Seems as though every company wants to get in on the action with roto-molded coolers. I was just in Best Buy and they are selling coolers, as well as tumblers, made by Otter Box. Yes, the same company that makes cell phone cases. A little research tells me that Otter Box actually introduced them this past May and they are just as expensive as most of the rest, but they claim they will hold ice for 14 days.
You would think that with all the competition, prices would come down.
Some of you may have already known this, but I had no idea…
-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad (1/13/37 - 9/27/16 I love you Pops)
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
As long as folks THINK they’ve got to have them…those companies will charge what they want. I just got a Ozark Trail 30 soft cooler, under $40. Filled with drinks and a bag of ice, stays ice cold all day on the beach at 90deg and over night in the house. For sure worth $40, definitely NOT worth $400.00!!!
As long as folks THINK they’ve got to have them…those companies will charge what they want. I just got a Ozark Trail 30 soft cooler, under $40. Filled with drinks and a bag of ice, stays ice cold all day on the beach at 90deg and over night in the house. For sure worth $40, definitely NOT worth $400.00!!!
Now THAT’S more my speed…
-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad (1/13/37 - 9/27/16 I love you Pops)
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad (1/13/37 - 9/27/16 I love you Pops)
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
No apologies for being “that guy” but I have to ask…If these “high performance” coolers are “all hype,” why do so many outfitters/guides use them? I’m not talking about hunting or fishing shows that are sponsored by a cooler company. I’m talking about regular everyday outfitters and guides that use them without being paid to do so. I have relatives that live in British Columbia and they have several friends that are hunting outfitters and all of them use “high performance” coolers. I know several charter captains that use “high performance” coolers. These are people whose sole source of income is their jobs as outfitters/guides/charter Captains so every piece of gear has to be “high performance” to insure their clients are satisfied and hopefully become repeat customers. Why would they outfit themselves with gear that is “all hype” and risk giving a poor experience for their clients? I know some of you are going to say they were victims of marketing but even if marketing is what led to them originally buying the “high performance” cooler, surely after one use in the environment/manner they use gear (which is far more abusive than the average person) they would’ve seen through the “hype” and quickly scrapped the “high performance” cooler for the less expensive coolers that “work just as well or better.”
I get it. I used to be just like the haters. I couldn’t imagine how/why anyone would spend that kind of money on a cooler but I had no basis for my opinion because I had never owned a “high performance” cooler. I was content with running through cheap coolers every year or two and simply buying another one. Then, I won a “high performance” cooler at a banquet. My first thought was since I only paid $10 (raffle ticket) for this cooler, I’m about to beat the crap out of this thing and prove, once and for all, these “high performance” coolers are all “hype.” I did countless “ice” tests and torture tests on this thing. Threw it out of moving vehicles, stacked large amounts of weight on top of it, put hot things
All these people that bash/don’t understand why people buy expensive coolers. Yet I doubt those same people are driving around in Kia or Hyundai vehicles. People will typically pay for what they want to spend their hard earned money on. I personally could fish with Shakespeare reels. But I only use Shimano because I prefer them and have had great results. On charters I use Penn b/c they a great value and take a beating. I say to each their own and whatever makes you happy, go for it!
2014 Pioneer 197 Sportfish
2012 Malibu Stealth 12 Kayak(SOLD)
“If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there would be a shortage of fishing poles”
bangstick, since you quoted me multiple times in your commentary about “bashing” coolers, I can only assume you are saying that I was bashing them. If so, please point out to me exactly where I was “bashing” these coolers or even criticizing those that choose to buy them. As a matter of fact, I went back and re-read this whole thread and couldn’t find a single instance where I felt that anyone either bashed the coolers or criticized anyone for buying them. Personally, I could care less what you spend your money on as long as it doesn’t adversely affect me.
I was merely pointing out that there was a new player in the market whose coolers were just as expensive as the rest and how, generally speaking, competition should bring prices down, but haven’t in the “high performance cooler” market.
-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad (1/13/37 - 9/27/16 I love you Pops)
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
Settle down, BH. I wasn’t referring specifically to you.
I quoted “high performance” because there’s more than just one brand of cooler in that category and I wasn’t about to list them all when I was referring to them. Hence the use of your “high performance” cooler comment.
I used the word “bash” once and it wasn’t directed at you. Hell, you used the words bash/bashing more than I did. Lol!!
I’m not a mathematician but at last count, there was more than one person (you) involved in this thread so when I said “you” nowhere was that singling Bowhunter out. Even though you’re trying to make it out to be, this thread and my comment isn’t about you. If you had to “assume” I was referring to you then I obviously wasn’t speaking about you because if I was, I would’ve said “Bowhunter” and addressed you specifically.
These types of threads are played on here. Any time and every time someone brings up “high performance cooler” on here, you get the same “my cheap cooler is as good or better than” and “all for the sticker” crowd come on and talk **** about the “high performance” coolers and the people that buy them. You must’ve not “felt” some of the posts on here did that and you know your feelings so I’ll let that one alone.
Competition in certain markets has less of an impact than supply and demand. As long as people keep demanding and buying “high performance” coolers, they’ll keeping charging what they do for them and new companies will continue to try to get their share of that pie. I’d love to not have to pay the prices being asked for “high performance” coolers but until someone actually makes a cooler that is truly better than some of the “high performance” coolers, and can offer it at a cheaper price, you’ll continue to see prices where they are. Again, if the cheaper coolers were truly better than the expensive “high performance” coolers, people wouldn’t buy the “high performance” coolers.
I’m sorry you felt singled out but that wasn’t what was done here.
Everybody knows that a Yeti is a high performing cooler, but at the same time how often do you need to keep ice frozen for 7 days? I’d bet that 75%+ of the people that have them don’t need that kind of performance. Kind of like all the little league kids wearing Under Armor stuff in baseball and football. Most people are getting it to fit in and look cool. Like a poster said earlier it’s been proven that Yeti’s aren’t the highest performing coolers out there. They are tough and will hold up for a long time and for those that are/were tired of buying igloos every other year that’s a reason to buy one. Hell, I have a Yeti 35, but only bc it was a gift. Great cooler, but not my personal favorite due to weight.
I think the Yeti soft coolers are extremely dumb, personally. Plenty of other coolers will keep your drinks cold for a day or 2 at the beach that don’t weigh 25 lbs on their own or cost $300. Only reason you’re buying that is for the name. I’ve been really impressed with Polar Bear soft coolers on ice retention for $100-200. To each his own!
It’s great that they hold ice for days. I was not buy a yeti. There are better coolers for cheaper. Look around. The last test I saw had cabelas brand testing the best. I’ve bought too many coolers over the years to even think about. Keeping ice for days is nice but the molded coolers will last a lifetime. That’s where the value comes in. Just my 2cents.
Forget keeping ice longer. The reason the pro’s run them is because they don’t break if you step on them.
I got tired of buying replacement coleman coolers when they got crunched. I got a special deal on a couple and haven’t needed another since.
for the 45 Yeti I got from Stonoman -gracias Senor!:
-20# bag of ice to pre-cool for half a day Thursday
-several pieces of cardboard, 2 slabs of dri-ice on bottom.
-loaded up with vac-sealed fillets and wedges of Eyetalian cheese trying to keep air space to a minimum.
-2 more slices of dri-ice op top, no more room for even a slice of cardboard.
Ran to NC with it in the bed, put in garage until Sunday night, all dri-ice was sublimated away but product was rock solid.
Ran to the Cape (Cod) and unloaded @ 0700 Monday into freezer - still solid and very cold to the touch and color labels on bags all intact (something ice will wash away).
Dri-ice wasn’t cheap - $51 worth.
Non-“high performance” coolers used in the past for the straight 17 hour run have done well but one bottom cracked, not sure if it was due to dri-ice (always used a few layers of cardboard). Knowing I had 3 days in NC without a freezer I’m glad I had the Yeti and it ‘done-good’.
Two more years rollin’ around on the beach later, still keeps bait all day!
