Should I get a backpack cooler or a wheeled cooler for hiking?

Get a backpack cooler. Wheeled coolers are fine for paved paths or beach boardwalks, but on rocky, rooty, or uphill trails, the wheels become dead weight—you can’t pull them over logs or push them up steep inclines without tipping. A backpack cooler distributes weight evenly, leaves both hands free for balance, and lets you move like a hiker over rocks and under branches. If you’re hiking more than a mile on anything other than smooth pavement, skip the wheels.