Do you buy Australian made hiking gear? According to Roy Morgan “[a] large majority of 90% of Australians aged 14+ say they are extra likely to buy merchandise made in Australia”. Are you a part of that 90%?
Even if you needed to buy Australian made mountaineering gear the industry, for probably the most half, has different plans. Walk into your favourite outdoor gear retailer on Little Bourke Street or Kent Streetor Rundle Street and ninety nine.9% of merchandise are made elsewhere, largely China.
You should buy Australian made when you do your research. There are few bigger gamers in the area but most manufacturers that manufacture in Australian occupying the ‘cottage industry’ as it’s referred to as. Which is good, as not only are you supporting local, but small enterprise too.
[NEW –9 New Zealand Made Tramping Gear Brands]
So, here’s a listing of manufacturers that make mountaineering gear in Australia. Couple of hunting/tactical gear brands, and a little bit of meals and canvas on right here too.
ONE PLANET
An Australian model since its beginnings in 1979, ONE PLANET has always focussed on designing out of doors tools for the unique conditions of Australia and New Zealand. The brand is best recognized for its rucksacks – from the ultra-durable vary made from Waterloc canvas to light-weight Diamondloc fashions – in addition to its revolutionary bushwalking tents and in depth range of sleeping bags. All gear is designed within the ONE PLANET factory in Melbourne, the place the rucksacks, rainwear and gaiters are additionally made, and down sleeping bags are crammed and finished to order.
There’s much more to examine ONE PLANET’s Melbourne manufacturing unit, 40-year historical past, and social and environmental obligations, and it’s all here: /about
One of a few Australian backpack brands.
Ottie Merino
Ottie Merino is an Australian owned merino climbing clothing brand that’s primarily based in and producers in Melbourne, Australia. They use 100 percent merino wool from Australian sheep that’s 100 percent mulesing-free.
Ottie’s first brief sleeve merino wool t-shirt was designed with suggestions from members of the Hiking in Australia & New Zealand group, making it genuinely a merchandise that’s designed by hikers, for hikers. Ottie is considered one of the latest Australian outside clothing manufacturers.
Full disclosure: this model is owned by the owner of this website and the Hiking in Australia & New Zealand group.
Wilderness Threadworks
Established in 2012 by Dan Pitt, Wilderness Threadworks specialize in backpacks and backpack accessories such as pouches and hip belts.
“All designs go through a rigorous improvement interval to make sure these products perform to their most potential. Products are built right here in Australia, from start to finish. I take your order, build your gear and ship it to your door.”
Tier Gear
Based in Deloraine, Tasmania, Tier Gear regionally manufacture a extensive range of hiking and camping gear from down quilts to hammocks to tarps. They make a variety of the best mountaineering quilts in Australia.
Tier Gear Mala Hammock Under Quilt. Image Credit: Tier Gear
“We constantly try to manufacture and supply lightweight products that are not solely aesthetically pleasing however highly functional and durable.”
Terra Rosa
Everything Terra Rosa makes is handmade by proprietor and sole employee Evan Howard. That includes tarps, baggage and pouches, quilts, and a spread of bikepacking accessories.
“[In] 2010 Evan took the leap to formally launch Terra Rosa, with the mission to get more quality product out to the Australian hiker. He upgraded from slightly Singer to an industrial sewing machine, and moved out to the agricultural Melbourne based mostly workshop where he now manufactures all the gear himself.”
Rossi Boots
Their fantastic, classic Mulga bushwalking boot is made in Australia. Great boot.
Summit Gear
For over 30 years Summit Gear have been making rugged backpacks and daypacks out of their house in Katoomba within the Blue Mountains. They additionally retail a range of quality manufacturers.
Summit Gear Blue Gum Canvas Pack. Image Credit: Summit Gear
“Our design philosophy dictates that we search to remove redundancies from every product that we construct. We emphasise that whilst gear is not going to last eternally, the product should exhibit equal put on traits throughout the whole merchandise. We are confident that our designs, material decisions, and high quality building will lead to products that exceed your expectations.”
Wilderness Wear
One of the most important manufacturers of Australian made hiking gear, they specialise in merino wool and merino wool blends with a massive range of clothes and socks made in their very own manufacturing facility in Preston, Melbourne.
“Technical socks, activewear & outside clothes created from ardour, conscience and insight for those special individuals amongst us who search for quality, purpose and inspiration. (And sure, it’s all-Australian … 200%.)”
Strive
Not a gear business but a meals business. Lauded as one of the tastiest dehydrated climbing meals brands available on the market, Strive makes all of their meals in Hobart, Tasmania.
Strive’s Vegetable Laksa. Image Credit: Strive Foods
Camper’s Pantry
Another Tasmania-based mountaineering meals enterprise, Camper’s Pantry was based by Andrew ‘AJ’ Jenour in 2016 who set out to make “lightweight, nutritious and tasty” meals with premium and local elements.
Here’s a Google Review their obtained: “I’ve tried all the others and the Campers Pantry menu is by far the best and the tastiest! I actually looks, feels and tastes like do-it-yourself meals”. Go team! 🙂
Buy Campers Pantry Freeze Dry Meals
Schusser Threads
Lots of really attention-grabbing technical attire – plenty of merino tops but pants and outerwear too – together with their really rad Snowgum Shell. Handmade in Melbourne.
On Track Meals
Some hikers would possibly dismiss a 250g meal as too heavy. But, if you’re having to hold the water you need to prepare that dehydrated or freeze dry meal, what’s the difference? What’s extra, the non-freeze dry are inclined to style a bit extra ‘real’.
On Track Meals are made in Brisbane by a bunch of outdoors fanatics.
ArmaSkin
Nothing takes the wind out of your hiking sail more than getting blisters. ArmaSkin liner socks set out to prevent blisters.
They’re manufactured in Melbourne.
KTI PLBs
We learnt recently that Kinetic Technology International (KTI) are no longer and have sold the design/rights for the Safety Alert to Jotron, a European firm, that was responsible for making the primary EPIRB back in the day. That means the GME MT410G PLB is the only Australian made choice for people on the lookout for a light-weight PLB
Ask the group what their favourite PLB is and most will inform you the KTI Safety Alert. Even higher, it’s made in Australian–in Melbourne, in reality.
Image Credit: KTI
“Kinetic Technology (KTI) has been designing and manufacturing EPIRBs for over 20 years in Melbourne Australia. KTI specialises in designing and developing beacons for commercial and army use.”
Aussie Ultralight
Based in Sydney, Aussie Ultralight make a spread of ultralight (as the name suggests) dry baggage, pouches, stuff sacks, and wallets from this transparent, crinkly trying materials known as Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF).
Ultralight Hiker
They make ultralight dry bags, pouches, and wallets in Melbourne, Australia, and retail a spread of Australian made hiking products.
Mongrel Boots
Not your traditional mountaineering boots, however Mongrel Boots are made in Australia and can swimsuit some hikers.
Redback Boots
Another enterprise that makes an Australian made hiking boot. Their Everest hiking boots (great name) are made at their manufacturing unit in Alexandria, Sydney.
The Redback Everest hiking boot is among the few remaining Australian made mountaineering boots.
Bluey Merino
Merino clothes brand based in Bowral, New South Wales.
Smitten Merino
Merino clothing brand based mostly in Hobart, Tasmania.
Lindner Socks
Wool socks brand based mostly in Crookwell, New South Wales.
Orange Brown
Ultralight backpacks and accessories. They even do an Australian made packing dice – the primary Aussie made packing cube we now have managed to seek out.
Alps & Amici
“Aren’t they a speciality food retailer and cafe in Launceston” you say. Well, do you know, they really make a range of freeze-dried meals? Well they do.
Forager Food Co
Healthy freeze-dried mountaineering fruit and snacks. Based in Red Hills, Tasmania.
Undercling Mike
You won’t discover this man by way of a shop entrance or factory or perhaps a website. Undercling offers via the Bushwalk.com discussion board and makes his in-demand mountaineering quilts at residence. True cottage trade stuff. Love it.
Feed The Hike
A new light-weight meals model. Check out their light-weight meals.
The Trekkers Friend
Innovative hiking trailer, made in Canberra.
Ah Chair
A cleverly designed, lightweight hiking chair of types that’ll save your again. Made on the South Coast of New South Wales. Tim wrote a fantastic evaluate over at Australian Hiker.
Trekkers Wool
Be gone these blisters. What is Trekkers Wool? Straight from the sheep’s mouth: “Prevent blisters, hot spots, black toes and relieve painful pressure factors with one hundred pc pure, pure, lanolin wealthy Australian Merino lambs’ wool”. Ah, Australian ingenuity.
Outback Packs & Gear
If you’re into tactical wanting stuff, then these guys have you ever coated with Australian made backpacks, bags, and pouches.
Yowie Snowshoes
Snowshoeing is a type of climbing, right? Made down Geelong way in Victoria. Used across the globe.
Tasgear
Canvas gaiters. Made in Tasmania for Tasmanian (and Australian) conditions.
Moroka 30
More of a searching gear brand, however what that generally means is hard-wearing clothing that’s made for the outdoors. They retail all types of stuff, however a giant range of what they sell they make themselves in Melbourne.
GME
A popular brand with boaties and 4WDers, GME’s PLBs, EPIRBS, and radios are all made in Australia. They even carry the Australian Made mark.
Orb Ultralight
Lightweight pouches and dry baggage and sacks.
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To be clear, this list is for manufacturers that make products in Australian, not simply Australian owned. Mont has featured in a few of those lists on the net however their mass produced merchandise at the second are made offshore, however they do some customized manufacturing in Australia and a few of the elements (e.g. canvas for their packs) are made here.
To be sure, the standard of a lot of the climbing gear that is made overseas and retailed by good mountaineering gear shops may be very high. Additionally, there could be nothing incorrect with merchandise being made abroad. However, if you’d prefer to help Australian industry or scale back the distance between your self and the merchandise you consume then try to seek out a domestically made choice if you can.
What’s Our Criteria For Australian Made?
For us to incorporate a model on this listing they want to make no much less than one product in Australia. And by ‘made’ we mean a considerable portion of that product’s manufacture or meeting takes place in Australia. Sure, a variety of the components or supplies might have come from overseas, but they have been considerably purchased collectively and became the completed product here in Australia.
If I actually have missed any brands let me know in the feedback beneath.
Disclaimer:Hiking in Australia & New Zealand has partnered with a number of associates and receives a small fee if you would possibly be going to buy via an affiliate hyperlink. Note: any product critiques featured on this website represent the trustworthy opinion of the reviewer. If we don’t like the product, we’re going to tell you!
