Made In America | Evolving Consumer

Made in America: Wickers Undergarments

During the winter months it’s best to dress in layers to keep in the heat, but did you know that a base layer can also help keep you cool? Firefighters often wear a base layer of fire retardant clothing below all of their other gear to keep from burning up and athletes sometimes wear a base layer to help wick away sweat. Wickers, based in New York, manufactures undergarments for all walks of life. From rock climbers to the military; kids to women experiencing menopause; and motorcyclists to hikers – Wickers makes an undergarment for literally anyone, and for any time of year. Best of all the garments are made in America.

Anthony Mazzenga founded Wickers in 1981 originally under the name Anrotex Inc. Fabric was the main focus of business back then. After Mazzenga saw an opportunity in the performance underwear market in 1990, the Wickers brand was born. Since that time, the Wickers product line has grown to include an enormous offering of undergarments and base layers for any season. The line not only includes shirts and pants, but also gloves, socks, boxers, briefs, balaclava and neck gators. Continue reading Made in America: Wickers Undergarments

Made in America: K-Edge Cycling Solutions

The Boise, Idaho based cycling component brand, K-Edge Cycling Solutions, was created from a singular and focused ambition. The goal was to help an Olympic cycling athlete secure a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games. To see how this happened and the resulting product we take a quick look to France, Austria, China, and return to the USA for how it all played out.

Continue reading Made in America: K-Edge Cycling Solutions

Velocity Rims Coming to America

Velocity Worldwide, Inc. has recently announced that it will shutter production in Brisbane, Australia by the end of November 2011 and by February 2012 will begin manufacturing its bicycle rims in Jacksonville, Florida. This move will allow Velocity to produce custom orders quicker and get them into the customer’s hands in a shorter amount of time. Along with speedier production times, Velocity will be the only U.S. produced aluminum rim in the cycling industry.

To oversee production at Velocity’s new manufacturing factory, Tom Black, the founder of Velocity, will be relocating from Australia to Florida, while Velocity’s distribution center will continue to operate out of its worldwide headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This won’t be the end of the line down under for Velocity either. The Australian facility will remain a distribution center for the Asian and Australian markets. Video after the jump

Made in America: Buck Knives

Back in 1902, Hoyt Buck was a young blacksmith apprentice in Kansas who was seeking a better way to temper the steel used in knife blades. A tempered blade will hold a sharp edge for a longer period of use and ultimately produce a knife that will have a longer life. Hoyt’s unique approach resulted in the first Buck Knife. Many years had past, and though Hoyt continued to make knives using his tempering technique and worn-out files as the basis of his blades, it was not until 1947 that the modern Buck Knives company was born. That year Hoyt and his son, Al, moved to San Diego to start the company named H.H. Buck & Son.

Continue reading Made in America: Buck Knives

Made in America: Slastix by Stroops

Resistance bands are a great way to build strength or aid on the road to recovery from an injury. These bands are typically made of rubber, similar to Latex, and can sometimes break during use causing additional injury. This is counter productive especially if they are being used for rehabilitation. Since the mid-1990’s, Stroops has been making a safer resistance band under the name Slastix Technology – designed and manufactured in America.

(Video after the jump)

Continue reading Made in America: Slastix by Stroops

Made in America: Aero Tech Designs

Descente, Bike Nashbar, Terry Precision, Head and Giant are familiar names in cycling apparel, but a name you may not be familiar with is Aero Tech Designs, Inc. of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. For over 25 years these companies, along with many others, have contracted with Aero Tech Designs to design and manufacture cycling apparel – all happening from their facility in this Pittsburgh suburb.

Founded by Cathy Schnaubelt Rogers, an avid cyclist and former racer herself, Aero Tech Designs prides itself on not only producing cycling apparel in the U.S.A., but also sourcing all of the raw material from domestic suppliers. The 10mm Italian inspired chamois is American made; the fabric is knit domestically in South Carolina; the thread is from American company Efrid of North Carolina – even the paper labels are printed locally in a domestic paper facility. Materials are brought together and assembled in Coraopolis by American workers. The company then sells the goods under the Aero Tech Design name.

(Video after the jump) Continue reading Made in America: Aero Tech Designs

Made in America: Hard Core CrossCore Training

There is no denying that the men and women in the American military get regular workouts. Basic training and regular training makes them lean, mean fighting machines in their own right. But once they’re deployed what are they to do? The same question can be asked for those who travel a lot, or just don’t have the time to hit the gym.

This fitness product was specifically designed to deliver Rotational Bodyweight Training to our troops and keep them in combat ready condition no matter where they go. Weighing less than five pounds, the result is a versatile, total body, fitness tool. So whether you work out of an office or (as the video below shows) out of a tank, you can still get a hardcore workout for your core.

Continue reading Made in America: Hard Core CrossCore Training

Made in America: DiEM Sportsgear

Name one company that gives away 30-percent of its profits. There aren’t many out that that would dream of such an act, but DiEM Sportsgear is not a normal company. They are a company that was launched earlier this year to supply a non-profit fund with money to achieve its main goal of giving back to the community. The non-profit, David’s Fund, was started by the family members of the young athlete, David Scott Mueller, whose life was cut tragically short in 2009 by a drunk driver in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

DiEM Sportsgear, the name derived from David’s initials, not only is unique with its goal of giving back, but they also pride themselves on making their apparel in the U.S.A. Currently the line only consists of athletic t-shirts for both men and women. Every shirt except for the ‘Basic T’ utilizes fast-dry fabric technology, are tag-less and are 92-percent polyester, 8-percent spandex. All T’s sold by DiEM Sportsgear are made in America.

Video after the jump Continue reading Made in America: DiEM Sportsgear

Made in America: Chris King Precision Components

With Interbike kicking off next week, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to feature one of our favorite brands in our weekly Made in America spotlight. Since 1976, Chris King Precision Components of Portland, Oregon has been making what is arguably the best bicycle components available today.

What started off with bearings and a single headset design has evolved into a company that produces bearings, headsets, bottom brackets and hubs for every type of bike on the market. Chris King products are ridden by amateurs and professionals alike due to the high level of quality and craftsmanship that is put into every single product.

Chris King so strongly believes in the quality of their products that they stand behind their headsets with a 10-year warranty and their hubs and bottom brackets with a 5-year warranty – easily double of any other component manufacturer in the market. Continue reading Made in America: Chris King Precision Components

Made in America: TriActive America E-Line

Chin up bars, parallel bars and sit -up platforms are all items that you might have seen on your local walking or running path. These stations of yesteryear are typically constructed of steel pipe and wooden posts which work perfectly fine and shouldn‘t be replaced unless they are worn out. At some point, these fitness stations will deteriorate and once your community or company is looking to replace tired equipment or install a new fitness path with stations, there is an alternative to the steel pipes and wood. TriActive America offers a line of heavy duty, outdoor stations that are designed to keep people fit and stand the test of time all while offering many more choices of fitness activities.

TriActive America designs and manufactures this unique line of outdoor fitness equipment for use exclusively outdoors. TriActive America offers a few different product lines: the original TriActive Fitness products, premium E-Line equipment, Wheelchair Accessible equipment, and the E-Shade Line. All products are designed in the U.S.A. with components that are made of powder-coated steel for high durability against damage and the environment. TriActive America is so confident in their equipment that they stand behind every piece with a 10 year warranty. Not all lines are manufactured in the U.S., but the E-Line is all 100-percent American made. Continue reading Made in America: TriActive America E-Line

Made in America: Paragon Machine Works

Paragon Machine Works is a name that may not be familiar to you, but one of their products might be right in your garage. Machined from aluminum, steel, stainless steel and titanium, Paragon Machine Works manufactures and stocks precision made components for bicycle frame builders. They stock the largest variety of titanium bicycle frame building components in the world, plus they offer design development and high volume manufacturing capabilities allowing them to offer competitive pricing.

Founded in 1983 by Mark Norstad, Paragon Machine Works had its humble beginnings in the Marin County basement of his parent’s house with just a lathe and mill. From that basement, Paragon Machine Works has grown into a 6,000 square foot operation in Richmond, California, employing ten full and part-time employees. Continue reading Made in America: Paragon Machine Works

Made in America: Kontrol Wheels

Skateboarding was born in America, but the sad truth (at least for purists) is that many of the parts are now made overseas. Fortunately there are still a few companies out there that are producing products to let boarders grind it and show some American made pride.

Based in San Diego, California, Kontrol Wheels is still producing skateboard wheels in America. The company was founded by Dan Eager in 2004, after he and few other engineers came up with a new technology to mold urethane wheels.

This new urethane-molding process not only eliminated much of the physical labor, but also created a superior skateboard wheel. It even reduced the amount of waste that came with conventional manufacturing.

Video after the jump

Continue reading Made in America: Kontrol Wheels

Made in America: Vectra Fitness

Trying to get into shape or maintaining your fitness level is no easy task. For most people, it takes a few hours each week working out just to stay at a certain level. Going to the gym can add time to a workout that some people just do not have in their busy day. If you have the discipline to use one, a home gym can allow you to squeeze in a workout whenever you have the time.

For almost 25 years, Vectra Fitness has been manufacturing high-end compact multi-station weight gyms for home and institutional use. Founded in 1987 and based in Kent, Washington, three of the four original founders are still owners today and actively involved in the business. Doug MacLean, Bob Rasmussen and Buell Ish have combined their engineering principles with unprecedented and creative designs resulting in approximately 30 patents being issued to Vectra innovations over the years. Most of these innovations are not obvious to the user, but one that will please most people is the fingertip release lever. Available on most Vectra models, the feature allows easy adjustment of exercise handles with the flip of a lever – no more struggling with pins to adjust the arms of the machine. Continue reading Made in America: Vectra Fitness