Arcteryx lands big endorsement

[RevolverRob]

If one wants multi-cam, why not get it from the originators? Where it is still made and sewn in the USA...

Prometheus Design Werx
Crye Precision
White's Boots
Johnson Leathers

About the only thing you can't get from the USA these days is well made denim. So how about some made-in-Japan denim made from grown-in-Texas cotton? [And yes dudes...they're going to cost more than a pair of $25 Wranglers (which aren't made in the USA anymore and even the few models they offer made in the USA are made from cotton sourced from overseas)]

[Default.mp3]

If one wants multi-cam, why not get it from the originators? Where it is still made and sewn in the USA...

Prometheus Design Werx
Crye Precision
White's Boots
Johnson Leathers

About the only thing you can't get from the USA these days is well made denim. So how about some made-in-Japan denim made from grown-in-Texas cotton? [And yes dudes...they're going to cost more than a pair of $25 Wranglers (which aren't made in the USA anymore and even the few models they offer made in the USA are made from cotton sourced from overseas)]

Crye's stuff is nice but not top tier, according to my friends that are issued it (consistent mediocre stitching it seems, both in clothing and nylon gear), and it just doesn't have the width and breadth of technical apparel. I would certainly consider Crye if their pieces fit what I need, but there's a lot of other options at their level of quality I would consider first (Beyond, OR, Wild Things).

As for footwear, I mean, I have a sick pair of Wescos, but they don't exactly work as technical footwear for my needs; who makes a good made-in-the-USA trail runner? Buying USA-made to me is certainly worthwhile if they perform the same and fill the same niche, but this almost never happens when it comes to footwear. There are more European options, but even then, do they have the features I like? And it's not like every dollar spent on an Amer Sport product is suddenly a dollar getting sent to the PRC.

Ultimately, I think a lot of the problem here is that there's a big breadth of clothing that's being covered here. Sure, a pair of White's or Wescos would be a great replacement for Salomons being used as everyday shoes, which some folks here do, but this doesn't hold very well for folks doing alpine mountaineering or thru hiking. There are guys that will buy high dollar hardshells for just rain protection about town, so they have much more leeway in what brand to choose, but if you have specific features you're looking for in order to weather the backcountry, your options are much more limited.

[RevolverRob]

Crye's stuff is nice but not top tier, according to my friends that are issued it (consistent mediocre stitching it seems, both in clothing and nylon gear), and it just doesn't have the width and breadth of technical apparel. I would certainly consider Crye if their pieces fit what I need, but there's a lot of other options at their level of quality I would consider first (Beyond, OR, Wild Things).

I mean, since I see most people wearing 'technical' clothing to Costco, I am not convinced it matters very much. But if you beat you stuff super hard then I get it.

As for footwear, I mean, I have a sick pair of Wescos, but they don't exactly work as technical footwear for my needs; who makes a good made-in-the-USA trail runner? Buying USA-made to me is certainly worthwhile if they perform the same and fill the same niche, but this almost never happens when it comes to footwear. There are more European options, but even then, do they have the features I like? And it's not like every dollar spent on an Amer Sport product is suddenly a dollar getting sent to the PRC.

Footwear is perhaps the hardest thing to overcome. When I wanted a pair of hiking boots to replace the Asolos that delaminated on me a couple of years ago it took me forever to find a pair that fit my needs and options that wasn't made in China. I ended up with made-in-Italy Zamberlans, which is one of the few companies that is still family-owned apparel manufacturing in Italy. But someday it probably will be bought by some Chinese investment group too.

[Rocky Racoon]

I mean, they're still a Canadian company. They're just not Canadian owned, but then again, they haven't been since like 2001, when they were bought out by the Salomon Group (French), which itself was owned by Adidas (German). Amer Sports (Finnish) bought the Salomon Group from Adidas in 2005, and itself was then bought by Anta (Chinese) in 2018.

Yay globalization.

But ultimately, isn't it all about "mission drives the gear train"? Not like Arc'teryx has much by way of competition if you're looking for the very best in technical outdoor wear, even if they have been on a steady decline as some purists argue since the Salomon buy-out, particularly if you're trying to get tactical shit as a civilian. Mammut, Westcomb, etc. don't have nothing in MultiCam, after all, Patagonia's stuff is generally pretty slim pickings if you're not issued it, and the likes of Beyond, Outdoor Research, Wild Things, Otte, etc. don't seem to quite reach the level that Arc'teryx offers.

I make a distinction between being owned by a European conglomerate and a Chinese one. You obviously don't. Those Finns are plucky, but they aren't on opposite sides of us in the great power competition. China, on the other hand,... So when the most fetishized gear company in North America is owned by the Chinese, folks are going to be disappointed.

(If you are a civilian, why are you buying multicam?)

[PNWTO]

Now that Kuiu has expanded their solid-color offerings I need to check them out; especially if it’s similar in fit to my dead bird stuff, which I love.

Since we’re dropping names I’ll have to give a thumbs up to Stone Glacier’s outerwear, it’s awesome but not domestic.

On the USA-side, I have some merino pieces from First Spear that I like, despite merino’s durability.

[El Cid]

For good boots Keen says they’re made in the USA.

https://www.keenfootwear.com/american-built/

[Default.mp3]

I make a distinction between being owned by a European conglomerate and a Chinese one. You obviously don't. Those Finns are plucky, but they aren't on opposite sides of us in the great power competition. China, on the other hand,... So when the most fetishized gear company in North America is owned by the Chinese, folks are going to be disappointed.

Except ownership doesn't necessarily impact performance of the gear, which some of us find much more important, particularly since the fact that they are still a Canadian company owned by Finns means that any purchases made are still supporting many Canadians and Finns, even if the Chinese are also getting a cut. The moral calculus of all that shit just isn't worth my effort to figure out; how would you weigh a Canadian subsidiary that has partial production in Canada, owned by a Finnish conglomerate owned by a yet larger Chinese conglomerate, versus an American owned company that manufactures the its goods in the PRC and Vietnam?

As for folks being disappointed, well, they should already be used to that, and ain't my problem. For me, I chose to buy Arc'teryx because they offer higher quality products compared to most of their competitors, while also providing items my size, with the features I look for, while also generally being cheaper than the few competitors that can keep up with them on the quality, sizing, and features front.

(If you are a civilian, why are you buying multicam?)

Because I don't get issued anything that utilizes a camouflage pattern that performs decently in many different terrains and also in the NIR spectrum.

[NGP]

If one wants multi-cam, why not get it from the originators? Where it is still made and sewn in the USA...

Prometheus Design Werx
Crye Precision
White's Boots
Johnson Leathers

About the only thing you can't get from the USA these days is well made denim. So how about some made-in-Japan denim made from grown-in-Texas cotton? [And yes dudes...they're going to cost more than a pair of $25 Wranglers (which aren't made in the USA anymore and even the few models they offer made in the USA are made from cotton sourced from overseas)]

https://schaeferoutfitter.com/collec...jeans-trousers
Might not be everybody's style, but I can attest to the build and fabric quality being (at the least) better than Carhartt, and as far as I know, it is all US made/sourced.

[UNK]

If you want actual Made in USA from USA workers with USA materials, the options are limited, and expensive. But when I put this on, I sure feel good about it. (Mine’s black, because I am neither high speed nor low drag).

https://www.cryeprecision.com/Produc...lg0_lwf-jacket

Holy cow $250 for a 45 degree jacket. Do they have meaningful sales very often?

[camel]

Merrel is owned by an American investment group. Oboz is owned by a Kiwi group. There's two options, but they're all still made in Asia. Not sure about Merrel, but Oboz are made in Vietnam.

I think the only shoes made here in the USA are traditional welted sole footwear. Danner's boot line is split between Asia and the US, depending on whether it's a modern glued sole or a traditional welted construction. Ditto Allen Edmonds, the penultimate American classic and official shoe of the US President.....not even Allen Edmonds makes their glued sole options in the US, those are manufactured in the Dominican Republic.....which, hey, they're at least our neighbor and there's nothing more traditionally American of you than to embrace the Monroe Doctrine

Even Volvo is owned by a Chinese holding group these days, which is a big scandal over in Sweden. They're still made in Sweden just like before, but the Swedes learned the hard way just like everyone else about Chinese holding firm practices and now that they realize the diamond they were sold by the Chinese turned out to be a polished turd, they're trying to get out from under the deal.

Volvo’s suck crap