A backpack cooler is the right cooler when the walk from your car to your tailgate is long: it carries the drinks on your back, so both hands stay free for the chairs and the canopy. It's for the lot, not the stadium. Under clear-bag rules, coolers and backpacks don't go through the gates, so plan to leave it at your setup.
The short answer
| Pick | Best for | Holds | Size (outside) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tailgate Trekker (ours) | The walk in, with a waterproof shell and a phone pocket | 18 cans with ice (20 liters) | 14.8 x 8.7 x 16.1 in, about 4.5 lbs | $149 |
| Cordova Backcountry Class | More cans, a slimmer pack | 24 cans | 12 x 8 x 18 in, 4 lbs | $169.99 |
When a backpack cooler beats a big cooler
- You park far from where you tailgate. At Lambeau, if you don't have a season pass for the stadium lots, you park in the neighborhood. At Nissan Stadium, on-site parking is sold out with no day-of sales, so fans without a pass park downtown and walk across the river.
- Your hands are already full. Chairs, a canopy, a grill. A wheeled cooler needs a free hand. A backpack doesn't.
- It's a small crew. 18 to 24 cans covers a few people for a tailgate. For a big crowd, pair it with a party cooler that stays at the car.
What stadiums allow
- It stays outside the gates. Clear-bag rules keep coolers and backpacks out of the stadium. Lincoln Financial Field lists "no coolers or backpacks" at the gate, and Lambeau says coolers stay outside.
- Check the pregame too. In Seattle, there's no tailgating on stadium property, and coolers and large backpacks aren't allowed at the team-run pregame either. See the Lumen Field guide.
- Pack cans. Many lots ban glass, including Highmark Stadium and Arrowhead.
Our picks
Tailgate Trekker: the one we carry
See the Tailgate Trekker ($149)
- Who it's for: anyone with a walk from the car to the tailgate.
- The numbers: 20 liters, 18 cans with ice. 14.8 x 8.7 x 16.1 inches outside, about 4.5 lbs empty. In normal weather it holds ice about 12 hours.
- Why we love it: it's our own design, and it's on our back every Saturday. The waterproof TPU shell has RF-welded seams, so melted ice stays in the cooler instead of on your back. A zippered side pocket holds your phone and keys, and bungee lacing on the front takes a jacket.
- On us: every Trekker ships with a Tailgater Supply bottle opener and a koozie, plus zipper lubricant.
- Warranty and shipping: 1-year warranty. Ships from us.
Cordova Backcountry Class: more cans, slimmer pack
See the Cordova Backcountry ($169.99)
- Who it's for: a crew that needs a few more cans per trip.
- The numbers: 24 cans. 12 x 8 x 18 inches outside, 4 lbs. Two inches of hard-cell insulation, according to Cordova.
- Why it made our list: a watertight zipper and leak-proof construction, an 840D ballistic nylon shell, padded straps with a chest strap, and tie-down and grab handles.
- Ships from: Cordova. Warranty terms are on Cordova's site.
How we chose
We started with the walk. Our stadium guides show how often fans park in a neighborhood, a garage or downtown and carry everything in. We picked packs that carry a real load of cans, keep the ice in, and leave both hands free. The Trekker is ours, and we use it. The Cordova's specs come from Cordova's own page; we haven't run it through a season yet, and we'll say so here when we have.
Questions
Can you bring a backpack cooler into a stadium?
Almost never. Under clear-bag rules, coolers and backpacks stay outside the gates. Lincoln Financial Field and Lambeau both say so. Leave it at your tailgate.
How many cans fit in a backpack cooler?
The Tailgate Trekker holds 18 cans with ice. The Cordova Backcountry Class holds 24 cans.
How long does a backpack cooler keep ice?
The Trekker holds ice about 12 hours in normal weather. Pre-chill the drinks and the cooler, and keep it out of the sun.
Backpack cooler or wheeled cooler?
If your hands are full of chairs and a canopy, a backpack. If you're hauling food and drinks for a crowd, a wheeled cooler or an electric wagon.
Find your stadium's rules
Where to park, how you get in, and what's allowed past the gate: every stadium guide covers it, checked against each stadium's own pages and dated. Find your stadium, or compare the rules at every stadium we cover.