REI Co-op Pack-Away 24 Review

The REI Pack Away 24 is a messenger bag cooler that converts between a flat tote and a roughly 20L cube. It has an adjustable shoulder strap and two duffel-style handles. It features a medium-sized external zippered pocket and two short daisy chains on each side.

Performance Comparison

Insulation

While this flexible bag cooler converts between two different configurations (with different capacities), we only tested its insulation as a cube because we find it to be the more convenient, though smaller, way to use this cooler. As a (slightly under) 20-quart cube, the Pack-Away 24 lasted 50 hours below 40° F, the recommended food-safe temperature by the FDA. It managed 55 hours under 50° F, which is roughly the temperature at which beer is still refreshing. This is just about the average performance among the models we tested. If we'd tested it as a flat tote bag, with its 34-quart volume, it would have contained more ice (we scale the amount of ice and cans in each cooler to match their capacities) and might have lasted longer. However, we chose not to test it as a tote, as we found it more than a little bit awkward to use it this way. It's also worth noting that it closes with just a regular zipper—not a waterproof one.

Convenience

If you enjoy using a classic, slightly floppy duffel bag, the Pack-Away is a solid choice. It has a removable and adjustable shoulder strap and duffel-style handles (though no way to clip the two together). Two zipper pulls allow you to open the cooler at any given point along the top. The rather flexible cooler body makes it easy to pack completely to the brim or accommodate awkwardly shaped items. A fairly large zippered pocket on the outside holds a small selection of your dry goods and has a clip for your keys (or favorite bottle opener), and four short daisy chains provide additional attachment points. The main feature of this soft cooler is that it folds flat for easy storage. We tried using it as a flat tote bag and it doesn't not work, but its elongated body and lack of a flat bottom make for a heavy, unwieldy package that jumbles everything together in transit. We prefer it as a cube, despite the loss of volume. The only real downside to using it as a cube is that by clipping corners where they need to go to make it a cube, the zipper actually runs up both ends and over the top. Since it's not a waterproof zipper, we found ice water sometimes sloshes out the sides and gets us a little bit damp.

Portability

Completely empty, the Pack-Away weighs 1.6 pounds, which makes it one of the lightest coolers we tested of any size. Even when it's completely full, it carries comfortably over your shoulder or across your body. Despite the shoulder pad being fairly small and insignificant looking, it does a more than adequate job helping your shoulder be as comfortable as you can expect, carrying a cooler full of picnic supplies. Once again, the flexible body of the cooler comes in handy, conforming to the shape of your side rather than bashing rigidly like so many other models.

Packability

The Pack-Away is large enough to hold a whopping 44 cans. Adding to this overall packing functionality are exterior pockets and gear loops. Extra items like keys or a travel mug can easily be clipped on to keep your hands free. Because it's a soft tote-style bag, it naturally wants to close, which isn't ideal during loading or unloading. However, due to its soft body, variously shaped items can fit in, with the walls conforming to whatever item it's carrying.

Durability

Made of rugged polyester, the Pack-Away did well in this metric. During our soak test, some beads of water managed to find their way inside to cause some minor dampness. However, it mostly remained dry. The bottom of the cooler is also reinforced with an extra layer of material, so it can handle a scrape or two against a rock. Unfortunately, we read a lot of other Pack-Away owners reporting similar experiences in their online reviews. If it weren't for that leak, the rest of the cooler seems good enough to be a casual or infrequently used piece of gear in your summertime arsenal.

Should You Buy the REI Co-op Pack-Away?

The Pack-Away 24 is one of the cheaper models we tested, and in this case, we think you get what you pay for. It does an okay job and is certainly good enough for a single day of use on the beach for a family that only needs it every now and then. This infrequent usage is reinforced by how easy it is to pack it flat and tuck it away on a shelf or in a closet. If that sounds like your ideal cooler, then this just might be right for you.

What Other Soft Coolers Should You Consider?

If you're hunting for a bag that does it all, take a peak at the Engel HD30. This cooler does well in all of the metrics and manages to keep its contents fresh for longer. If you're set on a non-rigid tote style cooler, the AO Coolers 24 Pack Canvas Cooler is another well-priced option. Find out more about the best soft coolers in our comprehensive cooler review.