Made in USA day pack.

How bout a CiloGear Worksack?

Made in Portland.

$69-500 depending on what he wants…

-Mark in St. Louis

Try Granite Gear. They have several decent day packs. Made in the northwoods of Minnesota :)

Gossamer Gear minimalist daypack.

http://gossamergear.com/packs/backpacks/minimalist.html

Thanks for the replies!
I think the ones from Granite Gear would be more what he's looking at.

My Granite Gear pack was made in Puerto Rico. Their packs are not made in the USA.

http://www.rivendellmountainworks.com, made in the USA.

I'm a big fan of Granite Gear packs, but they are no longer made in the US. Like most big name backpacks, they're sewn in Vietnam now.

My mighty local heart is broken.

Puerto Rico is a US Territory. They are U.S. Citizens.

And they vote in US elections.

They keep thinking about becoming the 51st state, but politically never seems to happen. No need to break your locally-made heart, you are still buying American made.

Funny enough, I happened to notice just the other day that my old ULA pack, which I absolutely love and have used for 10 years, has a tiny "Made In Canada" on it. Even Cottage industries aren't fully localizable anymore. And what about the country of manufacture of the materials, especially the fabric which can be argued contains most of the technological (as well as the actual) substance. These will usually not be manufactured in the US, though they might have been invented and marketed here.

This is not to mentioned the ex "Saudi Arabian" dinosaurs who came up with the raw materials. They should at least get a tag, or something ;)

Leaving aside the question of whether the "political" principle is even valid, from the practical point of view it may, for most products with any technical components, be moot. Cottage industries are *more*, not less susceptible to the need to purchase their materials and manufacturing from elsewhere once they start producing more than a few items per month. If you bought all the materials to hand make your own pack, would that be truly "made in America". I think not.

"This is not to mentioned the ex "Saudi Arabian" dinosaurs who came up with the raw materials. They should at least get a tag, or something ;)"

I'm pretty sure Gossamer Gear only sources from U.S. dinosaurs….

MLD

I have one of those crazy 3 oz GG day packs I think the SUL folks like to go out in. Its all Silnylon plus a few threads. Even if it were in fact sewn in the USA, by weight, and possibly actual net work, it would still be %99.99 NOT made in the USA.

On the other hand … I once owned a Toyota Corolla that was %100 manufactured in the USA.

However….I think all the companies mentioned so far would, in spite of this, be consider homegrown and hence acceptable to the OPs friend.

PR is not a state, last time I checked.

Regardless, Granite Gear's packs are now made in China.

Is that part of the US or is it the other way around?

"Is that part of the US or is it the other way around?"

Oh gosh, definitely the other way around! They own lots of our debt, and they're buying up our buildings….

"PR is not a state, last time I checked."

$%!+ just got real!

While PR, Guam, US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands are normally called U.S. territories, they are states under the law. There are a few things which make them distinguishable from the other 50 states but for the purposes of interstate commerce and citizenship, you can call them 'Merican.

INA 101(a)(36)

If you really want to get lost in the mundane….

America Samoa and Swains Island are outlying possessions and they are considered U.S. Nationals (distinct from U.S. Citizens.) They do not enjoy the full benefit of citizenship.

v/r

Ian

EDIT +1 the other way around for sure!

"There are a few things which make them distinguishable from the other 50 states but for the purposes of interstate commerce and citizenship, you can call them 'Merican."

Holy SH%T! Ricky Martin is American?

A noble quest, but even if he gets a pack sewn in the US, chances are the fabric and hardware will be made elsewhere. We live in a global economy!

Try a buddy of mine in Seattle. Tom Bihn makes some very nice stuff. They have a website and sell direct. It's made in Seattle in their very own factory!

"Holy SH%T! Ricky Martin is American?"

Yeah, and wasn't he just that more sexy when he was perceived as an "exotic, non American"?! Thanks Ian, thanks A LOT.

;)

LMAO

I don't own any of their packs, but they look cool and are made in the USA. I handled one and it was really nice, comfy straps, well stitched. Doesn't scream ultralight outdorky, useful for both trail and town.

http://topodesigns.com

/

Easy folks. These all American men were setting standards in hiking fashion before some of you were born.

.

I believe that is a Patagonia headband.

Haha Ian! Btw, how DID you find a rare pic of my early trend setting hiking heroes and role models? I thought only i had such pics.

If I don't received a restraining order from the next GGG within driving distance, I'm showing up wearing Menudoesque satin pants.

Edit: Is it considered thread drift if I'm talking about threads?