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straight line and it would be so heavy that it

blah blah blah
you my friend seem lost in the 70's on that comment. If living in the 70s, how come you kitesurf?
A pop out is a pop out anyway, but the cars run, windows crashes once in a blue moon, and it does matter to some people to participate in "local" manufacturing. Not that I have a problem with my China kites and Thai boards.
Meanwhile, BMWs, Fords, Chevies, jet engines, space ships, and the prototypes for many things produced elsewhere, including kites, are mostly made here, in the US.
US has been leading in surf snow kite skate boards for a long time.
Also space ships, computers, and other things invented here.

If SS has managed to shift some production back here and can still hit their price points that is good.
Then again you have a point and if rumors of SS being stressed are true, it might have to do with that factory. Not in terms of quality probably, but cost, as usual.
Kind of a universal concern, the bottom line

Geronimo79 wrote: Many of the kite brands are based in the US.
Best (although they have a BIG office in Berlin these days)
Epic (NC)
SS
Naish
North

probably more. think cabrinha aswell.

Your list pretty much sums it up except...
North is HQ'ed in Austria (www.boards-and-more.com)
I think Cabrinha's HQ is in Hawaii, but they're owned by Neil Pryde which is HQ'ed in Hong Kong.
Caution and Liquid Force are both located in the US (CA specifically). I think the Caution surfboards are built in the US.

Hey everybody,

I'm writing you from Slingshot HQ in Hood River Oregon. I wanted to give you all a little more insight about our decision to make our twin tip boards in the US. We make all of our twin tips (kite & wake) just down the road from me in Washington State at a factory called Moonshine Mfg. We also manufacture the really popular Remote Wakeskates there, which are sick! Not many brands in our line of work can say that they develop and control their own intellectual property these days. Slingshot does. Building our own factory was a key element which allowed us to radically change wakeboard and kiteboard technology, and make it better. If you look around, you'll see that wakeboards are definitely evolving from the same old technology they've been using for years, and moving towards a new type of flex board like the ones we make. We've been very successful in the wakeboard market in just a few years because of our USA made, full wood core flex boards. Wakeboarders were ready for something new.

We're committed to running a lean manufacturing culture company-wide on many levels. We are really happy to make the greenest wake and kiteboards on the planet! Our products are very sustainable and we have good control over our entire recycling program. Not many factories in China recycle. We create very little waste when we make our boards. A few examples are that we use organic water based top sheets instead of PVC, which is common and deadly. Our wood is locally grown here in Oregon. We are the closest factory to the forest where the wood is harvested (Mervin Mfg. aka Lib Tech being second). Therefore we have a very low carbon footprint.

We aren't going to stop moving forward so keep your eyes open for more about those advancements in due time. If you're ever in the Columbia River Gorge and have spare time, you should get in touch with us for a factory tour. For now here's a link to our factory video: http://vimeo.com/52596751

Thanks K2!

I applaud SS for its mentality, and starting, but they aren't there yet.

Can't wait till they (SS) make everything here in the USA, not only for its patriotic duty (That is if they are a USA company), but with the lack of environmental regulation in other countries, and our drive for gluttonous consumption of goods, will drive more production elsewhere, and simply to just don't give a damn and just mass produce, in turn screwing our planet and society even more.

But I wonder with all the employment and environmental regulations here in the USA, how many will pay the hike in prices just cause is made here in the US?

Before we go there, I guess there should be a balance between profitability and social responsiblity. I recently read on another thread that you shouldn't own a surf or kite shop to get wealthy, you should cause you love it, love the culture, etc... so, shouldn't these kite companies think the same way? don't work on kites and gear to get wealthy and give unrealistic returns to investors.

Don't be a walmart, without the great prices of course. I don't think there's a legitimate need to sponsor all these riders, and spend all the money in the world promoting a brand. I don't want to pay for it. Let the kitemags and independent reviews drive the market.

IDK ... my 2 cents.

Jimmy Lewis is based out of Haiku, Hawaii ; but
i don't know exactly Where the boards are made.

Some people think there a Top-Notch company, although
i've never used one of his boards.

Bille

Bille wrote:Jimmy Lewis is based out of Haiku, Hawaii ; but
i don't know exactly Where the boards are made.

Some people think there a Top-Notch company, although
i've never used one of his boards.

Bille

Good one. I believe JL's boards are made in Hawaii as well. So are Amundson's.
Litewave and Axon are both US brands, but Litewave boards are made overseas. Not sure about Axon.

K2 wrote:Hey everybody,

I'm writing you from Slingshot HQ in Hood River Oregon. I wanted to give you all a little more insight about our decision to make our twin tip boards in the US. We make all of our twin tips (kite & wake) just down the road from me in Washington State at a factory called Moonshine Mfg. We also manufacture the really popular Remote Wakeskates there, which are sick! Not many brands in our line of work can say that they develop and control their own intellectual property these days. Slingshot does. Building our own factory was a key element which allowed us to radically change wakeboard and kiteboard technology, and make it better. If you look around, you'll see that wakeboards are definitely evolving from the same old technology they've been using for years, and moving towards a new type of flex board like the ones we make. We've been very successful in the wakeboard market in just a few years because of our USA made, full wood core flex boards. Wakeboarders were ready for something new.

We're committed to running a lean manufacturing culture company-wide on many levels. We are really happy to make the greenest wake and kiteboards on the planet! Our products are very sustainable and we have good control over our entire recycling program. Not many factories in China recycle. We create very little waste when we make our boards. A few examples are that we use organic water based top sheets instead of PVC, which is common and deadly. Our wood is locally grown here in Oregon. We are the closest factory to the forest where the wood is harvested (Mervin Mfg. aka Lib Tech being second). Therefore we have a very low carbon footprint.

We aren't going to stop moving forward so keep your eyes open for more about those advancements in due time. If you're ever in the Columbia River Gorge and have spare time, you should get in touch with us for a factory tour. For now here's a link to our factory video: http://vimeo.com/52596751

I will still never buy a SS product.
Your products are too complicated and fall appart, moreover your warranty service is crap.

Nevertheless, made in china/Thailand/any asian country is usually an inferior product.

Da Yoda wrote:

Bille wrote:Jimmy Lewis is based out of Haiku, Hawaii ; but
i don't know exactly Where the boards are made.

Some people think there a Top-Notch company, although
i've never used one of his boards.

Bille

Good one. I believe JL's boards are made in Hawaii as well. So are Amundson's.
Litewave and Axon are both US brands, but Litewave boards are made overseas. Not sure about Axon.

You are mistaken, JL boards are made overseas, Admundsun customs are hawaiian made, his other stuff is overseas too. Litewave ?


Axon is overseas Axon World Headquarters
17M Olas de Oro Villas
Cabarete-Sosua, Dominican Republic

Epic might be US based but I don't think they make their equipment there....

The fact is that a lot of products are made 'around the world'. Design in one place, financing in another, manufacturing somewhere else, commodities / raw materials as well.

Like everyone else I use a lot of stuff Made in China (or Vietnam or'X')...

However, how much of it was 'Designed in China'....?

Globalization is here to stay...so we'd best get used to it...

And the relative fairness of NAFTA depends on which side of the border(s) you sit on...