YETI Blog
YETI Spotlight: Onion Creek Productions
Here at YETI Coolers, we are big fans of things that are strong and tough like our coolers. You might recognize Mountain Mike (formerly Big Bald Mike) from our instantly popular YETI vs. 500LB Man video.
Mountain Mike
What you may not know is that our friends over at Onion Creek Productions have been following his unbelievable story for nearly two years and are producing a documentary on his life. They just released the “Wrestling Demons” trailer with cameos by a 65 qt. Tundra Series and YETI president Roy Seiders.
“Wrestling Demons” documents the rise of Mountain Mike. After surpassing 520lbs, Mike was at rock bottom. He was a compulsive eater, an alcoholic, a drug addict, had never enjoyed a serious relationship, and was on the verge of ending his own life. After meeting Magic Schwarz, the inspiration for Mickey Rourke’s character in The Wrestler, Mike gained a friend, a mentor, and found a new inspiration. Professional wrestling became his rehab.
Sundance, here we come! Keep an eye out for the official release of “Wrestling Demons” and don’t hesitate to contact our friends at Onion Creek Productions the next time you need some amazing video work done. But just remember… they don’t do weddings.
You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat!
Captain Quint: "I'm talkin' 'bout sharkin'! "
So declares Chief Brody in Jaws after seeing the shark alongside their vessel. Before he becomes a shark snack himself, the salty Captain Quint makes his feelings known: “I’m not talkin’ ’bout pleasure boatin’ or day sailin’. I’m talkin’ ’bout workin’ for a livin’. I’m talkin’ ’bout sharkin’!” Classic flick, but we all know how it ends: shark destroyed, boat destroyed.
There is a new white-knuckled, adrenalin-pumping, great white adventure on the screen, but this time things are different. World-class fisherman Chris Fischer, Captain Brett McBride and their crew have teamed up with hard-core marine biologist Michael Domeier to bring you Expedition Great White, playing now on the National Geographic Channel. They even convinced Hollywood actor Paul Walker to be a deckhand!
Fischer and McBride first made us jealous of their amazing fishing trips with their previous series, Offshore Adventures. But this time around, the ever-conscious team is focused on understanding and protecting the apex predators.
A hundred sixty miles off the coast of Baja California, a team of world-class anglers will land one of the most challenging fish imaginable: the great white shark. Unlike any other catch ever attempted, they’ll lift an SUV-sized shark onto a platform, mount a long-lasting tracking tag by hand, take measurements and DNA samples, and release it unharmed… all within minutes. Marine biologist Dr. Michael Domeier uses advanced tracking devices to help uncover how this predator lives, with the ultimate goal of conserving and protecting this endangered species.
Chief Brody need not be concerned about this vessel. The M/V Ocean (a.k.a The Mothership) is a converted crab fishing vessel that has been custom outfitted with a cradle to handle their offshore vessel and, in this case, serve as a shark platform. It is simply amazing how they are able to handle these 4,000 pound monsters.
Watching the episode “Life and Limb” last Sunday evening, we were even more impressed to see YETI Coolers on there! The Expedition Great White team has several tan Tundras on the deck of the M/V Ocean (click on “Tour the Boat” tab). Plus, Second Captain Jody Whitworth is sporting a YETI Coolers trucker hat in the episode and on the Expedition’s facebook page.
YETI Coolers on deck of M/V Ocean
Second Captain Jody Whitworth sports a YETI hat
We love seeing our coolers put to use, especially in such incredible circumstances and helping with such a great scientific cause. In describing the long road they took to bring the show to fruition, Chris Fischer said, “Sometimes you got to lay it all on the line to make great things happen.” We couldn’t agree more.
Check out the show and keep you eyes peeled for more YETI Coolers in action!
YETI Spotlight: Cameron Kirkconnell
At age 4, Cameron Kirkconnell entered the idyllic waters surrounding the Cayman Islands and speared his first fish, a small wrasse. The same siren song that called Cameron to the ocean that day still beckons nearly three decades later.
CK with a nice tuna
Today, Cameron Kirkconnell is arguably the most recognized name in freedive spearfishing. He can hold his breath for four and a half minutes and regularly dives to 100 feet with just the air in his lungs in pursuit of the next big fish. He once saved the life of a friend who had blacked out underwater by spearing him in the fin and hauling him to the surface.
Fins to the left, fins to the right...
His job as an Unlimited-Tonnage Master Mariner takes him around the globe to operate the largest vessels in the sea. When he’s not at the helm, he can be found poring over navigation charts and watching the bottom finder looking for his own kind of treasure. “My favorite place to spearfish is any place where nobody has ever been,” says Cameron. To date, such uncharted waters have seen Kirkconnell shoot several of the largest fish ever taken by spear. He currently holds the world spearfishing records for Blackfin Tuna, Golden Trevally, and his favorite of all fish to chase, the Dogtooth Tuna.
CK with World Record tuna
CK with monster Wahoo
Necessity has spawned in Cameron a deep-rooted passion for quality equipment. It takes some serious gear to wrestle a 201-pound Dogtooth to the surface. World-renowned speargun manufacturer Riffe International has tapped Kirkconnell to assist in the development of new products and the refinement of their existing lines. Together they are currently working on a modernized version of the rudimentary polespear, a primitive tool consisting of a simple shaft with a rubber band attached to the end. Taking a common item and transforming it into its best possible version? Well, this is a project we here at YETI Coolers can wrap our minds around. Cameron hopes to inspire a polespear revolution and take the spearfishing community back to its skill-driven roots.
Whether it’s Hogfish on a Bahamian reef, Cobia off the tail of a cruising Bullshark, or Wahoo under a Florida weed line, Cameron Kirkconnell wants to shoot it. And how will he bring it all home? In a YETI, of course.
Trophies
Follow Cameron’s exploits on his blog (www.spearblog.com) and be sure to check out the rest of the videos on his YouTube page.
World Cup… YETI Coolers style
Recently it seems that everyone has gone crazy about the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Even with USA’s disappointing loss to Ghana in overtime, the fever is still very much alive. Here at YETI Coolers, we are also fans of the beautiful game. But the YETI Nation is made up of good folks just like you from all over the world that have quite literally taken our coolers across the globe on expeditions, safaris, fishing trips and more. So we thought we would bring you our own World Cup… YETI Coolers style.
United Kingdom
We are very fortunate to have such great distributor in the UK, Cool Boxes UK. The Brits have really embraced our coolers and utilize them for wing shooting outings, commercial fishing, and much more.
Canada
UK Products Canada, Inc (not to be confused with our UK distributor mentioned above) represents YETI Coolers very well up in Canada.
You may recall that we mentioned them in a previous blog post (Keeping It Cool…Outside) because they supplied the YETI Coolers to the Catlin Arctic Survey where our coolers were used to protect scientific samples from the elements.
Photo: copyright Martin Hartley (www.martinhartley.com)
South Africa & Botswana
Safari guide Cameron Bell of Korongo Safaris and professional photographer Nathaniel Chadwick teamed up to give us these pretty amazing photographs of YETI Coolers in action in Africa. Cameron recently told us, “In my line of work there are plenty of variables… My gear can’t be one of them! On safari, my YETI is a seat, a gun rest, a storage container… and when things settle down it even cools my beer. Next to a good pair of binoculars and a straight shooting gun my YETI is a must have!”
On the Motloutse riverbed in front of Solomon's Wall in Botswana's Tuli Block region. Photo: copyright Nathaniel Chadwick (www.nchadwick.com)
Looking over to South Africa from the Botswana side of the Limpopo river. Photo: copyright Nathaniel Chadwick (www.nchadwick.com)
Brazil
Back in February we spotlighted PRO Outfitters from Helena, MT (see Outfitter Spotlight: PRO Outfitters). Friend of YETI and PRO guide Charley Perkins sent us some pics from a recent fishing trip down to Brazil. As you can see here, his YETI Coolers hat was essential in helping to land these peacock bass.
Trinidad & Tobago
The Tobago International Game Fishing Tournament began in 1995 with just a handful of boats but now attracts anglers from near and far; from the Caribbean to North and South America, even as far as Europe.
YETI Coolers are awarded to some of the top teams and always a prized part of the purse. Here the 3rd place team from 2008 displays their winnings.
3rd place finishers in 2008 stand above their new YETI Cooler.
Stack of the prize YETI Coolers at 2008 TIGFT
As you can see, our coolers (and hats) have been on lots of adventures, yet we know there are many more to come. We want to know… where will your YETI Cooler take you?
It’s Alive!
Attention: There is a wild man on the loose. He is very armed and very dangerous. If you are a big game animal, that is.
The man in question is Razor Dobbs (www.razordobbsalive.com). He is a world class big game hunter, adventurer and thrill seeker. He is also one of the most charismatic and enthusiastic personalities in the hunting world. After all, his name is Razor. Whether with bow and arrow, pistol or rifle, he is not afraid to risk it all and go head to head with his prey.
For years Razor has traveled the globe, from Texas to Africa, in search of game and adventure. Starting in July, he is now bringing this action to you in his new television show Razor Dobbs Alive. Premiering July 5th on the Pursuit Channel and July 29th on Versus. So now you can catch all of his adventures from your couch (and let us just say that is probably safer than standing next to him!).
YETI Coolers is excited to sponsor Razor Dobbs Alive and work with Razor himself. Check out the awesome new YETI commercial Razor did for us that will begin airing soon. No question this guy puts our coolers to the test.
Be on the lookout for Alive! and the new commercial. In the meantime, you can follow all his antics on his website, Facebook and Twitter pages. Needless to say, this Razor is not dull.
Dealer Spotlight: Headhunters (Craig, MT)
Situated on the banks of the Missouri River, about half way between Helena and Great Falls, lies the town of Craig, Montana. A self-proclaimed “Drinking Town with a Fishing Problem”, Craig boasts a population measured in dozens, three fly shops, two bars, and some of the best trout fishing in America. Famous for monster brown trout, it is not uncommon to land 25 fish in a day.
And the best way to catch those big fish is to go to Headhunters Fly Shop. They are some of the best guides in the area and know the “Big Mo” better than anyone. Owners Mark Raisler (a.k.a. Squeaky Oar Lock) and John Arnold (a.k.a. Scumliner) have put together a great team. They can put you on the fish and make you laugh ’til your sides hurt while doing it.
Mark Raisler (a.k.a. Squeaky Oar Lock)
John Arnold (a.k.a. Scumliner)
Headhunters guide Mitch Kowalski (a.k.a. Superguide)
Headhunters staffer Andrew Martineau sporting a YETI lid
Headhunters is also a fantastic fly shop with all the latest and greatest gear, and the best selection of flies. To top that off, they are a huge dealer of YETI Coolers. It is also the only cooler you will find in their drift boats.
New shipment on the Headhunters porch
YETI in snow at Headhunters
The Headhunters team throws all kinds of great events when the fishing day is over… including BBQ’s, Bikini Boat Washes, and hosting the Fly Fishing Film Tour… and have been known to include YETI’s all over the place.
YETI Coolers fan in Craig, MT
Headhunters staffer Sara Roholt in the 250qt YETI
Squeaky Oar Lock serves up some tasty BBQ
So if you are looking for some great fly fishing this summer, go see the team up at Headhunters. Check out their Headhunter blog and fishing report for the latest info before your trip.
YETI hats help you catch big trout
Even Mythical Beasts Have Bling
It is no secret that we build our YETI Coolers to outlast and outperform any other cooler available. But you, the YETI Nation, are the ultimate judges on our efforts. Whether on our Facebook page, our Photo of the Month Contest, or in an email, you all let us know how we are doing. Keep the great pictures and stories coming!
But we just couldn’t leave well enough alone. In addition to making our coolers to the highest standards, we also thought they should have some style. You know, something to make them stand out (or not… see below). So, we have put together a number of Special Edition Coolers so you can get a cooler that not only performs to your liking but shows off who you are.
Team Colors
We are now making YETI Coolers in a variety of team colors. Perfect for the ultimate tailgater or diehard fan. Find the perfect color to match your favorite team: Burnt Orange and White, Red and White, Light Blue, and Purple and Gold.
Custom Logos
A YETI cooler with your logo will go a long way and make a great impression with clients, employees, friends or family. Your logo will be applied with a very high-quality mold-on graphic. This logo will not chip, fade or peel off and is as durable as the YETI cooler itself. Check out this awesome video of the graphic application process:
CCA
Show your support for CCA with their nationally recognized “twisted fish” logo permanently bonded on a YETI cooler for all to see. This logo will not chip, fade or peel off and is as durable as the YETI cooler itself. Plus, a portion of the proceeds from these coolers goes directly to CCA.
Realtree®
Realtree® brand camouflage for the serious hunter. Available in both the Realtree® MAX-4™ and Realtree® APG™ patterns, these coolers feature camo lids on tan bodies. Perfect concealment on the perfect cooler.
Call them custom, call them ‘tricked out’, call them trophies. They are anything but boring. We just hope you like them enough to call them yours.
Keeping It Cool… Outside
Most people use their YETI Coolers to keep things cold. Beer and drinks on a hot summer day. The fresh catch on a fishing trip. Or even food for a long journey. When it comes to keeping the contents cold, our coolers out perform and outlast any other product. As the slogan says, “Wildly stronger! Keep ice longer!”. Ice in, heat out… OK, OK, you get the picture.
But what about keeping ice out? On a recent scientific expedition to the North Pole, that is exactly what a YETI Cooler did. The Catlin Arctic Survey set out to study ocean change at the North Pole as a result greenhouse gases. The mission brought together marine biologists, oceanographers and polar explorers to study the impact of increased carbon dioxide absorption by our seas.
Photo: copyright Martin Hartley (www.martinhartley.com)
Described as three of ‘the world’s toughest’ explorers, Ann Daniels, Charlie Paton and Martin Hartley reached the Geographic North Pole at on 12th May, ending a grueling 60-day trek across the floating sea ice of the Arctic Ocean.
Photo: copyright Martin Hartley (www.martinhartley.com)
The explorers have been collecting water and marine life samples from beneath the floating sea ice as part of the expedition’s leading edge science programme which is assessing the impact of carbon dioxide on the ocean and its marine life. They are using the YETI Coolers Tundra 45qt to store the seawater samples and prevent them from freezing. “It is critical that the water samples stay liquid. When the ambient air temperature is -45 this causes a significant technical challenge. ”
Photo: copyright Martin Hartley (www.martinhartley.com)
We are flattered that the Catlin Arctic Survey chose YETI Coolers as part of their expedition gear. We love the fact that one of our coolers has now been to the North Pole, adding another very cool stamp in the passport. To say the least, we are “on top of the world”. Special thanks to our exclusive distributor in Canada Underwater Kinetics, who supplied the Catlin Arctic Survey expedition with the YETI Coolers. They are a great partner to have.
Photo: copyright Martin Hartley (www.martinhartley.com)
All images © Martin Hartley (www.martinhartley.com, www.martinhartleypolar.com)
Double Take – Troy Batzler Photography
We love seeing pictures of your YETI Coolers in action. From this blog to our Facebook page to random spottings, those pics keep us fired up to keep making great coolers. In fact, we love your pictures so much that we decided to start a YETI Coolers Photo of the Month Contest. Each winner receives a YETI 25qt. Roadie full of YETI Swag and the winning picture posted on the site! (Submit a photo).
The March 2010 winner of the Photo of the Month Contest was Troy Batzler. He submitted this incredible image of a friend tying flies on his YETI Cooler by the light of a campfire. Although we got a lot of great pictures in March, this one took the prize.
Now Troy is an avid outdoorsman (like many of you) and professional photographer. The pictures on his website and his Facebook page are spectacular. But what really blew us away was this video he sent us… after he had already won the photo contest. Check it out for yourselves:
A good bit of inspiration to say the least. Take Troy’s lead and send us the best shots you can take of your YETI Cooler in action. We are already sifting through the May submissions…
Guest Post: Gayne Young in Outdoor Life
We are big fans of all things YETI, and from time to time like to re-post articles and blog posts that involve us. Today Gayne Young posted a hilarious story on the Outdoor Life website (as a guest blogger on Andrew McKean’s column) entitled “Gayne Tries to Kill the Smell in his Ice Chest”. As you will see, the story follows Gayne and his quest to keep his beer free and clean of funky catfish smell. He even seeks some advice from our own Roy Seiders. If you are familiar with Gayne’s writing, you know he brings a lot of spice and flavor to the story.
Gayne Tries to Kill the Smell in his Ice Chest
A Guest Blog By Gayne Young
“What is that smell?!” I barked. “It reeks!”
My wife looked up from her newspaper to answer with a question, “What’s smell?”
I finished the last of my beer. “That smell! That fishy smell. How can you not smell it?”
“I don’t smell anything.”
I shook my head at her being olfactory challenged and pulled another beer from the ice chest. I popped the top and went in for a drink. The smell grew stronger.
“God! How can you not smell that? The whole deck smells like cat food.”
My wife walked to me and took the beer from my hand. She smelled the can and laughed. “It’s on your beer. The can smells like fish.”
The beer smelled like fish because I had failed to clean my cooler properly after bringing it back from the lake loaded with catfish. And despite that fact that I spent the rest of that Sunday afternoon scrubbing the interior, the cooler still had the faint odor of dead fish. Several hours and many fishy beers later I gave up. The next day I called Roy Seiders of YETI Coolers for help. His first suggestion was to try soap and water. After I laughed and explained that I had spent the afternoon scrubbing my cooler with just that he had the following suggestions.
“Use a solution of warm water and Clorox (6:1 ratio) with a sponge or mildly abrasive rag. As odors can easily get trapped in hard to reach areas such as around the gasket and drain plug, be sure to thoroughly scrub those areas.”
When that didn’t work, I called him back for another round. Again, he was eager to help.
“Try cleaning it with a high pressure soap spray found at a local do-it yourself car wash. This type of cleaning will bring the cooler back to the condition of the day you bought it.”
Seventy-five cents later I was back in business with a clean ice chest loaded with beer that didn’t smell like Fancy Feast Gourmet Cat Food.
So the next time you’re stuck with a rank cooler take it to the carwash. It works. Well, not on Styrofoam coolers. The car wash jet wash would probably destroy it.
Special thanks to Gayne Young and Outdoor Life for this great story and picture.
Keeping it Real… and Authorized
It is no secret that here at YETI Coolers we are very proud of our incredible dealer network. Our authorized YETI dealers represent us well and are a huge part of our success. Plus, we work hard to support our dealers so that they can better serve you, the YETI Nation. We have even started featuring “Dealer Spotlights” on this very blog. And when it makes sense, we are always interested in expanding our dealer network to more fine stores across the US and abroad.
In an effort to protect our existing dealers, we have made the very conscious decision to keep YETI Coolers out of the warehouse club store chains. Several times in the past we were contacted by representatives from these club stores looking to carry our coolers. While many manufacturers would jump at the opportunity, we remained steadfast in our decision.
Recently it was brought to our attention that one such chain was not playing fair. We were notified of discussion threads on the Mountain Buzz and Piscatorial Pursuits forums that Costco was carrying YETI Coolers in their Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska stores. We contacted Costco to inquire how they obtained our products, but they would not provide us any solid answers. After some investigation, we discovered that they had bought our coolers through another entity that had approached us under the guise that these coolers were pre-sold to a fire department in California. This unsavory practice is called “product diversion” and is unfortunately somewhat common. Basically, when we denied Costco the ability to sell our coolers, they decided to go over our head and carry them anyways without our blessing. Not cool.
So, to all our loyal customers, dealers and fans, we just wanted to tell you that Costco is NOT an authorized dealer. We hope that you will support your local shop and purchase your YETI Cooler from them. To find the authorized dealer closest to you, see our Dealer Locator.
Dealer Spotlight: Fishing Tackle Unlimited
At YETI Coolers, we are very proud of our network of dealers. Hundreds of great stores all across the country help bring our coolers to you, the YETI Nation. So, from time to time we are going to sing the praises of some of our fine dealers.
Today we point the spotlight to Houston for Fishing Tackle Unlimited (FTU). If you have ever graced their doors, you know that FTU is a shrine to all things fishing. In fact, it is said to be one of the largest independent fishing tackle stores in the world. Founders Joe and Danny Meyer began over 20 years ago in a small space just 1200 sq.ft., but have now have two incredible stores over 30,000 sq.ft.
Among the scores of fishing tackle products they carry, FTU also sells plenty of YETI Coolers. They have been carrying our coolers since the beginning. Whether in their stores or on their great website, the FTU team has helped thousands of fisherman find the perfect YETI for their needs.
The next time you are in Houston looking to stock up on your fishing tackle, or just want to spend a few hours in fisherman’s paradise, stop by Fishing Tackle Unlimited. You won’t be disappointed.
YETI Spotlight: Jose Wejebe & Spanish Fly
No, we aren’t talking about the emerald-green beetle used to make potions of legendary power. Nor are we talking about songs or lyrics by the Beastie Boys, Van Halen, or Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam. What we are talking about is some of the best fishing you have ever seen.
Jose Wejebe has been hosting The Spanish Fly fishing show since 1995. If you have ever seen the show, you know that Jose and his team combine incredible cinematography and world-class fishing to make one of the finest fishing shows around. Born in Havana, Cuba and raised in Miami, Jose Wejebe cut his teeth on the waters of South Florida. After his first experience with fins and a snorkel, it was a life changing experience that marked the beginning of Jose’s marine based career and life. After encounters with fishing greats and pioneers, Jose learned from the best including Stu Apte, Flip Pallot and Lefty Kreh. His travels and passion for learning new fishing and rigging techniques took him all over the world where he learned new and non-traditional methods.
Along with the good folks at Costa Del Mar, Jose also brings us an incredible new series called “The Road Less Traveled”. As you would expect, this series has incredible fishing shots filmed in some of the best locations on earth. You can check out the entire series on Costa’s Channel C.
At YETI Coolers, we love working with the best and are very excited to sponsor Jose Wejebe and the Spanish Fly. Keep your eyes open for some of the world’s finest coolers on and around Spanish Fly. Here is another video kicking off the partnership between Jose and YETI Coolers, narrated by the great Flip Pallot.
YETI Spotlight: Sea Dart
As you probably know by now, at YETI Coolers we are obsessed with quality and craftsmanship. In addition to the products we make, we also love telling you about other products that are amazing in their own ways (see Hatch, Beattie Outdoor Productions, Redfish Can’t Jump, Sweet Leaf Tea, Ska Brewing for starters). One incredible new product that certainly fits the bill is the Sea Dart.
The Sea Dart is a 16’ lapstrake decked canoe / kayak hybrid manufactured by Escobedo Boat Works, a division of Escobedo Construction. Lapstrake construction dates back to the time of the Vikings and provides for vessels that are both lightweight and sturdy. Not to mention amazing to look at.
But despite its beauty, the Sea Dart is a workhorse and can take on many challenges. It is not as delicate as its appearance suggests. Rather, it should be used for its intended purpose without hesitation. As you can see, the Sea Dart is also very effective when it comes to sneaking up on some nice fish.
If you think this is as incredible as we do, help get the word out by becoming a fan on their Facebook page. You can also come see the Sea Dart in person at Sportsman’s Finest in Austin (also a YETI Dealer!). If you think you are ready to step up and get your own Sea Dart, contact JT at (512) 312-2673. Just make sure you send us some pictures.
Update: Also check out this awesome video featuring JT and the Sea Dart from Finback Films (also featured on the Drake Magazine site):
YETI Spotlight: Beattie Outdoor Productions
Here at YETI Coolers, it is no secret that we love fishing. Like most of you, we have to work and don’t get to be on the water nearly as much as we would like. When we need a little distraction, we turn to the work of Beattie Outdoor Productions (BOP). Founder R.A. Beattie, along with partner Joey Macomber, creates some of the best fishing footage out there. The cinematography is stunning, and the fish and locations are, well, simply amazing… like make you drool down the front of your shirt.
In 2009, BOP released the compilation DVD Nervous Water, which showcased four films shot across the world, from Texas and North Carolina to Slovenia and Papua New Guinea. It went on to earn the “Best Fishing” prize at the Fly Fishing Film Awards, was an official selection of the Fly Fishing Film Tour and was a smash success in the fly fishing world. Here is the Nervous Water trailer:
This year, BOP comes roaring back with the much-anticipated Off the Grid, which chronicles the pursuit of some very hard to reach, yet very rewarding, fishing places. As R.A. himself states, “The film is about places that are off the beaten path. It is about people that live the fly fishing lifestyle, not to be a name, but because fly fishing is part of their soul. It is about unspoken hatches, unknown fish, and Rivers that will go unnamed.” Although the DVD won’t be released until this summer, you can catch a special cut on this year’s Fly Fishing Film Tour. No doubt this will be another home run for BOP that leaves the rest of us longing for time on the water and tight lines.
On top of all this R.A. and Joey are great guys and friends of YETI Coolers. We are happy to work with inspiring people like them and look forward to more collaboration in the future. Here is a parting shot to give you a little taste of what is in store (YES, that is a beautiful casting platform). Oh yeah… you can stop drooling now.
YETI Cares: Helping Haiti
Plain and simple, we make coolers. In the wake of the earthquake in Haiti, we also recognized that the world was facing one of the most challenging humanitarian efforts of all time. Thousands of miles from the suffering, we wanted to contribute to the relief efforts the best way we knew how—with coolers. After all, without electricity and the luxury of refrigeration the relief efforts on the ground in Haiti would need coolers to keep food, medicines, and ice. But how do we get these coolers in the right hands in all the ensuing confusion?
With some help from the Entrepreneur’s Foundation of Central Texas, we connected with Partners In Health (PIH). PIH has been working on the ground in Haiti for over 20 years and is “the largest health care provider still standing in all of Haiti” (New York Times, January 13th, 2010). PIH is also one of the charities recommended by Oprah’s Angel Network. So, needless to say, this was a fantastic organization.
After some exciting and heartfelt communications with PIH, we were able to coordinate logistics for the shipment. Time was of the absolute essence, so the YETI warehouse team worked tirelessly to get the coolers stacked, packed and labeled properly.
We know PIH will put our coolers to good use as they work tirelessly to bring the people of Haiti to good health and safe homes. Although several weeks have now past, they still need your contributions. You too can help by clicking on the banner below and making a donation.
We would like to thank Amy Jen Schlauch of Partners In Health and Amanda Chiampi of the Entrepreneur’s Foundation of Central Texas for all that you do.
YETI + iPad + Bear = WIRED
By now you probably know that here at YETI Coolers, we like to put our coolers to the test. Whether being subjected to a blow torch, battling a 500 lb. wrestler, being hurled from a cliff, or even taking on a Grizzly Bear, YETI Coolers hold up to the test. Recently WIRED Magazine, the ultimate source for all things new, smart, and cool, decided they wanted to test several bear-proof containers, including a YETI Tundra.
And if Betsy, the 500-pound grizzly bear at Fresno’s Chaffee Zoo, wasn’t enough, then they let the orangutans have a go at it. Despite receiving abuse from multiple species, it was a very favorable review. The WIRED review read:
“WIRED: Abominable snow-cooler took a primal beating but kept our food secure. Locks and hinges held tight against Kong’s brutal embrace. Withstood 20-foot drops, pounding, prying, underwater dunks, rock smashing, and hardcore orangutan love.”
But what is probably the most incredible part of WIRED spotlighting the YETI Cooler was that these images and clips then appeared in the video demonstration for their WIRED Tablet App for the upcoming Apple iPad.
Not only will the new digital version of WIRED be incredible, but this was debuted at the recent TED conference! (For those not familiar, TED conferences bring together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives.) We are flattered and grateful to have made it into this presentation.
Thank you WIRED. Thank you TED. Thank you YETI Nation.
Redfish Can’t Jump
We wanted to shed a little light on an amazing film project that is very near to our heart. Redfish Can’t Jump is an action packed 45-minute movie/documentary on the North Carolina Redfish. Filmed in high definition, packed with interviews and fishing footage up and down the Cape Fear Coast, the movie highlights the incredible inshore fishery that North Carolina has to offer.
In addition to being a beautifully shot film, Redfish Can’t Jump showcases fly angling as well as conservation efforts aimed towards the North Carolina shallow water estuarine resources while exposing the misuse of commercial, non-selective, destructive fishing gear. Gill nets in North Carolina harvest redfish quantities well over their established quotas and indiscriminately kill hundreds of endangered sea turtles annually, while commercial fishermen are not held responsible for entangled or dead turtles in their nets. The film aims to protect North Carolina’s state fish by declaration of gamefish status, thereby prohibiting the commercial harvest or sale of red drum/redfish.
Captain Seth Vernon and the rest of the crew behind the project have also done an amazing job of garnering support in the greater fishing community, including features in Fishing Florida Radio and in This Is Fly (a YETI Coolers favorite). The long-awaited world premiere in Wilmington, NC was an overwhelming success (check out pictures here), followed soon thereafter by another great showing in Charlotte.
Even if you don’t live or fish in North Carolina, this is a conservation issue that affects all coastal fisherman. So, check out their website, make a donation, buy some RFCJ gear, and join their facebook page. No, Wesley Snipes and Woody Harralson will NOT be making cameos here, but YOU can help make a difference. Thanks to Team RFCJ for making such a great effort and ensuring that there will be plenty of great fishing in the years to come.
Outfitter Spotlight: Northwest Rafting Company (Hood River, OR)
The Pacific Northwest is blessed with lots of great things, among them beautiful scenery, amazing rivers, and fine breweries. We, like many of you, enjoy all of those things. The good people at Northwest Rafting Company (NWRC) have figured out a great way to bring all those things together.
Zachary Collier and the rest of the NWRC team lead multi-day float trips down Oregon’s Rogue River. Federal designation as a Wild and Scenic River has protected the Rogue since 1968 and created a sanctuary for wildlife including river otters, mink, bald eagles, osprey and herons. NWRC takes their trips in style and makes sure that everyone has an incredible trip. Whether serving gourmet campfire meals like Dutch Oven Lasagna and sipping on their famous River Mojitos, you are in good hands with Zach and the NWRC team.
They are long-time fans of YETI Coolers as well. Not only do they use their YETI’s to keep food and ice cold for the 4-day trips, but they have also custom-fitted a Tundra to serve as a Jockey Box to serve cold beer on their trips. Zach told us that they usually serve beer from local brewers Double Mountain and Sierra Nevada and noted, “Our jockey box is always a crowd favorite.”
“Choose a career doing something you love, not money” Zach said was the best advice he ever received. Even though rafting has taken him to far away places like Nepal and Chile, seems like Zach and the NWRC are doing just fine on the rivers of Oregon. For more information on booking a trip with NWRC call (541) 450-9855 or visit their website at www.nwrafting.com.
Have You Ever Been Experienced?
With the excitement of the holiday season behind us, we march determined into the New Year. Aside from a fresh start on the calendar, this time of year often finds us wishing for more time outside. For the most part, hunting seasons are winding down and the fishing activity is somewhat constricted. Let’s face it: cold weather and short days can generate a little cabin fever in anybody.
So take a little departure over to the Saltwater Experience. Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor operate this top-notch guide service out of Hawks Cay Resort marina on Duck Key, FL. As guides, they offer amazing trips to the waters around Islamordada, the Florida Keys, and beyond. Whether you are looking for bonefish, redfish, permit or tarpon, whether you like fly fishing or conventional tackle, Saltwater Experience has you covered. And they have the track record and repeat customers to prove it.
In addition to their guide service, Tom and Rich also host the Saltwater Experience TV show, which airs on the Versus, Sun Sports and Pursuit Channel networks. The show always delivers great fishing action from the south Florida fisheries. In a recent episode entitled “Downtown Bonefishing”, YETI Coolers gets double exposure. First, their YETI Tundra is seen in the boat throughout the episode and is even used as a casting platform (one of our favorite features, too!). Then, at about 17:30 they discuss the importance of having a high quality cooler that performs to their standards and give YETI Coolers a glowing review. Watch here:
Thanks to Rich, Tom and their entire team for bringing us this great footage. Watching their show will certainly help you shake the winter doldrums and start thinking about getting back on the water.
Outfitter Spotlight: PRO Outfitters (Helena, MT)
It is no secret that Montana is considered by many outdoorsmen to be Shangri-La. Amazing trout fishing on endless rivers, streams and spring creeks. Incredible wing shooting and big game hunting. And some of the most spectacular scenery you will find anywhere on the planet. At the center of it all is PRO Outfitters.
Based out of Helena, Montana, PRO Outfitters specializes in guided flyfishing and upland bird hunting trips. Owner Brandon Boedecker, his wife Katie, and their incredible team of guides, gourmet chefs, and staff run a first class operation. They have also earned the distinguished classification of being an Orvis Endorsed Outfitter and Lodge.
Their motto, “Fish. Hunt. Connect.” describes what they do best. From day trips searching for monster trout on the Missouri River, to multi-day float trips on the remote Smith River, to upland bird hunts for Sharp-tailed Grouse, Hungarian Partridge and Ring-necked Pheasant, the PRO team delivers amazing experiences and friendships.
(Photo credit: Simon Perkins, Charley Perkins and Trygg Larsson Danforth)
Recently we had the chance to catch up with Brandon for a little Q&A .
YC: What activities do you use your YETI Cooler for?
BB: We use them on our extended trip on the Smith River where we need ice to last for five days. We now are using them for everything in our business from birds to beer.
YC: What is your favorite thing about your YETI Cooler?
BB: I like the insulation and how long ice lasts, as well as the durability.
YC: What is the best / funniest / favorite story involving your YETI Cooler?
BB: I coined the phrase “it’s not just cold, it’s YETI cold” and Charley Perkins stole it.
YC: Other than that fantastic phrase, what is your favorite quote?
BB: Uh, well… it’s not really suitable for your blog.
YC: Ha! Fair enough. But how about something we can work with?
BB: “Amateurs teach amateurs to be amateurs.” Said by many but perfected by the great Johnny Kowalski.
YC: What does 2010 hold for you?
BB: A full season of big browns and wild birds.
YC: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
BB: Floating the Smith and following dogs.
YC: So, essentially what you are doing right now?
BB: Yep! (laughs)
If you are looking for an amazing fishing or hunting experience, PRO Outfitters can deliver. You can reach the PRO team at (800) 858-3497 or pro@prooutfitters.com.
Happy Holidays and Thanks for a Great 2009
First of all, the team at YETI Coolers wants to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. From the YETI family to yours, we hope you have a great, safe and fun holiday season. We also wanted to thank everyone for making 2009 a great year. We look forward to making 2010 even better with lots of news and updates in store.
We also wanted to give you a little sneak peak to some of the new coolers we have rolling out. Burnt orange and white, crimson and white, and more. Our good friends at Tailwaters Fly Fishing in Dallas have proudly displayed some of the new orange and white coolers in their store. You can also check them out on the Tailwaters blog Somethin’s Fishy.
Happy Holidays to you all!
PS – Mrs. Claus called the YETI offices the other day looking for something special for her husband. She said he likes his drinks “colder than polar” and just sticking them in the ice outside his workshop doesn’t do the trick. So, don’t tell him just yet but even Santa is joining the YETI Nation!
This just in: Sources report a Yeti on the loose!
We work hard to make the best coolers available and get them to you with great customer service. We love hearing the praises from you: our customers, dealers, and friends. We especially love seeing pictures of your YETI coolers in action on our Facebook page and your blogs and websites.
Over the past few months, YETI Coolers has also been the recipient of some great press. Back in September, we were featured in This Is Fly magazine as the special drawing of the month.
This Is Fly has a powerful, energetic and very hip voice in the world of fly fishing, fueled by spectacular graphic design. Reader Jesse Dance was the lucky winner of a 35 quart Tundra and newly added member of the Yeti Nation.
Also in September, local outdoors writer Mike Leggett of the Austin American-Statesman wrote a great piece about Yeti Coolers that spotlights the durability and spirit of our coolers.
He starts the story with an existential bang, “Somewhere in another plane of existence Ernest Hemingway has short-lined a 1,000-pound marlin and is reaching into a cooler for an icy-cold beverage. The marlin is swimming free again, and the cooler is probably a Yeti.” It is a glowing review that also highlights how hunters and fishermen alike utilize our coolers.
(Photo: Mike Leggett, Austin American-Statesman)
What’s more, the 25 quart Roadie was then featured on uncrate.com! Uncrate bills itself as “a web magazine for guys who love stuff… the best gadgets, clothes, cars, DVDs and more.”
It is essentially the ultimate guide for the coolest, best stuff available. ”Our 25-quart Yeti Roadie cooler has been the perfect size, and has gotten a ton of use (and abuse) this summer. One word: hardcore.” It doesn’t get much better than that!
Just this month, YETI Coolers was also spotlighted in the “Cool Issue” of Austin Monthly Magazine. Of course we love being considered cool… as well as super durable and effective.
The piece, found of page 42, focuses on not only the quality of the coolers, but that the company is also based in Austin (well, at least right outside of Austin). What a great combination!
We are very grateful for the coverage and appreciate all the great folks that made this happen. So, please read these articles, check out their publications, and keep spreading the word about Yeti Coolers!
North American Hunting Club Seal of Approval
“Congratulations! The Yeti Tundra – 65 Quart Tan has received the North American Hunting Club Member Tested & Recommended Seal of Approval.” J.J. Reich, Senior Field Test Coordinator
The North American Hunting Club’s Seal of Approval Logo is recognized by thousands of North American Hunting Club members as a symbol of field tested, member recommended, top quality products.
The NAHC Field Test program put YETI Coolers into the hands of qualified NAHC members, with an expectation that these avid hunters will provide ‘real world’ test data. The report is published in the ‘Recommended by Members’ section of the November 2009 issue of the North American Hunter magazine.
Below are several member testimonials along with the test results:
“I would highly recommend the Yeti coolers to anyone interested in a cooler that will stand the test of time. The durable design and numerous add-ons make the Yeti one versatile tool in the field or boat!” Matthew Breuer – Bemidji, MN
“This is the Ferrari of coolers. As a Mechanical Engineer I can appreciate the well thought out design of the Yeti cooler.” Scott Haseman – Sweet Home, OR
“Built to last, keeps contents cool longer than the standard cooler which is very important on a long weekend.” Randy Howard – Anchorage, AK
“This is an incredible product! I fish in Kodiak Alaska, and more often than not, baggage and equipment get bumped from flight. My last trip had a two day delay before arriving in Anchorage, and yet everything was still cold and fresh! I cannot recommend this cooler highly enough” Robert B Petersen – Anchorage, AK
“Yeti couldn’t have done a better job building and designing a cooler if they spent another year at it.” Dennis Thomas – Poulsbo, WA
| Test Criteria: | Average Score: |
| Performance | 10.0 |
| Quality | 10.0 |
| Design | 9.1 |
| Ease of Use | 9.6 |
| Durability | 10.0 |
| Size | 10.0 |
| Comfort | 9.4 |
| Appearance | 10.0 |
| Similar Products | 10.0 |
| Security | 9.6 |
| Overall Rating | 10.0 |
| Overall Average | 9.8 |
| Scale: 1 – 10 (1-poor, 4-Fair, 7-Good, and 10-Excellent) | |
Brewing Up Something Sweet with Sweet Leaf Tea
Here at Yeti Coolers, we pride ourselves on making the finest coolers available. We also love all the activities that involve using great coolers…from fishing, kayaking and hunting, to tailgating, concerts, birthday parties, and BBQ’s. And what do we like to put in the world’s finest coolers? Tasty beverages, especially those made with the same love and care as our coolers.
Enter the good folks at Sweet Leaf Tea. They make the some of the finest teas and drinks known to man, all from natural and organic ingredients. They have also received some great press recently, including gracing the cover of Inc. Magazine.
We worked with Sweet Leaf Tea to produce some custom logo coolers for their marketing team to utilize for special events and in-store promotions. The coolers look fantastic with the SLT logo.
Look at those beautiful coolers.
So far, the SLT coolers have made it to Lollapalooza in Chicago and Austin City Limits Festival right here in our own backyard. You can even spot them on Sweet Leaf’s blog “The Sip”.
Sweet Leaf van loading up their coolers at Yeti HQ.
Keep an eye out for a chance to win one of these coolers at an in-store promotion near you. Drink more Sweet Leaf Tea!
YETI Coolers at ICAST
YETI at ICAST
Hatch Fly Reels
On a recent trip to San Diego, we paid a visit to our good friends at Hatch Outdoors. Hatch makes some of the highest quality, most innovative and down right coolest fly reels available. Founder and CEO John Torok set out to make a premium reel that delivers in both performance and design. From the ultralight 3+ to the tarpon-seething 12+, Hatch makes a reel for all needs.
As their website states: “Hatch was created for the hardcore and recreational angler alike. It’s dedicated to pioneers and pirates. It’s a brand whose sole focus is on providing the most stylish, high performance fly-fishing reels on the market today. And I think that’s just what we’ve done.”
A batch of Hatch reels waiting to be anodized.
Andrew Dickinson gave us the grand tour of the Hatch HQ, including the manufacturing floor. Step by step, they transform solid blocks of aluminum into an incredible piece of fishing equipment.From the millworks floor, the final product is then assembled by hand and shipped out to your local fly shop.
Hatch 12+ in the assembly room overlooking the factory floor.
As with Yeti Coolers, the best part of making a great product is actually putting it to use. Coolers and reels typically go hand-in-hand with fun times, and here Andrew displays the fruits of his labors:
Andrew Dickinson shows off the bounty of fishing with Hatch reels.
Yeti Coolers salutes the team at Hatch Outdoors for all their work in making a world-class product and company. Thanks for hosting us, we hope to reciprocate sometime soon.
Cold Beer Here!
Earlier this month, we hosted some very cool visitors at Yeti Coolers World Headquarters. Matt Vincent, his wife Taylor, and Arlo Grammatica from Ska Brewing Company (Durango, CO) were in town for a marketing tour and paid us a visit between events. Ska makes some of the best beers around, so you can only imagine how happy we were to welcome them.
Roy lead Team Yeti in giving them the grand tour, walking them through all the benefits and advantages that make Yetis the finest premium coolers available. Blue even demonstrated a custom logo application, blow torch and all, which steered the conversation to their need to keep all that great beer cold, especially during events and beer festivals. No question the Tundra Series can help out there. In both durability and ice retention, the value of Yeti Coolers is evident and unsurpassed.
Roy shows Matt Vincent of SKA Brewing the finer points of the Yeti Coolers.
Good times were had by all. We got to sample some great beer, trade hats, and make some new friends. Thanks to Matt, Taylor and Arlo for a fun afternoon. All in all, it was a great day in the Yeti Nation.
Matt and Arlo check out the Tundra series with Roy.
Ice ‘Em Swimming
This is brought to you by Bryan Caswell from Reef Restaurant in Houston. Click here to visit their site.
The first hour after a fish is harvested is by far the most crucial time in its stored life. Proper procedure and care immediately after a fish is harvested can add three to six full days of shelf-life (depending on the varietal). As a fish cook and a fisherman, my processing etiquette on the boat can be flat-out obsessive but, if you follow these steps, you can enjoy your fresh-caught fish for well over a week and skip the sacrilege of sending them to the freezer.
1. DON’T PULL THEM GREEN
Horsing a fish will usually result in two things: one, he will break off, causing that heartbreaking, hollow numbness that instantly washes over your body after your line goes flaccid, leaving you with either excuses or rage; or two, he will tear up both the boat and his muscle fibers once inside the boat. Those torn muscle fibers result in blown blood vessels and soft or mushy protein. Take your time, enjoy, wear him out, there are no points for speed.
2. SWIFT AND INSTANT
Now is the time when speed and points come into play. If the fish is big enough to gaff, get him in the boat, pop him once, hard, right behind the eyes (gaff placement is key) — be swift and kind — then get him covered in ice, completely. If he is not gaff-size, then just put him straight into the ice. There are certain species that benefit greatly from bleeding; most of these fall into the large, faster-moving Pelagic-type fish, especially tuna which have the ability to control there own body temperature. During feeding frenzies their internal body temperature can rise to 85-90 degrees; bleeding greatly improves your ability to quickly lower their internal temperature (wahoo, sharks and large jacks do not share this ability but can still benefit from this technique).
3. ICE MANAGEMENT
You can never bring enough ice. You need to cover those babies like they’re wrapped in a wool blanket in the wintertime. I always start the day with one of my coolers filled with clean ice and the others half full. If time or space is an issue, check out those new Yeti’s – it’s a new breed of cooler whose insulation is far superior to any others. I use them both on the boat and in the kitchen. Saltwater slurries, which can reach temperatures well below freezing, are also an option for a quick chill.
4. DRAINAGE
Always roll with the cooler plug open. Standing water is your biggest enemy when it comes to proliferation of bacteria. Nothing could be worse than your fish sitting in water.
5. TIME ON ICE
Depending on the size of the fish, they need at least 3-6 hours on ice. Fish that have not had the opportunity to complete the cooling process and reach – and complete – full rigor will greatly affect ease of processing on the cleaning table and reduce your yield percentage. In many cases, with the muscle fibers still active, the meat of the filet will seize up, shrink and become extremely tough and spongy when cooked.
6. BACK AT THE DOCK
Here is where you have to make a very important decision: (1) Do you clean the fish at that dock table on top of the water-swollen, green plywood table-top in the hot, bright, afternoon sun? Or (2) Can you take them home to a controlled, clean, sanitized environment? If the answer is (2) then you first need to gut the fish and wash out the stomach cavity before heading home. If you do have to clean them at the dock, make sure you bring a large plastic cutting board and at least one large stainless sheet pan from a restaurant supply store. Also don’t be afraid to bring your own sanitizing solution (1 cap of bleach per gallon of water). As you separate the first filet from the bone, place it skin side down on the sheet pan; then place the second one flesh to flesh. After you complete the fish in this way, sanitize the board and then begin to take the skin off of each filet. The skin and scales are like a protective coating keeping bacteria from the flesh and, in turn, harbor most of these undesirables. Do whatever you can to keep the two from touching.
7. ICE ‘EM SWIMMING
Stack the fish head to tail like they are swimming in the ice. Do this one layer after another. Fish that have been cared for using the tips above and then iced correctly can last up to 1 ½ weeks and sometimes longer.
YETI Tundra cooler Receives Honorable Mention for Field & Streams Best of the Best.
Field & Stream magazine honors YETI Coolers.
Each year Field and Stream magazine takes the best of the new year’s hunting and fishing products and puts them through the torture test to determine “The Best of the Best.” These products rise above the others in innovative design, quality, and functionality. And of course, they have to live up to the demands of real outdoorsman who, in this case, are the picky, hard hunting and fishing, almost fanatical editors and staff at Field and Stream magazine. Well, the results are in and the winners of this extraordinarily grueling competition are detailed in the March 2009 issue.
For us in the industry, it is apparent that simply being in the test is an achievement on it’s own, because not everyone gets past the first review. But, in the end, Field and Stream took a close look at almost 500 entries divided into 11 categories. In the end, the Yeti Tundra got an honorable mention in the Fishing Accessories category. According to the Test Team at Field and Stream:
“Having spent a lifetime using cheap coolers with hinges and fasteners the inevitably break, I’m glad to see that the Yeti is built like the proverbial brick outhouse. There are 2 full inches of insulation inside the rotomolded body and lid. Hinges are recessed to avoid knocks, and the lid has a massive, freezer-type seal.”
Yeti Coolers Deemed Grizzly Bear Proof
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC), a board overseen by the U.S. Forest Service, has tested the Yeti Tundra 250 qt cooler and approved it as a Grizzly-proof container. This means the entire line of Yeti Tundra Coolers (35, 45, 65, 85, 105, 120, 155 and now 250 qt.) have been deemed Grizzly-proof!“We’re proud to be the first cooler to survive the IGBC tests,” says Ryan Seiders, owner of Yeti Coolers,” and proud that our entire Tundra line has passed the tests.” The IGBC testing simulates bear attacks and then subjects products to an hour encounter with two adult Grizzly bears. The ultimate goal is to eliminate accidental bear feeding. Once a bear is fed, it will come back to a campsite, typically necessitating that the bear be destroyed. So, not only will a Yeti Cooler protect your food, it will protect the bears, as well.
Yeti’s Grizzly-proof durability is the result of polyethylene, one-piece, rotational-molded construction, which is the same material and process used to make whitewater kayaks. The lids are also one-piece, molded and attached to the cooler body with a metal rod through a full-length hinge. The cooler can be securely closed through integrated padlock ports on both front corners. Padlocks are required for the cooler to be bear-proof.
Yeti Tundra coolers are also known by outdoor experts as the best insulated coolers available, with commercial-grade, polyurethane foam insulation that’s four to six times thicker than other coolers.
Yeti Coolers – New 105qt Tundra
The new 105 quart Yeti Tundra is a bit different from other Tundra models in that it has a deeper, taller design as opposed to the more traditional, longer design. Because the 105 quart Tundra is deeper, you can pile more ice on its contents to keep them colder longer than in a long cooler. The deep cooler also has a smaller “footprint,” so it takes up less valuable deck space. It is ideal for under leaning posts or in front of center consoles and it fits better in the back of an SUV for those extended weekend camping or hunting trips.
The new Yeti Tundra 105 quart cooler measures 30 1/4″L x 18 7/8″ W and 19 1/2″H. It’s available in white or tan and carries a MAP of $399.99. For more detailed information on the 105qt. visit www.yeticoolers.com. For your pricing or any other information please give us a call at 512.394.9384.
The Jockey Box
This is brought to you by Zach at Riverhardware.com
This summer was my first experience with a jockey box. A friend brought one (and 4 pony kegs) on a Rogue trip and I couldn’t help but wonder “where has this thing been all my life?”
A jockey box is a cooler that transforms warm beer into cold beer. The beer enters the cooler, flows through 50-120 feet of stainless steel tube submberged in ice water, and flows out cold. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) pressurizes the whole system so beer flows at the exact moment you pull the faucet.
After this famous trip, I was talking with my friend Ken (an expert on beer) about the jockey box and he sent me the parts. Here’s the list:
- Faucet (2) – To regulate the beer flow
- Facuet Shank Assembly (2) – To attach the faucet to the box
- Ice Box Shank Assembly (2) – To attach the beer from the keg to the box
- Stainless Steel Cooling Coil (Right Hand)
- Stainless Steel Cooling Coil (Left Hand)
- Keg Coupler (2) – To tap the keg
- Beer Hose (2) – This gets the beer from the tap to the box
- Aluminum CO2 Cylinder
- CO2 Regulator
- Blue Vinyl Gas Hose – To go from CO2 tank to the coupler
- Stepless Clamps (6) – for Gas Hose
- Gas Hose T – To split the CO2 to go from one tank to 2 couplers
- Faucet and Hex Nut Wrench – You’ll need this to tighten the faucet
We found that the ice water didn’t last long enough for a multi-day river trip like the Rogue. So I bought the best cooler in the world: Yeti Tundra 65 cooler. If you use an expensive cooler like this one, get ready for some nerve-wracking drilling. Your tasks:
- Place the coils inside the cooler and measure where to drill your holes as accurately as possible. Drill the holes.
- Cut PVC pipe to fit in these holes. You’ll want the PVC pipe holes because you’ll need to tighten down the shanks and you won’t want to collapse the sides of the cooler.
- Use silicon to hold the PVC pipe in place and to fill the space between the cooler and the pipe.
- Place the shanks in the PVC and tighten.
Once you’re cooler is ready and you’ve put all the parts together, you’re ready to test. Fill up your CO2 tank, get some kegs, and throw a party. And don’t forget to invite me. Some important things I learned the hard way:
- The CO2 needs to be between 30-35 psi
- The coils need to be covered with ice water (not just ice) or the beer will come out foamy
- You need to clean the whole system afterwards or it will get moldy
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Look Who's Using YETI
George Pugh
"This is the best customer service I have ever received on any type of product that I own."
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Arnie Chandola Northwest Voyageurs Little Salmon Lodge
"YETI coolers are one of the best I have seen. Simple, tough and keeps ice for 5 days in 117 degree heat!"
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Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC)
"The YETI Tundra coolers withstand smashing, prying, scratching, biting, and tossing by hungry bears."
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John Merwin Field Editor, Field & Stream
"Having spent a lifetime using cheap coolers with hinges and fasteners that inevitably break, I'm glad to see that the YETI is built like the proverbial brick outhouse. There are 2 full inches of insulation inside the rotomolded body and lid. Hinges are recessed toavoid knocks, and the lid has a massive, freezer-type seal."
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Pat Reeve & Nicole Jones Driven TV
"We use our YETI Coolers when traveling out of state to hunt big bucks. They are durable and most importantly keep our meat and capes cool so we can get them back home for processing! We don't leave home without one!"
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Babe Winkelman Good Fishing and Outdoor Secrets TV
"YETI Coolers are superior ... from the hinges and latches to the tough-as-nails construction. Best of all, they keep everything colder, longer! You can spend less and get a cooler that will fail after a couple years of hard use. Or you can step up to a YETI and own the world's finest cooler that will never let you down."
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Rick and Julie Kreuter Beyond the Hunt TV
"As professional guides we want professional equipment. YETI Coolers are definitely professional grade!"
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Dick Scorzafava The Radical Bowhunter
"The YETI Coolers are the Rolls Royce of all coolers. I have taken mine on several flights already and they even stand up to the baggage handlers in the airports. That's the quality I need in a product."
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Flip Pallot Legendary fisherman/ TV show host
"I've been buying coolers all my life! So have you! I'm THROUGH, DONE, FINISHED! I've got my YETI now. All I have to worry about is what to put in it."
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Mike Hanback Big Deer, Inc.
"I got the YETI Tundra cooler, it's awesome, a real hunter's tool."
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Capt. Scott Swartz Founder of the Florida Fly Fishing Schools and Atlanta Fly Fishing School
"I bought the YETI 105 Tundra today. Wow, this thing is built like a truck!"
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Bob Popovics
"Just received my 85qt. Tundra..What a beauty!! GREAT quality is an understatement!"
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Brad
"I just received my Tundra 65 qt YETI!! I figured it would be built better than the competition, but I dint think it would be THIS STRONG. The handlesand hinges are great, the seal is superb. Hell, its built better than the 'fridge in my home!! We learned a tough lesson in Houston after Hurricane Ike. There's no such thing as too much ice chest. It's a fact, we may not haveanother hurricane for another 10 years...OR we may have a cat 5 NEXT YEAR, either way, I'll be better prepared with this YETI cooler."
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William Gillespie
"I just took a 45qt. and 65qt. YETI Tundra for testing on a 5 day Smith float in Montana...Impressive!"
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Jeff McDonald
"Ya'll build one tough cooler. I have a fishing camp on Big Lake in Hackberry Louisiana. When Hurrican Ike came through, we had 5 ft of water under the camp from the storm surge. I found my YETI a quarter mile away, some 100 yards back in a tallow tree swamp. Other than a few scratches, it cleaned up very well. I am very happy to have it back. Great product!"
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