With the polar vortex hitting the continental United States
hard, people are donning their winter clothing in full effect. This created an
opportunity for some people to get out the new jackets that they received on
Christmas. While people go to social media to post photos of their new jackets
I can’t help but notice the amount of comments people receive for their Condor
gear due to the fact that it is made in China. As an owner of a Condor Tactical
Fleece that I wear daily I felt the need to chime in however I chose not to,
but instead make this entry on the Chinese gear that I have experienced
firsthand.
Everyone is quick to jump to conclusions that just because
Condor imports their items from China that they are terrible products. I am not
a huge fan of their Operator Caps not due to the quality but rather because I
prefer flex fit. I love the fleece of theirs that I own. The fleece was shipped to my house for less
than $50, and came with a free morale patch which I added to my patch panel
from Orca Industries. For the price the
Condor Fleece can’t be beat for a warm weather resistant fleece.
One alternative to the Condor is the 5.11 fleece for about
double the price and guess where that is made? If you said the U.S. you are
wrong. Like most items 5.11 makes they come from either Vietnam or China.
Looking online you wouldn’t know as it is not listed however any trip to a
store such as Bass Pro Shops that carries the items in stock will show you.
5.11 recently purchased Beyond Clothing which features clothing made in America
and you can get their fleece in MultiCam for the low price of $359.00. Seeing
that most of the 5.11 gear is imported made me happy that not only did I not
overpay for a fleece but I also saved a lot of money on a backpack.
As I have briefly talked about earlier I am a huge fan of
the Fieldline packs. I actually own a total of 5 now that I received another
one for Christmas. I have a large internal frame for hiking, 3 small alpha ops
packs (2 B.O.B. and one is for work) and a new Sling Pack that I will be
turning into a large trauma kit for my vehicle. These packs are made in China
however are strikingly similar to the 5.11 rush packs. While the 5.11 pack
which is made in China sells on average for $99, the Fieldline Bags were
purchased for $19.99 each and have lasted through the daily abuse I put them
through without a hiccup. They also have the same features as the 5.11 pack.
For more information on the Fieldline bags read our old post here.
BLACKHAWK! Is another huge name in the world of tactical
accessories. The company prides itself off of being founded by former Navy
SEALs. Just in case you haven’t seen one of their 5,264 ads about how they were
founded I will let you know. In 1990 as an active duty SEAL the owner was
navigating through a minefield when his pack broke and fell, from that point on
he decided he was going to make quality gear and so BLACKHAWK! was formed.
BLACKHAWK! is another company much like 5.11 that gives the
impression that most of their stuff is made here in America however like 5.11
most of their gear is imported, mostly coming from Vietnam and Malaysia. The
one benefit to those looking only for gear made in the U.S. is that they do
have specific categories for all domestic made gear for that die hard purist.
Now let’s shift away from the apparel realm and talk about
another important piece of gear that you should never be left without; knives.
Gerber is one of my favorite knife manufacturers and believe it or not when you
flip the back of the package over at the bottom you will notice “made in
China”. While I no longer carry a Gerber knife it has nothing to do with the
fact of them being made in China, but rather that I am a big fan of the
Spyderco Endura. I am not going to get into the reasons or specifics on that
now as that is not the topic of this discussion. A Gerber is more than capable
of getting most jobs done. Their folders have never failed me in the field nor
has the fixed blade Bear Grylls knife that I own. I also am still very partial
to the Gerber line of multi tools. I have been using them ever since I attended
Infantry school. At the time they were much cheaper than their Leatherman
counterpart and worked just as well. The only reason I no longer have the one I
purchased at the PX on Camp Geiger in January of 2005 is because I eventually
lost it.
While as a small business owner I understand the aspect of
wanting to buy American, however every order that you place for your Condor
Operator Cap or a 5.11 belt, money does go to a small business in America that
is selling you these items. Nobody should feel guilty purchasing what they can
afford. Living outside of our means has what has landed so many people in
trouble through these tough economic times. There is no reason to spend $500
you don’t have just to buy a jacket from the Canadian company Arc’teryx because
that is what you saw in a magazine. Before you start griping about gear being
made in China take a look at the clothes you have on your body especially your
shoes, then look up where the computer, phone, or tablet was made that you are
reading this article on. I would be more than confident with a Mak 90, 5.11
boots, a Fieldline Pack and a Condor BDUs if SHTF.
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