Do you care where your equipment is made?

[fishersofmen]

We were just discussing this topic in a sociology class I'm taking.

Which U.S. company buys more than $18 billion worth of goods each year from China, which, if the company were a country, would be China's seventh largest trading partner? Walmart of course. Unfortunately my wifes favorite store.

[Steve Foss]

Let's not get this post moved or deleted.

Shoot, I'm sure you knew when you started this thread (and titled it so provocatively) that it had Outdoor Discussion Forum written all over it. But it's a great discussion to have, no matter where it starts or lands. Kudos for starting it.

[leech~~]

Shoot, I'm sure you knew when you started this thread (and titled it so provocatively) that it had Outdoor Discussion Forum written all over it. But it's a great discussion to have, no matter where it starts or lands. Kudos for starting it.

I'm I that transparent Steve?

[Esox_Magnum]

TB would be about your only American made choice, I thing Croix ice rods also got shipped to Mexico... On the otherhand I have many chinese rods I love

[Dark Cloud]

As others have said TB blanks are made in california and I commend them for that. Im sure it would be real tempting to cut cost in half and have em made elsewhere.

As for components - REC recoil guides are made in Connecticut. They either use those or Fuji guides which are made overseas...

Cork - The countries that produce the most cork include Portugal, Algeria, Spain, Morocco, France, Italy and Tunisia. Cant control that...

Syncork - I was unable to find out where this stuff is made, lol...

I also love the fact that I can call there and have em make a rod 28 2/3rd inches long with a 5.5 inch handle with burgandy wraps with a yellow trim. Just because...

[Steve Foss]

I also love the fact that I can call there and have em make a rod . . . with burgandy wraps with a yellow trim. Just because...

Because you are a Washington Redskins fan?

[Esox_Magnum]

And who has custom laker rods in Paker colors??? Amazed you catch anything with those colors

[Steve Foss]

And who has custom laker rods in Paker colors??? Amazed you catch anything with those colors

Who are these Pakers?

It ain't the rod. It's the angler.

[Dark Cloud]

Because you are a Washington Redskins fan?

You take your Terrible Towel and crawl back into the Packer Cave...

[dougger222]

I try to buy USA if possible but like others have said "Made in USA" may mean assembled here from global parts (like my fat max tape measures).

A good friend of mine owns and runs a manufacturing firm. You will find his parts in products all of us own. His main production plants are located in China and he takes several trips there a year for quality control issues. Even with the high price in shipping and customs it's still way cheaper to have his products made in China than here in the US, sad really. He did mention pulling his production out of China in favor of a couple other Asian countries and even India.

On the flip side another friend of mine also owns a manufacturing firm again products all of us use (Clam fish house bases are one!). He's got several production plants ALL located in the great USA!

For the past two years I've helped a friend of mine who owns/runs several orphanages and schools in Haiti load containers of food and other donated items. He pays thousands in shipping cost but it's the bribe he has to pay to the Haitian government that really kills him. It's a sore subject for him but recall him stating the first containter two years ago was stuck on the port for months (full of well needed food) because they wanted $8,000 in bribe money to let it in.

[Cyberfish]

The best ice reel I ever used, cheap too, only 5 bucks! The Schooley, made in Michigan, USA!

[CAMAN]

in my industry we are finding prices in china are rising to the point where it is not worth running projects over there. i am now getting higher quality parts domestically with shorter lead times and i have better quality control. it won't be long before made in the USA is the way to go again.

You are correct in the costs of manufacturing are going up in China, but manufacturers are not even close to bringing everything back to the US. Instead they are starting to send stuff to other developing countries like Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Malaysia. Where costs are still low.