And that’s where soft coolers shine. Kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, and boating (in all its forms) come to mind (hence some soft coolers tout their ability to float should you capsize or lose them overboard). Our top picksI should note that soft coolers don’t always mean collapsible or foldaway coolers. However, the “soft cooler” category also encompasses structured or semihard-sided coolers featuring a rigid interior box or frame covered in fabric or other flexible materials. But after testing a dozen soft coolers, my list of “musts” got longer as features and faults started revealing themselves.