Cooler Buyer’s Guide

Last Updated by Brandon F. on October 10,

For more information, please visit SANNE.

When shopping for a cooler, there can be a lot of variables to consider.  Depending on a person’s needs they may be looking for a simple daily lunch cooler or a more robust and larger premium plastic cooler.  A few hours of decent ice life might be plenty, or they may be looking for something that can keep their items cool for a week or more.  Then some topics can easily be overlooked:

Do I need additional external storage?

Do I need an easy–access lid?

Am I going to carry this with a handle, a strap, wheels, or some other method?

Does it need to be waterproof?

And the list can go on.  To assist with this and help point you in the right direction, we have compiled a Cooler Buyer’s Guide which will lay out many common and recommended considerations one should make when researching a cooler.  Having a better idea of what exactly you are looking for will make the buying experience much simpler since you can automatically filter out a lot of items that don’t meet your search criteria.

Size

The size of the cooler is straightforward enough.  However, there are two important size metrics to consider.  First, there is the size in relation to the storage size.  Second, the overall dimensions that the cooler takes up.

Storage Size

Storage size is simply how much volume can you store.  Keep in mind that this volume can come from both insulated and non-insulated storage areas.  In other words, just because a cooler is advertised as having 50 quarts of storage volume, it doesn’t necessarily mean it can store 50 quarts of items that need to stay cold. 

In smaller, soft-sided coolers it is especially common to have separated cavities for chilled and non-chilled items.  This could be a good thing if you have a variety of items you need to carry, some of which need to stay cold and some of which don’t.  However, if you are focusing completely on perishable items you could run into some problems.

Another consideration is that the storage volume that does exist might not be shaped in a way to optimize storing your products.  For example, if you have a long sandwich that takes up 4 quarts of volume, it may not fit in a 6-quart cooler if the cooler is too short.  It is important to consider the TYPES of items you will be carrying and make sure that the ice chest you are looking at will be able to hold them.

Finally, it is important to also weigh in the space that ice or ice packs will take up.  Including additional ice is a common and recommended action for many coolers to maximize cooling life, but this ice takes up some of the precious insulated volume. 

Because of this, you need to anticipate and plan for that.  We always recommend sizing up if you are unsure how much space you need.  It might be a bit more inconvenient to lug around a larger cooler, but this is better than not having enough storage space.

Cooler Size

The other aspect of size is literally how much room the cooler takes up.  Let’s face it: coolers can be quite large, which can make storing and transporting them somewhat laborious.  If they become too large there may be space concerns if they aren’t able to fit in your car, boat, tent, etc. 

Generally, the more durable coolers with longer ice life have thicker walls, and in some cases, these walls can be 2 inches thick or even more!  Because of this, you need to make sure that wherever you plan on storing or transporting the cooler has adequate space.

One benefit of soft-sided coolers is that their dimensions can be easily manipulated so that they take up less space.  And in the case that they are empty or near-empty you can push them down to taking up hardly any space at all.  Hard plastic coolers, on the other hand, are the size that they come as, whether or not they have items in them.

Material

There are a surprising number of materials that are used in the cooler manufacturing process.  However, to simplify things we are simply grouping all of the various plastics, fabrics, and metals into their own categories.

Plastic

This is probably the most common material used and is the almost unanimous choice for hard-sided coolers.  Plastic is tough, relatively lightweight, cheap, water-proof, and does a relatively good job of insulating.  This makes it a no-brainer for being the material of choice.

Various manufacturing processes handle plastics, however, and not all are created equal.  Many of the premium cooler lines will advertise their rotomolded construction.  Essentially this is where the plastic is a single piece rather than multiple pieces that are attached.  This results in there being no potential weak points or stress risers where the pieces were connected, making for a stronger and better-performing cooler.

Many of the cheaper coolers will also have plastic hardware and hinges, which can sometimes cause issues as they are not nearly as strong as metals.  This needs to be considered when shopping around as you need to decide what kind of cooler life expectancy you are after.

Metal

There are a few coolers out there that have metal walls, but they aren’t overly common.  The most common usage of metal is in the hardware, hinges, handles, and zippers of the various cooler.  While having metal zippers is pretty standard, metal hardware will typically only be found in the higher-end brands since it costs significantly more than plastic.  This price increase does come with the benefit of being much longer-lasting and also more aesthetically pleasing.

Fabrics

In most of the soft-sided coolers we have tested, they will be made of various types of fabric on the outside.  The strength, waterproofness, insulation ability, and many other factors will vary greatly from example to example.  The cheap lunch totes that can be had for just a few dollars will likely have pretty weak fabric that will be prone to break.  However, some of the higher-end brands will offer strong fabric that oftentimes has tough components such as nylon intertwined, which can result in a pretty tough wall.  Again, it is important to decide what your end goal is with a given ice chest and choose your fabrics accordingly.

Rubber

Many coolers will implement rubber in their design, although only in strategic areas.  Rubber seals may sometimes be used to help form a more air-tight barrier between the lid and box.  Other places include rubber handles to assist with gripping, rubber wheels if the cooler has them and rubber gaskets on the drain plug.  Generally, the rubber will be considered a side material and won’t comprise a majority of the cooler but it is still an important feature.

Carrying Method

A cooler, especially when full, can be quite a challenge to carry.  This could be both because of the significant weight the results when you fill up a container with a lot of ice and items and also because of the sheer dimensions of it: some of the larger coolers can be several feet across, meaning that it might be difficult for a person to reach both side handles even if it is empty.

To assist with this, many coolers offer multiple carrying or transportation methods.

Side handles

Side handles are probably the most common type of carrying tool.  They are simply handles that are put on both sides of the cooler to allow one or two people to transport it.  On a smaller cooler, it shouldn’t be an issue for one person to grab both handles but on a larger cooler, it might be beneficial to have a person on both sides.  These side handles can come via pivoting plastic handles, built-in cavities that are molded into the side, flexible ropes with plastic grips, and various other methods.

Lid handle

A lid handle is a single handle on the lid of the cooler that is meant for a single person to carry.  This is helpful in that it allows a person to have one hand free and also not have to carry the cooler in front of them which can sometimes make walking difficult.  However, the single handle is not as strong as most other carrying methods, meaning that this will typically only be found on smaller coolers and only recommended on coolers that don’t have extremely high weight requirements.

Shoulder strap

A shoulder strap allows a person to carry the cooler over their shoulder which allows for both hands to remain free.  This is very helpful for someone who needs to carry additional items and doesn’t want to make as many trips.  The shoulder is also nice in that you don’t have to worry about your hand getting tired and potentially dropping the cooler.  Most of the time the shoulder strap option is only available on smaller, soft-sided products.

Wheels

Many of the larger hard-sided coolers on the market have optional wheeled configurations.  As the name suggests, this allows a person to avoid having to carry all of the weight manually, and they can simply push or pull the cooler.  This is a great way to make moving heavy ice chests much easier.  However, issues can arise when trying to roll the wheels over rough terrain or up hills.

Insulation Ability

This one is very important because it relates to how well a cooler does what it is intended to do: keep stuff cold!  While everybody wants a cooler that maximizes ice life, for some having a product that can keep ice for a week just isn’t necessary.  If you are just looking for something to pack your lunch in every day or to transport frozen items from the grocery store to home then more than a few hours is simply overkill and isn’t worth the likely increase in size and cost.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Cooler Bag Manufacturer.

Someone in the market for an icebox needs to determine how long they need it to perform before it has to be reloaded by ice.  To help with this, we have broken down a few common time-lapses:

A few hours: Nearly every reputable product on the market will do this.  Many times you won’t even need much, if any, additional ice and can let the insulation do most of the work.

A day: Some of the smaller soft-sided totes and bags will struggle with this, but almost all plastic and larger coolers should handle it.

2 to 3 days: Very few soft-sided coolers can go this long, other than a select handful of larger premium ones.  Budget and poorly-constructed plastic coolers will reach their limits here as well.

4 to 5 days: These will almost exclusively be the upper intermediate to premium cooler offerings.  Most will be made of higher-quality materials, have rotomolded construction, and implement metal hardware and other better-performing features.

6 days +: Only a select few coolers on the market will reach this point, and most will be quite expensive.  Nearly all will be large-sized or bigger.

Cooler Life

Let’s face it: we all would like a product that would last forever but that just simply isn’t possible.  There are, however, examples that will last for long periods but they come at a price.  When shopping for your next purchase you need to consider how long you want this cooler to last.  Is this something that you want to be able to throw around and expose to harsh conditions for years on end and expect it to last?  Or are you just looking for something you can bring to class for lunch and it just needs to last through the semester?

As expected, these considerations will be directly tied to the materials used and the ultimate cost

Waterproofness

Believe it or not, a lot of coolers on the market struggle with water.  This can make exposing them to significant amounts of melted ice or unforeseen water from a rain shower recipe for disaster.  Will you be taking this cooler outside on camping trips, to the beach, or the lake often?  Do you plan on loading it up with ice and needed to empty the water afterward?  If so, make sure that the fabric being used can handle it and that it has a rubber or plastic belly if soft-sided.  Nearly all hard-sided coolers shouldn’t have an issue with this.

External Storage

A common issue we see people run into is that they purchase a cooler and then realize that they had quite a few non-chilled items that they wish they could store as well.  Things such as sunscreen, potato chips, sunglasses, wallets, car keys, towels, etc. are very common accessories.  Simply putting these in the insulated storage areas can be frustrating for several reasons:

• These items take up what could be valuable and limited insulated storage space
• Accessing these items will require opening the lid, which lets out cold air and can impact ice life
• Melted water might affect the functionality or in some cases even damage these items (towels getting wet, phones being damaged, etc.)
• The non-chilled and chilled items can easily be mixed around, making grabbing a particular item much more laborious

Because of these considerations, some people are better off getting a cooler that has additional external or non-insulated compartments that are separate from the insulated ones.  This is especially common in soft-sided products but some hard-sided products have these features as well.

Looks

This is a very subjective category, but for some having a “cool” looking cooler might come into play.  Surprisingly, there are quite a few styles of coolers on the market, some of which are much more progressive than others.  Also, many come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, and a lot even have choices in your favorite sports team colors!  If you are looking for a cooler for your next tailgate or a fashionable lunch tote that would go well with your business attire then these are considerations you need to make.

Other Features

There are thousands of specific features that some coolers might have and others might not.  So we are simply grouping them all into “other features”.  These can include things such as fish scales and rulers on marine coolers, detachable water bottles, built-in cup holders, built-in bottle and can openers, easy-access drain plugs, lights, grooved slots for ice packs, base risers, included silverware, and the list goes on. 

If there are particular features that you are after then there is likely something on the market that has them.  We try to mention unique features in all of our reviews so we recommend doing a search for that particular thing on our site and seeing if there is a product that meets those specific requirements.

These are a few of the common considerations we recommend a buyer go through before making a purchase.  While there are always more metrics out there, we feel that these encompass the most important areas.  Once you have a better idea of what you are looking for, it can make the cooler shopping experience much easier.  And, as always, we encourage you to read our specific reviews on this site to get a better idea of how well each product does in these areas and many others!

Cooler Bags: The Ultimate Shopping Guide For Any Occasion

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

   • Overview of Cooler Bags

2. Our Top Picks

   • Snacka 6-Can Cooler
   • Altitude Fargo 6-Can Cooler
   • Brighton Non-Woven 6-Can Cooler
   • Altitude Waverly 6-Can Cooler 
   • Altitude Andes Non-Woven 12-Can Lunch Cooler 

3. Types of Cooler Bags

   • Soft-Sided vs. Hard-Sided
   • Various Styles and Sizes

4. Material Options

   • Common Fabrics Used
   • Insulation Features

5. Customization and Branding

   • How to Personalize Cooler Bags
   • Effective Branding Strategies

6. Popular Uses for Cooler Bags

   • Picnics and Outdoor Events
   • Sports and Travel
   • Promotional Giveaways

7. Buying Cooler Bags in South Africa

   • Key Suppliers and Locations
   • What to Look for When Buying

8. FAQs

   • Common Questions About Cooler Bags

9. Conclusion

   • Recap of Key Points

Cooler bags are the perfect promotional gift to celebrate any occasion with your brand in mind. This is ultimate guide for South Africans! 

When you think of cooler bags, there are lots of things that come to mind:

• Lunch bags
• Going to the cricket or the rugby
• Having a braai or a picnic at the beach! 

If you're South African, you need a cooler bag. And with so many different types to choose from, why not have a few? A nifty cooler for lunch, a jumbo-sized cooler for braais with your mates, and a chair-cooler combo for special events! With these products to your name, you'll always be prepared! 

There is no doubt to be had that the cooler bag is a household/corporate staple. 

Everyone needs one. 

Need to make a quick choice? 

We're all about making things easy for you. Here are our top 5 picks and favourite entry-level, mid-range and executive coolers at a glance.

Our Top 5 Picks

Snacka 6-Can Cooler

Snacka 6-Can Cooler - a fantastic budget friendly giveaway idea!

Features:

• Size: 20.5 cm (w) x 13 cm (d) x 13.3 cm (h)
• Material: Sturdy 600D fabric with foil lining
• Insulation: Main zippered compartment lined with aluminum foil
• Front slip pocket for easy access
• Long shoulder strap for comfortable carrying
  
  

Choose from 8 vibrant colours and elevate your business's next promotional event!

Altitude Fargo Non-Woven 6-Can Cooler

Altitude Fargo Non-Woven 6-Can Cooler - a modern twist on a promotional classic!

Features:

• Dimensions: 20 cm (w) x 15 cm (d) x 15 cm (h)
• Material: 80g/m² melange non-woven polypropylene with aluminum foil
• The front pocket provides a standout space to showcase your logo or message
  
  

Upgrade your promotional game with this stylish cooler! This cooler can also be used as a lunch bag. It features a chic black design and offers great functionality. 

Brighton Non-Woven 6-Can Cooler

Brighton Non-Woven 6-Can Cooler - perfect for picnics or events!

Features:

• Dimensions: 20 cm (w) x 15 cm (d) x 13.5 cm (h)
• Material: 80 g/m² non-woven fabric with aluminum foil lining
• Main zip closure, font pocket with contrast binding on pocket and comfortable self-fabric strap
  
  

Get the Brighton Non-Woven 6-Can Cooler now!

Altitude Waverly Non-Woven 6-Can Cooler

Altitude Waverly Non-Woven 6-Can Cooler - ideal for promoting your business at any event!

Features: 

• Dimensions: 20 cm (w) x 15 cm (d) x 16 cm (h)
• Material: 80g/m² non-woven fabric with foil lining
• Front pocket with sleek black binding
  
  

This budget friendly cooler features stylish non-woven fabric that adds a unique touch. 

Altitude Andes Non Woven 12-Can Lunch Cooler

Altitude Andes Non Woven 12-Can Lunch Cooler - Make eating easy and stylish!

Features: 

• Size: 33.5 cm (l) x 13 cm (w) x 28.5 cm (h)
• Material: 80g/m² non-woven fabric with aluminum foil lining
• Grey pattern on the front panels, front pocket and sturdy black carry handles 
  
  

Perfect for school or work! 

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Insulated Cooler Tote Bags Wholesale.

Promotional Coolers 

Are you looking to buy a large number of coolers to give away as a promotional gift at a conference? Perhaps you're giving them to school children at an event or music-lovers at a festival. Whatever it may be, we've got you covered!

Our top picks:
1. Waverly 6-Can Cooler
2. Drawstring Cooler Bag

Waverly 6-Can Cooler: IDEA-

This super cost-effective and nifty little lunch bag would make the perfect promotional item to give away with your brand on it! 

Features;

• 20cm wide, 15cm deep and 16cm high
• Foil lining 
• Additional front pocket for any extra goodies 
• Available in eight bright colours

The Waverly is a great option for a branded gift to give away to lots of people at events!

Drawstring Cooler Bag: IDEA-

What about something a little different? This bag is easy to carry and it's super practical! 

Features:

• Lined with quality foil lining
• 32cm wide and 43cm high
• Available in blue, black or red 

This bag is a great option for a quick and easy give away! What better gift to receive at a festival or event than a cooler drawstring bag to keep all your drinks and snacks fresh all day long! 

As an added bonus, these bags are great for screen printing and will do a great job of showing off your brand name!

Mid-Range Coolers

Perhaps you're looking for a handy and high-quality branded cooler to give to customers at an event. Or maybe you'd like to gift your employees with coolers that have your brand name on it to reinforce pride in your company. 

Well, look no further! We have some great options for you. 

Our favourites:

1. Brisk 9-Can Cooler
2. Icon Backpack Cooler
3. Kooshty Quirky Refreshment Kit

Brisk 9-Can Cooler: IDEA-

This cute little hold-all bag would be a great lunch bag the ideal way to bring a few drinks along to a party! 

Features:

• 26.5cm wide, 14cm deep and 18.5cm high 
• Foil lining 
• Digital direct transfer branding or screen printing available  
• Available in your choice black with blue, grey, lime, orange or red accent

This high-quality cooler is sure to make anybody very happy! 

Icon Backpack Cooler: COOL--GY

This cooler is an absolute must-have! Available at an unbeatable price, what's not to love? 

Features:

• 21cm diameter and 24 cm high
• High-quality polycanvas with aluminium foil lining  
• Adjustable shoulder straps 
• Large main compartment with additional side pockets

With the options of screen printing or digital direct transfer branding, everyone who sees this backpack will wish they had one! 

Kooshty Quirky Refreshment Kit: KOOSH-

This snazzy little item comes fully kitted out with a bonus glass drinking bottle, matching neoprene sleeve and a glass food container!

Features:

• 29cm wide, 26.5cm deep and 29.5cm high 
• Comes with bonus 500ml glass bottle and fitted neoprene sleeve too keep your water cool
• A bonus glass food container
• Neoprene material
• Available in eye-catching lime, red, grey or blue

This environmentally friendly cooler would be perfect to give away to employees to fulfil all their lunchtime needs in one go!

Executive Coolers 

The end of the year always tends to creep up on you. One moment you're enjoying sunny February weather, the next you're prepping for year-end functions! Where does the time go?

The last thing you want to do when you're working tirelessly is spend hours choosing the perfect end of year gift for your valued employees. Of course, you want the very best for your super-star staff, but there's no need to waste time!

No need to look any further, here's our absolute favourite executive cooler:

Midlands Picnic Cooler: COOL--GY

This stylish, 4-person picnic cooler is the ultimate end of year gift that will show your employees that you value them! 

• 36cm high, 47cm long and 30cm wide
• Aluminium frame and handle 
• Picnic plates, cutlery, glasses for four people
• Bonus cutting board and salt & pepper shakers 
• Main compartment is spacious and well-insulated 
• Price includes domed sticker, what a bargain! 

This grey, two-tone cooler is everything you could dream of. The Midlands Picnic Cooler has plenty of space for all your drinks and snacks. Already equipped with everything you may need for a delightful day of sunshine and happiness, this bag is sure to be a firm favourite.  

So now we've had a quick glance at the top choices in the three most important categories. But we've barely scraped the surface, folks. Let's dive right into the world of cooler bags! 

The History of The Cooler

Though it’s a far cry from Ye Olde Ice Chest, the modern cooler bag still serves the same purpose, just in a much more evolved and convenient way.

Invented by an American, Richard C. Laramy in , the first Ice Chest was patented in . 

The first cooler boxes were made of metal — which is all well and good until someone gets their tongue stuck to it on a dare.

They got the job done, but they were also heavy and hard to transport, and they could be pretty hard on the fingers.

Luckily, times have changed! 

The next step in the evolution of the cooler box is Styrofoam insulation sandwiched between two stiff plastic shells. That same method has held true through to today’s boxes.

But while those are nice, they’re still heavy, clunky and inconvenient to store. This is where the cooler bag comes in. 

Cooler bags are often made with thick polyester, lined with a heavy-duty foil and padded with foam. This foam is both flexible and durable, unlike Styrofoam, which is neither of those things. This also has the added bonus of making a cooler bag much easier on the arms than its predecessor.

Setting up your picnic no longer needs to be a replacement for arm day at the gym! That’s not to say that cooler boxes don’t still have their place in the world, but cooler bags are definitely the way forward!

The Different Kinds of Lining To Consider 

There are 3 different kinds of lining used in cooler bags today: 

1. PEVA
2. PVC
3. Aluminium 

Each one has its own benefits, and neither is lesser than the other. They’re all used to create superb cooler bags.

PEVA is also known as ethylene-vinyl acetate, or polyethylene vinyl acetate

• It's a biodegradable, non-chlorinated vinyl
• Often used as a plastic food wrapping
• Also used as padding in sports equipment like boxing gloves and soccer cleats

PVC, also known polyvinyl chloride, can be rigid or flexible

• The flexibility makes a good waterproof lining
• The thicker kind is often used for lining swimming pools and dams
• If there’s a spill in your bag, PVC is very easy to clean off. How convenient! 

Aluminium foil lining is particularly well known for its heat retentive properties. Keeping things insulated is one of the things that aluminium does best. 

Thermal heat has three basic mechanisms:

• Conduction
• Convection
• Radiation

Conduction is the one foil uses to circulate and retain heat, or in the instance of cooler bags, cold.

Now that you know what you’re working with on the inside, let’s take a closer look at what’s on the outside to help you make the perfect choice when shopping for a cooler bag.

What Are The Best Cooler Bags For You

Cooler bag sizes may vary wildly, but a standard way to measure them is their capacity to hold cans or bottles. That way you know immediately what fits inside. 

If the capacity of a cooler is measured in litres, it can be a little tricky to visualize as that’s the total volume. But, cans are easy to picture and they give an accurate and immediate understanding of how much the cooler can hold. 

Our smallest coolers are 6 cans and our largest, the Paradiso Cooler (COOL-) holds an astounding 72 cans.

What follows is our coolest collection of coolers — try saying that fast a few times after a fast few drinks — broken down into the categories/features/sizes best suited to your specific needs:

1. Lunch Cooler Bags
2. Branded Lunch Bags
3. Printed Cooler Bags
4. Can Cooler Bags
5. Small Travel Cooler Bags
6. Large Cooler Bags
7. Cooler Backpack
8. Cooler Bag on Wheels
9. Wine Cooler Bags
10. Sports Chair and Cooler
11. Insulated Cooler Bags
12. Camping Coolers
13. BBQ Cooler Combo

Lunch Cooler Bags

Here are some of our favourites: 

1. Snacka 6-Can Cooler 
2. Foldz Lunch Cooler
3. Frosty Lunch Cooler

There are several key features for a lunch cooler bag. From pre-school to working 9 to 5, it’s a very useful thing to have. A couple of ideal characteristics of a lunchtime cooler bag are:

1. Light
2. Portable
3. Small
4. Secure

Snacka 6-Can Cooler: COOL-

You can't go wrong with this crowd-favourite. It's cost-effective, available in loads of bright colours and provides ample space for branding! 

Features:

• 20.5cm wide, 13cm deep and 13.3cm high 
• Holds up to 6 cans
• Extra front pocket 
• Aluminium foil lining 
• Four different branding options for your convenience 

Foldz Lunch Cooler: COOL-

Easy to store and with a handy snack pouch, this is perfect for the busy professional.

Features:

• 19cm wide, 10cm long and 23cm high 
• Mesh snack pouch
• Short handle
• Velcro closure
• 4 fun colours
• Domed sticker branding

The Foldz comes in lime, black, blue and red. It can fold into a flat, wallet-shape for super easy storage and handling. Not only that, if carrying lunch doesn’t strike your fancy, it can also hold 6 standard 330ml cans.

Frosty Lunch Cooler: COOL-

This is the perfect bag for the pro on the go!

Features:

• 21cm wide, 11cm deep and a whopping 30cm tall
• 6 fun colour accents on black
• Screen printed logo
• Mesh bottle pouch
• Silver PEVA lining
• Zipped main compartment

The list of awesome features on this bag is just never-ending. It's available in fresh and funky colour accents in cyan, blue, dark green, black, red or orange on black. And it has a convenient bottle pouch on the side. 

This bag has everything you need to just grab it and go! Your drink, your snack pocket and your lunch safely tucked away in the main zippered compartment.

Branded Lunch Bags

A branded lunch bag truly is the gift that keeps on giving!

Our top picks:

1. Urban Lunch Cooler
2. Frostbite 6-Can Cooler

It’s a great way to have your brand be something that someone thinks about regularly. After all, wouldn’t you think about something you saw every day and subconsciously associated with that delicious food?

When your brand is associated with positive things like the feeling of a good meal and a chat with friends, you’re in good stead with that client.

Urban Lunch Cooler: IND701

This is the perfect product to use as a branded lunch bag to give away to employees or clients!

Features: 

- 30cm tall, 20cm wide and 14cm deep
- Carry handle
- Main zippered compartment
- Available in navy, lime, royal blue, black or red
- Bottom zippered compartment
- PVC lining

As an added bonus, this lunch bag has an extra compartment at the bottom to store sneaky snacks for those days that never seem to end! 

The Urban Lunch Cooler offers a large surface area for branding options, ensuring that passers-by won’t be able to look away! 

Frostbite 6-Can Cooler: COOL-

A shoulder strap makes this super-portable for work and school!

Features:

• - 22cm wide, 15cm deep and 18cm high 
• - Aluminium foil lining
• - Main zippered compartment
• - Adjustable shoulder strap
• - Screen printing
• - 7 colours with black straps

This bag is a real hold all! It comes in a trendy range of black, blue, turquoise, grey, dark green and red. 

The Frostbite has three additional pockets and a main zipped compartment! It has an adjustable strap that you can easily carry over the shoulder. This is a great grab-and-go bag.

Printed Cooler Bags

Our favourites:

1. Munch 9-Can Cooler
2. Clifton 12-Can Cooler

Printed cooler bags are perfect for corporate gifting and promotional giveaways. A thoughtful and useful gift, printed cooler bags are ideal to enjoy with family and friends. 

Munch 9-Can Cooler: COOL--BL

This fantastic cooler bag is perfect for a picnic or Sunday evening braai. The Munch 9-Can Cooler makes a great branded gift. What better way to connect with people than through something they see all the time?

Features:

• 20cm wide, 20cm deep and 17.5cm high
• Holds up to nine cans
• Sturdy carry handles
• Aluminium foil lining
• Zippered base compartment

With your branding up front and center, this item ensures constant and effective branding with its inevitable every day us! 

Clifton 12-Can Cooler: COOL-13

This snazzy little cooler bag is a great thing to take along to parties and could even be used as a lunch cooler! The possibilities are endless. 

Features:

• Holds up to 12 cans
• 23cm wide, 16cm deep and 26cm high 
• Adjustable and removable shoulder strap 
• Loads of branding options 
• Available in a whopping 10 striking colours!

This cooler bag is ideal for branding and would make an excellent promotional gift.

Can Cooler Bags 

A can cooler bag does exactly what it says on the box. This type of cooler bag can hold 6 330ml cans which makes it portable and versatile. 

Our top picks:

1. Brighton 6-Can Cooler
2. Buddy 6-Can Cooler

6-can coolers are often used as lunch bags, but they have a multitude of other uses as well! Carrying ice cream, jelly and other sweets, ice for your drinks, or anything else you might need to keep cool. 

It’s the ultra-convenient size that makes it so useful for so many different things. Be it storing cold cans or paints at home, taking drinks to a party or just taking your lunch to work or school, a 6-can cooler has got you covered.

Brighton 6-Can Cooler: COOL-

This 6-can cooler is an absolute must-have for around the house. Perfect to use for lunch or keeping drinks cool, you really can’t go wrong! 

• - 20cm wide, 14 cm deep and 13cm high 
• - Available 9 striking colours
• - Aluminium foil lining

Not only is this cute cooler practical and attractive, the price includes screen printing in one colour! What a bargain! 

Buddy 6-Can Cooler: IDEA-

This nifty little number is ideal for keeping a six pack nice and frosty!

Features: 

• - Holds up to 6 cans
• - 19cm long, 15cm wide and 15cm high
• - Foil lining 
• - Available in seven bright colours 

With this cooler bag over your shoulder, you won’t be hard to miss!

Small Travel Cooler Bags 

Small travel cooler bags are a great way to take your cool items from place to place without getting to your destination with a lukewarm two-litre that was previously ice cold. 

They’re great for taking in the car on a road trip with family or friends and because a cooler bag is flexible it can change its shape. This makes it super convenient for squishing between your luggage, between two people, or even next to your feet!

There are many great options for travel cooler bags, from a 6-can cooler bag to our wonderful range of larger cooler bags.

Our top pick is the Below Zero 9-Can Cooler.

Below Zero 9-Can Coolers: COOL-

This lovely little cooler bag is perfect for when you’re on the go! Big enough to fit the essentials but not big enough to make it cumbersome, the Below Zero 9 Can Cooler is ideal for traveling. 

Features:

• - 22 cm wide, 14cm deep and 21cm high 
• - Aluminium foil lining
• - Shoulder strap 
• - Inside mesh pocket with additional freeze pack!
• - Available in blue, grey, lime and red

Used by most people, this cooler bag would make a great promotional gift that could be used by anybody! 

Large Cooler Bags

If you’re looking for a larger cooler bag, whatever your reasons, you can’t go wrong with our range of larger cooler bags, ready to tote what you need while keeping it crisp and fresh.

Our favourites:

1. Sub-Zero 20 Can Cooler
2. Frostbite jumbo Cooler

Sub-Zero 20-Can Cooler: Code: COOL-

Guaranteeing both convenience and comfort, this cooler bag will meet your every need!

Features:

• 24cm wide, 18cm deep and 28cm high  
• Adjustable shoulder strap
• PEVA lining
• Padded top grab-handle 
• Available in black with a choice of blue, grey or navy accents
• Additional pockets 

This cooler bag is perfect for a fun day out!

Frostbite Jumbo Cooler: COOL-

This extra large cooler bag is ideal for fun days out with friends or family. Providing loads of space and easy to carry, the Frostbite Jumbo Cooler is a great promotional gift idea. 

Features:

• Aluminium foil lining
• 30cm wide, 20.5cm deep and 34cm high
• Available in 6 different colours
• Holds up to 30 cans

With this practical and trendy cooler bag in hand, you’re sure to arrive in style with all of your necessities for the day!

Cooler Backpacks

When you’re on the go, you’re on the go and there’s no time to stop. 

The last thing you want when you’re hiking, walking or cycling to your favourite picnic spot is to have to worry about dragging an awkwardly shaped cooler bag along with you. Especially if it’s over terrain that’s rough and you need your hands. 

It was for this sort of on the go, hands-free need that the cooler backpack was invented.

A few great options:

1. 16 Can Backpack Cooler
2. Siberia Backpack Cooler  

All the convenience of a cooler bag neatly stashed on you back!. Now you don’t have to worry about hauling it around or throwing off your balance by strapping it to the back of your bike.

16 Can Backpack Cooler: BC

This compact backpack is perfect for keeping this cool while you’re on the move!

Features: 

• Watertight, insulated and padded main compartment 
• 23cm x 39cm x 13cm
• Additional zippered side-pockets 
• Durable material and PEVA lining 
• Available in black with blue or red accent

With so much space for storage, this awesome backpack cooler would make an awesome end of year gifts to your valuable employees! 

Siberia Backpack Cooler: COOL--BL

You don’t get much cooler than Siberia (except for this backpack).

Features:

• 4 Zingy colours
• 38cm wide, 18cm deep and 31cm high
• PVC lining
• U-zipped main compartment
• Side zipped pocket with earbud outlet
• Mesh side pocket

This black backpack cooler bag is cooler than cool. The main compartment is sleek and fashionable and looks like something an international spy might wear if they were going out for the day between missions. 

It has a handy earbud outlet that lets you use them on the go without worrying about your device falling out or your cables getting caught in the zipper teeth.

A mesh pocket on the side allows easy access to your on-the-go snacks or your water bottle. Padded, adjustable shoulder straps are there for your comfort. 

With your branding on clear display across the back, you’re one step closer to saving the day. It’s hardly classified information, this backpack cooler is a must-have item.

Cooler Bags On Wheels 

Our favourites:

1. Igloo Trolley 30-Can Cooler
2. Collapsible Trolley Cooler

This cool (pun intended) option brings new life to the phrase, “Meals on Wheels". A cooler bag on wheels will get you where you need to go and are a great way to carry around a heavy bag without putting too much strain on yourself. 

They’re very convenient and easy to move around. Why not make your life easier? Less back strain, less arm strain, more time for you to spend enjoying yourself!

Igloo Trolley 30-Can Cooler: COOL--BL

This cool, compact cooler bag is about to make your life a whole lot easier!

Features:

• PEVA lining
• 28cm wide, 27.5cm deep and 29.5cm high 
• Recessed plaque for domed sticker application 
• Large main zippered compartment
• Holds up to 30 cans
• Front slip pocket and side mesh pockets 
• Reinforced carry handles with velcro handle wrap

This trolley bag is not only highly functional and portable. It also has a cool grey and black colour pallet with white piping around your branding to really make it stand out from the crowd. 

This bag can hold a whopping 30 330ml cans within its PEVA lining. The Igloo Trolley Cooler’s neat, hard plastic feet keep it stable. Its long handle makes it easy to pull along wherever you go!

This bag is a powerhouse of storage, and definitely a must-have item.

Collapsible Trolley Cooler: BC

This cooler bag is super-efficient. It’s perfect for carrying all of your favourite snacks and drinks! 

Features:

• PEVA lining
• Trolley 
• A zippered front pocket
• Collapsable for easy storage - what a bonus!
• Foam insulated 
• Available in a striking blue or sleek black 

This bag would be perfect for a day out when you really don’t feel like carrying something heavy! It would also make an excellent gift. It offers plenty of space for clear branding.

Wine Cooler Bags 

Two excellent options:

1. Peninsula Wine Coolers
2. Balthazar Wine Tote

A glass of wine goes wonderfully with a picnic or an open-air concert. On a hot day, a cool glass of wine is even better. 

A wine cooler bag is the perfect way to enjoy a cool glass of wine in the open without worrying about it warming up as the evening progresses.

Peninsula Wine Coolers:  LS--BL

This wine cooler is perfect to grab as you walk out the door! It guarantees to keep your wine chilled and ready for the party. 

• - 25cm wide, 8cm deep and 37.5cm high  
• - Slick design
• - Neoprene
• - Easy to carry 

This wine cooler offers SA-Screen Print as a branding option. With your name and logo right up front centre, this wine cooler would make a great promotional gift! 

Balthazar Double Wine Tote: LS-

When presentation is what you want, this tote is what you need.

Features:

• Imitation leather
• Piped bottom gussets
• Stitched side seams
• Side pocket
• Aluminium lining

With wide handles, this cooler holds two standard wine bottles. With this bag in hand you'll be ready for any special occasion.

Modern and sleek looking, this tote really is the perfect way to present your wine. It has a chic, one-colour screen printing option to ensure that this cooler communicates how cool your brand is.

Sports Chair and Cooler Combo

Whether you’re sitting on the sidelines of your daughter’s football match or watching the rugby with mates, a sports chair is an absolute must-have. 

These days, sports chair and cooler combos are also perfect for festivals! If this sounds appealing, you just have to check out the Capri Chair and Cooler.

Capri Chair and Cooler: GIFT-206-BL

Looking for the perfect combination of comfort and convenience? Look no further! The Capri Chair and Cooler means that you can reach for your next drink without moving a muscle. I mean, what more could you possibly want? 

Features:

• The chair is 41cm wide. 36cm deep, 64cm high 
• PVC lined cooler
• Holds up to 95kgs
• Fold up chair
• Handle for carrying
• Zippered front pocket and main enclosure

The Capri Chair and Cooler is an ingenious idea that’s sure to be a hit at any kind of sporting event, pool party or festival. 
This PVC lined cooler holds up to 24 cans and is conveniently located under the seat.

On top of everything else, this chair comes with a colour matching carry bag that can also carry your branding. This product would certainly be loved by all, so why not use it as an end of year gift?

Insulated Cooler Bags 

A few great options:

1. Greyston Cooler Bag
2. Ovation 16-Can Cooler
3. Iceberg Lunch Cooler

A cooler bag needs to keep your items cool and fresh for as long as possible, so you really do want the best insulation possible.  You want something that’s going to give you proven results every time. So here are a few products that are sure to fulfil your needs! 

Greyston Cooler Bag: COOL-

This trendy cooler bag will ensure your drinks and snacks are well looked after while you enjoy your outdoor adventure, wherever that may be! 

Features:

• 49cm high, 48cm wide and 4cm deep
• Main zippered compartment
• Side mesh pocket
• Double reinforced carry handles with velcro handle wrap
• PEVA lining
• Recessed plaque for domed sticker
• Holds 24 cans
• Adjustable shoulder strap 

Available in a trendy black and grey contrast, this cooler bag will make for an excellent corporate gift.

Ovation 16-Can Cooler: COOL-

This unique, oval shaped cooler bag is designed for maximum capacity and effectiveness. 

Features:

• Holds up to 16 cans
• 32cm high, 28cm wide and 19.5cm deep
• PEVA lining
• Top carry handle
• Adjustable shoulder strap
• Recessed plaque for domed sticker 

This stylish bag will make sure your goodies are cool while you look cool!  

Iceberg Lunch Cooler: COOL-

This cute little cooler bag is ideal for branded gifts! Useful to anybody in day-to-day life, most people would be thrilled to receive such a handy little bag. 

Features:

• 26cm wide, 24cm tall and and 15cm deep
• PEVA lining
• Double carry handles and velcro handle wrap 
• Side mesh pocket
• Front slip pouch
• Holds up to 16 cans

Available in a range of striking colours, these cooler bags are sure to grab everybody’s attention!

BBQ Cooler Combo

Picture this: it’s a hot, Summer’s day. The sun is shining and you have nothing to do. You invite a couple of friends over and make your way down to the pool. 

Lazing in the heat with great company, what more could you possibly want? 

Well, what about an ice cold drink? Why not start a BBQ to fill your bellies? We have the perfect option for you that’ll let you do both at the same time. 

The BBQ Cooler Combo is the new trendy thing for idyllic days outdoors. Equipping you with all the gadgets you’ll need to cook up a storm and stay hydrated at the same time, this is an absolute must-have! 

Outback BBQ & Cooler: GIFT-207

This BBQ and cooler combo is the ultimate must-have for Summer! 

Features:

• - 20cm high and 30cm in diameter 
• - Includes mini BBQ and cooler bag 
• - Portable
• - Folds away into carry bag

The Outback BBQ & Cooler is the perfect thing to take along with you for a day out with your mates! This could make an excellent end of year gift to employees.

Camping Coolers

When you’re camping a cooler bag is going to be your best friend. Possibly even better than your best friend sharing your tent because a cooler bag doesn’t snore. 

Filled with everything you’re going to need on your trip, cooler bags and camping have gone together since time began. 

Coolers are indispensable on a camping trip, from keeping your drinks cool in the car on the way there, to keeping your food from spoiling while you’re out there communing with nature.

One thing you cannot camp without is a cooler bag.

Wrigley 30-Can Cooler: COOL-

This cooler bag provides ample space for any goodies you may need to keep cool! Equipped with a shoulder strap, two grab handles and great insulation, this bag is sure to keep things cooler for longer! 

Features:

• - Can hold up to 30 cans
• - Bonus metal bottle opener attached to cooler! 
• - 34cm high, 30cm deep and 21cm wide
• - Adjustable and removable shoulder strap, additional grab handles
• - PEVA lining 
• - This snazzy bag is available in navy, grey or red

How To Pack A Cooler

The cooler is a camping basic. 

After all, without it, where are you going to store all your cool drinks, your meat, your salad, and anything else that might get a little mushy?

You will need:

• Two to three coolers
• Zip seal baggies in assorted sizes
• Airtight containers
• A permanent marker
• Sticky tape
• Re-freezable ice bricks
• Packs of ice

Got the goods? Let's get packing! 

1. Clean and cool your cooler 

Start with the one that you’re going to be storing raw meat in because you don’t want any dust getting on the food. If where you’ve been storing it is warm then you’re going to want to dump a bag of ice in your clean coolers before you start packing. This will help it stay cooler for longer.

2.  Chill what you’ll be taking with you

Everything you put in your coolers should have been chilled for at least 24 hours beforehand. If anything warm goes in there, it’s going to heat up everything around it.

• Pack your meat and seafood from frozen
• Chill all your beverages overnight before packing them
• All your vegetables should be washed and chilled before packing

3.  Separate what you can

Keeping meat in a smaller, separate cooler will help keep down the risk of contaminating other items of food as the ice melts. 
Keeping your beverages separate will also help to slow down the ice melting. Why? Well, you won’t be opening and closing the cooler all the time to reach for a drink! 

4.  Zip seal bags are your friend

If you don’t want your chicken mixing with your sausage then Ziploc them both away.You can also save space if you remove the polystyrene packaging. Genius!

Put your fruit or pasta in airtight containers so that avoid contamination from meat or other goods.

5.  Layer everything

Remember: You want everything heavy and non-squashable on the bottom and everything delicate and easily breakable at the top. 
Meat, boxes and ice on the bottom, eggs and squeezable bottles on the top.

6.  Get marking

Use some sticky tape or masking tape and slap it on all your bags, all your airtight boxes and all your individually packaged items. 
Label everything you have. 

This will help keep things neat and organised. You won’t have to spend ten minutes squinting at a frozen Ziploc bag trying to figure out if it’s the vegetarian soup for Rob or the Four Meat soup that Sara wanted. Ain't nobody got time for that! 

7.  Cut down on your excess packaging

This will help you fit more food into one cooler. Take the polystyrene off your meat and your vegetables. 

Or better yet, try to avoid buying products with excess packaging! The less plastic the better. Let's try to be as eco-friendly as possible! 

Cut the excess off your egg cartons if you’re not bringing full ones and decant your condiments into smaller containers. This will help you avoid having a load of half-empty bottles cluttering up your cooler.

The Benefits of Cooler Bags as a Marketing Product

When you give someone a pen, they take it to work with them, their colleagues see it, it gets used or lost as pens often do. When you give someone a cooler bag, it goes places, and so does your brand!

A cooler bag is by its very nature a travelling item. 

It goes to:

• Work
• The park
• The beach
• The rugby or the soccer
• Shopping
• Festivals
• Braais

When your branded cooler bag is at the beach or a party, it not only gets seen by the friends of its owner but also all of their friends. 
People will naturally ask where it came from — this is how word of mouth works. 

A great marketing product:

• Is appealing to the eyes
• Is used by anyone and everyone
• Improves the daily lives of those who use it
• Is clearly customised with your super-cool branding

With a product like this doing the rounds, it won't be long before people are trading stories about how they acquired their wonderful new cooler! Your brand will be on the lips of everyone in town. What an awesome opportunity to increase your brand exposure and positive press!

It’s a great, fun way to promote your brand while giving the gift of great memories! No matter whether they’re for work or play, cooler bags are here to stay! What's the best cooler bag for groceries? 

There are so many options, loads of them mentioned in the categories above, but a great option is always the Blackstone 16-Can cooler. 

Blackstone 16-Can Cooler:  COOL-

Both cost-effective and providing plenty of space, this cooler is ideal for trips to the grocery store!

Features: 

• Adjustable shoulder strap
• 26cm wide, 15.5cm deep and 21cm high
• polycanvas with aluminium foil lining 
• Option of digital direct transfer or screen printing for your branding needs 

Available in grey or black and allowing for plenty of space for branding, this bag is guaranteed to be used by everyone. This would make an excellent promotional gift! 

What's the most convenient cooler for drinks? 

Of course, there are loads of options for storing drinks. You could go with a large zippered cooler (check out our category above), like the Frostbite Jumbo Cooler, which is great for keeping things cool when you're hanging out in the sun.

But it can get annoying to have to keep opening a large cooler box for every drink. Not to mention, you risk warming things up! So why not use a small, ice-bucket cooler to pop a few drinks in at a time? 

Ice Bucket Cooler: IDEA-

Features;

• Bucket-shaped 
• Convenient handle
• Watertight
• 46.5cm wide and 28cm high 
• Available in bright colours

Frequently Asked Questions About Cooler Bags

1. What materials are the cooler bags made from?
Common cooler bag materials include nylon, polyester and non-woven fabrics with insulation. 

2. What sizes do the cooler bags come in?
Cooler bags come in various sizes, from small personal bags to large family-sized options.

3. What key features should I look for in a cooler bag?
It's essential to consider insulation quality, size, material durability, ease of cleaning and extra storage pockets when choosing the right cooler bag for your needs.

4. Are there eco-friendly cooler bag options?
Absolutely! We offer a range of eco-friendly cooler bags for you to choose from, some of our favourites are:
- Okiyo Arshi Cotton & Jute 12 Can Lunch Cooler
- Kooshty Key Largo Recycled PET 20-Litre Cooler 
- Kooshty Coolito Recycled PET 12-Can Lunch Cooler 
- Okiyo Reitoko Recycled PET Felt Lunch Cooler - 6-Can

5. Are cooler bags waterproof?
While many coolers are water resistant, they're not full waterproof. You would need to check the product specifications to see whether a certain cooler is waterproof or water resistant.

Get Ready For Any Occasion With Our Cooler Bags