How This Overlooked Yeti Item Became the Must-Have Accessory of Summer

Did Yeti just stumble into its own Stanley Tumbler moment?

Published 4 hours ago

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Don’t get it twisted. Yeti gear may be “built for the wild” but it thrives at home, too.

According to a recent sales report, drinkware now accounts for nearly 60 percent of Yeti’s total sales, showing its evolution from a rugged outdoor manufacturer to bona fide lifestyle brand with broad appeal.

That said, there appears to be levels to its reach among commuters and suburbanites with an eye for utility.

Like Stanley and Salomon — two social media darlings with a rich history in outdoor gear — Yeti has seemingly stumbled on its own version of the tumbler or XT-6:

The Camino Carryall Tote Bag.

If you look at Google Trends, keywords related to the product have skyrocketed in the past month, despite coming out all the way back in 2018.

Its popularity is especially notable on TikTok, where countless parents, college students and influencers have taken to the platform to crown it the must-have accessory of summer.

They’re not the only ones.

According to Layne Rigney, the head of softgoods at Yeti, the Camino is also a favorite inside the company.

In an exclusive interview, Rigney told Gear Patrol that the Camino topped an employee survey asking staffers to name their go-to piece of Yeti gear.

Notably, there’s not much to it.

A blank canvas

The product itself is quite simple, especially when compared to Yeti’s latest bags, such as the Ranchero and Cayo. However, its uncomplicated construction serves as a blank canvas for a wide swath of use cases.

A flat-bottom base means it sits upright on the ground, while the ThickSkin material (the same stuff used Yeti’s Panga series) makes it impervious to water, not to mention a breeze to clean.

Meanwhile, built-in dividers can be deployed at a moment’s notice — a useful feature for wet clothes (like kid’s bathing suits) or water bottles.

Finally, the HitchPoint Grid can accommodate a handful of accessories, and not just those sold by Yeti. For better or worse, part of the trend on social media appears to be decorating the bag with third-party charms.

At the end of the day, though, the hype around the Camino basically boils down to one simple truth.

“It is an unbelievably versatile and incredibly well-built product,” Rigney said, “and you could absolutely quote me on that.”

Availability and pricing

The Camino Carryall Tote Bag comes in three sizes and six core colors, with an additional batch of seasonal variants.

But interested buyers may need to wait until the fall, when additional colors drop.

The bag’s newfound popularity means that it’s close to selling out, with only two colors, olive and navy, still available for purchase online.

Pricing for the bag starts at $130, while supplies last.

Yeti Camino Carryall Tote Bag

Starts at $130

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.