quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
Why is this a surprise?

The US doesn't manufacture anything beyond single-material items; easy to handle, low-skill workers, and a supply chain that isn't too complex. It's been like that for 30+ years. Western European countries subsidized various trades to 'preserve their heritage' and naturally to retain jobs and Asia provided low cost labor and zero environmental regulations, not to mention a completely integrated supply chain. A US made Yeti tumblr would likely cost 2x what it goes for right now.

You clearly haven't been looking very hard. Manufacturing here may not be what it once was but America still makes plenty of stuff. And not just the simple stuff like you claim.

Last year Wal Mart had the 20 oz tumblers on some sort of special sale...They were $4.88 OTD. I then buy the Yeti top /Straw combo at the Base Exchange for another $4 and an instant Yeti Mart mug. Works just as good as the $30 model.

Made in the same plant as the Walmart version!

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Made in the same plant as the Walmart version!

I work with a guy who had an identical 30 oz tumbler except mine was the Ozark Trail and his was the Yeti. I paid $8 for mine and he paid $35. I kept ragging him and he kept insisting that the Yeti would keep ice longer. We finally did a test - put the same number of ice cubes and filled with water and left them 2 ft apart on the break room table. My Ozark Trail held ice for almost 8 hours after his last cube disappeared!

Several tests on Youtube bear it out - they are either identical or the Ozark Trail beats the Yeti in every test I've seen.

The power of marketing people.

YETI COOLERS = MOSTER CABLE

Nothing special about them but people pay silly money for them when the cheap one will do exactly the same.

For my cooler I bought a Canyon second hand for $100. It keeps ice longer and is stronger than the Yeti in all the comparisons I have read.

But be careful. I've seen Made In USA in large print and in very small print "from imported components".

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
But be careful. I've seen Made In USA in large print and in very small print "from imported components".

Yeah so they import the cup and the top separately, put them togeter in a box - TADA!!! It’s been MADE.

Apple pulls the same shit, designed in California made in China.

Orka coolers are made in USA.

A friend of mine was trying to tell me how awesome his Yeti cooler was. Said it kept ice for three days camping, three days! I said so what it can't hold three days worth of beer. When you head into town for more beer just buy more ice.

Ozark Trail 30 Oz double walled tumbler less than $9 at Walmart.
Excellent performance at noted price point.
Perhaps from the same Chinese factory as the comparable Yeti model.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeNH:

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
Why is this a surprise?

The US doesn't manufacture anything beyond single-material items; easy to handle, low-skill workers, and a supply chain that isn't too complex. It's been like that for 30+ years. Western European countries subsidized various trades to 'preserve their heritage' and naturally to retain jobs and Asia provided low cost labor and zero environmental regulations, not to mention a completely integrated supply chain. A US made Yeti tumblr would likely cost 2x what it goes for right now.

You clearly haven't been looking very hard. Manufacturing here may not be what it once was but America still makes plenty of stuff. And not just the simple stuff like you claim.

Oh there's no doubt there's plenty of stuff made here, and some of it quite good however, the vast majority of consumer goods, the stuff that gets headlines, moves the economic needle and employs an unskilled or non-technical work-force, is made overseas.

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:

quote:

Originally posted by 911Boss:
Here is a thought, don’t charge 2-3x what something is worth and you don’t have to worry about counterfeit products cutting in n your business.

Didn't Yeti sue RTIC for making a copycat?

They actually sued damn near everyone who made a clone.

quote:

Originally posted by DennisM:

quote:

Originally posted by techguy:
Went to Academy Sports and was looking around. Looked at Kershaw and SOG knives and noticed that they were made in China.

If you do a "knife search" on Kershaw's website, one of the filters you can select is "Made in the USA" to ID the models made here.

For the difference of a few bucks, the Made In USA are my go-to ones.

Yep!

Kershaw makes several models in the USA and they have an entire premium line, Zero Tolerance, that is 100% made in the USA.

SOG makes some higher end stuff in Japan I believe.

I bought the Ozark mugs from Walmart.com based on this site. They work great!

I do have a number of Hydro Flask brand bottles I bought before learning of the magical "Ozark Trails" and I'm happy with them as well, they weren't cray-cray expensive though.

quote:

Originally posted by mbinky:
A friend of mine was trying to tell me how awesome his Yeti cooler was. Said it kept ice for three days camping, three days! I said so what it can't hold three days worth of beer. When you head into town for more beer just buy more ice.

^^^Wisdom.

Bison coolers are made in the USA and are priced lower than the Chinese made Yeti's:

https://www.bisoncoolers.com/collections/coolers

I have their 50 Qt. cooler and their 12 can SoftPak cooler bag. Both have been excellent. The 50 Qt is built rock solid, it has thicker insulation than the Yeti, and it held ice significantly longer than my Coleman Xtreme coolers which are starting to fall apart.

Not such a big deal for a weekend beer cooler, but on a recent Antelope hunt out west it did a great job of keeping my packed food cold on the way out, and on keeping the Antelope meat cold for the 2-day drive back home.

Bison sells the stainless tumblers as well, here is what their website says: "Unlike our American-made coolers, Bison Drinkware is imported simply because there isn't a single company in America that can manufacture a stainless steel, vacuum-insulated container. We never compromise quality so rest assured you're going to love it."

quote:

Originally posted by techguy:
Went to Academy Sports and was looking around. Looked at Kershaw and SOG knives and noticed that they were made in China. Purchased a Yeti 26 ounce rambler and when I got home I notice that it was designed in Texas and made in China. Just about anything I look at anymore is made in China. I sure did not know that Yeti products were made there.

You should take it back and buy one of the WalMart Yeti types for half the price or less.

Lots of labeling 'designed in USA, made in China'.

Look no further than to our regulations & labor laws to understand the reasoning. It's very widespread, everywhere. No I don't own a Yeti product, no plans to either.

Nothing like throwing your money out in the street. Here is the WalMart brand 36 ounce for less than $10.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Oza...ottle-36oz/193860311