Suddenly, without prior notice, YETI has declined to do business with The NRA Foundation saying they no longer wish to be an NRA vendor, and refused to say why. They will only say they will no longer sell products to The NRA Foundation. That certainly isn’t sportsmanlike. In fact, YETI should be ashamed. They have declined to continue helping America’s young people enjoy outdoor recreational activities. These activities enable them to appreciate America and enjoy our natural resources with wholesome and healthy outdoor recreational and educational programs.
I own two Yeti products, I paid for neither one, they were gifts from clients.
I own two non yeti products from Walmart (Ozark Trail), pretty much equal in performance. Each of those Walmart copies cost 75% less than the over priced yeti. I tested the two products side by side with equal number of ice cubes in each cup. They all melted at pretty much the same rate.
The NRA should negotiate a deal with the competitor.
I’m not sure that’s the case at all, since it seems to me that it was the hipster demographic that popularized Yeti. Hunters and actual outdoorsmen may have been the original target demo, but these days, Yeti seems to be primarily a status symbol luxury good.
I don’t really understand why anyone cares, there are plenty of companies that aren’t NRA sponsors but I don’t hear people crying about them. If they come out with anti gun rhetoric then you have something to complain about but this doesn’t change any opinion I have of the company. What I do know is when Hurricane Harvey hit they ran a promotion that sent 100% of the days sales (not profits, total sales) to the relief fund and that’s when I bought my big Yeti. Seems like good people to me.
I know far more people who are pro-2A that buy Yeti (possibly as the “in” thing to do as well) because of the rugged construction and ability for long term cold storage than the hipster crowd that buys them for a status symbol. I agree it’s kind of like buying an Escalade or BMW, but for real use? Outdoorsmen and women tend to use them.
It’s easy to buy the sticker and slap in on your bumper. Little harder to buy the cooler that goes along with it. Point being is the loss of sales from the outdoors crowd will not be made up by the social justice mob that cheers them on. They won’t go buy a Yeti cooler to support them. They’ll cheer all day long on Facebook or Twitter and forget about it when Yeti starts to falter because Wally World or RTIC or Orca pick up the slack at significantly reduced prices.
We should care because they now refuse to sell products to the NRA Foundation while continuing to sell products to other organizations. This is blatant discrimination based on the NRA advocating for the second amendment. While I have one Yeti cooler and one tumbler which were gifts, I will not be buying Yeti products in the future.
Also, today, many if not most larger corporations are led by liberal/progressive, PC loving Democrats. So, we see some of the large banks, and others not lending, nor selling to gun manufacturers, gun shops, etc. We are being squeezed by corporate American like the Mob would squeeze their competition, and enemies. We are facing less choices of those in which we can do business.
I’ve never owned one of their products. I couldn’t swlow the price tag. They’re on display at a local clothing store that caters to hunters. I’ll bring it up to the owner next time I see him.
I wouldn’t know about the hunters/outdoorsman part, since I don’t really hang out with that crowd, but IME, I’ve seen a lot more hipsters/suburbanites than first responders that will shell out for the larger coolers (despite using them like normal coolers, with constant openings and closings at outdoor events that are like 10 feet from the car, which defeats the whole advantage of a rotomolded cooler).
I’ve never purchased a Yeti product, as I have satisfied with my Rtic and Ozark Trails knockoffs. While this move couldn’t effect my purchasing of their product, I can’t say I will ever recommend them.
Even on the melt the pavement days here in the deep South…I’ve always been well served with a basic Walmart level cooler and large bag of ice. Yes, I did shoot whitetail with my big game rifle once, a .338 Win. Mag. but like a Yeti cooler, it’s completely unnecessary. My .308 and my basic cooler serve me well. Sticking together with those who support freedom. I vote with my purchasing power. Not flying Delta, not buying a Yeti…
