The Most Expensive, Bear-Proof, Thief-Baiting Way to Keep Your Beer Cold

When he went fishing, Roy Seiders had a habit of breaking his coolers. It was 2005, and the Austin (Tex.)-based builder of fishing boats was desperate for something tougher than a typical Igloo or Rubbermaid. “Everything about my boat was durable except for the coolers, which you need to store fish and keep drinks cold,” he says. “But you also need them as seats—or as a casting platform where you can stand and cast to the fish.” So Seiders and his older brother Ryan, who makes fishing rods (their father owns Flex Coat, which creates an epoxy “wrap finish” for fishing rods), set out to make a cooler that could stand up to their own abuse.

The Seiders brothers founded their company, Yeti Coolers, a year later, and it has since expanded far beyond ice chests for fishermen. With their distinctive spare, boxy design and simple white paint job to deflect the sun’s rays, the coolers have become common on construction sites, oil fields, and ranches. They’re also popular among Coast Guard outfits and military bases. “We’ve had doctors from Dallas come here to pick up some coolers to transport organs,” says Roy. “We’ve also been involved with veterinarians transporting horse organs.”