![]() ![]() Yeti continues to use its ColdCell foam, which helps keep ice even in beating desert heat. That should be plenty for any weekend trip and I rarely find mine overstuffed. The M30 holds 7.2 gallons, which equates to roughly 20 cans of beer or soda (with ice), or 28 pounds of ice. This also has the benefit of making sure you don't leave the Hopper open after quickly taking something out, a feature designed to keep ice intact longer. With the M30, opening requires a simple pull of the two sides of the cooler and that's it - the thick magnets even close on their own to seal it. Called the M30 ($300), this new cooler promises the same waterproof tech as its predecessor, albeit with an easier means of opening and closing - of which I'm able to corroborate both claims as mine's both yet to leak and much easier and more comfortable to open. Luckily, Yeti fixed this issue in its newest iteration of the Hopper by introducing a magnetic closure. After spending a day crack climbing and shoving my hands and wrists into abrasive granite, I wanted a beer but wasn't keen on scuffing my wrists to do so. Reaching into the zippered cooler means scraping your arm on its teeth while fumbling around for a beer or soda. For the Hopper, it's just not that great of an experience to use. Not only is it reliably waterproof but it's the same kind of thick zipper find in waterproof-necessary drysuits. Don't get me wrong, the zipper itself functions perfectly fine. One of its main features that still gives me fits after all these years is the zipper. My time spent with the Hopper hasn't been a unanimous joy, however. Despite almost three years of being thrown into the back of pickup trucks, slung over my shoulder, or checked on airplanes, the Hopper’s still my go-to portable cooler. It’s kept my beer cold in Mexico, my sports drinks cold at bike races in Colorado, and effectively saved my life by keeping my insulin cold in a southern Arizona desert. I’ve taken my first-gen Hopper on more adventures than I can remember. Now, there are soft coolers everywhere, all touting the same portability, durable design, and convenience as Yeti’s Hopper. Its soft-sided Hopper cooler, with its zippered closure and daisy chain attachment points, might be the most ripped-off item in the outdoor industry – and for good reason. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then consider Yeti coolers extremely flattered.
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