Smart Holiday Gifts for Anglers
Over-engineered, problem-solving products from YETI sure to please
By Steve Pennaz
Just yesterday, I headed to a local river to fish winter smallmouths. It was 34 degrees and raining when I left, but the forecast called for clearing skies and a slight increase in temps.
There’s one thing pretty much all of us love on a cold day afield and that’s a hot cup of coffee. But the last thing most of us need is another travel mug, although I am partial to that “World’s Greatest Dad” mug my kids gave me years ago…it just doesn’t keep liquids hot for very long.
The other day I walked into my local sporting goods store and the display of Yeti Tumblers was empty. So I asked Shawn, the owner, why he didn’t order more. “Can’t keep ‘em in stock,” was his reply. “Word’s out these things flat-out work for beverages hot or cold.”
After a year on the road filming “Lake Commandos,” I can tell you that the performance of the Yeti Tumbler I own exceeded my expectations. Besides keeping beverages hot or cold, it doesn’t sweat and the cover is designed so I can sip hot coffee without any dripping on my favorite fishing shirt.
When I first started using the 30 oz. Rambler Tumbler, I had to test it. I filled it up with ice and water and left it on my back deck in the sun on an 80-degree day. It sat from noon on a Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday and when I opened it there was still ice in it!
YETI Holiday Gifts for Anglers
A well-needed problem-solver of sub-temp beverages and imminent road spills, Yeti offers four products in the Rambler Series. Each features double-wall insulation, 18/8 kitchen-grade puncture- and rust-resistant stainless steel, a BPA-free clear lid and gasket for a tight, no-spill seal.
Even if the coffee inside is near boiling, you’ll have no idea when you hold it. Same goes for cold drinks. Here’s one example of a product that’s been over-engineered, but is all the better as a result.
Choose from the 20 oz. Tumbler 20, 30 oz. Tumbler 30, 10 oz. Lowball, or the new Colster, the latter which is designed to be the best aluminum can or bottle insulator on the planet. The Colster keeps your beverage chilled longer, thanks to double-wall vacuum insulation and a ThermoLock Gasket, which also keeps your can or bottle snug and in place (despite the best effort of your buddies to topple your drink).
Not Grandma’s Soft-Sided Cooler
If you are looking for a versatile, compact cooler that is designed for a lifetime of use, consider either a Yeti Hopper 20 or 30 soft-sided cooler.
Yes, I said soft-side and expect to be blown away.
Take a Yeti Hopper out on the water and you’ll find it slides nicely into a corner of the boat or into a storage compartment and holds enough soft drinks and sandwiches for four people for the whole day – and keeps them walk-in cooler cold.
It’s also great for road trips; doesn’t take up a lot of space like a hard cooler and slides easily behind a seat for quick access to cold drinks or lunch. We travel with one while filming “Lake Commandos” and at least once a week someone in the office stops by to ask if they can borrow it. It almost got to the point where I had to start checking the Hopper out to staff!
Everyone said the same thing – it’s the most awesome cooler they’ve ever used for fishing, road trips, and family outings. The footprint is small but the storage capacity is insane.
The other cool thing about the Hopper is it gives you boat storage back. For boats with built-in coolers, you can elect to use the small-footprint Hopper instead and utilize the boat cooler as extra tackle or gear storage!
Yeti products remind me of something grandpa used to say: “Buy the right tool the first time.”
