Isle Royale Forums

I just saw this in the local paper today:

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/ ... id/109672/

Very cool. I've always been a huge fan of Granite Gear stuff (just ask anyone who's been on this board), so this should help me in my quest to get others to see how great these packs are. Plus, it's very awesome that a local--hell, a U.S. company--is getting business.

Interesting article. Definately good news for Granite Gear--that's a huge contract. I was suprised to read that their packs are manufactured in Puerto Rico. Does this still count as "Made In USA" since Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States? Just curious.

I try to buy as much "Made In USA" gear as I can. Tarptent and Western Mountaineering are my two biggest "Made In USA" pieces of gear.

Well, it's step up, at least. You're right, maybe it's not "made in the USA" per se, but it's better than where they used to do their manufacturing (China).

With a military contract, however, you have to make stuff state-side. Maybe making things in PR is a way to skirt that issue...

I didn't know they shipped their manufaturing over to China. Mmmm. You learn something every day. I bought a Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone about a year ago and returned it because it wasn't quite what I was looking for. I ended up getting a Gregory Z55 (all my packs are Gregory. Go figure!). But, I was impressed by the GG pack. Well made. Stylish. It just didn't fit me as well as the Gregory packs do. I like that they're an American company (at least somewhat---I'm a tad miffed that they manufacture out-of-country ).


Thanks for posting the article, munkee!

Good for Granite Gear.

I've used a Nimbus Ozone for my lighter-duty stuff for the past couple of years. The tenure alone says something for those who hike with me - I'm constantly razzed about having 'new' gear. I'd been in the habit of getting something at a great price off-season, trying it out and re-selling it to try something else new. Well, I am not getting rid of my GG.

Now for the heavier-duty stuff (e.g. when the family comes along), I'm not at all settled. I picked up a Dana Longbed over the winter - I'll give it a go around the neighborhood to see if I can tolerate an external frame.