What fly fishing products are still made in the USA? Cliff boxes are great, filson vests great, just a few other items besides some of the grea net makers. Any one know of a list of american make products? Many that were not longer are. Brodn nets are made in Costa Rica. Many classics are disappearing Not looking for argument, just a list if yoou have one. Thanks.
Midstream
I am haunted by Waters
Fly Logic, Global DorbeR, Scott
“Give me ambiguity or give me something else”
Many contemporary bamboo rod makers are also in the U.S. Like Ron Kusse, for example.
Thomas and Thomas rods.
Regal Vises
jed
All the flies I fish with are made in the US. In fact, right there in my house…
I think many of the better tying vises like Renzetti and Norvise are still made in the USA as well.
Jim Smith
Sage, St. Croix, and Orvis manufacture rods in the US
not to start an argument but the st croix premier and reign are imported, the rest are from the us
roger
princess anne, eastern shore of md.
Richardson Chest Fly Box ¶
Valentine Reels (MA)
Steffen Brothers Fly Rods (AZ)
Gaines Poppers (GA)
Grumman Canoes (NY)
Mason Monofilament (MI)
Filson Vests (WA)
Flex-Lite flashlights (MI)
i have only been on this site a little over a year and for most of that time i have been troubled by comments from several people, none of which i can call to mind specifically and even if i could i would not list any of them. IMHO 98 percent of the folks on this forum are great and as far as the other 2 percent you will find that same percentage in any group of people.
that said, the underlying thought that troubles me leans toward this thread. where are things made and why are they not made here? folks comment they don’t care where they are made if the price is right and the quality acceptable. i wonder how many folks with those thoughts have had their jobs outsourced to other countries and if they have how do they feel about it. i worked retail for 45 years and made it a practice to check prices and country of origin for many of the later years of my career. a common experience was to find the price of the product was the same as when made in the United States. a specific experience occured in idaho when i was looking for a new pair of hiking boots. the owner of the store asked if he could help me. i told him i was looking for boots made here. his reply was “all the columbia boots are made here.” i then asked him to look at the back of the tongue label and every pair was made in china and was over $110.00 American dollars. i could go on and on but i hope you can get my drift.
thanks and God Bless the United States.
mike
There used to be a “buy American” campaign, maybe it ought to be reintroduced. However, outsourcing, according to some articles I have read, is the only thing keeping some companies in business. A complex issue.
As to the outsourcing being the only way some companies can make it I think I have to say bull! For instance, I really like the fishpond bags. The one I like is about 10 dollars worth of material and zippers. It cost 149.00. There is no way it could cost that much more to produce in America. I really believe it is the profit margin that drives the outsourcing. I will compare my filson vest with anything made in Vietnam or india and it doesn’t cost that much more. I do feel like we are being rooked. Would the fishpond bag I like cost 300.00 if made in America? I don’t see how. Any way that is a rant and rave and I have it out of my system now
Outsourcing seems a grand ploy with many benefits for the powers that be, who deem themselves to be in charge of our monies.
Outsourcing often creates a low priced item (due to cheap labor) upon which the said powers put huge tax and tarrifs on to bring the price back up to competitive. Looks like a double shot in the shorts to me, for the consumer…not only does he lose his job, but he has the priviledge of paying even more of the “item price” to taxes than if the item were made in the good old U.S. of A. to start with.
But then we were never very good in school, so what seems may not be what is. 
…lee s.
Every single fish i catch was made in the USA.
Mike
I would agree that outsourcing is largely about corporations finding the cheapest source of labor possible, but then in many cases still charging premium prices for goods made overseas.
It’s also been my experience that quality declines when goods formerly made in the U.S. are outsourced.
When I buy gear that I need to rely on… say hiking boots or waders or a fly rod… I try to search for stuff that’s made by companies that put a premium on quality and craftsmanship. That often means these companies treat their workers fairly and set high standards as to the goods they produce.
For instance, I’ve had USA-made Buck knives for many years and they’ve neve failed me. They hold an edge extremely well, IMHO.
I’ve also had good experiences with St. Croix rods made in the U.S. (I realize they make a couple of their rods overseas now, but the ones I own are American made).
I have a pair of Vasque hiking boots made in the original plant in Italy. They’re 15 years old, have about 2,000 miles on them and I’ve had them resoled twice after wearing the tread down to nothing. The boots are tough as nails and I expect to get another 1,000 miles out of them.
I can’t say that for some of the other gear I’ve bought that fell apart during outdoor trips… like cheaper boots or raingear or the like.
Anyway, to answer the original question, here are a few American manufacturers of fly gear. These are only off the top of my head… there are quite a few U.S. makers out there:
Galvan reels
Teton reels
St. Croix rods (Avid, Ultra)
Wulff fly lines
All kinds of cane rods – Thramer, McDowell, the new Grangers and LL Beans
Simms waders
Dyna-King vises
Filson (the only Filson thing I have is a hat that’s about 10 years old and just getting broken in)
Carhartt – I have a hooded nylon jacket that I waterproofed with silicon spray and it works great for flyfishing
Leatherman tools – These are made in Portland but some of the materials are from Canada or Mexico
Kershaw knives
Old Town canoes
Mad River canoes
Mohawk canoes
the list goes on…
My biggest worry is that my wife (when I’m dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it. ~Koos Brandt
As of late, I have been adamant about buying things that are made here in the US. I just got a Filson strap vest and I love it.
It really is hard to be on a budget and buy American made products. And I am on strict budget by means of a low budgeted fly fishing lifestyle prescribed to me by my non-fly fishing wife.
Also, some of these places like Bangladesh and others where these products are made are absolutely terrible. These people work like slaves to make these cloths (and flyfishing gear) for pennies and then it is turned around and sold back to us for $$$$.
Go Figure>>>Hopefully something can be done down the road to bring down the prices of American made products.
McQueen,
I’m sympathetic to your point about U.S. goods often being pricey.
To some degree, we’re paying more for goods in order that workers of those U.S. companies can make a living wage and have a higher quality of life than workers in, say, China, who may get paid extremely low wages.
I would also say that paying more for quality goods has a benefit in that the products usually last longer and you get your money’s worth. You can pay half price for knock-off gear, but it’s been my experience that this stuff often breaks or wears out quicker, requiring frequent replacement.
Purely from my own standpoint, I try to look at purchases and ask myself, ‘does buying this thing promote American jobs and does it support a company that has a conscience?’
This isn’t always possible… but it’s something I like to try to do as often as I can.
I also ask myself, ‘do I need this thing or can I live without it?’
Not always easy with fly geat but, in my case, I need to start doing more with less.
rjj
RJ
I think you are right on the money. Especially with learning to get by with less…there is always something I want when it comes to fly fishing. It’s an adiction almost. My wife usually uses a frying pan to get this idea through my head.
Matt
Someone needs an economy lesson.
Keep in mind that coporations do not get to keep the money that is earned. It goes to the stock holders.
Plus, it is VERY difficult to get low wage employees in this country to do skilled labor. Yes, stitching bags is skilled. Thanks to several things, Unions among them, the US labor force has been forced to change over the last 30 years. Heck, you can earn $10.00 an hour at McDonalds in my area.
Most of the goods we use everyday come from overseas, or parts of them are manufactured overseas. Most of the computer software we use every day is written outside of the US. And it goes on…
Yes, I buy American when it makes sense. But… if there is a widget that an American compan makes that sells for $10.00 and a Chinese one for $5.00, guess which one I’ll buy. That way, I can spend that other $5.00 on something else that will help our economy.
By the way, noticed the unemployement rate lately?
RJJ -Don’t forget Pendelton clothing. Kershaw knives are made in Japan, assembled in Lake Oswego Oregon. Gerber knives are made in Portland also. Carharts are made in Michigan, the local gossip is,soon to be made over seas. Gettem while you can. I have 3 Carthart coats, lots of their overalls…excellent quality and durability. I remember when Columbia clothing was sewn in an old Lumber Warehouse on the banks of the Willamette river in Portland. I went in there 30 years ago and rows of ladies at sewing machines. I think everything they make is now from overseas. Does Jack Daniels count as fly fishing equipment?