RTIC Outdoors
RTIC Outdoors is an American outdoor-equipment manufacturer and online retailer known for coolers, drinkware, bags, furniture, and related outdoor products.
Last updated October 17, 2026
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Overview
RTIC Outdoors is an American outdoor-lifestyle brand headquartered in Katy, Texas. The company was founded in 2015 by twin brothers Jim and John Jacobsen as a direct-to-consumer online retailer focused on coolers and drinkware. Its original model emphasized selling through its own online channel rather than relying primarily on traditional outdoor-goods retail distribution. The business broadened its identity and product scope in July 2018, when it changed its name from RTIC Coolers to RTIC Outdoors. The rebranding reflected an expansion beyond its initial cooler and drinkware focus into a wider range of outdoor equipment, including tents, chairs, backpacks, and grills. Later in 2018, RTIC opened a large flagship retail location in Katy, Texas, marking a move into physical retail alongside its established e-commerce operation. In September 2020, RTIC was acquired by Wind Point Partners, a Chicago-based private-equity firm. Following the transaction, Bill Pond joined the company as chief executive officer. Under private ownership, RTIC continued developing a multichannel model combining direct online sales, company-operated retail, and wholesale distribution. Its product range includes hard-sided and soft-sided coolers, insulated bottles and tumblers, travel mugs, bags, outdoor seating, and other accessories intended for camping, travel, recreation, tailgating, and everyday use. RTIC has also increased its visibility through sports marketing. In 2023, the company entered into a multiyear sponsorship agreement with NASCAR and became the racing organization’s official cooler and drinkware sponsor. The partnership connected RTIC’s products with a large American audience associated with motorsports, outdoor gatherings, and tailgating. In 2024, the brand expanded its U.S. retail presence to more than 3,800 Walmart stores, giving it substantially broader physical distribution than its original online-only model. The company operates from the Houston metropolitan area, with headquarters in Katy and two warehouses in the Houston area. It also operates a flagship store in the region. RTIC’s current positioning centers on practical, durable, and broadly accessible outdoor products sold through a combination of digital commerce, retail locations, and mass-market distribution. Publicly available reference material does not establish a separate publicly traded parent, a stock ticker, or detailed financial results. The company operates from the Houston metropolitan area, with headquarters in Katy and two warehouses in the Houston area. It also operates a flagship store in the region. RTIC’s current positioning focuses on practical, durable, and widely accessible outdoor products sold through a combination of digital commerce, retail stores, and large-scale distribution. Publicly available references do not establish an independent publicly traded parent company, stock ticker, or detailed financial results.
History
RTIC Outdoors began in 2015 when twin brothers Jim and John Jacobsen established an online retailer centered on coolers and drinkware. The company’s early identity was RTIC Coolers, and its business model was built around direct-to-consumer e-commerce. This approach allowed the brand to present its products directly to customers and develop a specialized position in the cooler and insulated-drinkware market without starting with a broad conventional retail footprint. The company changed its name to RTIC Outdoors in July 2018. The new name reflected a strategic expansion into a wider outdoor-lifestyle assortment. In addition to its original coolers and drinkware, RTIC began offering products such as tents, chairs, backpacks, and grills. The change indicated that the company was positioning itself as a broader outdoor-equipment brand rather than a cooler-focused specialist. Later in 2018, RTIC opened its first flagship store in Texas in a facility described as approximately 10,000 square feet, adding a physical retail component to its online operation. A major ownership transition occurred in September 2020, when Chicago-based private-equity firm Wind Point Partners acquired the company. Bill Pond joined RTIC as chief executive officer following the acquisition. Public reference material does not provide detailed transaction terms or financial figures. After the ownership change, RTIC continued to operate from the Houston area and maintained a combination of e-commerce, physical retail, and wholesale distribution. RTIC’s operating footprint includes headquarters in Katy, Texas, two warehouses in the Houston area, and a flagship store in the region. Its assortment includes hard-sided and soft-sided coolers, insulated bottles, tumblers, travel mugs, bags, chairs, and related outdoor accessories. These products serve uses such as camping, travel, boating, sporting events, tailgating, and general outdoor recreation. The brand expanded its marketing reach through a multiyear sponsorship agreement with NASCAR in 2023. RTIC became NASCAR’s official cooler and drinkware sponsor, linking its core product categories to one of the most prominent motorsports properties in the United States. In 2024, it also expanded distribution into more than 3,800 Walmart stores in the United States. This retail expansion represented a significant broadening from the company’s original direct-to-consumer foundation and increased the availability of its products through a major national retail network. RTIC Outdoors remains an active American outdoor-products brand. Its development has been marked by a progression from a focused online cooler and drinkware seller to a broader outdoor-equipment company with direct sales, retail, wholesale distribution, sports sponsorship, and a substantially larger product portfolio.
- 2024
Walmart distribution expands
[1]RTIC products become available in more than 3,800 Walmart stores in the United States.
- 2023
NASCAR sponsorship begins
[1]RTIC signs a multiyear agreement making it NASCAR’s official cooler and drinkware sponsor.
- 2020
Wind Point Partners acquires RTIC
[1]The Chicago-based private-equity firm acquires RTIC, and Bill Pond joins the business as chief executive officer.
- 2018
The company adopts the RTIC Outdoors name
[1]RTIC changes its name from RTIC Coolers to RTIC Outdoors as it expands into a broader range of outdoor products.
- 2018
First flagship store opens
[1]RTIC opens its first large flagship retail location in Texas, complementing its online sales model.
- 2015
RTIC is founded
[1]Twin brothers Jim and John Jacobsen establish RTIC as an online direct-to-consumer retailer focused on coolers and drinkware.
Products and positioning
A direct-to-consumer-founded outdoor-equipment brand offering practical coolers, drinkware, and recreation products through online sales, company retail, and wholesale distribution.
Coolers · 2015
Hard-sided coolers
Rigid coolers are one of RTIC’s foundational product categories. They are designed for transporting and storing chilled food and beverages during outdoor recreation, travel, sporting events, and group gatherings. The category represents the company’s original specialization before its expansion into a broader outdoor assortment.
Coolers
Soft-sided coolers
RTIC’s soft-sided coolers extend its core cooling offer into lighter and more flexible formats. They are intended for portable use in activities such as day trips, travel, tailgating, and outdoor recreation, complementing the company’s rigid cooler range.
Drinkware · 2015
Insulated drinkware
The drinkware range includes insulated bottles, tumblers, and travel mugs. These products are central to RTIC’s original assortment and are designed for keeping beverages at a desired temperature during commuting, travel, work, sport, and outdoor activities.
Outdoor bags · 2018
Bags and backpacks
Bags and backpacks form part of the assortment added as RTIC expanded beyond its original cooler-and-drinkware identity. They support carrying food, beverages, equipment, and personal items for travel, recreation, and outdoor use.
Outdoor recreation equipment · 2018
Outdoor furniture
RTIC offers outdoor chairs and related equipment for activities such as camping, sporting events, tailgating, and gatherings. This category illustrates the company’s move toward a broader outdoor-lifestyle portfolio.
Outdoor recreation equipment · 2018
Tents and grills
Tents and grills were among the outdoor-product categories associated with RTIC’s 2018 expansion. They broaden the brand’s role from a provider of portable cooling and drinkware into a supplier of equipment for camping, cooking, and outdoor gatherings.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023NASCAR official cooler and drinkware sponsorship
United States
RTIC entered a multiyear sponsorship agreement with NASCAR and became its official cooler and drinkware sponsor. The partnership placed the brand and its core products within a major U.S. motorsports and sports-entertainment platform.
Outcome. The agreement expanded RTIC’s sports-marketing visibility and associated its cooler and drinkware categories with NASCAR audiences.
Brand decisions
2024
Expansion through WalmartStrategyBackground
RTIC was broadening distribution beyond its original online direct-to-consumer channel.
Action taken
The company expanded into more than 3,800 Walmart stores in the United States.
Aftermath
The move significantly increased the brand’s physical retail availability and national mass-market reach.
2020
Acquisition by Wind Point PartnersM&ABackground
RTIC was an expanding outdoor-products company with an established direct-to-consumer foundation.
Action taken
Wind Point Partners acquired RTIC in September 2020.
Aftermath
Bill Pond joined the company as chief executive officer, while RTIC continued its online, retail, and wholesale operations.
2018
Rebrand and category expansionStrategyBackground
RTIC began as an online retailer known primarily for coolers and drinkware, but it was expanding into additional outdoor categories.
Action taken
The company changed its name from RTIC Coolers to RTIC Outdoors and added products including tents, chairs, backpacks, and grills.
Aftermath
The change established a broader outdoor-lifestyle identity and was followed by the opening of a large flagship retail store later that year.
2018
Move into physical retailStrategyBackground
RTIC had built its business primarily through direct online sales.
Action taken
The company opened its first flagship store in Texas.
Aftermath
The store added a physical retail channel to RTIC’s direct-to-consumer business.
Recent events
- 2024
RTIC expands into more than 3,800 Walmart stores[1]
Other
The brand expanded its U.S. retail distribution to more than 3,800 Walmart stores.
- 2023
RTIC becomes NASCAR's official cooler and drinkware sponsor[1]
Campaign
RTIC signed a multiyear sponsorship agreement with NASCAR, gaining official cooler and drinkware sponsor status.
- 2020
Wind Point Partners acquires RTIC[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Wind Point Partners acquired RTIC, after which Bill Pond joined the company as chief executive officer.
- 2018
RTIC changes name from RTIC Coolers to RTIC Outdoors[1]
Other
The company adopted the RTIC Outdoors name as it broadened its assortment beyond coolers and drinkware into additional outdoor products.
- 2018
RTIC opens a flagship retail store in Texas[1]
Other
RTIC opened its first large flagship store in Texas, extending its original online direct-to-consumer model into physical retail.
Sources2 sources
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