Best Outdoor Clothing Brands Made in the USA

Serious hunters, avid hikers, and hardcore outdoor adventurers understand that having top-notch gear can be a game-changer when following our favorite pursuits. American-made products have a history of durability and quality, and that reputation still stands, even in the modern consumer climate, which often seems to value savings in cost over craftsmanship. However, choosing outdoor clothing made in the USA isn’t just about quality. It also supports local jobs and ethical labor practices. 

Today there are shifting trade policies, potential tariffs, and disruptions in the supply chain that all could affect imported goods. Buying American-made outdoor clothing is one way to ensure you are purchasing durable, high-performance gear unaffected by the unpredictability of foreign markets. 

Despite the prevalence of foreign-made textiles and components, there are plenty of domestic brands that prioritize cutting-edge fabric technologies and use sustainable manufacturing to create rugged designs tailored to the needs of American hunters and other outdoor adventurers. Whether you’re looking for technical hunting camo, weather-resistant outerwear, or high-performance base layers, here are some of the top made-in-the-USA outdoor clothing brands on the landscape today.

Made-in-the-USA Outdoor Clothing Brands

With so many outdoor clothing brands on the market today, it can be challenging to find ones that deliver on quality, durability, and performance. It can be even tougher to find ones that do all that and are made in the US. While there are some high-quality outdoor brands that are headquartered in the U.S., many of them out-source production or import components. We’ve rounded up some of the best American-made brands producing top-notch, technical, high-performance gear right here in the good ole US of A. 

Forloh

Forloh is the brainchild of Andy Techmanski, a dedicated hunter and former electrical lineman. He founded the company because he was frustrated that his clothing wasn’t keeping him warm or dry and was breaking down before he could get through an entire hunting season. Techmanski launched Forloh (short for “For Love of Hunting”) in 2020. 

“We spun up a commercial technical outdoor brand with all the parts and pieces originating in the U.S.,” Techmanski says. “I’m talking zippers, trims, patches, everything.”

Being manufactured in the U.S. has been Forloh’s mission from the start, even though Techmanski says there were many people in the beginning who said it couldn’t be done. Although the company has faced plenty of hurdles in its journey, it hasn’t wavered in its made-in-America commitment. 

“For me, to prove to the industry that it can be done here and be done at the highest specificity with the highest technical acuity,” Techmanski says. “I think we nailed it.”

Our Favorite Pieces

Forloh Insect Shield SolAir Hooded Long Sleeve Shirt

Key Features

• Built-in insect protection that lasts the life of the garment
• Mineral-enhanced fibers that enhance cooling, drying, and moisture-wicking
• Built-in odor protection
• Soft and comfortable
• Lightweight
• Available in men’s and women’s sizes
• Lifetime warranty

Infused with insect-repelling permethrin, Forloh’s Insect Shield collection is built to keep mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, and other creepy crawlies away. I fell in love with this line during the North Carolina turkey season which is usually hot and buggy. This shirt (and the Insect Shield Lightweight Pants) helped me make it through the season without a single tick — a miracle here in the South unless you’re willing to drench yourself in DEET. This lightweight top also features UV protection, odor elimination, and cooling technologies. 

Darn Tough

Darn Tough is a Vermont-based sock company focusing on durability, comfort, and fit. The brand is well-known for its merino wool hiking socks, which are backed by an unconditional lifetime guarantee. If the socks rip, tear, or lose their fit, even if it’s your dog’s fault, the company will replace them.

When other companies were moving production overseas to cut costs, Darn Tough president and CEO Ric Cabot decided to stay in Vermont and focus on quality despite the company’s debt problems. 

“Nobody ever outsourced anything for quality,” Cabot said on the company website. 

Today, Darn Tough continues to invest in Vermont by providing hundreds of jobs to Vermonters and donating to the Vermont food bank. 

Our Favorite Pieces

Darn Tough “1466” Light Hiker Micro Crew

Key Features

• Available Sizes: Men’s 5.5-17, women’s 4.5-11.5
• Fiber Content: 43 percent merino wool, 54 percent nylon, 3 percent spandex
• Reinforced footbed and Achilles cushion
• Lifetime warranty

This is Darn Tough’s best-selling hiking sock. It also earned top honors in OL’s Best Wool Socks and Best Hiking Socks based on a testing trip on the Oregon Crest Trail. Featuring a comfortable “performance fit,” these socks won’t slip, bunch, or rub. Darn Tough’s 1466 hiking socks are designed to last forever. However, thru-hiking is tough on any pair of socks, even the sturdy American-made variety. When they do eventually give out, Darn Tough will replace them.

Farm to Feet

Nester Hosiery launched Farm to Feet in 2013. The brand uses 100 percent American-sourced merino wool, which is processed into clean wool in Jamestown, South Carolina, before being spun into yarn by spinners in North and South Carolina. After spinning, the yarn is knit into socks at the company’s sustainably focused manufacturing facility in Mount Airy, North Carolina. 

“For me, Farm to Feet is the perfect combination of sustainability, style, performance, and durability. I have never worn socks that have felt so good and felt so good about wearing a pair of socks,” author, thru-hiker, and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Jennifer Pharr Davis said in a website testimonial. 

In addition to providing top-notch, American-made socks, Farm to Feet is also extremely conservation-focused. The brand is a member of the Conservation Alliance, an organization with a mission to protect and preserve wild places through grants and political advocacy. Farm to Feet is also a proud supporter of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Pacific Crest Trail Association, and the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. 

Our Favorite Pieces 

Farm to Feet American Trail Damascus ¾ Crew Light Targeted Cushion

Key Features

• Available sizes: men’s 6-14.5, women’s 4-12.5
• Fiber content: 44 percent merino wool, 52 percent nylon, 4 percent spandex
• Seamless toe closure
• Reinforced construction
• Targeted cushioning at key impact areas
• Lifetime warranty

These socks made OL’s Best Wool Socks and Best Hiking Socks lists. They are an excellent mid- to late-season option for hunting or hiking. These socks are soft, comfy, and naturally odor-resistant. They keep your feet cool in warm weather and warm when the weather cools off.

Origin USA

Origin USA is the passion project of Pete Roberts, who along with co-found Jocko Willink, launched the brand in 2011. The company got its start manufacturing high-quality Brazilian jiu-jitsu gis. Since then, the brand has branched out into workwear, streetwear, and hunting wear (which launched in 2022). The company is dedicated to sourcing and producing quality products “from dirt to shirt.” 

Read Next: Why Don’t More Hunting Companies Manufacture Camo in the United States?

Triple Aught Design

Triple Aught Design is a San Francisco-based company that manufactures rugged, high-quality apparel, packs, and gear for people who love outdoor adventure. The brand name is a reference to engineering jargon. Triple Aught is shorthand for “000,” which is a thousandth of an inch, and represents the standard of precision the company uses in manufacturing its products. Triple Aught Design makes its products in small batches and the Ripstop fabric, webbing, zippers, cordage, and thread used in manufacturing are all made in the USA. 

Duckworth

Duckworth is a Montana brand that manufactures versatile merino wool products, including base layers, jackets, and socks. The company prides itself on its “sheep to shelf” approach, managing every step from fiber to finished garment. The wool is produced by the brand’s co-founders, the Helles family, who are fourth-generation sheep ranchers open-ranging sheep on a combination of public and private lands in southwest Montana’s rugged wilds. Beyond the brand’s Montana-raised sheep, every step of its manufacturing process, from cleaning and spinning to milling and distribution, occurs on American soil. 

Runyon Canyon Apparel

Founded by Tony Nucio in 2012, Runyon Canyon Apparel Company focuses on American-made outdoor fitness wear. The brand’s name and aesthetic are inspired by Runyon Canyon, a beloved hiking area in Los Angeles, “where people from all walks of life blend with celebrities, fitness, animals, art, fashion, and the outdoors.” 

The company’s website highlights its commitment to “restoring authenticity by providing clothes only made in the USA.” 

Western Mountaineering

Founded by Gary Schaezlein and Jeff Jones in 1970, Western Mountaineering is a small, independent company best known for its high-quality down cold weather sleeping bags. However, Western Mountaineering also makes top-notch mountaineering apparel using premium fabrics and high-fill-power down. All of the company’s products are manufactured in San Jose, California. However, its down is sourced from geese ethically raised in Poland and gathered from nesting areas rather than through live plucking. 

Read Next: Best USA Made Knives

The American-Made Clothing Kit

If you wanted a full kit of American-made outdoor clothing, we’d recommend the following:

Why Buy American?

While a “Made in the USA” label isn’t a guarantee of quality, in general, American-made clothing is considered to be of better quality than garments manufactured overseas. Factories in the United States operate under stricter regulations and higher environmental standards than many foreign countries. 

Purchasing American-made products is also ethically important because it supports fair labor practices. Andy Techmanski, founder and CEO of Forloh, believes buying made-in-the-USA gear is an investment in America. 

“There are a lot of people who talk about buying American and don’t realize the full economic benefit of supporting us,” Techmanski tells Outdoor Life. “They gravitate toward lower quality or lower price point products. But we’re paying adults a living wage to do a job.”

Because labor costs are cheaper in places like China, Mexico, and Vietnam, the cost of cutting and sewing in the US is significantly higher. As a result, many American-made garments have higher price points than comparable products made overseas, usually because the extra expense is passed on to the consumer. However, some American brands, like Forloh, absorb the added cost and opt for lower profit margins. 

Techmanski believes the most significant hurdle American brands face is convincing consumers that by supporting made-in-the-USA brands, they also help the “economic rehabilitation of this country.”

Every dollar spent on products made in the U.S. returns at least $1.89 to the American economy, according to MadeInAmerica.org. 

“The way it does that is that you’re paying a US worker and a US business,” Techmanski says. “Then they both pay taxes. Those taxes go on to pay for services. Those services pay for other jobs like police, firefighters, teachers, and so on. The US factory worker earns a fair living wage, and that wage goes on to buy other goods like US auto goods, groceries, and vacations. It continues to reciprocate on and on, staying in the US economy.”