Soft Carry: Otterbox Launches Backpack Coolers

Backpack straps, shoulder slings, soft sides, and modular add-ons help expand Otterbox’s reach into the cooler market.

The cooler market gets a little more crowded today as Otterbox launches its first line of soft-sided coolers. Two new entrants add to the brand’s product offerings – 20- and 30-quart coolers.

The Trooper soft-side coolers not only sport two sizes but also different designs and features, including carry options and a unique opening mechanism.

Otterbox Trooper Soft-Side Coolers

Leading the Trooper line is the $300 30-quart model, which offers backpack-carry capability. Or, connect the included shoulder strap to carry it sling style.

The Trooper 30 opens clamshell-style – with single-hand operation – and sports the same modular attachment points as the brand’s hard-side Venture series. To use these, Otterbox sells add-on accessories like cup holders, bottle openers, dry boxes, and more itms that clip onto its mounts.

The 30-quart also has two stash pockets sealed with water-resistant zippers, useful for storing keys, wallets, and other basic carry items.

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The $250 20-quart Trooper, by contrast, comes only as a sling-style shoulder strap. Plus, it uses a more traditional, foam-insulated latched door lid with a single-hand design. It offers one water-resistant zippered pocket and the same accessory mounting system.

Both models claim to keep ice for 72 hours and feature a waterproof rating of IP-65, making them water- and dust-proof. Plus, Otterbox will toss in a bottle opener when you purchase a Trooper. Each has a reinforced base for durability on rough terrain, uses 2-inch wide straps, and receives Otterbox’s lifetime guarantee.