A camping fridge isn’t always practical, and sometimes you want a separate cooler for drinks. The Dune 4WD 48 Can Zipperless Cooler is a big soft cooler for long weekends and groups: 30.5 L, a flip-open lid with no zip, and thick insulation that Dune says keeps ice for up to three days. We paid $90 and took it on a long weekend to see if it holds up.
What’s in the box
A 30.5 L (48-can) soft cooler with a tough Rhino-Tech outer, Deep Freeze insulation, a reinforced ColdBlock base, a removable orange HardBody liner with a clear SmartShelf, a zipped front pocket, mesh side pockets, a bungee cord across the lid and an adjustable Backsaver shoulder strap. The lid has no zip: it flips open, and magnets and a Coldlok tab hold it shut.
What we like
- Zipperless lid opens one-handed
- Kept ice 3 days with good prep
- Hard liner, no crushed food
- Backsaver strap takes the weight
- Tough, wipe-clean Rhino-Tech
- Front, side and lid storage
What we don’t
- Bulky for a soft cooler
- Heavy to carry when full
- Two hands to pack and unpack
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Dune 4WD |
| Capacity | 30.5 L48 cans |
| Material | Rhino-Tech outerRipstop polyester |
| Colour | Khaki |
| Weight | 1.97 kgempty |
| Size | 51 × 33 × 31.5 cm |
| Keeps cold | Up to 3 daysDune |
| Features | Zipperless lidHard linerSmartShelfFront & side pockets |
The zipperless lid
The lid is the best part. It flips open with one hand and falls shut again, held by magnets and overlapping flaps (Dune’s design) with a Coldlok tab on the front, so there’s no heavy zip to jam, stiffen or wear out. That’s handy when you’re leaning into a packed boot or grabbing a drink on a slow section of track, and the seal still holds the cold in.
Insulation and ice
The Deep Freeze insulation is a radiant heat barrier and two layers of high-density foam, with extra layers in the ColdBlock base, where the weight of the load squashes normal insulation. Dune claims up to three days of ice, and with good prep we got that: everything chilled beforehand, plenty of ice and the lid opened as little as possible, with temperatures over 30 °C.
Hard liner and SmartShelfLiner & SmartShelf
Inside sits a removable orange HardBody liner. It stops leaks when the cooler stands upright, wipes clean and has Microban built in against smells, and because it’s rigid, the soft cooler keeps its shape when it’s half empty. A clear, perforated SmartShelf sits on top of the liner, so soft things like fruit, bread or cheese stay above the cans and the ice instead of getting crushed or soggy. Lift it out when you need the whole space.
Pockets and the Rhino-Tech outerPockets & outer
The Rhino-Tech outer is a tough, textured fabric that shrugs off water and stains; after a muddy weekend a wipe is all it needs. There’s plenty of storage on the outside too: a zipped front pocket for keys, a phone or the bottle opener, mesh pockets on the sides, and a bungee cord across the lid to tuck a jacket or a tea towel under.
Carrying it
This is the catch. The insulation that keeps ice for days also makes it bulky, and 48 cans with ice weigh well over 20 kg. The Backsaver shoulder strap has a wide orange pad and sits offset to shift the load, and there are carry handles on the sides, which makes a short carry from the car manageable, but this isn’t a cooler for a long walk to the beach. Packing and unpacking a cooler this size also takes two hands.
Which Size?
The same zipperless cooler comes in four sizes. The 9 Can and the 12 + 4 Can (twelve cans plus four in the lid) suit a day trip or one person; the 30 Can is the all-rounder for a couple; the 48 Can we tested is for groups and long weekends. They all have the same lid, insulation and Rhino-Tech outer.
| Smallest9 Can | Lid pocket12 + 4 Can | All-rounder30 Can | This review48 Can (ours) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 24.5 × 20.5 × 24 cm | 31 × 20 × 31 cm | 42 × 28 × 32.5 cm | 51 × 33 × 31.5 cm |
| Capacity | 9 cans | 16 cans | 30 cans | 48 cans |
| Volume | 5.75 L | 8 L | 19.5 L | 30.5 L |
| Weight | 0.73 kg | 0.86 kg | 1.32 kg | 1.97 kg |
| RRP | $40 | $50 | $70 | $80 |
| Shop | Check price at Anaconda | Check price at Anaconda | Check price at Anaconda | Check price at Anaconda |
Which Cooler?
We’ve also reviewed two Coleman coolers. The Coleman 30 Can Soft Cooler is much lighter and cheaper, but keeps things cold for about 12 hours. The Coleman 15L Hard Cooler is a small hard box that takes knocks and keeps cold for up to a day. The Dune holds the most and keeps ice the longest.
This one Dune 48 Can Cooler | Hard shell Coleman 15L Hard | Lightest Coleman 30 Can | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Soft | Hard | Soft |
| Keeps cold | Up to 3 days | Up to a day | 12 hours or more |
| Size | 51 × 33 × 31.5 cm | 39.5 × 31 × 28 cm | 33 × 28 × 33.5 cm |
| Capacity | 48 cans | 22 cans | 30 cans |
| Weight | 1.97 kg | 1.9 kg | 0.67 kg |
| Price paid | $90 | $65 | $40 |
| Our score | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.3 |
Conclusion: Dune 4WD 48 Can Zipperless Soft CoolerConclusion
The Dune 4WD 48 Can Zipperless Cooler gives you a lot of cold storage without a hard cooler. The flip-open lid works with one hand, the hard liner and SmartShelf keep food in shape, and with good prep it kept ice for three days in 30 °C heat. It’s bulky, heavy when full and takes two hands to pack, but for long weekends and groups it’s a strong option.
A big soft cooler that keeps ice for days.
On a long weekend it kept our drinks cold for three days in 30 °C heat, and the zipperless lid opens with one hand. It’s bulky, heavy when full, and packing it takes two hands.
- Weekend trips
- Families
- Groups
Yes, if you need a lot of cold storage without a hard cooler. $90 gets you 48 cans, a hard liner and three days of ice with good prep. It’s bulky and heavy when full.
