Made in VIETNAM

[fishforsmallies]

I would say if you are a True American, and therefore love capitalism, you should purchase products whose price point meets the quality expected, regardless of production country. Furthermore, one ought to celebrate that production can be outsourced to third world nations so we in advanced societies can afford to consume more.

Skickat från min G8142 via Tapatalk

I see it a different way. I wish all families well, but I care about my own the most. In the same respect I don’t have to hold a grudge against Japan or Germany for WWII to love my own country more. Money spent in America is more likely to be re-spent in America. That is what is best for my country, and that is what matters most to me... just as I would expect Sweden to matter most to you.

 

[Rokwiia]

I would say if you are a True American, and therefore love capitalism, you should purchase products whose price point meets the quality expected, regardless of production country. Furthermore, one ought to celebrate that production can be outsourced to third world nations so we in advanced societies can afford to consume more.
Skickat från min G8142 via Tapatalk

Let me understand your perspective. I should be leaping with joy that, for the sake of capitalism alone, production has been outsourced to some wretched countries where they treat a factory worker worse than a dog. Some third-world throwbacks who provide no social security, no medicare, no health insurance, no unemployment benefits, no workers compensation or disability insurance for injuries, no emissions control, no discrimination laws, no safety laws, no labor laws providing overtime. Quite simply no worker benefits or production safety whatsoever. They probably violate every child-labor law as we know it.

That's what we should aspire to do? Maybe that's why such an advanced society like Sweden produces nothing of significance on the world stage except Surströmming.

 

[Sverimerica]

I see it a different way. I wish all families well, but I care about my own the most. In the same respect I don’t have to hold a grudge against Japan or Germany for WWII to love my own country more. Money spent in America is more likely to be re-spent in America. That is what is best for my country, and that is what matters most to me... just as I would expect Sweden to matter most to you.

For the record: I am an American who lives overseas. So many assume I must be Swedish because I am here. This isn't the first time someone who is a citizen of one country chooses to make their residence elsewhere. I understand the idea of people wanting to buy local. I think it is ironic when we as people, americans, swedes, japanese, etc (those who live in places that promote and celebrate a capitalist way of life), especially in the name of america, then refuse to purchase the same products because they are produced in a place in which it probably is easier /cheaper for the AMERICAN business to produce. And then to be xenophobic about it to boot. Alot of crap gets talked on here about asian manufacturing. What's wrong with Asians making things that we consumers demand at certain prices?

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[Sverimerica]

Let me understand your perspective. I should be leaping with joy that, for the sake of capitalism alone, production has been outsourced to some wretched countries where they treat a factory worker worse than a dog. Some third-world throwbacks who provide no social security, no medicare, no health insurance, no unemployment benefits, no workers compensation or disability insurance for injuries, no emissions control, no discrimination laws, no safety laws, no labor laws providing overtime. Quite simply no worker benefits or production safety whatsoever.

That's what we should aspire to do? Maybe that's why such an advanced society like Sweden produces nothing of significance on the world stage except Surströmming.

It's worth considering. Celebrating capitalism on one hand and damning it on the other. My point is that Asian production is a fact of modern life, and if people want to avoid it for the sake of hating a place and or people there, then put your money where your mouth is and go all the way. Go to the forest and fend for yourself. People will most likely find that life gets expensive and difficult fast. Like the owner of this site said, we are writing these ideas on devices which have been sourced and assembled the world over. Would everything really be better if everything was produced in America? Usually things arent better econonically for either party if comparative advantages arent utilized.

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[juan trueno]

I hate the Vietnamese so much that I’m opening a factory there so I can really put it to them. Old school pre labor law industrial revolution style where we use the bodies of those to old or weak to continue who have fallen into the works to grease the machinery. And the black smoke belching forth from the stacks to darken the skies is composed of equal parts dinosaur and man bones as the bodies of those who stoke the furnace are consumed by the conflagration just
As readily as the coal they shovel as they succumb to heat and exhaustion

Who here will support me in this endeavor to avenge the memories and honor the efforts of our fathers!


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[Kevin Dill]

I really do wonder: Who (here) truly believes a majority of us would embrace the dramatically higher prices if (for examples) Sitka Gear, KUIU, First Lite, Arcteryx, Cabela's, LL Bean, Ford, GM, and so many more companies refused to market anything except products made from American-sourced materials....by Americans...in the USA? That certainly sounds very patriotic but are we patriotic enough to spend the significant additional % of our incomes? First World countries (I hate that term by the way) and their citizens/workers expect First World incomes, benefits and lifestyles. Those cost money. The workers can't take the hit. The companies won't take the hit. The consumer would take the hit. All this is predicated on 2 impossibilities: 1) we go it alone in a global economy on our little planet, and 2) we have enough skilled, productive and willing minimum wage workers to spend their lives making the consumables we demand....at a price we can ALL afford.

To wit: Kifaru is a first class American gear manufacturer and extremely deserving of their outstanding reputation. Simultaneously, their gear prices tend to be in the upper 5% of the range and it's easy to guess a lot (majority?) of people can't/won't afford the cost. You can say the same for Filson and some other iconic brands made in America. Undeniable quality, but unaffordably expensive for most.

For the record, I do prefer to spend local, in-state and American first. But I'll always buy what suits me best no matter where it's made as long as it's not an enemy of our country. Former enemies are just that. I forgave all those guys I punched it out with in middle school, too.

 

[Bear_Bryan]

I really do wonder: Who (here) truly believes a majority of us would embrace the dramatically higher prices if (for examples) Sitka Gear, KUIU, First Lite, Arcteryx, Cabela's, LL Bean, Ford, GM, and so many more companies refused to market anything except products made from American-sourced materials....by Americans...in the USA? That certainly sounds very patriotic but are we patriotic enough to spend the significant additional % of our incomes?

It’s just lip service virtue signaling. Prime example would be the guy earlier in the thread saying he would pay double for an American made iPad. Yeah, okay .

 

[wesfromky]

Just to put something out there - many/most of the American companies that outsource at least some, if not all, of their manufacturing, still have R&D, HR, engineering, marketing, etc employee in the US, and those jobs pay much more then a line worker. So, a chunk of money that MR pack that is made in VN, still goes to American jobs.

Automation hasn't made it to high end sewing (yet), but most other major manufacturing is moving that way. In a few years, you might be buying something that is totally "Made in the USA". But, by robots. Once automation costs come down enough, those companies will bring manufacturing back to the us, but there will only be a fraction of the jobs, and those will tend to be higher end.

All that said, I still try to buy local/US made when I can, I just understand that even if I buy FL/Sitka that is made elsewhere, a portion of that money is still coming back to the US to support jobs, local communities, and access.

 

[Rokwiia]

It's worth considering. Celebrating capitalism on one hand and damning it on the other. My point is that Asian production is a fact of modern life, and if people want to avoid it for the sake of hating a place and or people there, then put your money where your mouth is and go all the way. Go to the forest and fend for yourself. People will most likely find that life gets expensive and difficult fast. Like the owner of this site said, we are writing these ideas on devices which have been sourced and assembled the world over. Would everything really be better if everything was produced in America? Usually things arent better econonically for either party if comparative advantages arent utilized.

Skickat från min G8142 via Tapatalk

You just don't get it. I'm proud to be an American and prefer to spend my hard-earned money with people who live in my local community, my state's community, or my country's community. By doing so, your flawed logic tells you that I must, therefore, hate everyone one else in the world.

In other words, if I prefer to endow my family with my money rather than acquaintances down the road, then I must hate the people down the road. Who thinks like that?

p.s. I underlined in the quote above.

 

[Sverimerica]

You just don't get it. I'm proud to be an American and prefer to spend my hard-earned money with people who live in my local community, my state's community, or my country's community. By doing so, your flawed logic tells you that I must, therefore, hate everyone one else in the world.

In other words, if I prefer to endow my family with my money rather than acquaintances down the road, then I must hate the people down the road. Who thinks like that?

p.s. I underlined in the quote above.

It is obvious you completely misunderstood what I am referring to and frankly, it's not worth my time to explain it to you. Life is too short.

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[tttoadman]

I don't care what anybody says. I feel blessed to be on this forum with so many different people and so many different views. I get stuck in my old ways of thinking, and enjoy these constructive discussions very much. I would much rather be talking about tents. It is a shame so many people on social media and news forums can't have a civil discussion. The important thing is to agree to disagree when the time comes.

 

[frankrb3]

I use German-built binoculars, but as soon as my eyesight gets to the point I can't tell the difference, I'm going to buy some American-made binoculars. ;-)

TRAITOR!!!

jk

 

[BRWNBR]

I use German-built binoculars, but as soon as my eyesight gets to the point I can't tell the difference, I'm going to buy some American-made binoculars. ;-)

That was my first good laugh of the day. Thank you for that!!

 

[fatrascal]

I would probably be considered a xenophobic, homophobic, transgenderphobic, Democratphobic, heightphobic, liberalphobic, grizzlybearphobic, mountainlionphobic as well as being phobic about many other things. But I feel no hatred toward any of those things. Just dont necessarily want to be around these things and in some cases don't support some of these things. I believe in taking care of my brothers and sisters first and that means buying American. I have no hate for Asians, Mexicans, Canadians or any other culture. There is good and bad people in every culture. But America is the place I love and I will buy American whenever I can so that my job and your job does not go overseas. Fatrascal.

I just found out that I'm getting a colonoscopy on the 19th. I'm phobic about that too. Ha ha.

 

[BrushyHillGuide]

I really do wonder: Who (here) truly believes a majority of us would embrace the dramatically higher prices if (for examples) Sitka Gear, KUIU, First Lite, Arcteryx, Cabela's, LL Bean, Ford, GM, and so many more companies refused to market anything except products made from American-sourced materials....by Americans...in the USA? That certainly sounds very patriotic but are we patriotic enough to spend the significant additional % of our incomes? First World countries (I hate that term by the way) and their citizens/workers expect First World incomes, benefits and lifestyles. Those cost money. The workers can't take the hit. The companies won't take the hit. The consumer would take the hit. All this is predicated on 2 impossibilities: 1) we go it alone in a global economy on our little planet, and 2) we have enough skilled, productive and willing minimum wage workers to spend their lives making the consumables we demand....at a price we can ALL afford.

To wit: Kifaru is a first class American gear manufacturer and extremely deserving of their outstanding reputation. Simultaneously, their gear prices tend to be in the upper 5% of the range and it's easy to guess a lot (majority?) of people can't/won't afford the cost. You can say the same for Filson and some other iconic brands made in America. Undeniable quality, but unaffordably expensive for most.

For the record, I do prefer to spend local, in-state and American first. But I'll always buy what suits me best no matter where it's made as long as it's not an enemy of our country. Former enemies are just that. I forgave all those guys I punched it out with in middle school, too.

REALLY well said.

This thread is full of all sorts of false comparisons, economic inaccuracies and over-simplifications, historical half-truths and some downright hatred. The likes of which I never thought I’d see on RS. I guess it was inevitable. Seems like the same BS invades every online forum once they get to a certain size.


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[DougP]

Let me understand your perspective. I should be leaping with joy that, for the sake of capitalism alone, production has been outsourced to some wretched countries where they treat a factory worker worse than a dog. Some third-world throwbacks who provide no social security, no medicare, no health insurance, no unemployment benefits, no workers compensation or disability insurance for injuries, no emissions control, no discrimination laws, no safety laws, no labor laws providing overtime. Quite simply no worker benefits or production safety whatsoever. They probably violate every child-labor law as we know it.

Sounds like America from the start of the industrial revolution through the middle of the 20th century. Right before we started kicking ass on the world stage.

Everyone has to pay their dues. You can’t start out on top.


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[Rokwiia]

Interesting because in 1950 the national debt was only $250 billion, which was less than one year's Federal revenue. Now we're over $20 trillion in debt with another $120-$200 trillion in unfunded liabilities. That Everest-sized mountain of debt and only $3.5 trillion in annual revenue.

You call that kicking tail?

I'll take the old ways any day and every day..

 

[JollyRoger]

I dont know if you (the OP) cares, but Mystery Ranch still has made in America packs in their military line. If you liked their pack design/layout the mil line might be worth checking into. I can say they are definitely durable and will hold up to hard use.

 

[Crawfish-MI]

U.S. carrier arrives in Vietnam amid rising Chinese influence in region | Reuters

A U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in Vietnam on Monday for the first time since the end of the Vietnam War, dramatically underscoring the growing strategic ties between the former foes at a time when China’s regional influence is rising.

“The visit marks an enormously significant milestone in our bilateral relations and demonstrates U.S. support for a strong, prosperous and independent Vietnam,” Daniel Kritenbrink, the U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, said in a statement.

“Through hard work, mutual respect, and by continuing to address the past while we work toward a better future, we have gone from former enemies to close partners.”

 

[NDGuy]

In the America we live in now where most people don't even have $1000 in savings and are living paycheck to paycheck, the term "Only Buy American" is not applicable anymore. Like others have said I will buy American if it makes sense. If it is a quality well built product that justifies the price, I will buy American.

My family does pretty well for ourselves, but we don't have the expendable income to pay 100s of dollars more for American made things that are not significantly better than their competition. If American made businesses have issue with that, make a good product that justifies the price or figure out how to make it less expensive to make. Times are changing and businesses need to change with them.

Take Black Rifle Coffee Company for instance. I am now a subscriber because they make great coffee and are not more expensive than the competition. They are an American company that is run by vets too. Win win for me.