It’s God’s honest truth, I swear it: my candy apple red Coleman soft sided cooler does indeed collect more compliments than I do, whether it be waiting in line at the grocery store (@Whole Foods, obviously, Jeff – in case you’re actually reading this), at the farmers’ market, or while picnicking in California wine country. Why? This cooler is as fancy-looking as it is functional. The thick, black, adjustable strap allows it to be carried on one’s shoulder, while the zippered top and front pockets make it easy to stash smaller items, like napkins, small disposable plates, knives, and corkscrews, without having to open the cavernous interior.
I rarely put drinks like cans or bottles in this cooler, preferring to use a medium-sized Yeti hard cooler for that purpose, which I leave in the back of my vehicle with reusable ice packs. This Coleman soft cooler model is ideal for shopping at farmers’ markets, for loading up specialty grocery items @WholeFoods, for taking sandwiches and shelf ready snacks on road trips, or for packing wine country picnics.
While it can carry a lot in terms of volume, if you weigh it down with ice, cans, bottles, or other heavy items, the soft sides and nylon shoulder straps tend to be under too much stress. I think of it rather as a protected, lightly insulated carry-all food bag, a road trip emergency meal kit, and a pretty thing to accessorize with your farmers’ market weekend attire. Because it looks so good, it also works at wineries that allow guests to bring in their own picnic foods. There is even room for stemless wine glasses and other touches, like placemats, real silverware, tea lights, matches, and all sorts of sundries that make wine country dining extra special.
In the end, I find this cooler to be a sturdy weekend workhorse when I need to collect vegetables from own community garden, to get some food items at the store, or to store organic farm eggs, fresh mushrooms, strawberries, and even local seafood and pastured meats, if I bring a small sized freezer pack or two to line the bottom. Even fully loaded, I can carry it with ease on one shoulder, leaving both of my hands free to collect cash or card from my wallet, load items into paper, plastic, or cotton reusable bags, and even fish out my car keys once I’ve gotten back to the parking lot.
Coleman is a classic American outdoor, cooking, and gear company for a reason. They may not have started out with soft sided coolers in mind when they began to make lanterns, camp stoves, and plastic coolers, but with this particular product at least, their design team has exceeded expectations, beyond any reasonable consumer measure.
| Brand | Coleman |
|---|---|
| Color | Red |
| Material | Polyester |
| Package Information | Bag,Can |
| Capacity | 40 Liters |
| Item Weight | 2.17 Pounds |
| Special Feature | Portable |
| Included Components | Cooler Bag |
| Model Name | 40-Can Collapsible Soft |
| Team Name | Coleman |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 15.27 x 13.07 x 4.21 inches |
| Package Weight | 1 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 7.75 x 6.5 x 12.25 inches |
| Brand Name | Coleman |
| Warranty Description | www.coleman.com |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | The Coleman Company, Inc. |
| Part Number | 2000013739 |
| Size | One Size |
| Sport Type | Camping & Hiking |
