Full-Time Swag: Field Testing #1

I’ve been in the industry for 13 years now, and I STILL get excited seeing new products. It’s even more exciting when it has my Full-Time Swag logo on it! So when our first batch of promo items arrived at our campsite in South Dakota I was like a little kid.

Our awesome sponsors Crown Products and Vitronic sent us the first round of items to field test, with more to come. Better yet, more to give away.

DRINKWARE

The 30-oz. Viking Tumbler is my absolute favorite item so far.

With the insane popularity of Yeti, it was only a matter of time before our industry reacted. Actually, our industry already had a number of comparable options before Yeti took off. I’ve been selling tumblers for years so it’s kind of funny watching this whole craze from my perspective. But, since Yeti has brought so much attention to tumblers, the promotional industry quickly responded in kind.

The Viking is every bit as good as Yeti, keeping beverages cold, or hot, for ages. My first “hot” test was at night at Devils Tower KOA campground as we watched Close Encounters outside. It was pretty chilly, and actually started out with a little rain. Aimee made us all hot chocolate. I added bourbon to mine. Don’t judge. I ended up burning my tongue three times before finally removing the lid and letting it sit. Had I kept the lid on, it would have remained undrinkable (for me) for the duration of the movie and beyond.

Every day is a “cold” test. I start just about every morning with ice water. And each travel day I fill it up with ice and water and the ice always lasts the entire drive, no matter the temp.

Every time I see someone with a Yeti tumbler I just smile. $40.00 for a cup. Absolutely insane. Walmart sells their Ozark Trail version for $9.74, and it’s actually been field tested and shown to hold ice longer. The Viking from Crown Products comes in higher than Walmart at $14.99, but keep in mind that includes your own custom imprint… a company logo or whatever other artwork you want. AND it comes in stainless steel, black matte, navy, and maroon options. It’s my go-to when pitching drinkware, and I’ve yet to have an unhappy customer.

CHAIRS

Next up, Coleman® chairs. An absolute necessity for every camping trip. And I had help field testing from my boys. I’m partial to the  Oversized Cooler Quad Chair because it’s oversized, has extra padding, plus a small cooler in the arm rest. Yes, cooler in arm rest. No more of that leaving your chair and walking over to a cooler business. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

The Mesh Quad Chair is a solid choice too, especially on hot days because it has mesh in the back and booty. Mesh bottom = less bottom sweat. Win.

HEADWEAR

I’m very picky with hats. I have a huge head and few styles actually look good on my big dome. Had I seen the Heavy Stitch Cap with Mesh online first I would have dismissed it immediately, simply based on price: $6.48 embroidered / $3.98 with Image Lock (screenprinting). Headwear is almost always one of those “you get what you pay for” things. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a high-end “New Era” cap. But it’s a really solid, well-built cap. I’ve worn it every day since it showed up. I love it’s light weight, and I’m super impressed with the Image Lock imprint. Again, that’s one of those things I would have dismissed right away…Image Lock that is. I always default to embroidery on a cap. Screenprinting does look good when done right, but that’s usually before the cap is sewn together overseas. In this case, these hats are decorated AFTER they’re built, but the print really works. I will be selling the crap out of these. At $3.98 sell price it’s a no-brainer for fundraisers. My customers could mark it up to $10.00, or more, all day long.

That’s all for now. Can’t wait to see what Crown/Vitronic has in store to field test next. And I can’t wait to start giving some Full-Time Swag away! Once we make our way to the west coast and settle in one place for a week or longer we will be shipping out some swag to some lucky followers.