10 US Made Camping Products To Survive The American Wild
September 1, 2020
Four things you'll need to address when camping or spending time in the wilderness are Shelter, Fire, Water, and Food. You should always be prepared for things to go sideways, or at least have fun and feel good knowing that IF they did, you could thrive.
This is a list of 10 American Made products that will help you rough it longer, safer, and more comfortably.
We'll start with basic equipment which will help all categories, then move into Shelter, Fire, Water, and Food.
-The Basics-
This 18 tool multi-tool by Leatherman is highly compact and well made. This device has everything you could need build or fix basically anything. Whether you're cutting fabric to make a makeshift tourniquet or just tightening that loose screw on your foldable chair, this thing does it all. EDC essential.
It might not be the prettiest, but this backpack is about as good as it gets. Handmade in Upstate New York, the Rescue Padre by Tough Traveler is used by Search & Rescue professionals in life or death situations. This backpack contains a lightweight aluminum frame (chiropractic recommended), constructed with durable high visibility material, and most importantly, was designed with item organization in mind. Bottom line: Ultra high quality.
Are you familiar with 550 cord? These shoelaces are 550 cord.
Canadian/American company Ironlace decided to make virtually unbreakable shoelaces, because honestly, why not. Anyone who's worked in an unforgiving environment knows broken shoelaces are a regular annoyance, these guys killed that. Certainly you're not that concerned about your shoelaces breaking in a wilderness situation, but when you take these off your shoes, you now have a cord capable of holding 550 lbs of whatever. Think of it as a rope.
By the way, lifetime warranty.
-Shelter-
This is Denver Tent's Colorado Range Tent. Canvas tents have become less common with the advent of nylon tents, but not for the reasons you might expect: nylon is cheaper and lighter, and that's about it. Canvas tents will better insulate you from the cold, breath better in the heat, are remarkably durable, and easy to repair. By the way, Denver Tent has been selling this tent since 1916. This is a 'buy it for life' product.
If you're trying to travel as light as possible, perhaps a nylon tent is for you, but if weight is less an issue, or if you're looking to stay somewhere for a few days or more, canvas is for you.
-Fire-
Zippo has been around since 1932, and its design has gone largely unchanged because, quite frankly, they got it right. During WW2, Zippo left the consumer market and produced exclusively for the military because there was a need for a fire source that would not fail. Get it wet, drop it, run it over, freeze it, burn it, use it at any elevation- this thing will work when you need it to.
High polish chrome is a particularly good choice for camping incase you need to signal for attention, or harness the sun's reflection for any other purpose.
I guess saying, "Just look at it" isn't enough. Made by Estwing, this is a forged steel hatchet with a gut hook and shock absorbing handle. Use this axe to collect wood for a fire, split logs, clear areas, and even to field dress game.
-Water-
Nalgene's bottles have a reputation of being obnoxiously durable. Use this wide mouth bottle to collect and transport water, or just drink out of it. Lightweight, durable, inexpensive.
There are great high tech tools for cleaning water; filters, tablets, UV thingies, and they all have one thing in common- they'll last you about a week. Make it as simple as you can, boil your water with this pot from 360 Cookware that will likely still be here long after you and I are gone. Made from surgical grade steel and comes with a lifetime warranty.
-Food-
The classic cast iron skillet by Lodge. Forget grills, grilling grates, or any other outdoor cooking contraptions- build a fire, set this on the embers, enjoy incredible food. There are probably a few of these floating around in your family because they last forever, but it's time to get your own. Truth be told, camping or not, every kitchen in America should have one of these.
Note: Depending on how light your trying to travel, you should consider the weight of this skillet, they are SOLID.
Igloo's Trailmate coolers were designed to be taken anywhere. With a 4 day ice retention and a 70 qt capacity, this thing can keep a lot of food safe for days. The biggest feature for camping's sake is the 10" wheels and the built in butler tray you can use as a table.