It’s always notable when Yeti adds something new to its growing collection of rugged gear — even when that new thing is simply a color. And leave it to a brand that counts barbecue pitmasters and ranchers among its roster of ambassadors to look to the people who have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world for hue inspiration. We’re talking about king crab fishermen, and the color orange.
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Yeti calls the new shade “King Crab Orange” and has slapped it on a wide swath of products that includes water bottles, tumblers, mugs, can koozies, dog bowls and, of course, coolers. But not all of its coolers, mind you; Yeti kept the new orange to its smaller and most versatile ice chests, including the Tundra 45, the smaller Roadie 24 and the soft-sided Hopper M30.
Yeti also teamed up with Mike Jackson, a former king crab fisherman, to celebrate the launch. When a buoy inadvertently knocked Jackson into the Bering Sea 12 days into a shift, he gained a new perspective on just how dangerous his work was while pitching in the cold waves and hoping he didn’t get caught by his own boat’s propeller. He was rescued by the captain, who used a hook to pull him up the side. The experience led him to team up with his brother to found Grundéns USA, which makes protective clothing for fishermen.
Despite the harrowing experience, Jackson still harbors a love for the sea and for crabbing. In a video Yeti produced to celebrate the launch of the new color, he describes the thrill of pulling up a pot and finding a catch: “It’s a wonder when the pot starts to materialize out of the deep,” he says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s shrimp or crab, King Crab or Dungeness crab.”