Yeti vs RTIC Coolers: What Matters Most Brand or Price?
When trying to decide on a high end cooler there are now several choices. This review will compare Yeti vs RTIC coolers and let you decide which is the right one for you.
How much does brand loyalty play in your buying decisions?
Are you the type of customer that walks into REI and has to buy the latest and greatest in wearable technology or do you shop the clearance section at Fleet Farm for a cheap but functional fleece?
There really isn’t a right or wrong answer. And often times we all fall into both categories. But the answer might determine your preference when choosing Yeti vs RTIC coolers.
Brand Loyalty vs a Good Deal
No matter your opinion on RTIC’s knockoff / inspired by / blatant copy of Yeti’s cooler designs each cooler has it’s merits.
Let’s compare the most obvious difference – price.
YETI: High End
RTIC: Mid End
Winner RTIC
2018 UPDATE: After the lawsuit between Yeti and RTIC, there have been some changes from both companies. RTIC was made to change their design (not a whole lot different in our opinion) and the pricing of both cooler companies has been fluctuating.
In fact, as of this writing you can actually get the Yeti Roadie 20 for CHEAPER than the white RTIC 20 QT! (the blue and the green color RTIC 20 is still quite a bit cheaper)
So the argument on price is no longer a valid concern. Just keep an eye out for good deals and you can get the Yeti for less.
Brand Recognition vs the Little Guy
Yeti Cooler Company
Yeti coolers are a top of the line nearly indestructible premium cooler that took outdoor enthusiasts by storm in 2006. The Tundra line is even certified as a bear proof cooler by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.
Their “more than a simple ice chest” cooler design really revolutionized food and beverage storage. If a guy can get goose bumps over a simple cooler Yeti surely has done it. (I’m not admitting anything)
The Austin Texas based YETI holds outdoor enthusiasts by the short hairs with their line of cool gear so desired that people have to guard their Yeti’s against, not hungry bears so much, but sneaky Yeti Bandits.
The bottom line is that there is a lot of brand loyalty for the Tundra, Roadie and Hopper hard and soft coolers this company has brought to the market.
RTIC Cooler Company
RTIC’s claim to fame is probably the lawsuit they were an unwilling participant in against Yeti. Yeti founders Ryan and Roy Seiders claimed (perhaps rightly so) that the RTIC cooler was a direct rip-off of the Yeti Tundra cooler.
There isn’t much personal information about RTIC, even on their own website. Only stating that “we are a direct to consumer retailer of extreme rotomolded coolers.” Some even wonder if RTIC and Yeti are the same company (they are not).
While based in Houston Texas, RTIC is basically an importer of Chinese made coolers. While there is nothing wrong with that (certainly many of the worlds products are imported from other manufacturers) RTIC lacks a brand story we can connect with.
That being said RTIC coolers are very well reviewed and seem to hold up against the toughest conditions and environments. You get the same cooling power keeping your ice a full ten days while keeping out those hungry bears – at a much more comfortable price point.
But if your buying decision is based on brand loyalty and an ability to connect with other outdoor enthusiasts Yeti gets the win.
Yeti vs RTIC Country of Manufacture
Sometimes a buying decision comes down to supporting local manufacturers. In this day and age of a global economy it isn’t always easy to determine where your products really come from.
Both RTIC and Yeti are based in America, in fact both are based in Texas. However, many still ask the question where are Yeti coolers made?
As with many companies and products it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Yeti’s Tundra coolers are mostly made in the USA, in factories located in Wisconsin and Minnesota. But they do also outsource to a factory in the Philippines. Their new soft-sided Hopper coolers, Panga duffels, and Rambler drinkware are made in China. While the LoadOut 5 gallon bucket is manufactured in South Carolina.
It is interesting to note Yeti states if you want a Yeti made in the USA you can contact them and they will get it done. I don’t know many (if any) companies that offer you that option.
Of course the question where is RTIC made pops up among conscientious buyers as well. According to their website FAQ section RTIC products are made in China in order to save money and pass that savings onto their customers.
Bottom line, if buying Made in the USA products is one of your top priorities Yeti gets the win again.
To Be Continued…
The battle between RTIC and Yeti may be over in the courts but in stores there is much to be decided. Especially when the biggest draw to purchasing a RTIC cooler was because you were getting a high quality Yeti-like cooler for a fraction of the price.
Now with prices normalizing between the two it all comes down to which one you find on sale, or which brand you believe in the most.
We’ll continue our comparison review of these two cooler brands in more detail. Stay tuned for more.
Happy camping!
