PSA: Initial ascent bags and accessories made in Taiwan

[StickSlingers]

Super disappointed, they were a small outfit and great guys over there really wanted to support them.
The frame carries weight great and as far as i know is still made in USA?
Ordered a bigger bag and accessories this week they arrived tonight all made in Taiwan. If you want to make shit overseas more power to ya, but charging made in USA prices for imported shit while somewhat hiding behind the original “proudly made in Idaho” marketing is shady.
Returning everything tomorrow. I’ll Support USA made companies at that price point

 

[BuckSmasher]

Whats wrong with Taiwan?

 

[Bachto]

If you want to make shit overseas more power to ya, but charging made in USA prices for imported shit while somewhat hiding behind the original “proudly made in Idaho” marketing is shady.
Returning everything tomorrow. I’ll Support USA made companies at that price point

Whats wrong with Taiwan?

These packs are $700, and you can get a Kifaru or EXO at the same price point and they are made in the USA.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

At least it’s a free country.

 

[pacoalcracker]

We have had a global economy for 50 years now and it seemed to have worked out just fine for everyone except the American manufacturing workers. Probably 20 million jobs lost. However, America has become a technology driven powerhouse with better wages and leading the country to be 70% consumer based business and just 30% manufacturing. Most labor intensive manufacturing goes to cheap labor countries as labor is very expensive in America for MANY reasons...too many to get into here. Nothing is going to change that. Trump is trying but using the wrong methods. Tariffs hurt the consumers of the country doing the tariffing......everyone knows this except for Trump. You are beginning to see it too...it's right in your face. Everything except gasoline has risen 15-35% since the tariffs went into effect. If you have not seen or felt it, you better check your pulse...you might be dead. Its counter-productive to shun imported goods...you just hurt yourself. You will not get American goods for the same price-point......unless that person is working for peanuts. The cost of doing business in manufacturing is prohibitive for the most part. 95% of business startups fail within 3 years...for good reason. There is a reason inherited businesses are either sold or go out of business, as the kids are not willing to work long hours for peanuts like the parents did.

 

[JeffRaines]

Super disappointed, they were a small outfit and great guys over there really wanted to support them.
The frame carries weight great and as far as i know is still made in USA?
Ordered a bigger bag and accessories this week they arrived tonight all made in Taiwan. If you want to make shit overseas more power to ya, but charging made in USA prices for imported shit while somewhat hiding behind the original “proudly made in Idaho” marketing is shady.
Returning everything tomorrow. I’ll Support USA made companies at that price point

Same way I feel about guys buying imported stuff from other big hunting brands at almost the same price of a made in USA product... why?

Import stuff, in my mind, is supposed to be a lower budget option. Same materials, less cost because it's made overseas. Completely fine in my book so long as the company peddling it is passing the cost savings onto me.

When I'm paying made in USA prices for imported stuff is where I draw the line. If Seek Outside, Western Mountaineering, Feathered Friends or Enlightened Equipment can make an item here in the USA for almost the same price(or in some cases cheaper) explain to me why you're gouging me on the price because I know good and damn well your actual cost is nowhere near the made is USA counterpart, while the price is the same.

Everyone needs to keep food in their mouth, I get that. No company operates at a loss, because at that point they wouldn't stay in business... but don't insult me by offering me a product at a premium price that you paid pennies to have made.

 

[StickSlingers]

We have had a global economy for 50 years now and it seemed to have worked out just fine for everyone except the American manufacturing workers. Probably 20 million jobs lost. However, America has become a technology driven powerhouse with better wages and leading the country to be 70% consumer based business and just 30% manufacturing. Most labor intensive manufacturing goes to cheap labor countries as labor is very expensive in America for MANY reasons...too many to get into here. Nothing is going to change that. Trump is trying but using the wrong methods. Tariffs hurt the consumers of the country doing the tariffing......everyone knows this except for Trump. You are beginning to see it too...it's right in your face. Everything except gasoline has risen 15-35% since the tariffs went into effect. If you have not seen or felt it, you better check your pulse...you might be dead. Its counter-productive to shun imported goods...you just hurt yourself. You will not get American goods for the same price-point......unless that person is working for peanuts. The cost of doing business in manufacturing is prohibitive for the most part. 95% of business startups fail within 3 years...for good reason. There is a reason inherited businesses are either sold or go out of business, as the kids are not willing to work long hours for peanuts like the parents did.

Go check out exo mountain gear, kifaru, seek outside, or stone glacier if you’d like a pack that’s manufactured in the USA at the same price point. If you’d rather pay made in USA prices for things produced overseas more power too ya

 

[StickSlingers]

Same way I feel about guys buying imported stuff from other big hunting brands at almost the same price of a made in USA product... why?

Import stuff, in my mind, is supposed to be a lower budget option. Same materials, less cost because it's made overseas. Completely fine in my book so long as the company peddling it is passing the cost savings onto me.

When I'm paying made in USA prices for imported stuff is where I draw the line. If Seek Outside, Western Mountaineering, Feathered Friends or Enlightened Equipment can make an item here in the USA for almost the same price(or in some cases cheaper) explain to me why you're gouging me on the price because I know good and damn well your actual cost is nowhere near the made is USA counterpart, while the price is the same.

Everyone needs to keep food in their mouth, I get that. No company operates at a loss, because at that point they wouldn't stay in business... but don't insult me by offering me a product at a premium price that you paid pennies to have made.

Exactly. Plenty of premium options out there at the same or lower pricing that will actually support local economies. Nothing wrong with imported goods, sometimes that’s the only option. But concealing it while charging prices of USA made goods is where you lose me. Good riddance

 

[StickSlingers]

These packs are $700, and you can get a Kifaru or EXO at the same price point and they are made in the USA.

Exactly, if they were half price and said “now IMPORTED” good for them, some guys can’t afford a $700 pack.
But instead they are hocking imported shit at 10x the price it cost to manufacture.
It’s like buying peax instead of seek outside or kifaru

 

[thinhorn_AK]

The craziest part about all of this is the fact that you even looked at initial ascent (and bought one) when you decided you were going to buy a high end backpack….

 

[Supercubtrapper]

The craziest part about all of this is the fact that you even looked at initial ascent (and bought one) when you decided you were going to buy a high end backpack….

What I find crazy is that a guy has 13k posts What on earth?! The things people do with their time…

 

[Supercubtrapper]

I have a 5k and have packed 3 moose and a couple bears with it and loved it. Super disappointed to hear that they’re not made here anymore. Definitely hard to justify that price tag now.

 

[IDVortex]

What I find crazy is that a guy has 13k posts What on earth?! The things people do with their time…

Yet there are people who think its crazy then turn around and make a comment about just to gain a post count.

Good thing this has been a recent thread.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

What I find crazy is that a guy has 13k posts What on earth?! The things people do with their time…

I ask myself the same thing all the time. I can’t come up with a good answer to that question.

In my defense, I bet I made 10k of those 13k posts while I was on the clock at work.

 

[StickSlingers]

The craziest part about all of this is the fact that you even looked at initial ascent (and bought one) when you decided you were going to buy a high end backpack….

I know i suprised myself as well. Not my first top tier pack, i enjoy testing them and frequently buy and sell instead of taking someone’s word on who makes the “best”.
I’ve owned every kifaru frame they’ve had since the original duplex, an exo k4, a seek outside, even a mystery ranch. In fact i still own the exo and the seek, initial ascent has arguably the worst fit and finish of them all. With exo and kifaru having the best, but i carried 150lbs around at the western hunt expo and honestly it carried the weight amazingly off of those side hooks. So i gave them a chance, unfortunately.


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[StickSlingers]

I have a 5k and have packed 3 moose and a couple bears with it and loved it. Super disappointed to hear that they’re not made here anymore. Definitely hard to justify that price tag now.

I know, i thought it carried weight the best out of all of them. Their pack designs leave allot to be desired. But after they quietly moved overseas they lost my support.
I confronted them about this at the hunt expo they said they get a better quality overseas and kept the price down. I was quick to point out that kifaru and exo both have amazing quality AND the exo is not only made in the USA but is also cheaper.
If you want to make shit overseas that’s fine but trying to hide it, making bullshit excuses, and not dropping your price loses my support.
For what it’s worth if you don’t have forward pulls on your pack and it doesn’t have the grey accents it’s the original USA made version


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[Supercubtrapper]

I ask myself the same thing all the time. I can’t come up with a good answer to that question.

In my defense, I bet I made 10k of those 13k posts while I was on the clock at work.

Respect!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I know i suprised myself as well. Not my first top tier pack, i enjoy testing them and frequently buy and sell instead of taking someone’s word on who makes the “best”.
I’ve owned every kifaru frame they’ve had since the original duplex, an exo k4, a seek outside, even a mystery ranch. In fact i still own the exo and the seek, initial ascent has arguably the worst fit and finish of them all. With exo and kifaru having the best, but i carried 150lbs around at the western hunt expo and honestly it carried the weight amazingly off of those side hooks. So i gave them a chance, unfortunately.


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All that matters is that it works for you and you like it. I’ve been using the same SG pack for almost 10 years, I’d like to try an initial ascent though since kifaru and SG are out. It’s down to exo and initial ascent.

 

[Supercubtrapper]

Yet there are people who think its crazy then turn around and make a comment about just to gain a post count.

Good thing this has been a recent thread.

Why does whenever a FNG post something that the blanket reply is “you said that to gain a post count”? Does a higher post count benefit you in some way? I’m kind of proud of my low post count but if 1000 posts give me some kind of sweet perk Ill be blasting this site immediately.

 

[StickSlingers]

All that matters is that it works for you and you like it. I’ve been using the same SG pack for almost 10 years, I’d like to try an initial ascent though since kifaru and SG are out. It’s down to exo and initial ascent.

I’d go with exo, it’s the closest in comfort (for my body type) to the IA without the hyper inflated price tag.
Or wait and see what born primitive comes out with in June, allegedly it’s a “game changer” time will tell


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