When going camping, it's useful to have a cooler to carry food and drinks.
This article introduces recommended coolers for beginner family camping trips with 3-4 people.
We will also explain how to choose a cooler suitable for beginners, considering factors such as size, cooling performance, and convenience.
What you'll learn in this article
・Recommended coolers for beginners
Contents of this article
- How to choose a cooler for family camping
- 【Beginner】Recommended coolers for 3-4 person family camping
- Tips for improving cooler insulation
- Summary
How to choose a cooler for family camping
With a wide variety of coolers available, you might wonder which one to buy.
Here, we explain how to choose a cooler suitable for a 3-4 person family camping trip.
Coolers are broadly divided into soft and hard types
First, consider the type of cooler you need.
Coolers are broadly divided into two types: hard-sided and soft-sided.
Hard-sided coolers are durable, can be used as tables or chairs, and offer excellent cooling performance.
On the other hand, soft-sided coolers cannot be used as tables and have lower cooling performance than hard-sided ones.
However, their appeal lies in their compact size and lightness, as they can be folded small when not in use.
For families, combining a main hard-sided cooler with a sub soft-sided cooler should be sufficient.
Soft-sided for portability
If you're going on a short outing or a day trip with minimal luggage, a compact soft-sided cooler is suitable.
While I mentioned that soft-sided coolers have inferior insulation to hard-sided ones, their cooling time can be extended by putting frozen plastic bottles or cans inside.
Hard-sided for high cooling performance and versatility
Box-type coolers offer high insulation and can keep items cool for extended periods.
Coolers made with highly insulated materials like vacuum insulation panels or polyurethane are recommended.
Styrofoam coolers are relatively inexpensive, but be aware that their insulation performance is somewhat inferior.
It's important to choose a cooler with appropriate insulation based on the length of your camping trip and the temperature.
If you're new to camping and unsure of your usage scenarios, a versatile hard-sided cooler would be a good choice.
A guideline for cooler capacity is 10L to 15L per adult.
For a 3-4 person family camping trip with one day's worth of food and drinks, a capacity of 30QT to 40QT (28L to 38L) is a suitable guideline.
However, this can vary depending on the length of the camping trip and the amount of food you bring, so it's best to choose with some extra capacity.
Wheeled hard-sided coolers for convenience
Ease of transport
Coolers become heavy when filled, so ease of transport is an important selection criterion.
Wheeled coolers are convenient for moving on flat surfaces.
If you're bringing a lot of drinks like beer or juice, a hard-sided cooler with wheels is suitable.
It can be easily transported even if the campsite is far from the parking lot.
For a family of 3-4 people, a capacity of 30L or more is a good guideline.
If you put family-sized groceries with ice packs in a 30-liter cooler, it might fill up completely. If you want to bring more drinks, consider a larger size (40-50 liters) or using a soft-sided cooler in conjunction.
Also, check for comfortable handles and the presence of a shoulder strap.
Choose a cooler that is easy to transport, considering the campsite environment and your mode of travel.
Hard-sided coolers offer superior insulation
Hard-sided coolers offer overwhelmingly superior insulation.
However, it is meaningless if you do not pay attention to the usage environment.
Specifically, pay attention to the following:
Ease of opening and closing
The way cooler lids open varies by model.
Choosing a cooler that is easy to open and close will improve convenience during camping.
One-handed coolers that can be opened and closed with a single hand are convenient and recommended.
Additionally, double-hinged coolers are convenient because they can be opened from either side.
Usability as a table
For family camping, it's also convenient to use a cooler as a table.
Especially hard-sided coolers can be used as a place to put food and dishes.
When using it as a table, having a rim around the top of the cooler helps prevent items from sliding and falling off, providing peace of mind.
Also, pay attention to the height and weight capacity.
Choosing a cooler with sufficient strength ensures comfortable use.
【Beginner】Recommended coolers for 3-4 person family camping
Here are recommended coolers for 3-4 person family camping, divided into soft and hard types.
We have selected models suitable for each type, so please refer to them.
Soft type
LOGOS Loopadd Multi-Cooler Bag L/XL
Source: Amazon
The LOGOS Loopadd Multi-Cooler Bag is a convenient item that can be compactly folded and customized with loops.
Despite being a soft bag, it is durable enough to be used as a simple table, making it a versatile and excellent product.
The capacity is 20L for the L size and 40L for the XL size.
The L size is sufficient if you mainly bring drinks, but the XL size is recommended if you plan to bring food as well.
Additionally, it has pockets designed to hold the original "Hyotenka Pack" (ice pack), making it an ideal cooler bag for those who prioritize cooling performance.
Thermos Soft Cooler 20L Black REQ-020 BK
Source: Amazon
This is a soft-sided product from Thermos, famous for the insulation and cooling power of their water bottles.
Weighing approximately 0.7kg, it's lightweight enough for sports days and day camps.
It can hold about 20 500ml plastic bottles or 6 2L plastic bottles.
However, due to the nature of soft-sided coolers, despite its high insulation, condensation may occur.
Conversely, achieving such high cooling performance at this size, even with condensation, is a remarkable feat.
YETI Hopper M30
Source: Amazon
The YETI Hopper M30 is a soft cooler bag of the tote bag type.
It features a wide opening and a magnetic closure for easy access to items like plastic bottles.
With a capacity of 7.2 gallons (approximately 27L), it's large enough for a family of three.
It can hold about 26 canned drinks even when packed with ice.
It comes in camp-friendly colors and designs such as navy, charcoal, and black.
Additionally, it is made from DryHide Shell material, which is resistant to UV rays and tearing, making it a durable and reliable product.
Captain Stag Cooler Bag Square
Source: Amazon
The Captain Stag Cooler Bag Square is a convenient soft cooler bag that can be carried as a backpack.
With a 30L capacity, it's a suitable size for a family camping trip with 3-4 people.
Despite its lightweight design of approximately 1kg, it is made of durable resin, ensuring safe use.
It features a mesh pocket at the top for ice packs, designed to enhance cooling performance.
Additionally, it has pockets on both sides, allowing you to carry camping gear that you need to access quickly.
The included removable divider also makes it attractive for organizing and storing essentials.
DOD Babecolo 2
Source: Amazon
The DOD Babecolo 2 is a soft cooler box with a side-opening design, inspired by refrigerators.
It can be fitted with removable shelves, making it easy to organize and access items.
The large side pockets can store essential camping items such as dishes, trash bags, and cold weather gear.
As a trolley bag, it's also very easy to transport.
With a large capacity of 40L, it is an excellent product that can hold enough food and drinks for a family camping trip of four people.
Hard type
Coleman Cooler Xtreme Cooler/30QT
Source: Amazon
This 28-liter model from Coleman is just the right size for a family of three on a one-night camping trip.
With a body weight of approximately 2.7 kg, it can hold 20 500ml plastic bottles or 8 2L plastic bottles. While this may not seem like a lot of storage capacity, its insulation performance is excellent, lasting for 2 days.
The standard for cooling performance is "the number of days that ice placed inside the cooler remains unmelted at room temperature around 20°C." (There is no JIS standard for "cooling performance.")
However, this is only a guideline, so for multi-day trips, it's safer and more secure to buy perishable food as needed.
LOGOS Action Cooler 25L
Source: Amazon
The LOGOS Action Cooler 25L is a hard-sided cooler suitable for family camping.
It achieves high insulation by integrating the insulation material directly into the body.
The lid is removable for ease of use and is designed to be washable for hygienic maintenance.
Equipped with both a shoulder strap and fixed handles, it offers high versatility in carrying.
Coleman Xtreme Wheeled Cooler 28QT
Source: Amazon
The Coleman Xtreme Wheeled Cooler 28QT is a high-performance model with enhanced cooling capabilities, offering up to 3 days of ice retention.
With a capacity of approximately 26L, it is suitable for transporting drinks for a 1-2 night or 2-3 night family camping trip.
It's a cooler that combines convenience and cooling function, allowing you to pull it like a trolley bag.
SHINWA Made in Japan Holiday Land Cooler 48H
Source: Amazon
This is a product from a fishing tackle manufacturer.
You might think, "What?! Not an outdoor manufacturer?" However, since it's designed to transport freshly caught fish, its insulation performance is guaranteed, with an insulation material thickness of approximately 30mm—three times that of other manufacturers.
Since it is designed for use in fishing, the lid buckles are made of stainless steel.
While it may not be visually striking, its robust construction, built to withstand heavy use, sets it apart from outdoor brands.
It has a capacity for 40 500ml plastic bottles or 12 2L plastic bottles.
It features wheels and two handles on the shorter sides, making it easy for two people to carry.
Tips for improving cooler insulation
The insulation performance of a cooler can vary greatly depending on how it's used.
Incorporating the following tips can enhance its cooling power, so be sure to remember them:
- Pre-cool before use
- Add ice packs
- Use a stand to prevent ground heat transfer
- Place in the shade
- Use two coolers
Since cold air escapes every time the cooler is opened, if you're bringing a large amount of food or drinks, it's recommended to divide them into two coolers.
Also, pre-cooling the cooler with ice packs before bringing it along will help the cooling effect last longer.
To prevent the cooler from warming up from the ground heat, it's effective to place it on a stand.
Furthermore, placing it in the shade to avoid direct sunlight can prevent the cooler's temperature from rising.
By combining these tips, you can maximize the cooler's insulation performance and keep your food and drinks fresh for longer during camping.
Summary
For a family camping trip of 3-4 people, a cooler with a capacity of about 28L to 38L is recommended.
You might also consider bringing an additional smaller cooler bag to meet your specific needs.
A cooler is not just for keeping food and drinks cool; it's a versatile camping item that can also be used for storage and as a table.
When heading out for a family camping trip, choose the perfect cooler and enjoy a fun outdoor experience.
