Last month OtterBox took a step sideways from drop-proof phone and tablet cases and introduced a line of injection-molded coolers. Now, the Colorado-based company is do-si-doing again with the release of an extra-large growler called the Elevation 64. The cooler, and now the growler, represent an effort by the brand to reconnect with its roots as an outdoor company (OtterBox launched in the mid 1990s with a rugged dry box) focusing on products that let you bring some of the creature-comforts of home into the wilderness and keep them free of dents, scratches and, in this case, premature skunking.
The growler itself is simply constructed from copper-lined stainless steel and is vacuum sealed to keep cold things cold and warm things warm. No fancy gimmicks or bright colors either. This type of vessel is by no means new, as far as the outdoor industry is concerned, but does it signal a larger category expansion effort by a brand whose products are as easily found in Best Buy as they are at REI? Can we expect water bottles, or roof boxes, next? Or is OtterBox simply acting on a long-held grudge against Yeti?
OtterBox Just Put Rugged Coolers on Notice
The purveyor of rugged phone cases returns to its outdoor roots. Read the Story