Favorite Yeti Products of Pro Anglers
I’m always looking for the most inexpensive solution to a problem, so I have to admit that I stayed away from the Yeti lifestyle for a long time. I felt like I just couldn’t justify spending that kind of cash on items I don’t use every day, or where there might be a lesser-cost alternative. However, I’m enough of a grownup to admit when I’m misguided, or when I see the error of my ways and that’s the purpose of this column.
When you’re in the fishing community long enough, you can’t help but be exposed to Yeti products. They’re everywhere, branded perfectly, an artistic blend of form and function. Eventually, we had several put in our hands and the results were overwhelming – Yeti is not just a “lifestyle brand,” but also a toolmaker, providing quality solutions to important everyday issues. Not every product may be worth the spend to every angler, but if you’re judicious about it you’ll likely find several that make your life better.
Every guest at Casa Vieja Lodge is given a tumbler as part of the “Kick Plastic” initiative. There are filtered water stations around the resort and Silo Water Coolers on the boat. We used them constantly in Guatemala to stay hydrated, but even upon our return home they became our go-to water bottles. They hold ice all day, they’re easy to drink from, and they’re good-looking, too.
This cooler had the very important job of carrying our yellowfin tuna fillets home from our inaugural journey to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge. I worried that the wide-mouthed magnetic (i.e., non-zippered) opening would fail, but nothing leaked out. In fact, it takes quite a human effort to open it. Our tuna made it home safely as checked luggage. This is also a bag that’s great for day trips or picnics and I’ve used it for such several times since then.
I’ve been dubious of high-end luggage in the past but this one won me over. It’s water-resistant, and the zipper may be surprisingly tight at first, but there’s a reason for that – to keep your gear safe, secure and dry. It comes with dividers in the clamshell design as well as packing cubes. This is luggage built to survive the apocalypse (and protect your fishing gear).
Luckily, I have access to lots of other anglers who rely on Yeti products — men and women who spend for more time on the water than I do, and are likely rougher on their gear than I’ll ever be. You can trust their opinions on this type of stuff. Here’s the one item that four of the most notable among them cannot live without:
Kevin VanDam, Four-time Bassmaster Classic Champion
20 Ounce Tumbler (with KVD Logo from the Custom Shop)
“It truly is the one sponsor product that I use every day. I drink my coffee in it in the morning, and water in the afternoon. It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold. It doesn’t spill and it’s just really handy.”
Captain Shane Jarvis, Owner Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge
Coolers
“All of our boats have a 50 or a 75 that we keep in the back to keep ice and fillets in, and we use the 105s for our sodas and beers and water and foods. We use a lot of Yeti products – the cups, tote bags to bring the gear down to the boats every day – but the coolers are number one.”
Brandon Palaniuk, Two-Time Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year
One Gallon Jug
“One of the toughest things to do is stay hydrated. Regular frozen jugs of water either don’t thaw or they give you brain freeze. This one just sits on the floor of my boat, so I think about it every time I move. In the winter, I don’t have to worry about the water freezing and in the summer I just throw a few ice cubes in it and even when it’s scorching hot the water stays cold.”
David Salazar, Owner/Captain at Casa Vieja Lodge
Rambler 18 oz. Bottle
“This is the one I use daily and we’re proud that we them them out to the clients as a way to promote the Kick Plastic program.”
