Ditch the hard cooler on the trail

Most hikers are better off with a soft-sided insulated lunch bag than a hard cooler.

Weight is the big one. A hard cooler that holds a couple of sandwiches and drinks weighs 8–12 lbs empty. You feel that at mile three. A good soft bag weighs under a pound and keeps food cold for 6–8 hours with a decent ice pack.

Protection is the other thing people worry about. Get one with a padded or reinforced interior so your food doesn’t get crushed when the bag is buried in your pack. The Hydro Flask lunch bag and the Arctic Zone Titanium are both solid choices. PackIt runs colder but it’s heavier and has to sit in the freezer overnight.

Pro move: freeze a full water bottle the night before and use it as your ice pack. It keeps your sandwich cold, then it’s drinking water by lunch.

Your sandwich stays intact and your back stays happy.