This weekend Chris, Lee, Kirk and Desmond descended upon Atlanta to see a high-ranking match-up between #21 LSU Tigers and #18 UNC Tarheels.  Should be an awesome game.  Now it just so happens that those are two huge bastions of YETI Coolers fans.  So, we thought we would have our own little version of the purple/gold vs. blue battle.

It is up to you to chime in on our Facebook page and let us know who you want to win.  So, cheer loud and have fun.

PS:  Stay tuned for lots more fun coming up this football season from YETI Coolers…

With that in mind, we would like to share some big news about us… just this once.  Last week Inc. Magazine ranked YETI Coolers No. 140 on its 29th annual Inc. 500 list, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.  We are very flattered and honored to join the ranks of other great companies that have gone before us, such as Zappos, Patagonia, GoDaddy and Clif Bar.

Just adding to the sweet news was how high we ranked amongst the other fantastic companies in various categories:

• No. 140 of 500 on the Inc. 500 List
• No. 3 of 13 companies in Austin
• No. 17 of 52 companies in Texas
• No. 8 of 31 companies in the Consumer Products & Services industry

While we work very hard to make the finest coolers available, we also know that we could not have done this without you, the YETI Nation.  Our customers, friends, fans and dealers are the best in the world.  As our CEO Roy Seiders said in the press release, “We are very grateful to have such dedicated, enthusiastic customers and such a strong network of dealers for our products; without them, this wouldn’t be possible.”

So, we would like to thank all of you for making this possible.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Pick up a copy of the Inc. 500 today and see your hard work in action.

Inc. Magazine
Press Release:  YETI Coolers named to Inc.500 list

Dallas is not known for its great fishing waters.  However, it is home to one of the finest fly shops around.  Tailwaters Fly Fishing is a world-class operation with all the finest in gear and supplies, including YETI Coolers.  In addition to being an amazing store, they also organize and outfit amazing fishing and hunting trips all over the world.  From Louisiana, Florida and Montana, to the Seychelles, the Yucatan and the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia.  No matter what you are fishing for, they can get you suited up and put you on the fish.

They also host the Dallas showing of the Fly Fishing Film Tour and some killer parties at the shop (they will use just about any excuse to tap a keg and have a crawfish boil in the parking lot.

Behind this awesome shop is an awesome team.  Owners David Leake and Brent Boone have years of experience in the industry and started Tailwaters to combine a full-service shop and a meeting point for fishing community of northern Texas.  They have also done a remarkable job of finding some of best folks around.  They also have a secret weapon in staffer Matt Jones, who is also a professional photographer (www.theflyphoto.com), graphic designer and budding clothing entrepreneur (www.twintailclothing.com), and keeps all of the Tailwaters materials looking killer.

Co-Owner David Leake shows off a Seychelles prize.

Co-Owner Brent Boone with Grand Trevally

Travis Moore

Matt Jones (a.k.a. The Secret Weapon)

Bart Larmouth

Ron Foster

If you are ever in Dallas and need to grab some flies… or looking to travel to Russia to fish for monster sea run trout on a river that has never been fished… be sure and check out Tailwaters.

Even Santa Claus loves Tailwaters!

She is also a long-time friend and fishing companion of PRO Outfitters (avid YETI fans) and Headhunters (avid YETI dealer), both of whom you may remember from this blog. She even had the opportunity to appear on the Outdoor Network’s Adventure Guides show along with Mark Raisler, Montana fishing guide and co-owner of Headhunters.

But recently Christine conquered a massive challenge by completing the Texas Water Safari, a grueling 260-mile adventure dubbed “The World’s Toughest Canoe Race”.  Not only did her Team Paddlefish finish the race, but she raised awareness and over $5,000 for Rett Syndrome, a debilitating illness that affects little girls.  YETI Coolers was happy to be a part of their chase team equipment, providing them with water and supplies in the sweltering Texas heat.  Now she is working on a book with Departure Publishing that chronicles her year-long training and journey to complete the race.

But when she’s not busy being a mother, doing canoe races, and hosting film festivals, she loves to fish.  From Montana to Alabama, a YETI Cooler is an indispensable part of her gear that she and frequent guide “The Professor” take on the water.  ”The drinks stay so cold they almost hurt my insides,” she told us.

Keep an eye out for the Fly Fish Chick and be sure to check out her blog and Facebook page.  You just never know what her next adventure will be.

Born and raised in the incredible fishing grounds of southern Florida, Flip has spent much of his life fishing and hunting… and bringing his adventures to the rest of us.  You may also recognize Flip from the YETI Coolers television ads and from the pages of our website

Episodes of the ABC American Sportsman and the Outdoor Life series are where it all began (with the help of Stu Apte and Glenn Lau). His first series, on his own, was the Saltwater Angler, which aired for two years on TBS. Following that the Walkers Cay Chronicles was born and aired original programming for 16 seasons on ESPN. Along the way a couple of seasons with Mr. Glenn Lau filming Quest for Adventure which aired on OLN. Finally, last year, Fishing the Keys on the VERSUS network.

Since YETI Coolers began just a few years ago, Flip has been a staunch supporter and friend.  We are very grateful for all the help and wisdom he has shared with us.

Thanks, Flip!

Mountain Mike

What you may not know is that our friends over at Onion Creek Productions have been following his unbelievable story for nearly two years and are producing a documentary on his life. They just released the “Wrestling Demons” trailer with cameos by a 65 qt. Tundra Series and YETI president Roy Seiders.

“Wrestling Demons” documents the rise of Mountain Mike. After surpassing 520lbs, Mike was at rock bottom. He was a compulsive eater, an alcoholic, a drug addict, had never enjoyed a serious relationship, and was on the verge of ending his own life. After meeting Magic Schwarz, the inspiration for Mickey Rourke’s character in The Wrestler, Mike gained a friend, a mentor, and found a new inspiration. Professional wrestling became his rehab.

Sundance, here we come!   Keep an eye out for the official release of “Wrestling Demons” and don’t hesitate to contact our friends at Onion Creek Productions the next time you need some amazing video work done.  But just remember… they don’t do weddings.

Captain Quint: "I'm talkin' 'bout sharkin'! "

So declares Chief Brody in Jaws after seeing the shark alongside their vessel.  Before he becomes a shark snack himself, the salty Captain Quint makes his feelings known: “I’m not talkin’ ’bout pleasure boatin’ or day sailin’. I’m talkin’ ’bout workin’ for a livin’. I’m talkin’ ’bout sharkin’!” Classic flick, but we all know how it ends:  shark destroyed, boat destroyed.

There is a new white-knuckled, adrenalin-pumping, great white adventure on the screen, but this time things are different.  World-class fisherman Chris Fischer, Captain Brett McBride and their crew have teamed up with hard-core marine biologist Michael Domeier to bring you Expedition Great White, playing now on the National Geographic Channel.  They even convinced Hollywood actor Paul Walker to be a deckhand!

Fischer and McBride first made us jealous of their amazing fishing trips with their previous series, Offshore Adventures. But this time around, the ever-conscious team is focused on understanding and protecting the apex predators.

A hundred sixty miles off the coast of Baja California, a team of world-class anglers will land one of the most challenging fish imaginable: the great white shark. Unlike any other catch ever attempted, they’ll lift an SUV-sized shark onto a platform, mount a long-lasting tracking tag by hand, take measurements and DNA samples, and release it unharmed… all within minutes. Marine biologist Dr. Michael Domeier uses advanced tracking devices to help uncover how this predator lives, with the ultimate goal of conserving and protecting this endangered species.

Chief Brody need not be concerned about this vessel.  The M/V Ocean (a.k.a The Mothership) is a converted crab fishing vessel that has been custom outfitted with a cradle to handle their offshore vessel and, in this case, serve as a shark platform.  It is simply amazing how they are able to handle these 4,000 pound monsters.

Watching the episode “Life and Limb” last Sunday evening, we were even more impressed to see YETI Coolers on there!  The Expedition Great White team has several tan Tundras on the deck of the M/V Ocean (click on “Tour the Boat” tab).  Plus, Second Captain Jody Whitworth is sporting a YETI Coolers trucker hat in the episode and on the Expedition’s facebook page.

YETI Coolers on deck of M/V Ocean

Second Captain Jody Whitworth sports a YETI hat

We love seeing our coolers put to use, especially in such incredible circumstances and helping with such a great scientific cause.  In describing the long road they took to bring the show to fruition, Chris Fischer said, “Sometimes you got to lay it all on the line to make great things happen.”  We couldn’t agree more.

Check out the show and keep you eyes peeled for more YETI Coolers in action!

CK with a nice tuna

Today, Cameron Kirkconnell is arguably the most recognized name in freedive spearfishing. He can hold his breath for four and a half minutes and regularly dives to 100 feet with just the air in his lungs in pursuit of the next big fish. He once saved the life of a friend who had blacked out underwater by spearing him in the fin and hauling him to the surface.

Fins to the left, fins to the right...

His job as an Unlimited-Tonnage Master Mariner takes him around the globe to operate the largest vessels in the sea. When he’s not at the helm, he can be found poring over navigation charts and watching the bottom finder looking for his own kind of treasure. “My favorite place to spearfish is any place where nobody has ever been,” says Cameron. To date, such uncharted waters have seen Kirkconnell shoot several of the largest fish ever taken by spear. He currently holds the world spearfishing records for Blackfin Tuna, Golden Trevally, and his favorite of all fish to chase, the Dogtooth Tuna.

CK with World Record tuna

CK with monster Wahoo

Necessity has spawned in Cameron a deep-rooted passion for quality equipment. It takes some serious gear to wrestle a 201-pound Dogtooth to the surface. World-renowned speargun manufacturer Riffe International has tapped Kirkconnell to assist in the development of new products and the refinement of their existing lines. Together they are currently working on a modernized version of the rudimentary polespear, a primitive tool consisting of a simple shaft with a rubber band attached to the end. Taking a common item and transforming it into its best possible version? Well, this is a project we here at YETI Coolers can wrap our minds around. Cameron hopes to inspire a polespear revolution and take the spearfishing community back to its skill-driven roots.

Whether it’s Hogfish on a Bahamian reef, Cobia off the tail of a cruising Bullshark, or Wahoo under a Florida weed line, Cameron Kirkconnell wants to shoot it. And how will he bring it all home? In a YETI, of course.

Trophies

Follow Cameron’s exploits on his blog (www.spearblog.com) and be sure to check out the rest of the videos on his YouTube page.

United Kingdom

We are very fortunate to have such great distributor in the UK, Cool Boxes UK.  The Brits have really embraced our coolers and utilize them for wing shooting outings, commercial fishing, and much more.

Canada

UK Products Canada, Inc (not to be confused with our UK distributor mentioned above) represents YETI Coolers very well up in Canada.

You may recall that we mentioned them in a previous blog post (Keeping It Cool…Outside) because they supplied the YETI Coolers to the Catlin Arctic Survey where our coolers were used to protect scientific samples from the elements.

Photo: copyright Martin Hartley (www.martinhartley.com)

South Africa & Botswana

Safari guide Cameron Bell of Korongo Safaris and professional photographer Nathaniel Chadwick teamed up to give us these pretty amazing photographs of YETI Coolers in action in Africa.   Cameron recently told us, “In my line of work there are plenty of variables… My gear can’t be one of them! On safari, my YETI is a seat, a gun rest, a storage container… and when things settle down it even cools my beer. Next to a good pair of binoculars and a straight shooting gun my YETI is a must have!”

On the Motloutse riverbed in front of Solomon's Wall in Botswana's Tuli Block region. Photo: copyright Nathaniel Chadwick (www.nchadwick.com)

Looking over to South Africa from the Botswana side of the Limpopo river. Photo: copyright Nathaniel Chadwick (www.nchadwick.com)

Brazil

Back in February we spotlighted PRO Outfitters from Helena, MT (see Outfitter Spotlight: PRO Outfitters). Friend of YETI and PRO guide Charley Perkins sent us some pics from a recent fishing trip down to Brazil.  As you can see here, his YETI Coolers hat was essential in helping to land these peacock bass.

Trinidad & Tobago

The Tobago International Game Fishing Tournament began in 1995 with just a handful of boats but now attracts anglers from near and far; from the Caribbean to North and South America, even as far as Europe.

YETI Coolers are awarded to some of the top teams and always a prized part of the purse.  Here the 3rd place team from 2008 displays their winnings.

3rd place finishers in 2008 stand above their new YETI Cooler.

Stack of the prize YETI Coolers at 2008 TIGFT

As you can see, our coolers (and hats) have been on lots of adventures, yet we know there are many more to come.  We want to know… where will your YETI Cooler take you?

The man in question is Razor Dobbs (www.razordobbsalive.com).  He is a world class big game hunter, adventurer and thrill seeker.  He is also one of the most charismatic and enthusiastic personalities in the hunting world.  After all, his name is Razor.  Whether with bow and arrow, pistol or rifle, he is not afraid to risk it all and go head to head with his prey.

For years Razor has traveled the globe, from Texas to Africa, in search of  game and adventure.  Starting in July, he is now bringing this action to you in his new television show Razor Dobbs Alive. Premiering July 5th on the Pursuit Channel and July 29th on Versus.  So now you can catch all of his adventures from your couch (and let us just say that is probably safer than standing next to him!).

YETI Coolers is excited to sponsor Razor Dobbs Alive and work with Razor himself.  Check out the awesome new YETI commercial Razor did for us that will begin airing soon.  No question this guy puts our coolers to the test.

Be on the lookout for Alive! and the new commercial.  In the meantime, you can follow all his antics on his website, Facebook and Twitter pages.  Needless to say, this Razor is not dull.