Tailgating

What Kind of Tailgater Are You?

Written by: Tori Matthews

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Time to read 7 min

POV: It’s Saturday, your feet hit the parking lot pavement, the delicious smell of grilled meat fills the air, and you can hear pockets of fans chatting and loudly cheersing with their first frosty brew of the day. You guessed it, it’s game day, which means tailgating season has finally arrived. There is a different buzz of energy when you are in the lot leading up the game, and people are always concocting new recipes, cocktails, and set-ups to make the next tailgate better than the one before. The question is, are you the type of tailgater that rolls up at the crack of dawn and sets up their second home, do you swing by your friend’s before heading into the stadium, or do you like to go tailgate hopping and rev everyone up before kickoff? No matter which tailgater you are, we have the breakdown of everything you need to make every game day feel like a touchdown.

Team Hydration

women sitting in grass with a 32oz Takeya active water bottle with spout lid

Before you crack open your first beer, shake up your first bloody, or toast with the first bottomless mimosa, you need to HYDRATE. Biggest rule of any tailgate, besides not showing up empty-handed, is to drink your water. This is a marathon, not a shot-taking/shotgun beer-chugging race, so have plenty of water to keep you in a balanced party state. No one wants a Blackout Brad or Passed Out Patty, so please, just do it. Here are some of our recommended products that will keep your water so cold that it will feel like you have a new lease on life with every sip.

Custom Branding Handle Tumbler 40oz

  • Stanley dupe at half the cost? Yes please!
  • Keeps your water ice cold for 12 hours and if it’s a chilly game day, will keep your hot drinks piping for 8
  • The ergonomic handle makes this comfortable to hold and will instantly become your favorite travel buddy

Takeya Actives Water Bottle Spout Lid 32oz

  • For those that like to bounce around, the solid handle lets you easily carry it around or hook onto your bag
  • The insulated spout lid is leakproof for all of our clumsy football fans out there
  • The bottom has a protective boot to prevent scratches and scuffs from the parking lot

Otterbox Elevation Bottle 36oz

  • The internal copper lining will keep your drink the perfect temperature throughout the whole game

  • We also carry the lid accessories that can be swapped out with the original for any sipping style
  • Stainless steel will weather years of use and abuse, especially for those crazy home games

Tailgate Hopper

ICEMULE Classic Cooler in size Small on a table with bbq

You are one of those lucky football fans that has lots of tailgate invites but trying to choose one seems impossible. The roaring cheers and buzzing energy makes it all feel like one big party. From college games to the NFL, you can’t help but want to hop around the parking lot and join each group for a snack and a shot. Just be sure you’re visiting the tailgates that have your team gear on. But keep in mind, not every tailgate is going to have a ton of extra supplies, so you need to be prepared. Bring your own stash for yourself to drink, and if you can, extra to share. You may end up getting some nice trades in the process. Also you might start to lose track which drink is yours after the third tailgate visit, so bring your own coozie and flask. Customize it with your name and you’ll never lose it.

Icemule Classic Cooler

  • The high quality materials keep out the heat and will retain your ice from kick off to the last touchdown

  • Holds 10 liters, so you can pack up all of your ice, drinks, and snacks in one convenient portable cooler backpack
  • Comfortable sling strap, leaving your arms free so you can hit all of your favorite tailgates with ease

Igloo Luxe Mini Convertible Backpack

  • A vegan faux-leather fashion statement with gold accents, including metal feet on the bottom, that will go with any gameday fit

  • Carry it like a backpack or change it to a strap for a crossbody bag
  • Fit 12 cans of your favorite drinks in the main pocket and keep your accessories in the front slip pocket

Brumate Hopsulator Trio

  • Double wall vacuum insulation keeps your drink cold and bubbly for hours

  • Use this as a can coozie for your 16 oz draft beers, the freezable adapter for 12 oz cans that don’t quite fit, or use the lid to make it a 16 oz pint glass
  • This comes in a ton of shades so you can match it your team colors

Wyld Gear Slim Can Holder

  • Keep your seltzers, red bulls, and other 12 oz slim cans chilled from pregame to the final touchdown

  • Bottom has a bottle opener which will make you the party hero
  • No worries if it slips out of your hand during parking lot catch or thrown in frustation when the enemy scores

Simple Stainless Steel Flask

  • Everyone needs a flask, especially if you don’t want to take from other tailgaters stash

  • Laser engrave your team mascot against the matte and textured base
  • The attached leak resistant camp allows you to easily move around the lot or pass it to your friends without worrying about spills

Tailgate Fam

Guy walking with a black RTIC Everyday Can Cooler 15 Can

We can find you helping set up cornhole, handing out a round during the commercial breaks, and you always roll up with that special nacho dip that disappears within the first 30 minutes. You are a part of the tailgate fam and there is always a seat saved for you. For the 2023 football season, we think you should show up with some new game day swagger customized with your team mascot, your favorite players jersey number or your tailgate nickname.

RTIC Everyday Can Cooler 15 Can

  • There are multiple storage pockets so you can keep all kinds of game day goodies along with your phone and wallet in a safe place

  • This cooler comes with a removable stainless steel bottle opener so you can help out your tailgate fam easily
  • When you’re done and ready to head home, this cooler collapses into the lid and can be stored under your car seat until next weekend

Otterbox Tote Cooler 24 Can

  • When you want to bring a whole case of brews, this tote will keep them and the ice cool up to two days (not like your beer will last that long anyway)

  • Outside pockets give plenty of space for storing extras and has water resistant zipper
  • This comes with convenient carry handles and optional shoulder strap so you can easily traverse any tailgate setup

Igloo Playmate Kool Tunes Cooler

  • Bring the party with your own bluetooth speaker that doubles as a cooler! This has two 5 watt speakers with up to 10 hours of playing time on a single charge

  • Holds 26 cans of your favorite beer and soda mixers
  • This cooler uses Igloo’s THERMECOOL which is a eco-friendly insulation that you can feel good about

RTIC Bottle Chiller

  • Fully protective beer bottle holder that will keep your beer chilled and prevent any glass shattering in the parking lot

  • The screw top lid doubles as a bottle opener so your chiller is a one-stop shop
  • Double-wall vacuum insulation keeps your beer ice cold for up to 16 hours, insane because we finish our beer in like 15 minutes but you do you

Tailgate Pro

inside of the blue Brumate Brutank

Waking up at 3 am, getting to the same spot you have had for years before the sun even rises, and creating a welcoming space to watch the game means you are a tailgating pro. And yes, because of your years of dedication, that 8 am beer is a must. Every pro needs all of the right gear that really takes your tailgate game to the next level. From coolers that can do it all to food supplies that keep your tasty eats hot and fresh, these game day essentials will be a must for you this fall.

Brumate Brutank

  • All terrain wheels mean you can tailgate from anywhere

  • Interior cocktail container connected to a drink tap, so basically you can have bloody mary’s on draft
  • The lid doubles as a seat thanks to the EVA foam top

Wyld Gear Party Cup

  • Non-slip rubber grip base means less spills and more cheers

  • Spill-proof lid because y’all messy
  • If you really think about it, it reduces waste caused by disposable plastic cups, so this is a win-win

Rigwa FRESH Bowls

  • Will keep your food hot up to 4 hours and cold up to 8, from leaving the kitchen to after tailgate set up

  • Comes with an insulated, spill-proof lid for all of you that take turns a little too fast or have slippery fingers
  • The sleek angles make it easy for eating, sharing, and cleaning so you can focus on the game

RTIC 3-in-1 Dog Bowl

  • Includes silicone boot that can be used as a lid, non-slip base or an additional bowl

  • This is dishwasher safe which is perfect for the slobbier pups
  • The double-walled stainless steel can keep their water ice cold for those hotter tailgate days

Custom Branding Cutting Board with Drip Ring 11 ½ in x 8 ¾ in

  • Cut up all of our grilled eats and snacking treats on this solid hardwood cutting board

  • Drip ring keeps any juices from running off the board and making a mess
  • Large personalization area that you can proudly display your team’s logo