RTIC Outdoors

So here's the thing about RTIC-they basically showed up to the premium cooler party and said, "Why are we all pretending this needs to cost $400?" And honestly, kind of a fair question.

Founded by brothers Jim and John Jacobsen in Houston, Texas, RTIC quickly grew into a leading direct-to-consumer brand for premium coolers and insulated drinkware. But what makes them interesting isn't just that they're cheaper than YETI (though they definitely lean into that). It's how they built the whole thing. These guys started selling moving boxes online-literally cardboard boxes-and figured out the logistics of shipping big, bulky stuff directly to people's doors. Then they applied that same model to coolers and tumblers.

The "Overbuilt. Not Overpriced" tagline isn't just marketing fluff. Their coolers use one-piece seamless rotational molded construction with ultra-thick insulation, and they can hold ice up to 10 days. That's the same construction method as the premium brands, but RTIC sells them for significantly less because they cut out the middleman entirely. No retail markup, no fancy store displays-just warehouse to your doorstep.

And it's worked. In 2023, RTIC became the official cooler and drinkware sponsor of the NASCAR Cup Series. That's not small-time stuff. They've expanded into Walmart stores-over 3,800 of them-while still maintaining their direct-to-consumer roots.

What's kind of fascinating is how they've positioned themselves in the market. They're not trying to be a luxury brand. They're the brand for people who want the performance without the status symbol price tag. Hunters, fishermen, tailgaters, weekend campers-basically anyone who needs their drinks cold but doesn't need to make a statement about it.

In November 2018, they opened a 10,000-square-foot retail store in Katy, Texas, which feels almost contradictory for a company built on online sales. But it makes sense when you think about it-sometimes you want to actually see and touch a 65-quart cooler before dropping a couple hundred bucks on it, even if it's half the price of the competition.

The company's grown enough that Wind Point Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm, acquired them in September 2020. That's usually when brands start changing, but RTIC seems to have kept their core identity intact. Still Houston-based, still focused on value, still shipping those big bulky items they figured out how to move efficiently back in their moving box days.

Notice how they've expanded beyond just coolers? Drinkware, bags, outdoor gear-they're building out a full ecosystem of outdoor products. But it all comes back to that original promise: quality gear that doesn't require a second mortgage. In a market where premium outdoor equipment can feel absurdly expensive, that's actually kind of refreshing.