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Next question is how did a cooler manufacturer get an account and are being allowed to talk about their products without being a sponsor?

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He signed up?

He isn't advertising. Plenty of room for everyone.

You gonna share your relationship with RTIC?

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Sorry, I guess I don't know what is and isn't allowed, as I was warned in the past about my own company prior to being advertisers in Maroon Book.


My relationship with them is I have 2 coolers and several cups.

I'm sure that's not the answer you were hoping for

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Next question is how did a cooler manufacturer get an account and are being allowed to talk about their products without being a sponsor?

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Talking about his products in a thread discussing his product is not promotions that require a sponsorship. Personally I am very glad he is here talking about the products.

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I do find it very interesting.

I was told their soft sided cooler had been around for years in Australia and they are simply gaining the rights to put their name on it. Not so sure about that story now

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You have to admit it seems a little suspect sometimes the way you are always "in the know" about RTIC products. This could all be coincidence, but...

- You were one of the first on here to get your cooler.
- Your picture of your cooler in the golf cart ends up on RTIC's FB page.
- You consistently inform the board of new products and new developments from RTIC that you learned from "just stopping by the wearhouse". How many people stop by a cooler wearhouse several times over a few month span, regardless of how close to their house or commute it is? And then the owners tell them everything they want to know?
- You defend them on this thread, even to the point of attacking another cooler manufacturer.

What else am I missing?

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Oh I get it, it was brought up before, and like I said then, no affiliation, other than being a customer.

- I was one of the first to get 1 cooler, the other I did not receive until January.

- I posted the pic of the golf cart on here and they knew about this thread because I told them that's how I heard of them. They technically took the pic all on their own.

-I went before coolers were released to see if they were even legit. Since then, truly have simply stopped by to just buy cups. Actually once was because when my 20qt got delivered (in January), the sticker logo was crooked as hell so I took it by and they fixed it. Seems to make sense to skip having to wait on shipping if I can stop and grab them the same day.

Last time I went in they had a ton of new crap all over the front entrance and one of the owners was standing right there, that's how I knew about the new products. I bought 2 cups and left. Funny thing is, if anyone walks in and starts chatting with either owner, they will tell you all the same stuff....my buddy did it before Christmas.

-I would hardly say I attacked another cooler vendor, that's quite the stretch. Simply asked if the posts were allowed. I could care less if he/she's on the thread, like I stated above, before we advertised, my company would receive some warnings....never really sure what would or wouldn't be allowed.

Oh and I think this soft sided cooler thing is pretty shady for sure.

EDIT: plus I can guarantee you if I had a part in the company we would be a paying advertiser for sure, it would only make sense

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the owner asked him about the prospects of advertising on a NASCAR car.

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Oh yea that was odd....because he made it seem to be that they were looking into it, then the next day I see it's already a done deal. Not sure why he asked my opinion on that

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I tend to agree with Sasappis on this one. I don't work in that type of manufacturing, but you had to know there was a risk of getting your design ripped off, especially after Yeti already had theirs copied by RTIC.

I also know very little about patents, but there has to be some protection even before production, assuming your design is unique enough to get a patent. If it's not unique enough to get legal protection, then you have to somewhat expect it will get copied and find a way to set your product above the knockoffs.

That said... it sucks, and I'd be pissed if I were you, but it doesn't sound like RTIC did anything illegal. Maybe not exactly ethical, but legal nonetheless. Ripping off designs of others seems to be the m.o. of RTIC. As Sasappis mentioned... I hope you learned something.

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And Yeti copied other cooler manufacturers before them.

I'm a fan of Yeti products as I've found them to be very high quality. I don't own anything other than the Ramblers at present as I sold my cooler along with my last boat and have yet to replace it.

Anyway, I think it was Engel who first made the roto-molded coolers but they didn't market to the outdoors community. I've been told by a surgeon that they've used Engel coolers for 25+ years for organ & tissue transport.

There may be a small detail here or there in terms of production which may be patented but technology wise there's almost no daylight whatsoever between these roto-molded cooler companies and while not an IP lawyer I don't think there's much that can be patented in the cooler game.

The #1 thing Yeti did was figure out there was a market in the outdoors community for the super-premium, roto-molded coolers and create one of the best marketing/brand awareness campaigns ever.

And the lawsuit Yeti filed against Rtic has very little to do with cooler design as I understand it. From what I can tell it's more centered around Rtic's marketing of "just like a Yeti only half the price." And that usage of the Yeti name, branding, images, etc is the big problem.

Fair enough. I can appreciate your reasoned responses, rather than getting upset..

Ha, good deal!

I Can't deny that I'm a fan boy since day one though....

For people who have a RTIC, has anyone found a food tray that will fit perfectly into a 65 or 45? It doesn't look like they offer any accessories including baskets. The main use I would have for one would be keeping food/drinks cold for 3-4 days on hunting/camping trips. This requires a food tray to keep the food from getting wet. Thanks.

What's wrong with plastic Tupperware? Not always leak proof but if you set them on top or can elevate them off the bottom, you shouldn't have to worry about water getting into them.

I know this was sarcastic but I am 99% certain the dimensions are different and they wouldn't fit.

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i see a way to make some money.

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Identify a market need and fill it!

In other question. My parents live in the area and I keep trying to find their warehouse so I can stop in and see stuff in person.

Could you assist with a little more direction.

Just have production anywhere but China

The best thing I have found for dry food storage in a large cooler is the tall 21 cup Rubbermaid food containers. In my Coleman I can fit two of them side by side perfectly and they stay upright. Haven't tried them in my 65 RTIC yet but I'm sure they will work well.

I love my Grizzly 20! Just a shout out to my Grizzly guy.

Ahh so it's in the newest ones along the feeder. I had only looked along Hempstead HWY and Huffmeister.

Thanks

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Ahh so it's in the newest ones along the feeder. I had only looked along Hempstead HWY and Huffmeister.

Thanks

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You do enter from Hempstead though.....I've been there once or twice.

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The big plus I saw besides cost, is they've made them so the entire top opens, rather that just a slit down the middle. Much easier to access.

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The design that you are referencing is a design that Grizzly Coolers has had in development for several months. As we understand it an RTIC representative was shown the design at the factory in China, and somehow they left with our design. Grizzly Coolers has concept sketches, developmental drawings, tooling receipts, and documented correspondence between our representatives and the factory dating to September 2015. We've made RTIC aware of all of this and have asked for the post to be removed. To date we have not heard anything back.

These photos shows the product evolution:



This post shows a teaser we put out last fall with the test unit:
https://instagr.am/p/8MIjMvOZcN

EDIT: Photos

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I have a lunchbox that has the same type opening. I think I better contact them to let them know they have been ripped off. I don't know what is special about your cooler lid, but I'd like to see it. I think the list of patents on all products these days is ridiculous. I know, I think I'm going to patent a rectangular phone with rounded corners. That's a billion dollar idea there.

Do they have the tumblers in stock at their warehouse for the same price as online?

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They did when I was there

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Ditto

Decided to stop by the warehouse as it is right by my office. They were very nice and accommodating. Went ahead and picked up 2 each of the 30 & 20 ounce tumblers. They also had 10 ounce lowball a so I grabbed a couple of those as well. They said I was the first to get the lowballs.

I told them that I had heard about them on TexAgs. They laughed and mentioned a poster ( I assume MrJonMan) and said people think he works for them. While I was there a sales rep for a shipping supply company joined in on the laugh and said he also had a TexAgs account.

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For people who have a RTIC, has anyone found a food tray that will fit perfectly into a 65 or 45? It doesn't look like they offer any accessories including baskets.

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They had a 45 on display that had a basket. I'm assuming accessories might be on the way. There was also handles for the tumblers that I will definitely get when they become available.

I am going to have to go back and read through the thread but I noticed a few mentions of NASCAR. FWIW I was randomly asked if I was into NASCAR.

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I told them that I had heard about them on TexAgs. They laughed and mentioned a poster ( I assume MrJonMan) and said people think he works for them. While I was there a sales rep for a shipping supply company joined in on the laugh and said he also had a TexAgs account.

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Awesome

Listen, we can stop speculating about baskets, seafoam colored coolers, etc.

Seems pretty obvious that if yeti (or apparently anyone else now) makes it they'll be releasing it.

Haha....glad to hear someone else besides me went by there finally! Even if there were laughs at my expense, I'm ok with that. Just glad someone else experience how down to earth and an "open book" they are, as I've said.

Side note, they do read this thread fairly often.