# What does NRS manufacture?



## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

Gremlin said:


> I just looked throught the latest catalog and it seems they are focused on SUP yoga, sea kayaking, dory boats(!?) and clothing. Everything I have ordered recently has been made overseas. I thought they made tubes and frames but now wonder if everything is outsourced. Has it always been this way and I'm only now realizing the extent?


No I think they became corporate maybe 20 years ago. Dry boxes and oars probably made here. Maybe coolers


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

They probably offer 5 times as many jobs to Americans as the smaller, simpler companies than manufacture domestically. "Made in America" isn't always what's best for our economy. Bigger, diverse companies that import often offer more Americans jobs and pay more taxes into government coffers.


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## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

I'm not really trying to start another "buy American" thread. I have been happy with their products and their customer support is the best. Their "bread and butter", based on their advertising, seems to be all products that have been outsourced, but not rafts and frames, leaving me to wonder.


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## swimteam101 (Jul 1, 2008)

They manufacture the frames in Idaho as of last year when I talked to them. Call them up and ask them, I did and they seemed very up front about the origin of the products. Straps China , E boats Mexico , Frames Idaho.


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

Randaddy said:


> They probably offer 5 times as many jobs to Americans as the smaller, simpler companies than manufacture domestically. "Made in America" isn't always what's best for our economy. Bigger, diverse companies that import often offer more Americans jobs and pay more taxes into government coffers.


True. Much in the way that McDonalds produces far more low wage jobs than the feed lots that produce the low grade meat in their products

Here's a better example of corporate responsibility . Apple. Stock is high. They produce a lot of low wage jobs in retail. The Chinese laborers leap off of the FoxConn towers. And they avoid paying taxes through use of offshore havens. All so a bunch of designers can earn a living wage in California and execs can make a killing


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

swimteam101 said:


> They manufacture the frames in Idaho as of last year when I talked to them. Call them up and ask them, I did and they seemed very up front about the origin of the products. Straps China , E boats Mexico , Frames Idaho.


Frames are cut, bent, drilled in Idaho. Where are the pipe and lopros made? But it's better I guess than it just being imported and distributed like my yeti cooler

Which is better than frontier play, where I believe their local manufactured content is close to zero.

The new company I'm most excited about in the industry is canyon inflatables down in Oregon. Unless I'm being lied to, their frames, dry boxes, coolers (and soon to be their new cat tubes) are all made in Oregon

madcatr makes nice lightweight and technical hand made frames in wa for less cost than either. Too bad it's a one year wait list.

Strap works makes their straps locally although not sure where they get their materials.


Sotar and Aire and Maravia and Jacks probably employ a lot of people making boats here although I would guess the raw materials are probably not sourced locally

Of course if this is a priority you should always pick up the phone and do your research, not listen to the rantings of a 'tard


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

NRS manufactures their catalog here the USofA.


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

Randaddy said:


> "Made in America" isn't always what's best for our economy.
> 
> Should be written to:
> 
> Our economy isn't always what's best for America.


Randy, I think you got it backwards and I re-worded it for you.


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## nicho (Mar 18, 2009)

They have a new boat the NRS Patriot which is advertised as being made in the US


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

nicho said:


> They have a new boat the NRS Patriot which is advertised as being made in the US


Hold on here. The "XR-Mariner material" is made in the USA. The material is then shipped to a factory where 16 year girls take great pride in assembling your new boat. All boats are then placed in steel containers where they are baked to perfection in the sun and seasoned to taste in the salty sea air. This grueling manufacturing process solidifies that each and every Patriot is the very best boat that NRS can get to your door.


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## Brotorboat (Apr 14, 2009)

NRS coolers are definitely not made in the US.
I would be willing to bet that the frames are the only thing made in the US.


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

mattywp said:


> NRS coolers are definitely not made in the US.
> I would be willing to bet that the frames are the only thing made in the US.


Probably because they haven't found a way to make them overseas without having to stock so much finished goods inventory. Give them some time. I'm willing to bet all raw materials in the frames come from India or china. 

They have a bender, a cutter, and some drilling jigs here and probably 2 people who know how to make the machines work


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

smile


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## bucketboater (Jul 9, 2012)

Randaddy said:


> They probably offer 5 times as many jobs to Americans as the smaller, simpler companies than manufacture domestically. "Made in America" isn't always what's best for our economy. Bigger, diverse companies that import often offer more Americans jobs and pay more taxes into government coffers.


Outsourcing never sounded so patriotic. The nrs warehouse in Moscow is like a understaffed amazon warehouse. No products on the floor, everything's in back in boxes. The place is horribly understaffed and very slow service , on the plus side they are great with returns, something they are accustomed . 
Went to a state of the art raft warehouse in oregon, generously staffed, everything is on the showroom floor and for the most part made in this fine country. Ive tried to give nrs my buisness but they keep sending me poorly built (crap) products. Buying american has never been so easy, if only we could build a mid size truck.


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## wildh2onriver (Jul 21, 2009)

bucketboater said:


> Outsourcing never sounded so patriotic. The nrs warehouse in Moscow is like a understaffed amazon warehouse. No products on the floor, everything's in back in boxes. The place is horribly understaffed and very slow service , on the plus side they are great with returns, something they are accustomed .
> Went to a state of the art raft warehouse in oregon, generously staffed, everything is on the showroom floor and for the most part made in this fine country. Ive tried to give nrs my buisness but they keep sending me poorly built (crap) products. Buying american has never been so easy, if only we could build a mid size truck.


We do build a mid-sized truck, it's called the Tacoma.


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## bucketboater (Jul 9, 2012)

wildh2onriver said:


> We do build a mid-sized truck, it's called the Tacoma.


Thats what is was thinking, I have one myself. Thought they were built mostly in mexico and japan. Checked it out and built here for the most part. American made is not my biggest priority , its quality.I feel like nrs is lacking in that dept


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## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

So frames might be made in Idaho, tubes we're not sure. I just find it interesting that a leader in the industry is trying to be everything but a boatmaker. Maybe I'm the only one.


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## orto11 (Mar 8, 2013)

Gremlin said:


> So frames might be made in Idaho, tubes we're not sure. I just find it interesting that a leader in the industry is trying to be everything but a boatmaker. Maybe I'm the only one.


I know they do a huge sale volume, but as far as a leader in the industry NRS has always just taken designs from others and then sent it to foreign countries to maximize profit. There is not much pride in opening a container door in the parking lot and filling boxes. They are the walmart of the rafting world. Last time I drove by they had shipping containers in the parking lot. Old Bill sold out his country long ago.


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

If you define American economic success as "we made it on American soil" rather than "we employ hundreds of Americans" than you you don't understand economics or success. I've never thought of NRS as a low wage or predatory employer - the employees I met have always seemed happy with the opportunity. It's ridiculous to compare NRS to WalMart.

Bill Parks made a creative and innovative company and started manufacturing overseas to meet demand and offer American customers a fair price. It's a fact that his business benefits our economy and offers Americans good jobs. 
I'm not saying NRS makes the finest product on the market, but their rafts are great and this customer has stayed dry and warm and floating at a fair price for years because of them. They fill a niche that cottage companies would not - and could not fill.

It's easy to talk shit because you have a few "USA" products around the house but manufacturing isn't the benchmark of the American economy now - business and innovation is. 

The "they took our jobs!" argument is old news and arrogant. Good products are made all over the world. Blind allegiance to American made goods supports small businesses, but supporting good employers supports economic growth - what we need right now.

The key to an ethical purchase is to ask your favorite manufacturer how they preserve an ethical work environment for their manufacturing centers. If you don't think NRS is good for the world, ask them to become a certified B Corp - which ensures fair wages to good people the world over!


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## mjpowhound (May 5, 2006)

I think the bigger question is whether this new economy is sustainable. We outsource anything that can be done more cheaply elsewhere and it won't be long until that includes many of the service jobs that support us now. I just read an article about corporations outsourcing their entire accounting departments to India. The trend seems inevitable and I think the end result is a global wage/standard of living. Wages are rising in the manufacturing countries; we'll meet the exporters somewhere in the middle. From a global perspective maybe that's not such a bad thing, but from the U.S. perspective, it sure looks like we gave up a lot of universal long term benefit for some short term profit for the wealthy.


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## tanderson (Mar 26, 2010)

Made in the USA is a great idea that most Americans are not willing to pay for. There may be a few (ones posting on this very thread) but most people simply look at the bottom dollar, not the true and hidden costs of the cheaper product. The scary thing is that many imported items still cost a lot. A great book about this concept is The Walmart Effect. As for the NRS Patriot, pay close attention to the wording "with Made-in-USA material. " My guess it that the boat is still build south of the border. I don't blame NRS, they are just being competitive.

TDA


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

For me it's about being able to get the stuff I want & need to run rivers. NRS has some of the stuff I want & need to run rivers.....so I buy it. Either directly from them, from REI, or from my local whitewater shop. I can try on their paddle jackets & pants at REI, and they fit, so I buy them. Some products I get from cottage industry vendors like SNS, SolGear, Wilderness Logics, Strapworks, etc. NRS frames work for me, and since I don't have a top notch custom frame builder anywhere near me, I order from NRS. If there was a local company building frames, and sewing Gore-tex paddle clothing then maybe I'd shop with them, but there's not, so NRS gets some (not all) of my business.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

LOVE the new economy:

Why That New Shirt From Gap Is Unbelievably Priceless

Awww, SNAP!

Or wait, why don't you ask McDonalds about economics? They're really good at budgeting....

Economics, what kind of made up crap is that?

Forget Everything You Learned In Economics. You Were Totally Lied To.


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## blutzski (Mar 31, 2004)

lhowemt said:


> Economics, what kind of made up crap is that?
> 
> Forget Everything You Learned In Economics. You Were Totally Lied To.


Evidently these guys don't understand that taxes are part of Economics. From the guys at NPR's Money Matters, how economics can easily reduce carbon emissions: 

Episode 472: The One-Page Plan To Fix Global Warming : Planet Money : NPR


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## pinemnky13 (Jun 4, 2007)

Ok im lookimg for a rescue pfd. Any leads?


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