America’s best brand is America itself. Around the globe, “Made in the USA” still means something special: quality, dependability, safety, reliability—products that feature the most advanced technologies and the latest styles. It’s one of the reasons that “Made in the USA” is making a big comeback and manufacturers of all stripes are increasingly finding ways to produce goods in the U.S. again.
Made in the U.S.A.
Whether your activity of choice is hiking, climbing or bombing down neighborhood hills, it’s becoming easier to find the product for your passion that is manufactured right here in America. In honor of our nation’s 239th birthday, we share some of our favorite brands and products being made right here in America.
KOTA Longboards
Headquarters: Denver, Colorado
KOTA Longboards might be the new kids on the block, but they’ve already demonstrated a penchant for crafting high performance longboards with a refined style. Taking inspiration from the historic military aircraft flown by the intrepid Knights of the Air, the team at Kota has developed an all-around ride that’s smooth, responsive, and supremely fun. Every board is handcrafted in Denver, Colorado and made from American Hard Rock Maple in Wisconsin.
Leatherman
Headquarters: Portland, Oregon
While some manufacturers are finding ways to bring manufacturing back to the United States, Leatherman never left. On July 5, 1983 Tim Leatherman incorporated Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. based on a few simple, but fundamental principles: manufacture the highest quality products that deliver excellent value to the consumer, while providing good, living-wage jobs to the local workforce. Thirty years after their founding, Leatherman is still going strong crafting their iconic multitools and knives that are as rugged as the conditions you’re testing them against.
Topo Designs
Headquarters: Denver, Colorado
From majestic mountains to picturesque plains, Colorado has captured imaginations and sparked the spirit of adventure for generations. So it comes as no surprise that here, in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, is where Topo Designs was born. Inspired by the simple functionality of a bygone era and the places they work and play, Topo Designs makes products that artfully blend technical function and construction with everyday life. Today, the company makes a wide range of durable, utilitarian backpacks, totes, and duffel bags, as well as an apparel line all ready to carry you from the city streets to the mountain trail.
Woolrich
Headquarters: Woolrich, Pennsylvania
In 1830, John Rich was selling quality fabrics to loggers, miners, rivermen and trappers from the back of his mule cart. By 1845, he expanded his mill and moved to what is now Woolrich, Pennsylvania. Today 180 years after its founding, Woolrich continues to craft a full range of American made products. And while the brand has grown to a worldwide lifestyle company with a full line of outdoor-inspired products, they remain headquartered in the little village of Woolrich where you can still tour the historic woolen mill.
Orion Coolers
Headquarters: Sparta, Tennessee
Whether your adventure agenda involves a day on the river, or a weekend away, you can load up an Orion Cooler and rest easy. Based in Tennessee, Orion Coolers was founded on one simple ideal. A premium cooler should be able to do more. With design features based upon years of passionate play in the great outdoors, Orion Coolers offer an unparalleled level of performance and innovative features to enhance your outdoor experience. Remember, at the end of the day, it’s not what your cooler can do for you, it’s what you can do with your cooler.
Fiddleback Forge
Headquarters: Cumming, Georgia
What started as a hobby for founder Andy Roy, quickly transformed into a full fledged business. Today Fiddleback Forge is busy crafting knives that masterfully blend precision, power and performance. Featuring a convex grind and beautiful handles shaped by hand, every Fiddleback Forge knife offers an elegant design with a tenacious soul ready for a lifetime of use. All told, Fiddleback Forge is the type of brand that reminds you of the caliber of product that can be made by American workers.
Jackson Kayak
Headquarters: Sparta, Tennessee
A town of 8,000 people, Sparta TN is also home of the 100,000 square foot facility where Jackson Kayak resides. Here, in this small slice of Americana, 150 people are busy designing, building and manufacturing industry leading whitewater, fishing and exploration paddlesports products. All Jackson Kayak products are proudly made in the USA with exclusively American made parts, people and manufacturing partners. Their motto “Build it like it’s your own”, is just one of the reasons that within two years of its first kayak sale in 2004, Jackson Kayak established sales bulkheads on five continents.
Portland Growler Company
Headquarters: Portland, Oregon
Founded in 2010, the Portland Growler Co. is a premier example of the quality craftsmanship and manufacturing taking place on American soil. Crafted in Portland Oregon at Mudshark Studios, every growler is slip cast from a stoneware clay body – and yes, even the clay is made in Portland. Blending a beautiful old school aesthetic with modern craftsmanship, every 64 and 32 ounce ceramic growler is made with the same kind of hand-crafted artistry that goes into your favorite microbrew.
Cascade Designs
Headquarters: Seattle, Washington
Cascade Designs — the parent company of Therm-a-Rest, MSR (Mountain Safety Research), SealLine, Platypus, Tracks, PackTowl, and Hummingbird — is just a stone’s throw from the Space Needle. Founded in 1972, the brand has become synonymous with quality and dependable gear suited for virtually any adventure. While 20 percent of their manufacturing takes place overseas, the company designs and manufactures the majority of its gear in the United States with a focus on innovative, long-lasting, useful equipment for the outdoors and outstanding customer service.
Swrve
Headquarters: Los Angeles, California
swrve was born in 2005 and founded on an urban cycling aesthetic and functionality. The brand focuses on crafting stylish, durable apparel that carries you from the office, to the bar, and beyond. Their limited edition collection, _blk label line is completely crafted in the USA by five sewers on location. Each item in the _blk label line utilizes the most advanced fabrics available offering a superior quality with subtle detailing for the discerning consumer.