The American Made Outdoor Gear Awards, founded in 2013 by paddling gear manufacturer Kokatat, announced its 2017 finalists. The awards annually celebrate the best stories from companies with a commitment to American manufacturing and sourcing in the outdoor market.
Winners will be announced and presented with awards at a ceremony on January 11, 2017 in Salt Lake City, UT, during the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market.
Finalists for the American Made Outdoor Gear Awards include:
Fewer Than 10 Employees
- Atayne, Brunswick, ME
- Blackfly Canoes, New Hampton, NH
- Cleverhood, Providence, RI
- Flowfold, Scarborough, ME
- SportPort, Charlotte, NC
10-50 Employees
- Alpacka Raft, Mancos, CO
- Branches LLC, Osceola, WI
- Frost River, Duluth, MN
- Luna Sandals, Seattle, WA
- Orion Coolers, Sparta, TN
50-100 Employees
- Rock Exotica, Clearfield, UT
- Stormy Kromer, Ironwood, MI
- Support Enterprise, Jamestown, NY
- Timbuk2, San Francisco, CA
- Wenonah Canoe Inc., Winona, MN
100-plus Employees
- Exxel Outdoors, Boulder, CO
- Farm to Feet, Mt. Airy, NC
- Outdoor Research, Seattle, WA
- Renfro Corporation, Mt. Airy, NC
- Thule, Seymour, CT
The grand prize winner, selected from the category finalists, receives one-year ownership of “Sassy,” a two-foot-tall, hand-carved redwood Sasquatch from Humboldt County, CA. Category winners receive miniature versions of the award, and all entrants receive a certificate of participation.
“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 U.S.”
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.
