YETI Hopper M20 Soft Sided Backpack Cooler with MagShield Access, Olive (18060131304)

YETI Hopper M20 Backpack Cooler Review: Lunch and Drinks on Your Back

Most coolers on this site are built to stay with the vehicle. The YETI Hopper M20 Backpack is built to leave it. It's a soft cooler with backpack straps, a magnetic opening and a welded leakproof liner, sized for a day's food and drinks for one or two people. For van and car campers, that covers the part of the day the kitchen can't reach: the hike to a lake, a day at the beach, a climb, or a long walk from a trailhead parking area.

What the Amazon link sells: "YETI Hopper M20 Soft Sided Backpack Cooler with MagShield Access, Olive", YETI part number 18060131304 (ASIN B0D9QWTSP2). This is the current M20 with MagShield Access. Other colours are separate listings. When we checked, Amazon showed the listing in stock.

This review is research-based. VanLifeKitchens doesn't test products hands-on. The specs come from YETI's product page for this part number and from the Amazon listing. Safety information comes from YETI's page and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recall notice described below.

Choose this if:

• You want to carry food and drinks hands-free, away from the vehicle, for a day.
• You want a leakproof soft cooler you can put inside a vehicle or pack without worrying about meltwater.
• You already have a fridge or hard cooler at the van, and want a second, portable cooler for day trips.

Skip this if:

• You need a cooler for a multi-day trip. YETI's capacity figure is 36 cans with no ice, and it publishes no ice-retention figure.
• You want to drain meltwater without tipping the bag. There's no drain.
• You plan to use dry ice. YETI says Hopper soft coolers aren't compatible with it.

What it is

The Hopper M20 is a soft-sided cooler shaped like a tall, slim backpack. YETI lists these features:

• MagShield Access: a strip of magnets across the opening that YETI says stays open while you load and snaps shut with a gentle push.
• ColdCell insulation: closed-cell foam.
• Leakproof liner: RF-welded seams instead of stitching on the interior liner.
• DryHide shell: a high-density fabric YETI says resists punctures and UV, with interior and exterior treated against mildew.
• HitchPoint Grid: webbing on the front for YETI accessories or small tools.
• Double-stitched carry points and tapered shape to spread the load on your back.

Specifications and sources

Weight. YETI lists 5.60 lb. The Amazon listing's item weight is about 6.2 lb, which may include packaging. We use YETI's figure.

Volume. YETI publishes no quart figure. The interior dimensions multiply out to about 1,445 cubic inches, roughly 25 quarts of box volume (11.6 × 8.9 × 14.0 ÷ 57.75). A soft cooler's walls flex, so the real usable space depends on how you pack it.

No ice-retention figure. YETI doesn't publish a days-of-ice figure for the M20. Its 36-can capacity is for cans only, with no ice. Once you add ice or an ice sheet, the food and drink capacity drops.

The 2023 recall, and what it means now

On March 9, 2023, the CPSC announced a recall of about 1.9 million YETI products in the US: the Hopper M20 Soft Backpack Cooler, the Hopper M30 Soft Cooler (versions 1.0 and 2.0) and the SideKick Dry Gear Case. The CPSC notice says the magnet-lined closures can fail and release detached magnets, which pose a risk of serious injury or death if swallowed. The recalled units were sold from March 2018 to January 2023, and the remedy was a full refund or replacement product from YETI.

The Amazon listing we link sells the current version, named MagShield Access. The CPSC notice doesn't describe the current version, so we can't say from it how the closure was changed. What we can say is that a new unit bought now falls outside the recalled sale period. If you're offered a used or older M20, check it against YETI's and the CPSC's recall information before using it.

Magnets are still part of the design, so two practical points apply:

• Check the closure now and then. If the fabric over the magnets ever looks torn or a magnet is exposed, stop using the cooler, keep it away from children, and contact YETI.
• Pacemakers. YETI's page warns that the product contains magnets and that placing it near a pacemaker may cause interference. If you or a passenger has an implanted medical device, keep the cooler away from the chest, for example not on a lap or strapped across the front of the body.

YETI also warns: don't leave a soft cooler open where animals can get in, because entrapment and suffocation can occur.

How it fits a van or camp kitchen

It travels where a hard cooler can't. A full hard cooler is a two-person carry, even with wheels like the YETI Roadie 48. The M20 goes on your back for a mile-long walk to a swimming spot, leaving your hands free for chairs, a stove or a child.

It's slim enough to tuck into a vehicle. At 9.9 inches deep, it fits behind a seat, in a footwell or on top of other bags. Empty, it squashes somewhat for storage, but it's built to hold its shape, so don't expect it to fold flat.

It's a day cooler beside a fridge. If you run a 12 V fridge, keep the main food there and load the M20 in the morning with lunch, snacks and drinks for the day. Pre-chill everything in the fridge first. Cold food going in lasts much longer than warm food chilled by ice.

Pack it like a backpack. Put heavy, cold items such as drinks against the back panel and lighter food on top. A frozen ice sheet against the back panel helps keep the load cold and flat.

Food safety

A soft cooler holds food safely only as long as the inside stays cold. Iowa State University Extension's camping food safety advice is to keep raw meat, dairy, eggs, leafy greens and cut melon at 40°F or below, and not to leave perishables out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. For a day pack, that means:

• Pack foods that tolerate a few hours of cool storage, and eat the perishables first.
• Use a frozen ice sheet or ice packs. YETI recommends its Large Ice Sheet for the M20.
• Keep the bag in shade and closed as much as possible.
• Don't carry raw meat for later cooking in a day pack on a hot day. Keep it in the fridge or hard cooler.

Cleaning and care

YETI's instructions are simple: rinse with soap and water, dry the inside with a cloth or paper towel, wipe the MagShield opening to remove dust or grit, and use a non-abrasive rag on tougher marks. Leave it open and upside down to dry fully before you store it. In a van, a damp soft cooler stored closed is an easy way to grow mildew, even with YETI's mildew-resistant treatment.

Limitations

• Day capacity. 36 cans with no ice, by YETI's figure. Less with ice.
• No ice-retention figure published.
• No drain. You empty meltwater by tipping it.
• Not dry-ice compatible. YETI warns that dry ice can cause the airtight bag to burst.
• Magnet cautions. Pacemaker warning, and the history of the 2023 recall on earlier versions.
• 3-year warranty, shorter than the 5 years YETI gives its hard coolers.

How it compares

• YETI Hopper M30 Soft Cooler: a tote, not a backpack. It holds 42 cans or 32 lb of ice at 6.8 lb (YETI), and adds buckles over the magnetic closure. It suits carrying a short distance by hand or shoulder, and sitting beside the fridge as a drinks cooler.
• YETI Roadie 48: a wheeled hard cooler with 76 cans of capacity for the whole group's food, if the ground is firm enough to roll on.
• RTIC 52 QT Ultra-Light and Engel 35: hard coolers for keeping food cold over several days.
• For the full picture of keeping food cold on the road, see the 12V fridge guide and the summer van kitchen guide.

Verdict

The YETI Hopper M20 Backpack is a well-documented day cooler for carrying food and drinks hands-free away from the vehicle. YETI's page supports its main strengths: a leakproof welded liner, closed-cell foam, a magnetic opening that stays open while you load it, a 5.6 lb weight and a slim 9.9-inch depth. It's not a trip cooler, though. Its 36-can figure is without ice, YETI publishes no ice-retention data, and it has no drain. Buy it to extend the kitchen for a day, not to replace a hard cooler or fridge.

FAQ

How much does the YETI Hopper M20 hold? YETI says up to 36 standard 12 oz cans, with no ice. With an ice sheet or ice packs, it holds less.

How long does it keep things cold? YETI doesn't publish an ice-retention figure for the M20. It's designed as a day cooler. Pre-chilling the contents and using a frozen ice sheet makes the biggest difference.

Was the Hopper M20 recalled? Yes. In March 2023, the CPSC announced a recall of Hopper M20 backpack coolers sold from March 2018 to January 2023, because the magnet-lined closures could fail and release magnets. The listing we link sells the current MagShield Access version, and a new unit bought now is outside that sale period.

Is the Hopper M20 leakproof? YETI says its liner uses RF-welded seams for leakproof construction. The MagShield closure is described as "ultra leak-resistant".

Can I use dry ice in it? No. YETI warns that Hopper soft coolers aren't compatible with dry ice and that using it can cause the airtight bag to burst.

Is it safe near a pacemaker? YETI's page warns that the cooler contains magnets and may interfere with a pacemaker. Keep it away from the chest of anyone with an implanted device.

What warranty does it have? YETI gives its backpack soft coolers a 3-year warranty.

Sources and verification

• YETI, Hopper M20 Backpack Soft Cooler product page (Olive, part 18060131304): exterior and interior dimensions, 5.60 lb, 36-can capacity, MagShield, ColdCell foam, RF-welded liner, DryHide shell, HitchPoint Grid, ice sheet recommendation, cleaning instructions, entrapment, dry-ice and pacemaker warnings, 3-year warranty. https://www.yeti.com/coolers/soft-coolers/hopper/18060131304.html (checked 2026-10-11)
• US Consumer Product Safety Commission, "YETI Recalls 1.9 Million Soft Coolers and Gear Cases Due to Magnet Ingestion Hazard" (March 9, 2023): products, hazard, sale dates, remedy. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/YETI-Recalls-1-9-Million-Soft-Coolers-and-Gear-Cases-Due-to-Magnet-Ingestion-Hazard (checked 2026-10-11)
• Amazon product listing for ASIN B0D9QWTSP2, the listing this review links to: title, part number 18060131304, item weight, features, availability (checked 2026-10-11)
• Iowa State University Extension, Camping Food Safety: 40°F threshold, 2-hour and 1-hour rules. https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/wellness/tag/summer (checked 2026-10-11)
• Hopper M30 figures are from this site's Hopper M30 review, which lists the YETI page it checked.