A Bucket of Joy
Essential: The YETI Loadout Bucket
Only YETI could take the humble bucket and make it a rugged, durable, "luxutility" product.
Having had an amazing experience on 1,000+ mile road trips over the years with our YETI cooler, I was a YETI brand believer when I decided to splurge on a…bucket. Since then, it has lived up to the brand, price point, and expectations, as I've used it to haul garden stones, excavate mud from recent mudslides, as a freshwater post-surf storage for wetsuits, and to just wash the car.
For the Uninitiated:
YETI makes expensive and amazing products that purposely carry things. Mostly known for their coolers that can effectively keep things cold for days and days, they have a suite of other products ranging from weatherproof storage to cups to keep your coffee piping hot.
They also came out with an incredibly durable bucket, called the Loadout Bucket.
So, why is it the best?
1. It’s Indestructable
Ok, maybe it's not technically indestructible, but I've beaten the hell out of mine and you can barely tell aside from some surface-level scratches.
2. It can 'Handle' Weight
One of the worst things about my other bucket (a trusty Home Depot cheap orange bucket) is the handle when trying to carry a heavy load. With the YETI Loadout Bucket, I've transported FULL bucketloads of garden rocks across my yard.
After a few loads, I checked the weight out of curiosity: the load was 104 pounds of rocks. And the handle + strap made it comfortable to do so. Game changer for carrying weight.
3. Accessorizable
Yes the bucket is expensive, as are the accessories. For me, the Loadout Lid is also essential. It seals in liquid or water while you're driving (though I'd still use a strap over the top to make sure it's cinched down if it's going inside your car), and can be used as a roadside/campsite/anywhere seat. I'd consider it an essential to the overall utility of the bucket.
The Loadout Caddy is helpful if you have smaller gear that you want to organize - I've found it helpful when using the bucket as a camping kitchen kit, and storing smaller items like silverware and seasoning in the caddy while keeping the larger items below. The exterior Loadout Utility Gear Belt is also handy to give you pockets on the outside - when I've used with the kitchen kit setup for things like trash bags, paper towels, BBQ tools, etc.
That said, while they are nice, I would consider the Caddy or Gear Belt to be essential by any means, and they get limited use (at least for me).
4. Stable
I never realized how much a bucket moves around while loading it until using the Loadout bucket, which is rock solid. Its non-slip rubber ring keeps it firmly planted wherever you need it.
These grippy feet are super helpful. No more chasing your bucket around the dock, campsite, or garage, especially when using it as a seat or working surface. It helps keep the bucket steady when full of water and wetsuits in the back of my truck, and when shoveling mud into it like I had to when helping a neighbor during the recent Southern California mudslides.
5. Easy to Clean
No matter what you use it for, it's as easy as it can get to clean.
My wife uses one as a weekly compost bucket, so it's definitely convenient to be able to just hose it out each week once the compost is dropped off. Hosing it out and leaving it outside to dry is usually enough, but using a sponge or scrub brush helps if things are really caked on there.
Yeti Fire Starter Kit Image via Reddit (u/ZenMoment)
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So, there you have it: The YETI Loadout bucket (and accessories!) in all its glory.
Highly, highly, highly recommend. The price ain't a "drop in the bucket", but if you amortize that cost over the many many years you will get out of using and abusing the bucket, you can actually justify its value.
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The YETI Loadout Bucket has a variety of colors and accessories. If you do decide to use the links I share, you'll still get the lowest prices that I'm aware of, but I will get a small bonus for helping with the sale! Thank you!
