YETI Hopper Backflip Waterproof Backpack Cooler

Last updated: April 7, 2023


Quality is the best word to describe the YETI Hopper Backflip 24 Soft Sided Cooler/Backpack, which features an FDA-approved food-grade liner that doesn't leak. The outer material also protects against UV rays and has the ability to resist mildew. The ergonomic shoulder straps and the backpack's ability to distribute weight equally protect users from back strain.

YETI Hopper Backflip Waterproof Backpack Cooler

We looked at the top Backpack Coolers and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Backpack Cooler you should buy.

Product Details

Key Takeaway: Protect your back with this YETI Hopper Backflip cooler, which has ergonomic shoulder straps and equally distributes the weight of its contents.

In our analysis of 114 expert reviews, the YETI Hopper Backflip Waterproof Backpack Cooler placed 9th when we looked at the top 14 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.

From The Manufacturer

YETI Hopper BackFlip 24 The Hopper BackFlip 24 fuses the durability of the Hopper Flip with a new, convenient-to-carry design. It’s our first cooler engineered to carry as a backpack, using the best tech of both worlds. Built taller and wider than its Hopper Flip counterparts, Hopper BackFlip is designed to efficiently distribute the weight of your goods, while the ergonomic shoulder straps make the journey more comfortable. Even more, a removable chest strap and waist belt are included for added stability and security. And like the rest of the Hopper family, it promises superior cold-holding, a 100% leakproof zipper, and a tough DryHide Shell. So, go ahead and trek to your favorite faraway fishing destination, because this backpack cooler won’t slow you down.

Our Expert Consultant

Brittany Anas
Travel journalist

Brittany Anas is an award-winning investigative journalist turned freelancer who now specializes in travel and lifestyle topics. She is a former reporter for the Daily Camera and The Denver Post. Her travel writing has been featured in American Way, USA Today, AAA magazines, Simplemost, Better, Livability, Apartment Therapy, Men’s Journal, Austin-American Statesman, TripSavvy and other outlets. She’s carved out a niche in adventure travel writing and has a column with Forbes that’s focused on outdoors travel. She logs about 75,000 airline miles a year and has mastered the art of napping in airports and finding the best spicy cocktails in whichever city she visits. She treats travel like a scavenger hunt, finding what makes cities special. Brittany is based in Denver, and loves exploring Colorado’s hiking trails with her gremlin that the rescue described as a “Boston Terrier.”

Expert Reviews


What reviewers liked

The YETI Hopper BackFlip 24 is a rugged, well-built cooler with lash points on all sides.
Yeti offers a 3-year warranty on their soft-sided coolers. This is among the longest warranties in the industry for soft cooler and it really shows us that they know that their products will last.
Its good enough to ensure you have an ample supply of drinks for your trip, no matter where you are going. The zipper is among the toughest in the industry. The zipper is also leakproof and easy to use.
Yeti took their popular soft-sided Hopper series and made it easier to carry with the BackFlip 24.
Having this cooler, you’ll be able to pack 20 cans or 25 lbs of ice and that’s quite an amount for a backpack cooler.
The hydrolock zipper is leakproof and the dryhide shell is puncture and mildew resistant.
Its Hyrdolock Zipper helps avoid any errant spills, keeping liquids where they belong — inside the cooler.
The Yeti Hopper Backflip has ergonomic shoulder straps to make carrying it as comfortable as possible.
It holds ice and keeps food and drinks really well and the attention to detail is impressive.
Resistant to mildew, punctures and UV rays, it is tough, practical and stays waterproof even when dropped directly into water.
Yeti is renowned for their insulating technology and build some of the very best coolers on the market.
- Heavy
The Yeti backpack cooler is only mythical in how popular it is, winning praise from multiple publications for its durability, insulation, and comfort.
The hardest, most elevated performing waterproof and watertight cooler zipper on the planet.
The thicker surface of the container is waterproof and impermeable to stores, punctures and UV beams.
The hopper BackFlip 24 Soft Sided Cooler/Backpack from Yeti, Fog Gray is a cooler backpack that has combined the durablity of the Hoper Flip with an altogether new, innovative and extremely easy to carry design.
Mildew is a problem, but the BackFlip offers top-class resistant to mildews and UV rays as well.
This Hoper is capacious and nicely insulated.
YETI is superior when it comes to insulation. The closed-cell rubber foam on the walls provides maximum insulation to keep your ice cooler for a more extended period.
The Hopper uses a closed cell foam that is denser and more rubbery than most soft coolers. This means longer ice time and colder drinks all day long
This is an outstanding piece of kit, large enough to fit stacks of food and drinks, at the same time being built like a tank with the finest insulation a backpack cooler could offer.
This cooler backpack is extremely tough and built to take on anywhere.
The Yeti Backflip is made from tough durable fabric that is waterproof and designed to be resistant to mildew, punctures, and harmful sun rays.
It’s made with high quality in mind, features just enough straps and attachment points, has a comfortable backpack design, and performed fairly well in our ice tests.
They had no problems carrying the beverage through hot temperatures, and the ice can hold for as long as 24 hours before it shows signs of melting.
The Backflip 24 actually makes carrying a cooler long distances practical.They actually went to the efforts to make a comfortable backpack. The back is padded making it comfortable for extended forays chasing whatever it is that suits your fancy. The straps are adequately padded and fit my 6′ frame.

What reviewers didn't like

There aren’t any zipper pockets on the BackFlip except for the main compartment. So if you want to attach your cell phone and keys to the cooler, you probably need to improvise.
Expensive and lacks external pockets.
No shoulder strap for short trips
Their products are wildly overpriced
- Heavy
It is somewhat bulky and may not fit a smaller person.
Hard to open zippers
Bulky – like carrying a fridge on your back.
For the price, Yeti was outperformed by several other similar models, including our top pick among backpack coolers.
It might need a bit more shoulder padding
View our Backpack Cooler buying guide for in-depth advice and recommendations.

From our partners