I’m the person who grabs for everything else but a bottle opener when it comes time to pop open a frosty, bottled beverage. I carry enough stuff on me that can be repurposed as a bottle opener so I’ve just never put forth the effort to pick one up. So I’m probably the last person to talk to you about purchasing the Yeti Brick, an overbuilt, $50, limited edition bottle opener from the most talked about cooler company.
But the fact of the matter is, the Brick is an intriguing new piece of gear that you should consider adding to your collection. Why? Well, because it’s much more than just a bottle opener – it’s a statement that supports a lifestyle.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, Yeti isn’t just about coolers, water bottles and various other drinking accessories. Yeti is a lifestyle brand, and they’ve caught on in a big way. Like The North Face with their Denali Jacket, Yeti has found a way to make functional products part of pop culture. They have found a way to get people to accept that their products are more expensive than the rest, and infuse those products not only into their customers’ outdoor adventures but into their lifestyles as well.
Take the Tundra line of coolers, for example. Not only are they made in the USA, but they meet or beat all of the claims Yeti has made about how long they’ll keep their contents cold and how durable they are. Everyone but your grandmother has tried to prove or disprove this in the past few years; just a quick ping on Google proves my point. Even their soft-sided coolers, water bottles, and drink vessels – which are made off-shore – have proven their worth in the short time since they’ve launched as they too have been tested over and over again by people looking for “chinks in the armor.” In short, Yeti has confirmed the age old business model that if you want quality, you’re going to pay for it.
That being said, the Yeti Brick is a three-quarter-pound hunk of cast stainless steel designed to promote that Yeti lifestyle while being exceedingly functional. They themselves are referrering to the Brick as the “trophy bottle opener.” Is it something you need? No, but you don’t need a $400 cooler either. You bought one because you were tired of buying a new, lesser-built competitor cooler every couple of years and wanted something that will stand the test of time.
With that in mind, if you’re someone who lives the Yeti lifestyle, I recommend picking up the Brick bottle opener before Yeti runs out of them. It’s a complementary piece that fits the mold, promotes the brand and works way better than the free one you get when you buy a Yeti Tundra or Roadie cooler. Order one of your very own at Yeti.com.