RTIC Coolers
- Thread starter ETAV8R
- Start date
Advmoto18
Senior Member
RTIC is having to discontinue and/or redesign all their products which infringed upon Yeti's designs and patents.
From Yeti's press release...
Austin, Texas (February 2, 2017) — YETI®, the leading premium cooler and drinkware brand, is pleased to announce that a binding settlement has been reached in the United States District Court lawsuits brought against RTIC Coolers and brothers John and Jim Jacobsen.
RTIC Coolers and the Jacobsens are required to make a financial payment to YETI; to cease sales of all products subject to the lawsuit – this includes hard-sided coolers, soft-sided coolers and drinkware; and to redesign all products in question.
YETI CEO Matt Reintjes stated, “We are extremely pleased with the results we have achieved. We will continue to defend our innovation and intellectual property. This is a true win.”
Further details will be shared as they become available. YETI is not available for further comment on this topic at this point.
From Yeti's press release...
Austin, Texas (February 2, 2017) — YETI®, the leading premium cooler and drinkware brand, is pleased to announce that a binding settlement has been reached in the United States District Court lawsuits brought against RTIC Coolers and brothers John and Jim Jacobsen.
RTIC Coolers and the Jacobsens are required to make a financial payment to YETI; to cease sales of all products subject to the lawsuit – this includes hard-sided coolers, soft-sided coolers and drinkware; and to redesign all products in question.
YETI CEO Matt Reintjes stated, “We are extremely pleased with the results we have achieved. We will continue to defend our innovation and intellectual property. This is a true win.”
Further details will be shared as they become available. YETI is not available for further comment on this topic at this point.
Performance update Rtic 45. 2 frozen water jugs(64oz), 8lbs ice, 12pk beer, 6 cokes and bottle of rum. Night temp 50-60, daytime 70-80. packed cooler Sat morning. crushed ice melted by Wed. afternoon, still had fist size chunks in the water jugs Friday morning and melt water was ice cold. Not bad 6 days.
OP
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ETAV8R
Senior Member
I don't think the design is identical at all. Similar yes. But there have been other companies doing rotomolded coolers for a while now that are also similar. Regardless I am very happy with my RTIC. There is a thread on expo-portal discussing the pros/cons of Yeti vs. RTIC. That specific thread was started a while ago with one post warning people not to buy RTIC. The same exact thread was also started on various other websites. To me it shows a company willing to smear a competing company. I will not give anymore money than I already have to Yeti due not only to their prices but also because of their way of doing things.
And the RTIC statement:
RTIC IS VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE AN AGREEMENT REACHED WITH YETI
RTIC, the leading direct to consumer online retailer of premium coolers and drinkware announces that it has entered into a settlement agreement with YETI today for the purpose of avoiding the additional costs and uncertainty of continued litigation. The dispute has been amicably resolved and as part of the agreement, RTIC has agreed to redesign only those products involved in the dispute.
As part of the Agreement, RTIC is precluded from commenting further, but RTIC is very pleased with the settlement and considers it a win.
RTIC had previously announced last month changes to its 2017 product lines and expects to rollout new products and updated existing products starting in early Spring. RTIC will continue to operate as normal selling all the RTIC brand of products as provided on the www.RTICcoolers.com website keeping true to its promise to deliver "Over Built – Not Over Priced" products to all its RTIC fans & customers.
About RTIC
RTIC is the leading direct to consumer online retailer of premium coolers and drinkware. It was founded by twin brothers John and Jim Jacobsen and has generated almost 1.5 million followers on Facebook since shipping its first cooler in September 2015 and now employs over 100 people. RTIC is based in the Houston suburb of Cypress and owns fulfilment centers in Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Harrisburg & Fresno occupying over 300,000 square feet of space.
And the RTIC statement:
RTIC IS VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE AN AGREEMENT REACHED WITH YETI
RTIC, the leading direct to consumer online retailer of premium coolers and drinkware announces that it has entered into a settlement agreement with YETI today for the purpose of avoiding the additional costs and uncertainty of continued litigation. The dispute has been amicably resolved and as part of the agreement, RTIC has agreed to redesign only those products involved in the dispute.
As part of the Agreement, RTIC is precluded from commenting further, but RTIC is very pleased with the settlement and considers it a win.
RTIC had previously announced last month changes to its 2017 product lines and expects to rollout new products and updated existing products starting in early Spring. RTIC will continue to operate as normal selling all the RTIC brand of products as provided on the www.RTICcoolers.com website keeping true to its promise to deliver "Over Built – Not Over Priced" products to all its RTIC fans & customers.
About RTIC
RTIC is the leading direct to consumer online retailer of premium coolers and drinkware. It was founded by twin brothers John and Jim Jacobsen and has generated almost 1.5 million followers on Facebook since shipping its first cooler in September 2015 and now employs over 100 people. RTIC is based in the Houston suburb of Cypress and owns fulfilment centers in Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Harrisburg & Fresno occupying over 300,000 square feet of space.
Advmoto18
Senior Member
RTIC obtained its huge price advantage by using China for all of its manufacturing. And, by not utilizing a dealer network.
Yeti Tundra coolers are made in Iowa and Wisconsin while the smallest unit is made in the Philippine Islands. Only the soft sided Yeti coolers and tumblers are made in China.
Perhaps that is why RTIC had such a significant price advantage?
As for RTIC's press release, it doesn't even come close to representing the judge's comments/rulings in open court. What is known about the settlement, RTIC makes payment to Yeti. RTIC agrees to cease and desist selling and causing the manufacture of hard sided and soft sided coolers "similar in design, feel and color (non-white)" to Yeti's.
Notice how Pelican went out the way to ensure their coolers didn't look like a Yeti or any others for that matter.
I read the posts with the same text bashing RTIC on other forums as well. I saw no reference to Yeti or a Yeti employee posting "smear" comments except for assumptions by others on most forums. I doubt an employee or anyone directly affiliated with Yeti posted after Yeti filed suit. Such would have been in violation of the federal judge's order when Yeti filed. And no doubt, RTIC would have been all over Yeti in open court if that had happened.
I have no interest in either company. I was simply an online casual observer of the legal proceedings/filings. If the case had gone to trial, I thought it would have been a slam dunk win for Yeti. And perhaps, that is why RTIC agreed to settle before trial. The only thing RTIC "won" in open court was getting "direct infringement" and the exclusion of financial records of "non-accused entities" dismissed.
Infringement would have been up to a jury to decide if RTIC was in violation of Yeti's trademark products. As for the "non-accused", I suspect Yeti failed to find enough information during discovery to convince the judge the defendants were transferring "ill gotten" gains to others.
Unfortunately, the court docs can no longer be viewed since the undisclosed settlement.
Yeti Tundra coolers are made in Iowa and Wisconsin while the smallest unit is made in the Philippine Islands. Only the soft sided Yeti coolers and tumblers are made in China.
Perhaps that is why RTIC had such a significant price advantage?
As for RTIC's press release, it doesn't even come close to representing the judge's comments/rulings in open court. What is known about the settlement, RTIC makes payment to Yeti. RTIC agrees to cease and desist selling and causing the manufacture of hard sided and soft sided coolers "similar in design, feel and color (non-white)" to Yeti's.
Notice how Pelican went out the way to ensure their coolers didn't look like a Yeti or any others for that matter.
I read the posts with the same text bashing RTIC on other forums as well. I saw no reference to Yeti or a Yeti employee posting "smear" comments except for assumptions by others on most forums. I doubt an employee or anyone directly affiliated with Yeti posted after Yeti filed suit. Such would have been in violation of the federal judge's order when Yeti filed. And no doubt, RTIC would have been all over Yeti in open court if that had happened.
I have no interest in either company. I was simply an online casual observer of the legal proceedings/filings. If the case had gone to trial, I thought it would have been a slam dunk win for Yeti. And perhaps, that is why RTIC agreed to settle before trial. The only thing RTIC "won" in open court was getting "direct infringement" and the exclusion of financial records of "non-accused entities" dismissed.
Infringement would have been up to a jury to decide if RTIC was in violation of Yeti's trademark products. As for the "non-accused", I suspect Yeti failed to find enough information during discovery to convince the judge the defendants were transferring "ill gotten" gains to others.
Unfortunately, the court docs can no longer be viewed since the undisclosed settlement.
Stalking Light
Feral Grandpa
Reverse engineering is often cheaper than R&D. I suppose if they could prove that they had never actually had their hands on a Yeti they might have a case.
moveinon
Senior Member
Sorry if RTIC stops making the cooler like I own. I have beat the hell out of it for years now and it is built like a tank, still keeps loose ice for 4 days in 90 degree weather and block ice even longer, and was on sale for a quarter of the Yeti price. If someone would manufacture a refrigerator with this quality and insulation I would buy it in a second. Would be able to quickly get rid of one battery and the second solar panel.
OP
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ETAV8R
Senior Member
Now that's a good idea! If you do it and I do it second we can play Yeti vs. RTIC round 2. LOL.
Advmoto18
Senior Member
ARB has been making a top loading frig with these characteristics for years.moveinon said:
However, a comparable frig will never be as efficient as a cooler because of the ports that must be cut/manufactured in a frig. But, the ARB frig is far more efficient than 99% of all rv/camper refrigerators installed by the factory. Plus, the biggest feature to saving battery power is top opening vs side opening. Each and every time you open the door on a side opening frig, all the cold air literally falls out. The frig's compressor will now have to run an extended period of time to return the inside of the frig to your cold setting.
I wish a top loading frig was a factory option.
Stalking Light
Feral Grandpa
Amen to that. When I volunteered for a summer I had an Engle toploader in the back of my FJ and, since I only drove once or twice a week (45 miles to nearest town), I used a 60w foldable solar panel to keep the batteries topped off and never had a problem. Now I have 300w on top of my Eagle with Dometic fridge and still sometimes use the 60w foldable if I'm parked for a while.
moveinon
Senior Member
I agree. I had an Engel top loading refrigerator/freezer in a VW Syncro Vanagon and it was great. Three scooter batteries would power it for days without recharge. Price was pretty painful though at over $1,000. Wish I had kept it to replace my current front opener. Slide out tracks were even available so that modifying the current fleet cabinets would not have been too difficult. Only problem is the price which RTIC seams to be good at keeping well below similar products with similar quality.
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