Ruffling feathers

[B&C Blacktails]

I'm having a really hard time buying gear! There are so many companies that supply gear we use everyday during hunting season that are made outside USA/ in sweatshops.

Am I the only one who cares where the expensive products we buy are made outside of our country by the vast majority of the companies that are synonymous of being American.

 

[ivorytip]

i hear ya my man

 

[JimP]

You have a point but what are you going to do?

If you purchase the same product made here in the good old USA it will be twice the price and from what I have found not as good at times.

It is even like our military camo gear. I haven't checked it lately but it used to be made in China.

 

[B&C Blacktails]

You have a point but what are you going to do?

If you purchase the same product made here in the good old USA it will be twice the price and from what I have found not as good at times.

It is even like our military camo gear. I haven't checked it lately but it used to be made in China.

Twice the price! Sitka and kuiu both have their gear assembled in China or some other Asian country. They are the most expensive performance wear companies available in our outdoor world.

Is their gear really good quality...? My Sitka ascent jacket has been my good buddy for 7 years! Yes it is, but look at the price tag, those Asian workers are getting paid pennies on our dollar. Which is our hard earned money going towards the CEOs paychecks of the companies we support.

If operating a company is cheaper to produce gear we use day to day outside of the US. Why not make it a little more affordable?

I'm just using Sitka and kuiu as an example. I just looked up my favorite early season boot company and their products are either made or assembled in China or Vietnam. $250 pair of boots.

That is 16 hours of my hard earned money

 

[Slugz]

Everything is a business. World trade/manufacturing laws won't change in our lifetime. There used to be a time when you could say " I only wanna buy USA products" Even those companies now are being manufactured overseas. Heck many companies that say made in the USA are assembled in USA but all major parts are made in China. Leupold for example.

 

[kidoggy]

I used to think buying American was a good thing but frankly, seeing the intelligence and the quality of work the average American does these days, sweatshops just keep looking better an better.

wonder how many feathers that ruffled

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I don't buy much hunting clothing out of a catalog or on line. I don't have a typical "body" anymore. After 7 major surgeries(joint replacement, cancer, etc), I need to try on most of my clothes and footwear. I also find what is a 10 1/2 EEEE in one pair of boots/shoes is not necessarily the same for all others. The same for clothing, definitely one size is not the same for all. I usually make a trip or 2 a year to my nearest Cabelas or Sportsman's Supply and spend a day trying on stuff.

For me, wearing most of my hunting stuff is usually for a month or less a year. Footwear and waterfowl clothing are the exception. Cheaper stuff usually lasts me a long time, so I buy what is comfortable. How many of you actually hunt big game for more than 30 to 40 days a year? Just because something has a special logo on it doesn't make it better.

Just sayin......

 

[xtreme]

My wife, my son and I have a total combined 43 trips to China. The Chinese can build anything as well as you can show them. They are not run amuck but they are not burden with rule, regulations, and unions. It is called freedom.

 

[hoshour]

I used to think buying American was a good thing but frankly, seeing the intelligence and the quality of work the average American does these days, sweatshops just keep looking better an better.

wonder how many feathers that ruffled

I know a lot of Americans that do a damn good job at what they do. When quality suffers it's not usually because of the man or woman working with their hands but the corporate greed that builds in planned obsolescence so it can sell more high-dollar parts or make another sale on the cheap product that they planned to wear out quickly. It's not the American worker, it's the American companies that subscribe to that poor business model that are to blame.

Personally, I don't mind if some products can be made less expensive by having some of the assembly or materials come from overseas. I'm all for returning some manufacturing to the USA but not all of it.

And, if you know anything about manufacturing, there are a lot more costs that go into what is sold than just the cost of assembly or even the cost of materials, which in the case of Sitka and some other outdoor gear manufacturers are pretty technologically advanced.

 

[kidoggy]

it's actually both.
yes, there are some American workers who still have pride in what they do and strive to do a job well but you cannot deny, most today, do not.
truth is for every one good employee, there are a dozen who can only be catagorized as a total waste.

 

[go_deep]

I call a lazy employee, employed welfare. Just because they show up, they think they deserve a check.
Now back to the products. I'd like to see more brought back to the USA, but think by having some over seas makes the employees realize they need to do good work, because there are other options. I am stating to see more people wanting to push buttons to make a living everyday, and the manual labor work with your hands desire is all but disappearing.

 

[kidoggy]

many ,today, are jealous that their employer makes more then they do. they feel entitled to a big check for doing nothing.
personally , I love it when my employer is making a ton of money off my sweat. it means my job and future is secure.

 

[go_deep]

many ,today, are jealous that their employer makes more then they do. they feel entitled to a big check for doing nothing.
personally , I love it when my employer is making a ton of money off my sweat. it means my job and future is secure.

That's the first desire I have when going to work, how can I make my employer more money? If I make them more money it means they can pay my wages, and if I make them a bunch of money they can pay me even more money.

 

[kidoggy]

yep.
sadly ,that is not the predominant attitude in the USA anymore.

 

[mnhoundman]

Agreed, there is no incentive to work anymore when you can make as much living off the government as working! Pull some of that so people go get a dam job, if you need it you need it, but to many people taking advantage of it!

OK back to topic, not much made in good old America anymore. I don't like the price of the high quality stuff, but it sure fits well and performs awesome. I only have the kuiu pants and are awesome. The other thing I won't skimp on is boots anymore, sick of wet feet! Oh and not made in America either! Lol

 

[tim]

country of origin does not dictate quality, price point does.

 

[B&C Blacktails]

My wife, my son and I have a total combined 43 trips to China. The Chinese can build anything as well as you can show them. They are not run amuck but they are not burden with rule, regulations, and unions. It is called freedom.

Did I mention at all that Asian workers are shitty workers.

China is not a free country by the way. They are a communist country.

In most scenarios I do not have a choice but to buy foreign made products. I would prefer that my hard earned money goes towards another American(s).

 

[Gr8bawana]

I don't buy much hunting clothing out of a catalog or on line. I don't have a typical "body" anymore. After 7 major surgeries(joint replacement, cancer, etc), I need to try on most of my clothes and footwear. I also find what is a 10 1/2 EEEE in one pair of boots/shoes is not necessarily the same for all others. The same for clothing, definitely one size is not the same for all. I usually make a trip or 2 a year to my nearest Cabelas or Sportsman's Supply and spend a day trying on stuff.

For me, wearing most of my hunting stuff is usually for a month or less a year. Footwear and waterfowl clothing are the exception. Cheaper stuff usually lasts me a long time, so I buy what is comfortable. How many of you actually hunt big game for more than 30 to 40 days a year? Just because something has a special logo on it doesn't make it better.

Just sayin......

I agree with CC, how many people buy the overpriced brand name camo stuff out there because they actually need it? Most of us hunt for a week or two out of the year, so do we really need the supposedly best stuff there is? Most buy it because it is promoted on every tv hunting show. You must have the latest brand name stuff out there, all the latest gadgets, boots the cost $350-$500? I seriously doubt it.
They all want to be the Barney Bad@$$ of hunting and you just can't do it if you don't have the most expensive stuff out there.
Then again everyone is free spend their hard earned money on whatever they want.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

country of origin does not dictate quality, price point does.

Sorry Tim, I don't agree with the statement "price point does". Just because something is expensive, doesn't make it any better that it's cheaper counterpart.

 

[brdhuntr]

Sorry Tim, I don't agree with the statement "price point does". Just because something is expensive, doesn't make it any be we gettter that it's cheaper counterpart.

Cowboy, i used to have that same mindset,and would usually skimp on my boots,and hunting clothes. Then about five years ago i bought some name brand overseas hunting rain gear,and even though the coat and paints were 400.00, it has been the best gear i have ever owned. I have never gotten wet,and in Idaho cold, wet and snowy weather, is normal for my hunts I also would buy 100.00 boots,and would bitch about no ankle support, two years ago i bought a pair of Meindel boots from Germany, and oh what a difference,the most comfortable boot i have ever worn!! As a side note i only buy Toyota trucks,as they are absolutely bullet proof,and even though cost more,there again you get what you pay for especially for the resale. Just my opinion. Good luck to all this fall,its going to be a great season!!