AO Canvas Cooler Review

Storage Size: 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48 cans (approx. 17 to 60 quarts) sizes

Construction: Plastic and vinyl composition

Cost: Intermediate-priced

Features: Removable shoulder strap, side pocket storage, clip-down ends

Pros: Acceptable cooling ability, multiple carrying options, many color choices

Cons: Fabric is prone to tearing, weak should strap, occasionally has odd folds in the material

Insulation Ability
Mobility and Durability
Visual Appeal
Cost
Overall Rating

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Last Updated by Brandon F. on December 22, 2022

This is our AO Canvas Cooler Review.  AO Canvas Coolers are advertised as being the first soft-sided cooler that came into the industry.  Made of high-quality vinyl, they can perform without concern of leaking or sweating.  They have ¾ of an inch thick foam which helps with cooling performance. 

All sizes have either a fold-over carrying handle, a shoulder strap, or both as well as additional side pockets for extra storage.  They are available in a host of colors and 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48-can sizes (around 17 to 60 quarts).  They are primarily made of vinyl and plastic.

Insulation Ability –

Being a soft-sided cooler, it does an acceptable job of keeping items cold.  The company advertises being able to keep things cold for 24 hours at 120 degrees Fahrenheit.  While we may question this, we can confidently say that it will do the job for a good portion of the day at more normal temperatures.  The relatively thick foam outer core is the cause of this.  This makes this a relatively versatile soft-sided cooler that can handle most applications.

Mobility and Durability –

All sizes of this product are relatively light and most have multiple options for how to carry it.  However, for a given can size this cooler is quite large.  The multiple carrying options are handy since there may be situations where your hands are full at which time you can simply throw the strap over your shoulder, and vice versa. 

The fabric used is relatively strong but can be prone to some minor tearing if exposed to sharp objects.  Also, the shoulder strap can sometimes begin to come undone after a period of use, especially if you are loading the product up to the brim with items and ice.  If you are someone that wants to have extremely strong fabrics, then you may have to go with a different soft cooler.

Visual Appeal – 

There are many different color options to choose from, which is nice.  The external netting is also a nice touch.  However, there can be some weird folds in the material, even when expanded, which is sort of off-putting and bumps the quality look of the item down some.

Cost – 

Online prices vary quite a bit depending on the size you go with, but most will fall in the intermediate price range.  This is the middle of the road for us regarding purchasing costs.

Overall Rating – 

We give our AO Canvas Cooler Review 2.5 coolers out of 5.  A very “average” cooler in just about every sense of the word.  It will keep items cool for a long enough period to be useful and the build quality isn’t terrible, but there are several minor complaints that we wish weren’t there for its intermediate price.