Siberian Soft Cooler Review
Last Updated by Brandon F. on December 9, 2021
We have been quite familiar with Siberian Coolers for a few years now thanks to their successful hard-sided coolers. But they have since expanded to offering soft coolers as well. These coolers have been dubbed the Sidekick (similar to the small hard-sided cooler offered by Siberian). While limited in sizes, the Siberian Sidekick soft cooler is designed to be a significant competitor in the premium soft cooler race.
We will discuss the various features, ice performance, and more in this review. But first, here is an overview table that lists out the key points for this soft cooler.
Siberian Soft Cooler Lineup
As we mentioned above, the Siberian Soft Cooler Lineup is pretty limited. Their current run only has one size: a 32-can model (that they call the Siberian Soft 32). There was a previous edition called the Cooler Bag 30 but it seems to have since been discontinued.
While we don’t expect a brand’s soft cooler lineup to be as all-encompassing as their hard-sided coolers, only having one model size is a bit disappointing. That being said, the Sidekick 32 has around 22 quarts of total insulated storage volume which makes it large enough for most people’s needs while still being small enough to be portable. So if we had to choose one size to manufacture, this would be about the right size.
Siberian Soft Cooler Features
If a premium sot cooler hopes to be able to hang in the very competitive industry, it has to have some features that make it stand out. Siberian is confident that their combination of features has what it takes to do just that.
It all starts with the walls. The Sidekick cooler comes with unique 3-layer insulation. This not only helps with ice life (more on that later) but also helps to add durability and rigidity to the walls. These walls work in conjunction with the robust zipper to make a waterproof and leak-proof shell thanks to the air-tight seal that is formed.
And speaking of the outer shell, the quality tough material that is used is highly tear-resistant. Tears can quickly spell the end for many soft coolers but you won’t have to worry about that with the Siberian Sidekick Cooler. This makes this soft cooler good for outdoor environments where it may be exposed to sharp rocks or trees.
For carrying, you will find two different methods. There is an adjustable and removable shoulder strap in addition to the overhead carrying handles. This means that you will be able to easily carry this product whether or not you have a hand available. And the shoulder strap is large enough to be comfortable on your shoulder, even when full.
Additional storage compartments include a zippered front pocket and a mesh back pocket. These are good areas to put items such as keys, cell phones, maps, or any other item that you don’t want to be exposed to cold air and/or ice. There is also an included bottle opener that you can see in the image above.
And the assembly of the Siberian Sidekick Cooler is proudly performed in the USA. And you have the impressive Siberian Lifetime warranty to back it up. This shows us that Siberian knows that they have a quality item here that is designed to last for many years.
Siberian Soft Cooler Ice Life
Ice life is an extremely important metric, even in soft coolers. And while soft coolers traditionally won’t have quite the ice retention of many hard-sided coolers, there can still be pretty impressive results achieved with certain models.
Siberian believes that they have found the perfect recipe to allow for great ice life. This is based on the thick 3-layer insulation discussed above, the air-tight zipper design, and the optimal shape and construction of the cooler that minimizes the exposed area when you open it.
But how does all of this translate to ice life?
According to Siberian, they believe that their Sidekick 32 is capable of up to 72 hours of ice life. These are great numbers for a soft cooler. But to verify this, we put them through our test. We filled the cooler up with various amounts of ice, left it outside in the Texas heat, and occasionally opened it as you would when using it in the real world. The results we found can be seen in the chart below:
As you might have suspected, more ice in the bag resulted in longer ice retention. You likely also noticed that there is a pretty large range for a given ice amount. This is because how often you access the cooler and its specific conditions will play a huge role in real-world results. Soft coolers don’t have nearly as thick of insulated walls as most hard-sided coolers so these variables have a much more significant effect.
Overall, we were very impressed with the ice retention. In optimal conditions, you can expect a solid 2 to 2 ½ days of ice life. And while we didn’t quite see the 3 days that Siberian claimed, we weren’t far off. And we are pretty sure that if we would have put the cooler in a more conservative location (indoors, in the shade, etc.) that the ice life would have gone up even more.
For those who need to store a lot more items and have to use less ice, we still saw around a day to a day and a half of ice retention even with just ¼ full of ice. This could make this soft cooler a good candidate for a typical daytime activity.
Siberian Soft Cooler Aesthetics
You are not only limited in sizes to choose from but also color options. Specifically, you can currently choose between 3 colors: Caribbean Blue, Seafoam, and Saddle Brown. All three colors look great and are unique enough to stand out from the traditional whites and gray that we are used to seeing.
As for the styling of the cooler itself, we think that they are pretty attractive. They take many of their design inspirations from RTIC and Yeti’s popular soft-sided coolers (ie the narrow and tall design). And the components are thick and give off a nice sense of quality.
What is lacking (beyond more color choices) are customization options such as specialty colors, emblems, etc. We hope that Siberian will add these types of things in the future.
Siberian Soft Cooler Price
Being a premium soft cooler, the Siberian Sidekick falls into the premium price range. And similar to Siberian’s hard-sided coolers, the asking prices fall somewhere in the middle of this price tier. In other words, they will typically be a bit more expensive than brands like RTIC Coolers and nICE Coolers but be more affordable than brands such as Yeti Coolers and Orca Coolers.
For what you get with ice performance, features, and toughness, this is a fair asking price. You may also be able to find the previous generation of Siberian Soft Coolers (the 30-pack model) for a discounted price. So if you want to enjoy Siberian build quality but are on a tighter budget, keep a lookout for those.
Siberian Soft Coolers vs. Yeti
Yeti has widely been known as one of the front-runners when it comes to soft coolers. The Yeti Hopper Series is a best-seller thanks to its large selection sizes, great build quality, and impressive ice performance.
But how does Siberian’s new Sidekick compare?
In terms of ice retention, both models are neck to neck. They both offer thick insulated walls, air-tight zippers, and optimal designs. With proper planning and enough ice, you can anticipate 2 to 3 days of ice life in each.
In terms of build quality, both are quite equal as well. They follow very similar construction approaches that minimize stitching and stick mostly to heat welding. Combine this with quality components and a tear-resistant outer shell, and you have a tough competitor. And both come with proven warranties.
Yeti does have an edge on Siberian when it comes to size and color choices. Siberian is lacking here, with just one current model and 3 color choices. Yeti, on the other hand, has many different sizes to choose from and a whole host of colors.
But Yeti Coolers are typically more expensive than Siberian. While the Siberian Soft Cooler certainly isn’t cheap, it is a bit cheaper than most Yetis of similar size.
So which is better?
If you are strictly worried about performance at the lowest price, then an argument can be made for Siberian. Their very similar performance comes at a lower asking price.
But for those after more robust color choices or for someone who wants a soft-sided cooler in a size other than the 32-can variety, Yeti will be the brand to go with here.
But no matter which brand you choose, you will get a quality product that should last for many years to come.
Siberian Soft Cooler Review
Pros: Impressive ice retention, Good build quality, Great warranty
Cons: Somewhat expensive, Limited sizes and color choices
Features: 3-layer insulation, Water-proof shell, Front and rear pockets, Built-in bottle opener, adjustable shoulder strap
The Siberian Soft Cooler (AKA the Siberian Sidekick) is a relatively new competitor in the cooler game. It comes in a 32-can size (around 22 quarts) and there is also a 30-can size from the previous generation. This cooler has taken inspiration from other popular soft coolers and is designed to have impressive ice retention and excellent build quality but at a high asking price.
Insulation Ability – 
The insulation ability is quite good here. This is thanks to the relatively thick 2-layer insulated walls combined with the air-tight zipper. This provides a great seal and barrier for the cold air stored inside. In addition to this, Siberian has utilized the tried and tested “thin pocket” design that greatly reduces how much area is exposed when opening (at the sacrifice of some access ability).
As for ice life, it can vary quite a bit depending on conditions and how much ice you put inside. But typically, you can expect anywhere from around a day of ice life up to nearly 3 days in optimal conditions. This makes the Sidekick a very versatile soft cooler that is capable of handling weekend outdoor excursions with ease.
Mobility and Durability –
Similar to Siberian’s popular hard-sided coolers, their soft cooler makes sure to only use quality components and construction methods. The 3 piece layered walls come with an extremely tear-resistant outer shell. And the various pieces are attached not by string but by heat welds that are much more resilient. And Siberian will stand behind their products thanks to their impressive lifetime warranty.
As for features, there are a few worth mentioning. We like the effective zipper system that is both leak-proof and waterproof thanks to its airtight seal. This makes the Sidekick a great cooler to have in water settings. Beyond this, you will find additional storage pockets on the front and rear in addition to an attached bottle opener. Finally, there are two ways to carry it: the attached overhead carrying handle as well as a removable adjustable shoulder strap.
Visual Appeal – 
You will see a lot of visual similarities between this soft cooler and other popular soft coolers on the market that are sold by RTIC, Yeti, Orca, Engel, etc. In other words, if you are hoping to stand out from these models, you may be out of luck.
That being said, we think that despite not doing a lot of things out of the box, the look is proven and overall attractive. You will be quite limited in color options. There are currently only 3 to choose from (Caribbean Blue, Seafoam, and Saddle Brown). And while we like all of the colors, we do wish that there were more selections. Also, there is no custom shop for specialized team colors or decals at this time.
Cost –
Typical of high-end soft coolers with good ice life, the asking price can be a bit high. You will find that the Siberian Soft Coolers fall into the premium price tier. But you do get a great product that will last for many years and that comes with a solid warranty.
Overall Rating –
The Pelican Sidekick Soft Cooler is another solid contribution to Siberian’s impressive cooler collection. It is currently limited in size and color options but the available 22-Quart model does perform quite well. Thanks to excellent, American-made construction, premium materials, and optimal design, you can expect multiple days of ice life and a product that should last for many years. The asking price isn’t cheap but for what you are getting, we feel that it is still a strong buy.
