Coolers are a great and versatile bit of gear to have — perfect for picnics on a day trip or as extra (and portable) cool storage when around camp, or even to use as a spare seat if needed. We’ve used a few different coolers and eskies during our event trips, but when we heard Dometic had launched its first soft cooler bag, the PSC Soft Cooler range, we were keen to test it out.
The PSC Soft Coolers are available in three different sizes: a 9L designed for solo adventures or small groups, a 19L for larger groups or a 22L backpack cooler variant for hands-free carrying.
We opted for the 19L in the slate grey colouring. It’s quite stylish in appearance with its dark colouring, curved edges and the smooth exterior with its IPX6-rated waterproof exterior coating for extra protection. It also has a compression-molded base which keeps it nice and stable and feels quite durable. We haven’t trip tested it yet, but I look forward to seeing how the exterior goes in bush camps and the like; as long as you’re not taking anything too sharp to it, I don’t see there being an issue.
For carrying options, the 9L and 19L versions have side handles and an adjustable padded shoulder strap for easy transportation. The long detachable shoulder strap plus the curved edges were an immediate win for me, as they made it very comfortable to carry and avoided any hard knocks to the legs when you’re trying to juggle multiple items. And down each corner of the cooler there are MOLLE loops where you can attach additional gear or secure it while travelling. The PSC 19L is 376mm wide x 234mm deep x 405mm tall and fits nicely on the backseat.
When it comes to a cooler — it’s what’s inside that matters. The PSC Soft Coolers feature advanced insulation technology (25mm sides and 50mm lid) as well as a TIZIP Zipper which creates an airtight seal so that interior is pressurised to keep the cold in — just make sure you zip it all the way at the back to seal it fully. The toggle on the zip is a nice touch and makes it easy to open and close.
Mid-August is perhaps not the ideal time of year to test out a cooler, but thankfully Melbourne put on a rare show of sun and some of our warmest days this spring (a mere max of 21°C).
What began as a fun side-task on a regular Thursday in the office turned into an almost gripping three-and-a-half-day comparison to see how long 5kg of ice would last in the PSC 19L Soft Cooler versus one of our go-to hard eskies. During daylight hours there were hourly checks to see how the two stacked up, and it was neck and neck with little visual difference until the Sunday morning when the esky’s ice had melted sometime overnight and the PSC 19L still had a handful of cubes left, which disappeared by lunchtime. I kept the water inside until Monday morning and was pleased to see it was still quite chilly.
Saturday evening: Three days in
The TIZIP Zipper lived up to its waterproof rating, and when I flipped the cooler upside down not a single drop of water escaped (the esky couldn’t say the same sadly). The PSC coolers come with a tube of TIZIP water seal so that you can lubricate the high-performance zipper before and after long storage.
All in all, it’s a great unit and ideal companion for outdoor enthusiasts. It's lightweight (1.2kg when empty), comfortable to carry and will store plenty of food/drinks (for a size reference, the PSC 19L should fit around 35 cans or eight wine bottles).
We’ll put it to the test again when the weather warms up (maybe with ice packs next time) and if there’s any change in performance, we’ll loop you in.
The new Dometic PSC series (and other Dometic products) can be purchased via the Dometic website or at camping/outdoor stores.
- PSC 9L Soft Cooler: $349.95 RRP
- PSC 19L Soft Cooler: $399.95 RRP
- PSC 22L Soft Cooler Backpack: $449.95
To find out more or to check out the sizes, head to the Dometic website.
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