for everyday duty. It will not survive being dragged across oyster shells the way a DryHide shell does, but for car trunks, grass, and sand it holds up well over years of casual use, and the fold-flat trick keeps it from monopolizing closet space between trips.
About $80, the cheapest serious cooler here
The recurring praise is value and convenience. At around $80 it is the cheapest serious cooler here, and reviewers single out the duffel handles, the light weight, and the fold-flat packability as standout features. OutdoorGearLab's summary captured the appeal: a simple design that is easy to use with decent insulation that folds flat for storage. For buyers who want a no-fuss cooler that disappears into a closet between trips, those traits matter more than maximum ruggedness.
Doesn't float, unlike the RTIC bags
The canvas exterior is the obvious compromise. It is less abrasion- and puncture-resistant than YETI's DryHide or RTIC's coated fabric, and it will show wear faster under hard use. The top-zip duffel opening is also not leakproof in the way a welded waterproof zipper is, so the AO should not be tipped on its side with melted ice inside.
It also lacks the floating capability and full water resistance of the RTIC bags, making it a poorer choice for boats, kayaks, and wet environments. And while the soft collapsible body is great for storage, it offers less internal structure when the cooler is not packed full, letting contents shift around.
Suited to picnics and tailgates, not boats
The Canvas 24 Pack is the right pick for casual users who want an affordable, lightweight, fold-flat cooler for picnics, tailgates, grocery runs, and day outings, and who do not need rugged waterproof performance. If you want a cooler that survives boat and beach abuse or stays sealed when tipped, the RTIC Soft Pack 20 or YETI Hopper Flip 12 are better suited, and groups should look at the higher-capacity options. For everyday convenience and value, the AO is hard to beat.
Trades leakproofing for lighter weight and lower cost
Against the RTIC Soft Pack 20 and Soft Pack 30, the AO is lighter, cheaper, and far more packable, but gives up welded leakproofing, floating, and abrasion resistance. Against the YETI Hopper Flip 12 and Hopper M30 2.0, it is a fraction of the price and weight but is not in the same league for durability or all-conditions cold-hold. It occupies the casual, value, convenience corner of this group while the others compete on ruggedness.
Strengths
- +Folds flat for storage, saving space most structured coolers can't
- +Duffel-style handles and a removable strap make it easy to carry and load
- +Maintained food-safe temperatures for roughly 55 hours in extended testing
- +Lightweight 600-denier canvas shell with a Scotchgard UV topcoat
- +Among the most affordable serious soft coolers at around $80
Watch-outs
- −Canvas exterior is less abrasion- and puncture-resistant than YETI or RTIC shells
- −Top-zip duffel opening is not as leakproof as a welded waterproof zipper
- −No floating capability and less water resistance for boat use
- −Soft, collapsible body offers less structure when packed loosely
How it compares
The lightest and most packable option here, undercutting the YETI Hopper Flip 12 and YETI Hopper M30 2.0 on price and storage, but giving up the welded leakproofing of the RTIC Soft Pack 30 and RTIC Soft Pack 20.
Rating sources
“Simple design that's easy to use, decent insulation, duffel-style handles, folds flat for storage.”
“It's straightforward to pack, painless to use, has convenient duffel handles, and the whole thing folds flat.”
“After 24 hours without opening it, the water inside was 33.2F with almost all the ice still intact.”
Our 4.1 score is the average of these published ratings. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
