YETI’s cooler and water bottle designs are, for the most part, pretty clean. Yes, they dabble in some pretty vibrant colorways, but they rarely dabble in the graphics space (save for an artist collab or patriotic release perhaps). Nevertheless, a special occasion demands a break from the norm.
Celebrating its legendary rise to outdoor gear royalty just 20 years ago, the Texas-based brand has come out with a new ceremonious colorway for a slew of its most popular items.
Born in a Garage, Built for the Ages
Brothers Roy and Ryan Seiders launched YETI out of Austin in 2006, driven by nothing more than the frustration of subpar coolers on their hunting and fishing trips. Roy brought his background in building shallow-water fishing boats; Ryan brought $100,000 from selling his Waterloo Rods company. Together, they sourced rotomolded polyethylene coolers from a factory in the Philippines and started road-tripping trade shows in their dad’s van. The original tagline was, “Wildly stronger! Keep ice longer!” The Tundra hard cooler, their first flagship, could hold ice for five to seven days when most competitors topped out at one or two. That cooler turned into a billion-dollar outdoor empire. Twenty years later, they’re playing the nostalgia card, and we can’t blame them.
The Collection
The Throwback Collection spans 10 pieces, pulling its original white-and-blue color scheme back from the archives and splashing it across both new and legacy-favorite gear. The Tundra 45 Hard Cooler and the Roadie 15 anchor the hard-sided side of things, while the Hopper M20 Backpack Soft Cooler covers the soft goods. For carry, the Camino 35 Carryall Tote gets the treatment too, which is notable given it didn’t exist when that original palette debuted. Then there are the accessories rounding it all out: the Rambler 18 oz Water Bottle, a SideKick Dry Gear Case, a Utility Bucket, a patch, and a hat.
Most of the pieces keep things fairly tame, but the Tundra 45 reads, “Built For The Wild,” across the lid, while the Rambler bottle’s real estate is largely covered by a retro YETI logo on the side wall, with the original tagline underneath.
In terms of construction and features, nothing has changed on any of these items. The coolers still use rotomolded construction with pressure-injected insulation, the soft coolers still rely on waterproof materials and reinforced stitching, and the drinkware still boasts some of the best double-wall vacuum insulation in the game.
Spec Sheet
Collection: Throwback Collection
Pieces: 10 total
Pieces Included: Tundra 45 Hard Cooler, Roadie 15, Hopper M20 Backpack Cooler, Camino 35 Tote, Rambler 18oz Water Bottle, SideKick Dry Gear Case, Utility Bucket, a patch, and a hat
Color Scheme: White, fog gray, and light blue with heritage branding
Tagline Detail: “Wildly stronger! Keep ice longer!”
Edition: Limited
Pricing & Availability
The Throwback Collection is available now at YETI.com, with pricing at a premium for the new designs, starting around $20 for accessories like the patch and hat, and scaling up to $350 for the Tundra 45 Hard Cooler. Given that this is a limited run, don’t expect it to stick around long, especially with the cooler and water bottle.
Recap
YETI Throwback Collection
YETI dropped a limited 10-piece Throwback Collection to mark its 20th anniversary, bringing back the brand’s original white-and-blue colorway and vintage tagline across its most iconic coolers, bags, and accessories. Same bulletproof build, just dressed like it’s 2006.
