The American Made Outdoor Gear Awards, which annually celebrates the best stories from companies with a commitment to American manufacturing and sourcing in the outdoor market, announces the finalists for the 2017 awards. Winners will be announced and presented with awards at a ceremony on January 11, 2017, in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market.
The American Made Outdoor Gear Award was founded in 2013 by Kokatat, the paddlesports apparel and gear company known for its longstanding commitment to American manufacturing, to recognize the leaders in American made quality, craftsmanship and creativity in the outdoor world.
The Grand Prize winner, selected from the category finalists, receives one-year ownership of “Sassy,” a hand carved, two-foot-tall, redwood Sasquatch from Humboldt County, Calif. Category winners receive miniature versions of the award, and all entrants receive a certificate of participation.
Past keepers of ‘Sassy’ include Liberty Bottleworks of Yakima, WA, Benchmade Knives of Portland, OR, Sterling Rope of Biddeford, ME, and current warden of the trophy Hyperlite Mountain Gear also of Biddeford, ME.
“Over the past five years we’ve received so many fantastic domestic manufacturing stories and we’re honored to share them with our industry,” said Jeff Turner, Kokatat sales manager. “This year’s crop of applicants was as impressive as ever, demonstrating the strength of domestic manufacturing in the US.”
Judged by a group of outdoor industry peers, the American Made Outdoor Gear Award application includes more than 30 questions regarding size, scope, challenges and success stories of domestic production.
Finalist for the American Made Outdoor Gear Awards include:
Under 10 Employees:
Atayne, Brunswick, ME – atayne.com
Blackfly Canoes, New Hampton, NH – blackflycanoes.com
Cleverhood, Providence, RI – cleverhood.com
Flowforld, Scarborough, ME – flowfold.com
SportPort, Charlotte, NC – sportportactive.com
10 to 50 Employees:
Alpacka Raft, Mancos, CO – alpackaraft.com
Branches LLC, Osceola, WI – bendingbranches.com
Frost River, Duluth, MN – frostriver.com
LUNA Sandals, Seattle, WA – lunasandals.com
ORION Coolers, Sparta, TN – orioncoolers.com
50-100 Employees:
Rock Exotica, Clearfield, UT – rockexotica.com
Stormy Kromer, Ironwood, MI – stormykromer.com
Support Enterprise, Jamestown, NY – supportent.com
Timbuk2, San Francisco, CA – timbuk2.com
Wenonah Canoe, Inc., Winona, MN – wenononah.com
100+ Employees:
Exxel Outdoors, Boulder, CO – exxel.com
Farm to Feet, Mt. Airy, NC – farmtofeet.com
Outdoor Research, Seattle, WA – outdoorresearch.com
Renfro Corporation, Mt. Airy, NC – renfro.com
Thule, Seymour, CT – thule.com
For additional information about the 2017 American Made Outdoor Gear Awards email pr@palemorning.com.
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