# American (USA) made flashlights



## fresnorich

Sorry if this is a repeat. I did a search, but didn't find a comprehensive list.


Which flashlight companies make their products in America (USA)?

I will compile the posts and try to keep an updated list here:

 (Manufacturer's statement provided when possible)

Adva-light
AELight
 Arc "Made in the USA"
Big Beam
Duracell
Elektrolumens*
Eveready
First-Light USA
FoxFurry
FNS USA
Fulton Industries [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]"As one of the largest flashlight manufacturers in the U.S., Fulton produces a complete line of heavy-duty, industrial, consumer, government and military flashlights."[/FONT]
Greenlee
Heliotek "Made in the USA"
Inova [FONT=&quot]“Assembled in [/FONT][FONT=&quot]USA[/FONT][FONT=&quot] with US and globally secured components.”[/FONT]
Insight Technologies
 Kohler-Brightstar
 LRI/Photon Freedom Micros
Leupold
Lumaray
 Maglite [FONT=&quot]“Flashlight designed, patented and manufactured in the U.S.A. Flashlight may include come imported components.”
Malkoff "Made in USA"
[/FONT] McGizmo (custom light builder)
Muyshondt Nautilus
 Night-ops (BlackHawk - Gladius) "Our night ops lights are made in several different countries depending on the light purchased. They are made in Spain, China and S.Korea and also the United States."
Novatac
Peak Beam (Maxa Beam) "Proud to be made in USA"
 Peak LED Solutions
 Pentagon Light**
 Pelican
 Princeton Tec*
 Ra Lights (HDS Systems)
 Steamlight*
 Surefire
 Tektite "Made in the U.S.A. We're committed to keeping jobs in America. Unlike many other manufacturers, Tektite brand lights are made in America, not just "Designed in the U.S.A." or assembled in the U.S. from foreign-made parts. We mold our plastic parts, assemble our electronics, and machine and stamp our metal parts in our New Jersey factory or locally. We include US-made batteries whenever possible (bulbs come from overseas). Whenever possible, we buy U.S. made machine tools and equipment for our factory, and we only buy trucks from U.S. manufacturers."
Terralux 
TnC Products
Underwater Kinetics "Our products are carefully manufactured in the U.S.A at our facility in California."

* = some imported products
** = imported parts assembled in USA

Please note:


nikon said:


> The circuitry for some of the lights you'll see mentioned here may possibly come from other countries.



(p.s. I don't have an agenda here, and I don't only buy USA products.)


----------



## ernsanada

First-Light USA, makers of the Tomahawk and Liberator Lights.


----------



## Lobo

I believe Surefire, Peak, Arc HDS and Maglite are entirely made in USA.

Not sure about

Streamlight
Pelican
Night-ops
Pentagon lights
Inova
Tektite
LRI 
etc


Should probably also draw a line between custom makers and regular manufacturers.


----------



## Beastmaster

Novatac is another that's wholly made in the USA.

-Steve


----------



## 5kids

I'm pretty sure about
Princeton Tec


----------



## nikon

Peak LED Solutions also, I believe. 

The circuitry for some of the lights you'll see mentioned here may possibly come from other countries.


----------



## alanagnostic

HDS and McGizmo also.


----------



## Fallingwater

Lobo said:


> Not sure about
> 
> LRI


LRI means "Laughing Rabbit Incorporated". You'd think with such a name they *had* to be Chinese, but they're based in the US. Then again, at least some of the components are Chinese - Nichia LEDs, for instance.


----------



## katsyonak

I'm pretty sure Tektite are also made in the U.S.A.
From the Tektite web site:


> *Made in the U.S.A.* We're committed to keeping jobs in America.​ Unlike many other manufacturers, Tektite brand lights are made in America, not just "Designed in the U.S.A." or assembled in the U.S. from foreign-made parts. We mold our plastic parts, assemble our electronics, and machine and stamp our metal parts in our New Jersey factory or locally. We include US-made batteries whenever possible (bulbs come from overseas). Whenever possible, we buy U.S. made machine tools and equipment for our factory, and we only buy trucks from U.S. manufacturers.​


​


----------



## Marduke

Inova is USA


----------



## spoonrobot

Streamlight still has the majority of their lights made in America but they are increasing their Asian-made lights every year. I think they need a vote of "Yes" with an asterik. Pelican is the same way, AFAIK.

Pentagonlight is shrouded in controversy. It has been put forth by well-respected posters that the main components are made somewhere else and then assembled in the US. As far as I know they do bill themselves as American manufacture.

Inova is American made as much as any of the other companies. Certain parts like the base LED and some circuitry come from elsewhere but the % is equal to most of the other manufacturers on the US list.

What about Underwater Kinetics? Webpage says yes.


> Our products are carefully manufactured in the U.S.A at our facility in California.


----------



## metlarules

I believe Kohler-Brightstar is U.S.A made.


----------



## LukeA

Pelican is USA.


----------



## Crenshaw

Fallingwater said:


> LRI means "Laughing Rabbit Incorporated". You'd think with such a name they *had* to be Chinese, but they're based in the US. Then again, at least some of the components are Chinese - Nichia LEDs, for instance.


I thought Nichia was Japanese? most LEDS iirc come from other places too.

Crenshaw


----------



## Big_Ed

Crenshaw said:


> I thought Nichia was Japanese? most LEDS iirc come from other places too.
> 
> Crenshaw



I think the Nichia company is Japanese, and they have some of their LEDs made in China.


----------



## jch79

5kids said:


> I'm pretty sure about Princeton Tec



FWIW, although Princeton Tec produces some products in the USA, a good portion of their production has been moved overseas - headlamps especially. This list is misleading if caveats like that are not noted.



Lobo said:


> ...Arc HDS... are entirely made in USA.



Not sure if you missed a comma, but Arc and HDS (now called Ra Lights) are different companies, and have been for a while. Although Arc and HDS had a history of making lights together as Arc, that has long since passed. But both companies are US-made lights (Arc & HDS/Ra Lights).



spoonrobot said:


> Streamlight still has the majority of their lights made in America but they are increasing their Asian-made lights every year.



I've noticed the same thing. Some of their lights now boast "Assembled in USA". :shrug:

 john

EDIT: While some companies use "some" parts that are made overseas, perhaps we should ALL AGREE that the products listed here as "Made in USA" comply with the official definition set by the Federal Trade Commission here: 


> For a product to be called Made in USA, or claimed to be of domestic origin without qualifications or limits on the claim, the product must be "all or virtually all" made in the U.S.
> 
> What does "all or virtually all" mean?
> "All or virtually all" means that all significant parts and processing that go into the product must be of U.S. origin. That is, the product should contain no — or negligible — foreign content.



Fresnorich, I hope you can keep up this list! :thumbsup: It could serve as a valuable tool for people interested in buying US-made lights - however, accuracy is key, as well as updating to reflect any production changes a company previously listed as US-made may make.


----------



## Fallingwater

Crenshaw said:


> I thought Nichia was Japanese?


Yep, my mistake. Still not made in the USA, though.


----------



## nerdgineer

I believe Insight Technologies is US made. They make a licensed copy of the Gladius, among other lights. I've selected their products for various military applications in the past.


----------



## Outdoors Fanatic

Inova, Pelican and Underwater Kinetics are all made in the USA. The Gladius is U.S made too.


----------



## fresnorich

Lobo said:


> Should probably also draw a line between custom makers and regular manufacturers.





jch79 said:


> FWIW, although Princeton Tec produces some products in the USA, a good portion of their production has been moved overseas - headlamps especially.This list is misleading if caveats like that are not noted...
> 
> EDIT: While some companies use "some" parts that are made overseas, perhaps we should ALL AGREE that the products listed here as "Made in USA" comply with the official definition set by the Federal Trade Commission here:
> 
> Fresnorich, I hope you can keep up this list! :thumbsup: It could serve as a valuable tool for people interested in buying US-made lights - however, accuracy is key, as well as updating to reflect any production changes a company previously listed as US-made may make.



I'll do my best, guys. Keep the recomendations/suggestions coming. I'm thinking maybe I should make the list in alpha order and provide links to each company. 

Do you agree that we should make a distinction between custom makers and regular manufacturers or should we just keep them together in one list?


----------



## Lobo

jch79 said:


> Not sure if you missed a comma, but Arc and HDS (now called Ra Lights) are different companies, and have been for a while. Although Arc and HDS had a history of making lights together as Arc, that has long since passed. But both companies are US-made lights (Arc & HDS/Ra Lights).



Yup, missed a comma. 
But didn't know that HDS goes by the name Ra Lights now. Pretty cool name.



fresnorich said:


> Do you agree that we should make a distinction between custom makers and regular manufacturers or should we just keep them together in one list?



I think I'll retract my own statement, since this list is about where the lights are made, not if they are made by a "qualified" manufacturer, as I misinterpreted the thread in the beginning. It's also not that easy to distinguish a manufacturer from a custom maker, easier to say where a light is made. 
So I vote "no" on my own suggestion.


----------



## jch79

Great progress so far, Fresnorich! :thumbsup:


----------



## katsyonak

What about Glo-Toob? Anyone knows where it's made?


----------



## elgarak

Insight also makes the Gladius in license, and has all the time. The license agreement prevented them from selling the light under their own brand name for a certain time.

The Insight Typhoon is not a clone of the Gladius, it's the same light re-branded.


----------



## eyeeatingfish

This thread is very dangerous to my wallet...


----------



## fresnorich

Here's one I found in a Google search: FNS USA

Viper X-11:
http://www.fnhusa.com/support/images/dynamic/m/FNM0106mb.png

Striker-6 Tactical:
http://www.fnhusa.com/support/images/dynamic/m/FNM0107mb.png



_"Last edited by Size15's : Today at 10:32 AM. Reason: Hotlinking images without permission from the host is against our rules"




_


----------



## datiLED

Don't forget Pierce. The Pierce M10 is an awesome little light.


----------



## bitslammer

datiLED said:


> Don't forget Pierce. The Pierce M10 is an awesome little light.



Unfortunately according to their website it's been discontinued and it looks like no other products are available. Too bad. It looks like a light I'd have surely purchased. 

http://www.piercelight.com/Purchase.htm


----------



## jch79

Plus, IIRC, the Pierce wasn't made in USA. :shrug: I wrote them asking, and I seem to remember them saying it wasn't. :thinking: I guess it doesn't matter now though!


----------



## datiLED

jch79 said:


> Plus, IIRC, the Pierce wasn't made in USA. :shrug: I wrote them asking, and I seem to remember them saying it wasn't. :thinking: I guess it doesn't matter now though!


 
 What?!? I was under the impression that the M10 was made in the US. This is worse than finding out that Santa isn't real.


----------



## jch79

datiLED said:


> What?!? I was under the impression that the M10 was made in the US. This is worse than finding out that Santa isn't real.



Wait... :santa: ISN'T REAL?!?!?  

Derek, although it was a long while ago, I remember writing them asking where it was made, and he said overseas. Now, granted, it was a while ago, and I have a :tinfoil: memory - but this I remember being surprised and bummed about!

:wave: john


----------



## jch79

Ok, found Pierce's statement on it from here:



Pierce Light said:


> We do acquire some parts overseas. However, we do our designs, assembly, QA inspection, some manufacturing processes in the US of A.
> 
> For example, the Luxeon I get may be manufactured overseas in Malaysia, the optics we get are manufactured here in the USA. The power chips we get are a US company's proudct, etc. etc.



I'm guessing since they don't say it outright that the machining is done in the USA, I'll go ahead and assume that it's not.

john


----------



## Trashman

fresnorich said:


> Here's one I found in a Google search: FNS USA
> 
> Viper X-11:
> http://www.fnhusa.com/support/images/dynamic/m/FNM0106mb.png
> 
> Striker-6 Tactical:
> http://www.fnhusa.com/support/images/dynamic/m/FNM0107mb.png




The X-11 looks nearly identical to the Dark Ops Hellfire X-15. I wonder what the connection is?


----------



## Afraid-of-the-dark

Useful thread, thank you. 

(although, rest assured, you're making my wallet wince a tad more than it already is.)


----------



## fresnorich

fresnorich said:


> Not sure about:
> 
> Night-ops (Gladius) - sent an e-mail requesting info.



Here's the response re: Night-ops (BlackHawk):

Hello Rich
Thank you for contacting BlackHawk Products Group.
Our night ops lights are made in several different countries depending on the light purchased.
They are made in Spain, China and S.Korea and also the United States.
I hope this information proves helpful.
Thanks

*Diane Sheppard*
Blackhawk! Products Group
Customer Support Service
6160 Commander Pkwy
Norfolk, Va 23502
(757)436-3101 x 3279
(757)436-3088
www.blackhawk.com
[email protected]


----------



## adamlau

Can anything with an SSC, or Nichia be considered Made in USA? Also, the McGizmo McClicky is manufactured in China.


----------



## Big_Ed

I think this thread should be a sticky!


----------



## Size15's

adamlau said:


> Can anything with an SSC, or Nichia be considered Made in USA? Also, the McGizmo McClicky is manufactured in China.


Cree also uses some international assembly/packaging/processing outside the USA for their XR-E LED I believe.
I don't think it's reasonable to expect 100% of everything (subcomponents etc) to be made in the USA from 100% USA-sourced raw materials.
On the other hand there is also a point at which a product is too foreign in terms of parts, processing or whatever to be considered Made in the USA.

Al


----------



## precisionworks

Muyshondt Nautilus is also USA made.


----------



## Flying Turtle

The latest Consumer Reports devoted a couple pages to the question "Made in the USA?". 
To quote: "A direct made in the USA claim means that all or virtually all significant parts and processing are of U.S. origin."..."The only U.S.-made products that have to say so are seafood, cars, furs, and some clothing, textiles, and woolen goods."

Geoff


----------



## jch79

Flying Turtle said:


> To quote: "A direct made in the USA claim means that all or virtually all significant parts and processing are of U.S. origin."..."The only U.S.-made products that have to say so are seafood, cars, furs, and some clothing, textiles, and woolen goods."



Geoff-
The CR article is quoting the official definition, as set by the FTC, and quoted and linked in my post (#16) above. 
-john


----------



## Flying Turtle

Oops. Sorry to be repeating what you already said, John. I've been away for a few days and didn't read everything carefully enough.

Geoff


----------



## jch79

It's cool Geoff! I'd actually really like to check out the CR article... however, their website is password-protected.


----------



## Coop

Federal Trade Comission said:


> For a product to be called Made in USA, or claimed to be of domestic origin without qualifications or limits on the claim, the product must be "all or virtually all" made in the U.S.
> 
> What does "all or virtually all" mean?
> "All or virtually all" means that *all significant parts* and processing that go into the product *must be of U.S. origin*. That is, the product should contain no — or negligible — foreign content.



Wouldn't that basicly rule out most of the LED lights? Almost all of the LEDs used are made in asia. I'd say the emitter of a LED flashlight is pretty much the most significant part in the entire light.

This is not to stir anything up, I'm just wondering...


----------



## jch79

Coop-
It's a a valid point and concern - and one I have no answer to! :nana:
john


----------



## Culhain

The Heliotek website states that their light is made in the U.S.A.


----------



## Outdoors Fanatic

Don't forget about the superb illumination tools made by *FoxFury. *Makers of the first high-powered headlights using CREE.
http://www.foxfury.com/


----------



## fresnorich

Any other suggestions, guys?


----------



## Marduke

Coop said:


> Wouldn't that basicly rule out most of the LED lights? Almost all of the LEDs used are made in asia. I'd say the emitter of a LED flashlight is pretty much the most significant part in the entire light.
> 
> This is not to stir anything up, I'm just wondering...



Cree and Lumileds are US products (at least for now). Nichia is Japan, SSC is South Korea (with US made EZ1000 dies), and who cares about the cheap blue dim junk from China?


----------



## jch79

Marduke, I don't think Lumileds are made in USA... :thinking: Can you point us toward a link somewhere? That'd be cool to know!!


----------



## Marduke

jch79 said:


> Marduke, I don't think Lumileds are made in USA... :thinking: Can you point us toward a link somewhere? That'd be cool to know!!





> Philips Lumileds maintains manufacturing operations in San Jose, California, Penang, Malaysia and Yishun, Singapore with dedicated R&D labs in San Jose, California and Best, The Netherlands.



Source:
http://www.lumileds.com/technology/manufacturing.cfm

I believe the Rebel is US made, and who cares about their other older tech?


----------



## Outdoors Fanatic

Marduke said:


> Cree and Lumileds are US products (at least for now). Nichia is Japan, SSC is South Korea (with US made EZ1000 dies), and who cares about the cheap blue dim junk from China?


+1

Well said.


----------



## jch79

Marduke said:


> Source:
> http://www.lumileds.com/technology/manufacturing.cfm
> 
> I believe the Rebel is US made, and who cares about their other older tech?



Exciting! :thumbsup: I wonder if there's a way to confirm that the Rebel or new K2's are made in their California facility!


----------



## BlackDecker

Streamlight US made? I own a Streamlight Twin Task CR123 light that clearly has 'CHINA' stamped on the tailcap next to the loop for the lanyard.


----------



## jch79

Rich has Streamlight listed with an *, which means "some imported products" - but they also qualify as ** (imported parts assembled in USA), as some of their lights say "Assembled in USA".

So it all depends on which Streamlight you have! :duh2:


----------



## fresnorich

Here's a new one for the list: 

Leupold

Here's a thread on the new line.


----------



## 270winchester

Fallingwater said:


> LRI means "Laughing Rabbit Incorporated". You'd think with such a name they *had* to be Chinese, but they're based in the US. Then again, at least some of the components are Chinese - Nichia LEDs, for instance.



meh, their most expensive product Proton is made in China, not sure about Rex and the other lights. The Micro is made in the US.


----------



## Lightingguy321

Hey where's surefire? 
www.surefire.com


----------



## jch79

Lightingguy321 said:


> Hey where's surefire?
> www.surefire.com



They're on the first post, which Rich has been updating! :thumbsup:


----------



## gottawearshades

Maybe this question is off topic, but I am curious:

I have seen and own flashlights made in America, and a bunch made in Asia. Anywhere else?

Are there noteworthy light producers in Europe? England? Germany? 

Cheers


----------



## jch79

Might be an idea for another thread!
I think this thread would go too far OT if we were discussing lights made elsewhere. A great idea! :thumbsup:
 john


----------



## HWman

Assembled In U.S.

That means the high-tech semi-conductor manufacturing, precision machining, metal anodizing, circuit board production, etc. are all created and produced overseas.

So, American workers pop in a spring and screw on the tailcap. Next, insert the LED module into the body. Then, put a lens in the bezel and screw it to the body. Done!

Is there something wrong with this picture?


.


----------



## parnass

HWman said:


> Assembled In U.S. ...
> So, American workers pop in a spring and screw on the tailcap. Next, insert the LED module into the body. Then, put a lens in the bezel and screw it to the body. Done!
> 
> Is there something wrong with this picture?



Here's one aspect which is right: Products assembled in USA at least provide an American worker with a job.


----------



## Monocrom

Thanks for creating this topic, fresnorich. :thumbsup:


----------



## fresnorich

Anything new to add? It's been a couple months.


----------



## Art Vandelay

Is McGizmo made made the USA? I Know they are designed in the USA, but what about the titanium CNC, etc?


----------



## Brownstone

What definition of "Made in USA" are you using? The FTC definition or something else?

If you are using the FTC definition, then MagLites are certainly not US made. I was reading the fine print on the back of a MagLite package just two days ago and it says something like "assembled from US and imported components."


----------



## Blue72

Brownstone said:


> W
> I was reading the fine print on the back of a MagLite package just two days ago and it says something like "assembled from US and imported components."


 
I never seen a mag package with those qoutes. Have you seen the new Maglite facilities, it will change anybody mind where maglites are made.


----------



## Art Vandelay

This is M.L.'s page on U.S. based manufacturing. 

http://www.maglite.com/Mag_commitment.asp

They do make them in the US, but some parts may be imported like the aluminum, or the LED (unless they happened to use a North Carolina made Cree).

The world is so interconnected now, it's hard to find complex products that are made in the USA from US products. I don't think any of the US car manufacturers could claim to be "made in the USA" anymore.


----------



## Brownstone

Art Vandelay said:


> I don't think any of the US car manufacturers could claim to be "made in the USA" anymore.



I think we need to set aside cars for purposes of any "Made in USA" discussion. That is because there are special rules for the labeling of automobiles, textiles, wool, and fur products. Any discussion of cars would not be applicable to flashlights.​


Art Vandelay said:


> They do make them in the US, but some parts may be imported like the aluminum, or the LED (unless they happened to use a North Carolina made Cree).



That is, by definition, *not* "Made in USA". If you make a wrench in the USA, out of steel *not* from the USA, then you cannot call that wrench "Made in USA".​Here is a FTC website that helps to understand what it takes to call something "Made in USA" - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/madeusa.shtm

MagLite flashlights do not meet this definition. MagLite flashlights are legally unable to carry the "Made in USA" declaration. MagLite is careful to toe the line and obey the law, but I think they cut it pretty close. They call themselves a "US Manufacturer", even though they can't call their products "Made in USA".

I'll see if I can get a photograph of that fine print on their packaging.


----------



## Amonra

Q: "What factors does the Commission consider to determine whether a product is "all or virtually all" made in the U.S.?"

A: "The product’s final assembly or processing must take place in the U.S. The Commission then considers other factors, including how much of the product’s total manufacturing costs can be assigned to U.S. parts and processing, and how far removed any foreign content is from the finished product. In some instances, only a small portion of the total manufacturing costs are attributable to foreign processing, but that processing represents a significant amount of the product’s overall processing. The same could be true for some foreign parts. In these cases, the foreign content (processing or parts) is more than negligible, and, as a result, unqualified claims are inappropriate.

Example: A company produces propane barbecue grills at a plant in Nevada. The product’s major components include the gas valve, burner and aluminum housing, each of which is made in the U.S. The grill’s knobs and tubing are imported from Mexico. An unqualified Made in USA claim is not likely to be deceptive because the knobs and tubing make up a negligible portion of the product’s total manufacturing costs and are insignificant parts of the final product.

Example: A table lamp is assembled in the U.S. from American-made brass, an American-made Tiffany-style lampshade, and an imported base. The base accounts for a small percent of the total cost of making the lamp. An unqualified Made in USA claim is deceptive for two reasons: The base is not far enough removed in the manufacturing process from the finished product to be of little consequence and it is a significant part of the final product."

In other words no flashlight can be considered made in the USA as all the parts are of major importance to the construction of the flashlight as there are so few parts ( body, switching mechanism, bulb/LED ) and at least one of them is not entirely manufactured and/or mined in the USA.


----------



## Brownstone

Amonra said:


> In other words no flashlight can be considered made in the USA as all the parts are of major importance to the construction of the flashlight as there are so few parts ( body, switching mechanism, bulb/LED ) and at least one of them is not entirely manufactured and/or mined in the USA.



That's pretty much right. You can't make an _unqualified_ "Made in USA" claim unless all significant parts are from the USA as well. Of course, you can make a _qualified_ claim, so long as you are specific in what is and isn't from the USA.

Returning to MagLite as an example, they cannot (and do not) make an _unqualified_ "Made in USA" claim. Here is the _qualified_ claim taken directly from a Solitaire package:







So, the question I still have is this: What standard are we using in this "Made in USA" thread to determine which lights make the cut? Is it the FTC standard? If not, what standard is it?


----------



## Art Vandelay

I doubt any lights use aluminum made in the USA. I don't think Surefire could make that claim. If it were practical, I'm sure they would.


----------



## jch79

Brownstone said:


> So, the question I still have is this: What standard are we using in this "Made in USA" thread to determine which lights make the cut? Is it the FTC standard? If not, what standard is it?



Brownstone-

Thanks for posting the MagLite packaging photo - I've found it troubling that their lights now say "Patented in the USA" on them. :ironic:

While the questions you're raising are valid, the "Made in USA" title given to flashlight manufacturers in this thread is taken at the manufacturers' words. If they say their product is Made in USA, we have to take them for their word. They could face legal consequences if they claimed one thing and a consumer "in the know" found otherwise.

I posted the FTC standards for "Made in USA" early on in this thread, to bring it up, however, even if this was the standard qualifier we were using for this thread, would there be any way for us to really find out if a manufacturer's claims were true? :shrug: It's already been brought up that it's highly doubtful that any light nowadays is 100% Made in USA anyways.

So let's all take a leap of faith and trust a mfr. when they say "Made in USA", and hopefully with our pooled resources we can back up their claim (with product packaging, email communication, etc.), or we can prove otherwise. What other choices do we have? 

:thumbsup: john


----------



## fresnorich

Thanks, John. You pretty much summed up my feelings no the subject.

My question to Brownstone is this: Are there any lights listed that meet the FTC standard in your eyes? If so, which ones? And if not, or if there is no way to be sure, then what is the point of repeatedly bringing it up?


----------



## Art Vandelay

Maybe this why Cree does not mark their LEDs "made in America", even though they are made in North Carolina.


----------



## GarageBoy

Fulton Industries


----------



## Brownstone

fresnorich said:


> My question to Brownstone is this: Are there any lights listed that meet the FTC standard in your eyes? If so, which ones? And if not, or if there is no way to be sure, then what is the point of repeatedly bringing it up?



I don't know why "my eyes" would be the ones that matter; the lights either do or do not meet the FTC standard. My opinion isn't worth a hill of beans on the matter.

Why keep bringing it up? Because people keep throwing around the words "Made in USA" as if they had no legal meaning - they do.

I basically agree with John; for purposes of this list if a company claims "Made in USA", then that claim should pretty much be taken at face value unless there is some obvious reason to doubt it.

MagLites are not "Made in USA" flashlights. MagLites do not claim to be "Made in USA" flashlights. Anybody saying MagLites are "Made in USA" is putting words into Mag's mouth that Mag did not say.

If nothing else, MagLite needs a ** added to post #1 to indicate their imported parts status. I think Inova does also, but I'll have to check exactly what they say on their packaging later.

FWIW, California has an even stricter standard than the FTC for claiming "Made in USA". While the FTC allows insignificant foreign content, California allows *no* foreign content. (California Business & Professions Code 17533.7). I'm not proposing we use California's standard here.


----------



## fresnorich

Brownstone said:


> I don't know why "my eyes" would be the ones that matter; the lights either do or do not meet the FTC standard. My opinion isn't worth a hill of beans on the matter.



Point taken. I guess I threw that in there because you seem to be the most concerned about the issue. 

You didn't answer the question though. Are you aware of any lights that meet the FTC standard for "Made in USA"?


----------



## Brownstone

fresnorich said:


> You didn't answer the question though. Are you aware of any lights that meet the FTC standard for "Made in USA"?



Tektite makes an unqualified claim of "Made in USA".


----------



## fresnorich

From the Maglite site:

"Mag Instrument's Commitment to U.S.-Based Manufacturing"

http://www.maglite.com/Mag_commitment.asp

(edit: sorry, Art. I didn't notice that you had already posted this.)


----------



## fresnorich

From the Tektite site:

"We're committed to keeping jobs in America.​ Unlike many other manufacturers, Tektite brand lights are made in America, not just "Designed in the U.S.A." or assembled in the U.S. from foreign-made parts. We mold our plastic parts, assemble our electronics, and machine and stamp our metal parts in our New Jersey factory or locally. We include US-made batteries whenever possible *(bulbs come from overseas).* Whenever possible, we buy U.S. made machine tools and equipment for our factory, and we only buy trucks from U.S. manufacturers."​

http://www.tek-tite.com/home/usa.php


----------



## fresnorich

GarageBoy said:


> Fulton Industries



Added


----------



## Brownstone

Aren't we saying the same thing? I'm not sure what new information those two links bring?

MagLite does not make a "Made in USA" claim. They do not reveal what disqualifies them from that claim, nor do they have to.

Tektite does make a clear unqualified "Made in USA" claim. Look at the bottom page of this price list for example: http://www.tek-tite.com/info/download/Retail_Price_List_May_2006.pdf

Is an imported incandescent bulb sufficient to disqualify TekTite from an unqualified "Made in USA" claim? Apparently TekTite thinks not. I thought the proposal was to take the manufacturer's claims at face value?


----------



## Amonra

Brownstone said:


> Is an imported incandescent bulb sufficient to disqualify TekTite from an unqualified "Made in USA" claim? Apparently TekTite thinks not. I thought the proposal was to take the manufacturer's claims at face value?



If the bulb is not considered an integral part of a flashlight, what is ?


----------



## fresnorich

Brownstone said:


> Aren't we saying the same thing? I'm not sure what new information those two links bring?



I'm not trying to contradict anything you said. I'm just trying to provide information, which is why I created the thread in the first place.


----------



## Brownstone

Amonra said:


> If the bulb is not considered an integral part of a flashlight, what is ?



:shrug: I think the proposal on the table was to accept the manufacturer's claims. Apparently TekTite does not feel that the bulb is enough to contradict the FTC rules, as they make an unqualified "Made in USA" claim.​


fresnorich said:


> I'm not trying to contradict anything you said. I'm just trying to provide information, which is why I created the thread in the first place.



Ok, well if I get some pictures of the "fine print" on other flashlights I'll post them.​


----------



## Brownstone

Fine print from an Inova X5:







Another "**" flashlight.


----------



## jch79

Wow, bummer that an Inova light says that!  Thanks for posting that, Brownstone. 
john


----------



## Art Vandelay

Are the "made in the USA" lights anymore "made in the USA" than the "assembled in the USA" lights, or is this just a reflection of the relative strength of their respective marketing and legal departments.


----------



## fresnorich

Brownstone said:


> MagLites are not "Made in USA" flashlights. MagLites do not claim to be "Made in USA" flashlights. Anybody saying MagLites are "Made in USA" is putting words into Mag's mouth that Mag did not say.





Brownstone said:


> MagLite does not make a "Made in USA" claim. They do not reveal what disqualifies them from that claim, nor do they have to.



Although I stated that I was not trying to contradict Brownstone in the above posts, I would like to point out this quote from the "Mag Instrument's Commitment to U.S.-Based Manufacturing" page:

[FONT=arial,helvetica]"So when Mag Instrument calls itself "a U.S.A. Manufacturer," what is meant is that its flashlights are made in the U.S.A. -- in a U.S. factory, by U.S. workers -- even if some components might sometimes have to be imported."

Another bold statement found here:

[/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica]"Mag Instrument is the only flashlight company with significant market share that still manufacturers its entire line of flashlights in the United States."[/FONT]

And another from their philosophy page:

[FONT=arial,helvetica]"Mag Instrument is proud to be a leader in the current renaissance in American manufacturing. Maglica himself, a fervent believer in the importance of manufacturing in the United States, insists that Mag remain a U.S.A. Manufacturer. He has dedicated himself to proving that American products can excel in the global marketplace by using technology to continually improve quality and reduce costs. Over the last two decades, Maglica's innovations have enabled Mag Instrument to offer consumers a consistently better value than the competition."

[/FONT]


----------



## jch79

iiiinteresting!!


----------



## Brownstone

fresnorich said:


> Although I stated that I was not trying to contradict Brownstone in the above posts, I would like to point out this quote from the "Mag Instrument's Commitment to U.S.-Based Manufacturing" page:



Hi Fresnorich, I'm not trying to contradict you either, and we've both read the same stuff from Mag, but I'm still not sure if we are on the same page or not.

All the words Mag writes, to me, are a way of saying "we can't legally claim 'Made in USA' for our products, but look at all the stuff we do in the USA". Which is fine, and I agree they have every right to be proud of their accomplishments and the US workers they employ in California.

I think this is all leading back to the very first question I asked on this thread; "What definition of 'Made in USA' are we using?"

If we are using the FTC definition, Mag products are not "Made in USA". They are assembled in the USA using US and imported components.
If we are using some other definition, I'd like to know what it is.
Someone had proposed just accepting the what the manufacturers claim, which is fine with me, but is effectively another way of saying "use the FTC definition". Because if the manufacturers are in compliance with the law, that is the definition they will be using.

I just checked post #1 and there still isn't a "**" next to either Mag or Inova, even though I've posted documentation that they both use foreign parts. If nobody can agree what definition of "Made in USA" is being used in this thread, then I have no idea how you are making that determination or what information you want posted?


----------



## fresnorich

I'm going with what the manufacturer says, when I can find it. I've updated the first post with the info. that I've found so far. 

I don't see the need for asterisks when the manufacturer's statement is provided.


----------



## jch79

+1 - if a manufacturer says "Made in USA", then it should be "Made in USA" in this thread.

If they want to provide an extensive amount of info regarding where everything came from, they should be commended for doing so.

However, if a manfr. says "Assembled in USA", or something similar, that's a different story.

Thanks Rich!

john


----------



## Brownstone

fresnorich said:


> I'm going with what the manufacturer says, when I can find it. I've updated the first post with the info. that I've found so far.



:thumbsup::thumbsup: I think that is perfect - I didn't understand before that you were thinking of just putting an exact quote from the manufacturer.


----------



## jch79

:buddies:  :wave:


----------



## Blue72

Terralux mag drop ins are made in the usa


----------



## american lockpicker

Eveready flashlights are Made in U.S.A. but the bulbs aren't.


----------



## Marduke

american lockpicker said:


> Eveready flashlights are Made in U.S.A. but the bulbs aren't.



Not all of them are made in the USA


----------



## stitch_paradox

Did mag quote that their products are not made in the USA? thats new to me..


----------



## Brownstone

stitch_paradox said:


> Did mag quote that their products are not made in the USA? thats new to me..



Did you read the entire thread yet?


----------



## stitch_paradox

yeah i did, sorry for my ignorance though. but why dod they have this posted at their website?

http://www.maglite.com/Mag_commitment.asp


empahsis on:

[FONT=arial,helvetica]"Every Mag Instrument flashlight, no matter where in the world it ends up, comes from a factory located in the U.S.A. and staffed by American workers."

are they misleading their customers?
[/FONT]


----------



## Marduke

stitch_paradox said:


> yeah i did, sorry for my ignorance though. but why dod they have this posted at their website?
> 
> http://www.maglite.com/Mag_commitment.asp
> 
> 
> empahsis on:
> 
> [FONT=arial,helvetica]"Every Mag Instrument flashlight, no matter where in the world it ends up, comes from a factory located in the U.S.A. and staffed by American workers."
> 
> are they misleading their customers?
> [/FONT]




Please read as "comes from an assembly plant located in the USA..."

A sufficient number of their components are now imported as to no longer quality for "Made in USA", but rather "Product of USA" or "Assembled in USA"


----------



## HKJ

stitch_paradox said:


> [FONT=arial,helvetica]"Every Mag Instrument flashlight, no matter where in the world it ends up, comes from a factory located in the U.S.A. and staffed by American workers."
> 
> are they misleading their customers?
> [/FONT]




They do not say anything about the where the different parts of the flashlight comes from, just that the finished light comes from the us factory.
They probably means that the light is assembled at the factory and maybe the metal work is also done at the factory.


----------



## stitch_paradox

Ok this is my say. Who among you have seen the Maglite plant? I did a few years ago, and I'm pretty much sure that the light are all made there. They do machine the body of the lights there. The only parts that I can think of that is probably made outside the US are the bulb and the other accessories such as the holster, the traffic wand, etc. And due to legal issues here in America when a complete light comes out of the factory and the bulb is made elswhere then they cannot fully say that the light is made in the US.


----------



## Marduke

stitch_paradox said:


> Ok this is my say. Who among you have seen the Maglite plant? I did a few years ago, and I'm pretty much sure that the light are all made there. They do machine the body of the lights there. The only parts that I can think of that is probably made outside the US are the bulb and the other accessories such as the holster, the traffic wand, etc. And due to legal issues here in America when a complete light comes out of the factory and the bulb is made elswhere then they cannot fully say that the light is made in the US.




For them to no longer be able to claim "Made in USA", it must be a sizable % imported.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/madeusa.shtm

Keep in mind that MagLite only changed this a few years ago. If your visit was prior to then, things were indeed different.

Leatherman also recently got hit with not being able to claim "Made in USA", as major components are now made in Mexico.


----------



## Brownstone

stitch_paradox said:


> And due to legal issues here in America when a complete light comes out of the factory and the bulb is made elswhere then they cannot fully say that the light is made in the US.



Exactly what you said. Because the light contains foreign components Mag cannot legally claim "Made in USA". 

So what was the question?


----------



## stitch_paradox

Brownstone said:


> Exactly what you said. Because the light contains foreign components Mag cannot legally claim "Made in USA".
> 
> So what was the question?



isn't it the same for most LED lights companies? some LED are made overseas right?


----------



## jch79

Various LED manufacturers have already been discussed earlier in this thread.


----------



## Marduke

stitch_paradox said:


> isn't it the same for most LED lights companies? some LED are made overseas right?



Some. But if you read that link, you'll see that a product does not have to be 100% Made in the USA to qualify to claim that it is.


----------



## kramer5150

Can someone confirm for me if SuperFire lights (the "real" ones) are in fact made in USA like the bigcowboy claims in my youtube video comments?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD34YvaGMoo

I don't mean... if they are a US based company outsourcing parts from Asia. I mean is it a LEGIT made/manufactured in USA product. Or at least are the non-electrical parts USA made.

http://www.superfireusa.com/

???
thanks!! I'm just seeking the truth!!


----------



## Monocrom

kramer5150 said:


> Can someone confirm for me if SuperFire lights (the "real" ones) are in fact made in USA like the bigcowboy claims in my youtube video comments?....


 
They look like their lights are Made in China.... If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck....


----------



## jch79

Yeah - $9.77 from DX... :thumbsdow if it was made in USA, they're sure not makin' any money! :laughing:

It's pretty lame :shakehead that they put "USA" in their brand name - not to mention it's curiousle close to "SureFire" as a name.... "clever" marketing to try and fool those who are easily fooled!  They'd probably say that they're "designed in USA".. :ironic:


----------



## LEDninja

Elektrolumens lights are made in Cottage Grove Oregon USA.
CPFMP subforum
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/forumdisplay.php?f=36
illuminationforums
http://www.illuminationforums.com/IlluminationForums/forumdisplay.php?f=3
Home page
http://elektrolumens.com/


----------



## jch79

LEDninja,

IIRC, some of Elektrolumens are made in the US, and some are made overseas. :thinking:

Could you provide verification that all of Elektrolumens' lights are US-made?

Thanks! :wave:
john


----------



## Outdoors Fanatic

kramer5150 said:


> Can someone confirm for me if SuperFire lights (the "real" ones) are in fact made in USA like the bigcowboy claims in my youtube video comments?
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD34YvaGMoo
> 
> I don't mean... if they are a US based company outsourcing parts from Asia. I mean is it a LEGIT made/manufactured in USA product. Or at least are the non-electrical parts USA made.
> 
> http://www.superfireusa.com/
> 
> ???
> thanks!! I'm just seeking the truth!!


Superfire is as chinese as it gets. Superfire is more chinese than Kung-Fu and Wok pans.


----------



## LEDninja

jch79 said:


> LEDninja,
> 
> IIRC, some of Elektrolumens are made in the US, and some are made overseas. :thinking:
> 
> Could you provide verification that all of Elektrolumens' lights are US-made?
> 
> Thanks! :wave:
> john


Elektrolumens used to design some lights that were subcontracted to Chinese manufacturers but has not done so for the last 3 years or so. All the more recent lights are made in Oregon:
My Little Friend,
Lucidus,
DeCree/Firelion,
Quadstar Phazer,
Long Throw,
Ohio,
Shadeslayer 7
Assorted SSC-P4 & P7 drop ins,
Mag P7.

My Little Friend at ~200 units was his last big run. After that it was custom builds or small batches, not enough to subcontract out.

One of his problems with not outsourcing his designs is falling way behind on delivery.
People have waited over a year for the Quadstar Phazers. He's got all the parts machined and is now assembling 1 or 2 a day. (I just looked up his status page - 53 pre-ordered between 2006-07-18 and 2007-05-14. Ouch!)
The long throw is still in the queue. People ordered the K2 long throw. While they were waiting it became the P4 long throw and now the P7 long throw. People are still waiting.
Some Lucidus & Ohio is still in the queue.

If you go through the threads of the above mentioned lights you can see him posting pictures of the finished bodies, heads, tailcaps etc. to show he is still working on the lights. You won't see those pictures if the lights were made overseas.


----------



## jch79

Thanks!


----------



## Art Vandelay

RE ElektroLumens:

It's rare these days to get a product that's designed and built by hand by one man.


----------



## kramer5150

Outdoors Fanatic said:


> Superfire is as chinese as it gets. Superfire is more chinese than Kung-Fu and Wok pans.




see post below...


----------



## Monocrom

Art Vandelay said:


> RE ElektroLumens:
> 
> It's rare these days to get a product that's designed and built by hand by one man.


 
I think LEDninja pointed out why that practice is dying out.


----------



## kramer5150

I have been exchanging emails from a SuperFire USA representative. He has been very polite and completely courteous in his replies. Here is our last communication..


"I wasn't suggesting you did anything wrong. I think you did a great job on the review.
In fact SuperFire is a Internationally recognized US brand, more popular in Europe perhaps, but still a US brand. It supports a staff entirely US citizens(about 1/20th the size of Surefire…But still an important number of families to me.
We don't comply with the Barry Amendment as most flashlight companies don't either, so some parts and products are made abroad.
When one of our lights is sold from abroad it is being sold illegally."

He then explains how Surefire and many other flashlight companies do business overseas, which I have intentionally deleted because its out of context for this thread. He continues here...

"We support the US families which work in the US in each detail of our business.
We humbly admire what Surefire has done and do nothing to defame them. We sell mostly to consumers and police here and in Europe, and to the British Royal Forces personnel as well as directly to the troops in Iraq, because we have friends there locally.

The SuperFire name and company is owned and controlled by us, but please do not blame us because we are too small to fight the endless fakes, replicas, knock-offs that are out there. We don't know where it all comes from, but we fight everyone we can afford to, to protect our name.
I am sorry if you felt I was criticizing you, but when you say you can buy our light for less than $10 online, you must understand that it hurts the real company and the American families that work hard and are supported buy it.
Enough American families have been hurt by what’s going on in our economy.
That’s why we and I myself especially, get just a little defensive.
Every light sold illegally is hurting the US company and its sales teams, assemblers, shipping personel..etc (and we don’t hire Southern illegals…we hire Americans)
PS your review was great, and you do in-fact do a great job.
Sorry if I sounded in any way critical of you or your good work."

So In the end, at least they appear to be a small run USA based company, that outsources parts too. Unfortunately the brand name has been targeted by unauthorized copiers, and those products make up the majority of what we are familiar with. The individual I have cooresponded with seems very friendly, professional and courteous.

I don't know how much of all this is true or not, but still I hope others may find this useful.

Peace... out...:twothumbs


----------



## Monocrom

Ever notice how the tiny flame logo in Superfire lights is the exact same one used by Made-In-China Ultrafire.... Or how some Superfire lights look like clones of Made-In-China models sold by DX or KD. (And I mean lights shown on Superfire's own official site).

The company is as American as chopsticks.


----------



## Aluminous

kramer5150 said:


> Can someone confirm for me if SuperFire lights (the "real" ones) are in fact made in USA like the bigcowboy claims in my youtube video comments?



I've been following this thread and the 'Superfire mystery' posts... I thought I'd look into this, and here's what I've found from public records information. I don't claim conclusive knowledge of what this all means, but there are significant signs of a China connection, and I thought the results of this convoluted maze might be of interest.

The guy posts Superfire videos on Youtube as "TheBigCowboy": http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBigCowboy . The cowboy theme recurs elsewhere too.

"Superfire USA" has only had the superfireusa.com website since March 2008, which is also when the much-vaunted US trademark was registered.


> Domain registration for SUPERFIREUSA.COM :
> Contactprivacy [anonymous registration service]
> Record expires on 03-Mar-2009.
> Record created on 03-Mar-2008.



So superfireusa.com was registered with all of the identity/contact info intentionally hidden. I tend to view that as a reason to be more suspicious about a business, particularly when the impression they try to put out is that they are a "recognized" American business. 

US Trademark Electronic Search System:


> Word Mark: SUPERFIRE
> Goods and Services: IC 011. US 013 021 023 031 034. G & S: Flashlights. FIRST USE: 20061100. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20061100
> Standard Characters Claimed
> Mark Drawing Code: (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
> Serial Number: 77411996
> Filing Date: March 3, 2008
> Current Filing Basis: 1A
> Original Filing Basis: 1A
> Owner: (APPLICANT) FullColors LLC CORPORATION NEVADA 90 West Apple Ln Glendale UTAH 84729
> Attorney of Record: Brian Gibbons
> Type of Mark: TRADEMARK
> Register: PRINCIPAL
> Live/Dead Indicator: LIVE



Okay, so the Superfire name has been being used since November 2006, and the trademark is owned by a business called "FullColors LLC" which was incorporated in Nevada, and they say their address is "90 West Apple Ln, Glendale, Utah 84729". Slight problem, though - USPS says that address doesn't exist, not even as undeliverable.

Then, I checked the registration info for www.prolightsuperstore.com , which is an alternate url for the same content as superfireusa.com . The product images towards the bottom of the superfireusa.com homepage (right under the "3300 LUX!" text) link to prolightsuperstore.com/products.html , instead of superfireusa.com/products.html , with the same content. Superfireusa.com also mentions "ProLightSuperStore.com" in the title of each page (except the homepage), and the 'Limited Lifetime Warranty' page (superfireusa.com/warranty.html) says "For Warranty and shipping info, contact us at [email protected]". (Other pages mention another email address, "[email protected]".) Also, the 'official seller' on Ebay is 'prolightsuper' ("We are The OFFICIAL SuperFire USA Factory Outlet! Don't Buy a Fake from Hong Kong/China - Buy from Superfire USA - SuperFire is a Registered US trademark").


> Domain registration for PROLIGHTSUPERSTORE.COM :
> DAVID WILSON
> 214 E. BRISBANE ST.
> MONROVIA, CA 91016
> US
> thebuffalomen at yahoo.com
> +1.6431363
> Record expires on 16-Jul-2008.
> Record created on 16-Jul-2007.



There we go, they didn't bother to hide the contact info on this one. Phone number is missing the area code, but this street address does actually exist.

Now let's look up the Nevada incorporation records for that company that owns the 'Superfire' trademark.


> FULLCOLORS, LLC
> 
> Business Entity Information
> Status: Active on 1/5/2006
> File Date: 10/26/2005 4:45:26 PM
> Type: Domestic Limited-Liability Company
> Corp Number: E0729222005-5
> Qualifying State: NV
> 
> Officers
> Managing Member - DAVID A WILSON
> Address 1: 214 EAST BRISBANE STREET
> City: MONROVIA
> State: CA
> Zip Code: 91016



That matches up with the same contact info as the registrant of prolightsuperstore.com . 

Searching for more info about "FullColors LLC" turned up a press release at www.prweb.com/releases/2006/2/prweb343824.htm , which says "FullColorsTM 5760 DPI Premium High Glossy Photo Paper and Professional Premium High Glossy Photo Papers are available for immediate delivery through www.overstockphotopaper.com. For more information, contact David Wilson, FullColorTM LLC Company Director, U.S. Sales & Marketing at (626) 643-1363." (There's the area code for that phone number.) 

Related domains found:


> Domain registration for OVERSTOCKPHOTOPAPER.COM :
> DAVID WILSON, Apple Ln, Glendale, UT 84729, US
> purchasing at fullcolors.com , +626.6431363
> Record expires on 24-Jan-2009. Record created on 24-Jan-2005.
> 
> Domain registration for FULLCOLORS.COM :
> Lilette Villareal, 1901 E. Amar Rd., West Covina, CA 91792, US
> thebuffalomen at yahoo.com , +626.6431363
> Record expires on 21-Jun-2008. Record created on 21-Jun-2003.
> 
> Domain registration for SIMPLYPHOTOPAPER.COM :
> System Administrator, Apple Ln, Glendale, UT 84729, US
> shoppinhaven at yahoo.com , +1.6266431364 [note: think this is a typo, should be '1363' like the others]
> Record expires on 24-Nov-2009. Record created on 24-Nov-2004.
> 
> Domain registration for SHOPPINHAVEN.COM :
> Dr Wilson, Brisb St., Monr, CA 91016, US
> shoppinhaven at yahoo.com , +1.6266431363
> Record expires on 30-Oct-2009. , Record created on 30-Oct-2001.
> 
> Domain registration for THEFLOWERHAVEN.COM :
> Dr Wilson, Brisbane St., Monrovia, CA 91016, US
> shoppinhaven at yahoo.com , +1.6266431363
> Record expires on 20-Apr-2009. Record created on 20-Apr-2002.
> 
> Domain registration for INKANDTONER.NET :
> Dr Wilson, Brisb St., Monr, CA 91016, US
> shoppinhaven at yahoo.com , +1.6266431363
> Record expires on 13-Dec-2011. Record created on 13-Dec-2002.
> 
> Domain registration for SCENIC-PHOTOS.NET :
> Dr Wilson, Brisbane St., Monrovia, CA 91016, US
> shoppinhaven at yahoo.com , +1.6266431363
> Record expires on 27-Jul-2008. Record created on 27-Jul-2002.
> 
> Domain registration for SIMPLYPLANICONS.COM :
> DAVID WILSON, 214 E. BRISBANE ST., MONROVIA, CA 91016, US
> thebuffalomen at yahoo.com , +626.6431363
> Record expires on 09-Jan-2009. Record created on 09-Jan-2005.
> 
> Domain registration for THESHOEHAVEN.COM :
> Dr Wilson, Brisbane St., Monrovia, CA 91016, US
> shoppinhaven at yahoo.com , +1.6266431363
> Record expires on 05-May-2008. Record created on 05-May-2002.



FullColors is listed on global trade site tradekey.com/profile_view/uid/486595/FullColors-Tech-Corp-LTD.htm : 


> FullColors Tech Corp LTD
> 
> FullColors Technicorp LTD is your premier source for all of your Professional High Quality digital printing photo paper, Double Sided, Matte, Instant Dry, Micro-porous, And More. _Offices are located in ShenZhen China and the USA._ Because you buy factory direct, you will get the lowest prices and consistent high quality. We can supply you with up to 40 containers per month of packaged or bulk photo paper. We can design your private label, sell you photo paper in bulk, or you can buy our company brand label. Every glossy sheet is hand inspected for quality. Companies doing business with us may visit our manufacturing facility for pre-shipment inspections. We work for you! Why do business with wholesalers. Come buy Factory Direct and Save.
> 
> Year Established: 2003
> Legal Representative / CEO: Mr. Wilson



Looks like their paper is manufactured in China by a company called Fantac.


> From fantac.en.china.cn/op/SellInfoDetail/selinfid/1066756560/index.htm : (there are also similar listings on other trade sites such as cantonfair.org.cn)
> 
> 
> 
> Fantac Graph Design (Nanjing) Co., Ltd.
> Biggest supplier of inkjet paper in China
> fantac.com.cn
> 
> Fantac Graph Design (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. is solely Japanese invested company in China, established in 1994. It has been dedicating itself to the manufacture and market development in inkjet paper for more than 13 years. With a large-scale sales network both in China and the world, its products have been sold to Europe, North and South America, various Asian countries etc. The products have 5 series and more than 30 grades, including matte-coated paper, cast coated paper, resin-coated paper, proofing paper, individuality inkjet media in the size of A3, A4, A6, 3R etc for desktop printers and in the width of 24', 36", 42" etc for wide format printers. _Neutrall package, FullColors and private labelled brand package can be supplied as per request of customers._ Choose Fantac is choosing superior quality.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From Fantac's website: www.fantac.com.cn/fantacEn/about.asp
> 
> 
> 
> Fantac (China) Co. Ltd., a solely Japanese-invested company, was founded in the year 1994 in Nanjing.During the past years, the company has been devoting itself into R&D, market development and global trade of ink jet media. With advanced sales system and high efficiency selling channels, Fantac has created its own sales models and achieved remarkable results. _"Fantac" and "Fullcolor" have become famous brands with very good reputation in the ink jet media in China._ The competitive products of Fantac can be found all over the world.
> 
> With its continuous innovation of ink jet media products, Fantac has extensively introduced the ink jet printing technology into such industries as digital imaging, printing, OA system, advertising, medical imaging, costume-oriented CAD etc. Fantac also takes the leading role in the application of ink jet printing with various special and high-quality products. Fantac expects its ink jet-printing media products can take you into a fantastic digital world and memorize your colorful life.
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


So this indicates that David Wilson's "FullColors LLC" (company that owns the "Superfire" trademark in the US) is a distributor of China-manufactured paper. 

David was actually in China for some period of time, during which he jointly ran a restaurant called "Cowboy's Coffee and Buffalo Grill" located in the Shenzhen area of China.


> shenzhenparty.com/content/anybody_out_there%3F :
> 
> 
> 
> Submitted by The Cowboy on February 4, 2008:
> Well, while your in Shenzhen, stop by my resturaunt...Cowboys Coffee & The Buffalo Grill. I'm from the US and wanted a real burger, steak sandwitch and real fries....not like MC d's, so A friend of mine started the business, and I designed the burgers and menu. ...
> 
> 
> 
> http://shenzhenbuzz.com/cowboys :
> 
> 
> 
> We are sad to report that Cowboy's is now closed permanently. ...
> Email: [email protected] ...
> has the ONLY veggie burger in Shenzhen! ...
> Top it all off with a "howdy" from a real live American cowboy ...
> i met david on the opening night of cowboy's ... he greeted me with a friendly "howdy" just like you said, and introduced me to his new place.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> http://shenzhenbuzz.com/node/627 :
> 
> 
> 
> On April 13 [2008], the owners confirmed that Cowboy's was closed. ...
> Happy trails, David and Toni, until we meet again.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> shenzhenstuff.com/forum/topic/show?id=1343813%3ATopic%3A95729
> shenzhenstuff.com/profiles/blog/show?id=1343813%3ABlogPost%3A140928
Click to expand...


Now to return to superfireusa.com and prolightsuperstore.com, in the sourcecode of every page, this is what they use for the meta description and keywords: _"SuperFire,UltraFire,Military Combat Lights, Tactical Weaponry, Tactical Lighting, Gun Light, Rifle Light"_
And this is what they use as the title on the homepage:
_"SuperFire And UltraFire. Your Source for Military Combat Lights (MCL's) Where Brightness Needs Are Extreeme!"_
So by their own admission, they indeed are closely related to Ultrafire flashlights, which we know come from China.

From an April 2008 CPF thread at www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=195979 :


> "Ultrafire" and "Superfire" are popular flavours of cheap CR123 flashlight at the moment. They're both actually the same flavour, really; the two names are printed on the exact same actual products
> ...
> I tried to investigate this very matter less than a year ago and learned from a major flashlight retailer in Hong Kong that no less than six different manufacturers use the UltraFire name. One of them tried to claim that it was the first or legitimate and changed its name to TrustFire. I'm suspect that SmartFire is made in the same factories too. KD now lists a generic brand with all the same models.


And from a January 2008 CPF thread at www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=186661 :


> Many UltraFire lights are also under the names of TrustFire, SmartFire and SuperFire.



So there are multiple Chinese factories copying each other, but the 'original' Superfire comes from one of the Chinese manufacturers too, it's just a matter of which one.

The manufacturer might be Shenzhen Zhangyang Technology Co Ltd. They manufacture lights offered as both Ultrafire and Superfire.


> diytrade.com/china/4/manufacturers/489907/main/SHENZHEN_ZHANGYANG_TECHNOLOGY_CO_LTD.html
> 
> 
> 
> SHENZHEN ZHANGYANG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
> 
> Shenzhen Zhangyang Technology Co.,Ltd. is an experienced manufactory specializing in designing, manufacturing, and supplying wide range electronic products and mould, especially in Light area(LED Xenon Luxeon flashlight, LED keychain light, laser series, LIR batteries, charger and UV light). ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.shenzhen-wholesale.com/about.asp
> 
> 
> 
> Shenzhen Zhangyang Technology Co., Ltd ,founded in 2000 , and it is a leading manufacturer specializing in designing, producing and supplying wide range of the electronic products, promotional gifts, especially in Light area: LED /Xenon/ Luxeon flashlight, LED keychain light, laser series, LIR batteries, charger and UV light, We have our unique advantage, we have nearly seven years experiences in the field. ...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Example: http://www.shenzhen-wholesale.com/vpro.asp?id=20
Click to expand...


----------



## jch79

Wow, an incredible amount of research. I'd love to see their response to this! 

Thanks for all of your work, Aluminous. :thumbsup:


----------



## Aluminous

jch79 said:


> Wow, an incredible amount of research. I'd love to see their response to this!
> 
> Thanks for all of your work, Aluminous. :thumbsup:


You're welcome.  (PS: nice 'location' you've got  )


----------



## jch79

Aluminous said:


> (PS: nice 'location' you've got  )



:rock:  :buddies: :wave:


----------



## KuoH

Looks like the Wilsons are starting a family business at 90 West Apple Ln. Though there doesn't appear to be an Apple Ln in Glendale, yet, there is one in nearby Hurricane, UT. Coincidence?

http://www.kellysearch.com/us-company-317536739.html

And 214 E Brisbane St turns out, predictably enough, to be a residential address. Look it up on Google maps then turn on Street View. I'm guessing David drives the silver SUV and Missy drives one or both of the red cars.

KuoH



Aluminous said:


> Okay, so the Superfire name has been being used since November 2006, and the trademark is owned by a business called "FullColors LLC" which was incorporated in Nevada, and they say their address is "90 West Apple Ln, Glendale, Utah 84729". Slight problem, though - USPS says that address doesn't exist, not even as undeliverable.


----------



## Monocrom

Great job, Aluminous! :thumbsup:

Excellent evidence to what I've suspected from the start.


----------



## kramer5150

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

This is why this forum is one of my favorites... thanks!!!

**edit**
dam youtube, argh... not allowing me to post comments to my videos:scowl::scowl:, I want to post this URL and re-direct people.


----------



## Lunal_Tic

Lumaray Has a "Made in the U.S.A." graphic on their site pages.

-LT


----------



## american lockpicker

Greenlee and Adva-Lite are Made in USA.


----------



## jch79

american lockpicker said:


> Greenlee and Adva-Lite are Made in USA.



Can you provide a source saying they're Made in USA? I couldn't find anything, and their prices certainly don't suggest "Made in USA"... it'd be cool if they were!

Thanks! :wave:
john


----------



## kramer5150

You can add Duracell to the list...

http://electrical.hardwarestore.com/15-60-led-flashlights/aluminum-daylite-flashlight-639430.aspx


----------



## american lockpicker

jch79 said:


> Can you provide a source saying they're Made in USA? I couldn't find anything, and their prices certainly don't suggest "Made in USA"... it'd be cool if they were!
> 
> Thanks! :wave:
> john


 
Well my Greenlee Pocket-Light says Made in USA on it and my "Prestige Medical" Adva-Lite says USA on the clip. Heres a link http://www.prestigemed.com/ProductDetail.aspx?sku=260


----------



## kramer5150

Is the Gerber infinity ultra a USA made product? They have a version with less side-flood designed for military ops. I'm wondering if either it or its civy-cousin are USA made?


----------



## Juggernaut

Big Beam :twothumbs


----------



## american lockpicker

Fulton flashlights( http://www.fultonindoh.com/ )are still made in the USA but the bulbs are Chinese.


----------



## artec540

jch79 said:


> FWIW, although Princeton Tec produces some products in the USA, a good portion of their production has been moved overseas - headlamps especially. This list is misleading if caveats like that are not noted.
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure if you missed a comma, but Arc and HDS (now called Ra Lights) are different companies, and have been for a while. Although Arc and HDS had a history of making lights together as Arc, that has long since passed. But both companies are US-made lights (Arc & HDS/Ra Lights).
> 
> 
> 
> I've noticed the same thing. Some of their lights now boast "Assembled in USA". :shrug:
> 
> john
> 
> EDIT: While some companies use "some" parts that are made overseas, perhaps we should ALL AGREE that the products listed here as "Made in USA" comply with the official definition set by the Federal Trade Commission here:
> 
> 
> Fresnorich, I hope you can keep up this list! :thumbsup: It could serve as a valuable tool for people interested in buying US-made lights - however, accuracy is key, as well as updating to reflect any production changes a company previously listed as US-made may make.



Containing ".....no or negligible....." foreign parts is no more informative than "....all or virtually all...." made in the USA.

Either it's "all" or it's not; either it's "none" or it's not. Anything else is weasel-wording and can be construed to mean whatever the writer wants. If they want to define what they mean by "virtually all", such as " all except fasteners" or "all except electronic components", I suppose it would be an adequate definition, otherwise it's too subjective to be useful in my opinion.


----------



## dudemar

AELight manufactures their lights in the USA. Here's an email I received from Marc Allsman:

We source components from a variety of vendors in various countries, depending on the light model. Final assembly is usually done in Grants Pass Oregon. All are warranted from Grants Pass.

Best Regards,
Marc Allsman
AE Light
Allsman Enterprises, LL

From what I understand with their models, the bulb is made in China (EPL), the ballast in Germany (Auerswald Systems), and I believe the batteries are made in the USA.


----------



## american lockpicker

Photon Freedom Micros are made in the USA. http://www.photonlight.com/Photon-F...-Flashlights-p/fm-led-keychain-flashlight.htm


----------



## seattlite

Bump. A couple of threads got me thinking about flashlight quality and where each brand of flashlight is made. I googled and found this old thread. Thought other folks might also find it useful.


----------



## Art Vandelay

I think the Photon Freedom light is legitimately "Made in the USA" . That is how it is marked. Somebody else might question its Nicha LED. Depending on who you ask "All or virtually all" could be 99.99%, 95%, or less. How those percentages are measured could also be debated.


----------



## american lockpicker

Art Vandelay said:


> I think the Photon Freedom light is legitimately "Made in the USA" . That is how it is marked. Somebody else might question its Nicha LED. Depending on who you ask "All or virtually all" could be 99.99%, 95%, or less. How those percentages are measured could also be debated.


 

I think the package they come in say Made in USA from foreign and domestic components or something to that effect.


----------



## fresnorich

It's been too long.

Added:

Terralux 
Eveready
Elektrolumens
Lumaray
Greenlee
Adva-Lite
Duracell
Big Beam
AELight
Photon Freedom Micros


Will try to update links later.


----------



## american lockpicker

Photon was already on there as LRI.


----------



## callmaster

So basically, we can agree that no flashlight out there is 100% Made in the USA?


----------



## jch79

fresnorich said:


> ...Elektrolumens...



Hi Rich,

IIRC, some of Wayne's (Elektrolumens) lights are made overseas. 

Glad to see you still keepin' this thread up to date! :thumbsup:

john


----------



## 270winchester

callmaster said:


> So basically, we can agree that no flashlight out there is 100% Made in the USA?


don't Lumileds and Cree both have manufacturing facilities in Malaysia due to the low average wage there?

Semiconductor production now a days is heavily automated and the need for high skilled labor is minimal beyond a few industrial and mechanical engineers to monitor the quality control, so they can pretty much be made anywhere as long as the company can find people with a high school education, and ability to be consistent, thus the game is a race to the bottom for the labor cost. In that respect I don't see how industrialized countries can compete in such a game. So you are right, it would be hard to find a completely USA made light due to this reason.


----------



## american lockpicker

callmaster said:


> So basically, we can agree that no flashlight out there is 100% Made in the USA?


 You could have a light that is 100% made in North America.


----------



## rtt

Inova Inforce web page http://www.inova-mil.com/company.html states Made in USA at the bottom of their page. Wonder if they use Cree leds built in the USA?


----------



## CARNAL1

With the addition of the MD2 to the list of Great lights, lets not forget the Man himself,

Gene Malkoff

He and his wife Cathy represent what this country is all about. Great people that make a great product. They stand behind their products 100%. If you have a problem they will make it right. Period. They have the best Customer Service there is. What more could you want than a man who stands behind his word. Buy any Malkoff product and you will not be disappointed. Just my 2 cents.

Happy Dark Trails (with a Malkoff product in your hand)


----------



## american lockpicker

Peak Beam makers of Maxa Beam.


----------



## american lockpicker

Seen something interesting today it was a flashlight made(of imported and domestic parts)in Akron, Ohio. It was an LED flashlight. I think the company that made it was called led corp or something.


----------



## fresnorich

Added Malkoff and Peak Beam to the list


----------



## Lunal_Tic

Here's the Lumaray link you can include in your list. http://www.lumaray.com/home_800.html The "Made in the USA" logo is in the lower left corner of their main page.

-LT


----------



## american lockpicker

Optronics Manufacturing is based in Muskogee, Oklahoma and offshore

http://www.optronicsinc.com/aboutus.htm


----------



## gallonoffuel

Can we update the OP to mention that some Pelican lights (mainly the aluminum bodied products) are not made in USA?


----------



## american lockpicker

gallonoffuel said:


> Can we update the OP to mention that some Pelican lights (mainly the aluminum bodied products) are not made in USA?


 

Also the headlamps are made in China.


----------



## seale_navy

the Pelican M6 series are still made in USA though. Only the new Pelican AA aluminium bodies one is made in China.


----------



## american lockpicker

seale_navy said:


> the Pelican M6 series are still made in USA though. Only the new Pelican AA aluminium bodies one is made in China.


 
I heard from a reputable source (eodtech of mutitool.org) that they are made in China.


----------



## seale_navy

hmm... I just got the Pelican M6 #2390 updated 180 lumens version, I think its made in USA though. Because I spoke to technical support at that time, she said its made in USA. She did confirm the Pelican #2360 is made in China as well. And I have been sending her emails to enquire about Pelican products for the last 5 years..

I also called Pelican today, and they verified its made in USA as well for the M6 #2390. But anyway, I ll do more research and post here when I have more information


----------



## MattK

Energizer is making their higher end products here in the US, up in VT.


----------



## american lockpicker

MattK said:


> Energizer is making their higher end products here in the US, up in VT.


 

Do you have some links to which ones?


----------



## MattK

Their website is way behind their product releases...


----------



## Marduke

Due to contract requirements, most likely only the military ones. That's probably the reason they are 3x the price of the civilian version made elsewhere.


----------



## Outdoors Fanatic

MattK said:


> Energizer is making their higher end products here in the US, up in VT.


That's some excellent news.


----------



## MattK

Yah, I was so impressed that we're probably going to offer a few of the new line. They did an excellent job on the helmet lights in particular; obviously a limited market but they showed that they are capable of some smart engineering.


----------



## american lockpicker

Will they be available for sale to the general public or military only?


----------



## MattK

General public.


----------



## Monocrom

MattK said:


> Yah, I was so impressed that we're probably going to offer a few of the new line. They did an excellent job on the helmet lights in particular; obviously a limited market but they showed that they are capable of some smart engineering.


 
Would the helmet lights be compatible with Hard hats?


----------



## Outdoors Fanatic

Monocrom said:


> Would the helmet lights be compatible with Hard hats?


Good question! I hope it will make a decent light for caving...


----------



## Marduke

Outdoors Fanatic said:


> Good question! I hope it will make a decent light for caving...



They already have a good caving light. The 100lm Hard Case Pro headlamp is an excellent caving light.

The hardhat one is 1xAA, and rather dim. It would make an excellent backup, but not a primary, especially the way it hangs off the side.


----------



## MattK

Monocrom said:


> Would the helmet lights be compatible with Hard hats?



I doubt it but,as mentioned below, they've made a few good headlamps as well for the more 'general outdoors' market.


----------



## Monocrom

Thanks for the response, Matt.


----------



## Daylo

Elzetta lights are made in the USA and use Malkoff light engines. Here is the quote from their website.

*Where are Elzetta products made?* All Elzetta products are designed, engineered, and manufactured in the USA using American tooling and American made materials :thumbsup:

I might have to pick one of these up.


----------



## gallonoffuel

Streamlight has really disappointed me. I have gone through most of the lights in there catalog and clicking on the 'fact sheet' pdf tells you either 'Made in China' or 'Assembled in USA' at the bottom of the sheet. I was fairly surprised how many are made in China. And even if it's 'Assembled in USA' we don't know if the body was made in another country and shipped here, or if they actually still make the bodies here and just pop in the lamp assembly that may or may not be made here. It seems that most of the smaller bodied lights (stylus, nano, microstream), headlamps, tasklights, and twintasks are made in China. 

Pelican has a few products made in China as well, but not nearly as many as Streamlight. Some of their headlamps and aluminum bodied lights are foreign made. So basically for Pelican, if it looks and feels a lot like their original lights and their cases, it's probably made in USA. Even the little L1 is made in USA (great little light by the way, especially with the accessory kit).


----------



## jch79

Well said, gallonoffuel. It is too bad that Streamlight has shipped a lot of their production overseas. 

*This is one of the best running threads on CPF, IMHO! :twothumbs*

:thumbsup: john


----------



## american lockpicker

Elzetta is made in the USA. http://www.malkoffdevices.com/shop/elzetta-flashlight-with-m60-led-bulb-p-63.html


----------



## jch79

Wow, cool - I don't keep up on Malkoff's stuff, and didn't know he started making his own lights... that Elzetta looks tough!


----------



## Monocrom

jch79 said:


> Wow, cool - I don't keep up on Malkoff's stuff, and didn't know he started making his own lights... that Elzetta looks tough!


 
Whoa! Seriously?? It's been out for awhile.

Gene has another light that looks like an old-fashioned Surefire 6P. It came out before the Elzetta. And he's got a brand new bezel that allows you to run one of his C-series drop-ins in an E-series light. 

All three lack a lens since his drop-ins have a built-in lens cover.


----------



## jch79

Monocrom said:


> Whoa! Seriously?? It's been out for awhile.



LOL, looks like I have some catching up to do! I lead a sheltered life on CPF , and stick to only a few forums. I see his name all over the place, but thought he only did Mag drop-ins. :duh2: Ok, time for me to "get out more" into the big wide world of CPF! :laughing:

:thumbsup: john


----------



## post tenebras

I'm not all that sure about SureFire...when I got my E2DL, I read every bit of collateral literature and searched the Internets without finding any unequivocal "made in the USA" confirmation. If it's made here, it should be a selling point they're proud of...

---

Missing from the OP list is Dark Ops/Hellfighter. I know CPF elitists deride these lights because of the sensational marketing, but they're rock-solid hosts (over)built proudly in the USA. The NRA deems Dark Ops in the same league with SureFire, NovaTac, and Pelican, and offers a few special editions with the NRA logo.

---
Buy American: cancel your Quark Ti pre-order (J/K) :lolsign:


----------



## Monocrom

LOL

Few CPFers who aren't into knives know the background of Dork-Ops.


----------



## parnass

Dragging up an old thread. Gerber claims that their 22-80131 Expert military LED flashlight is made in USA. 

The Gerber LED flashlights I've owned were made in Asia.


----------



## matrixshaman

OP may want to add a not to Novatac as they are now coming out with several models that are made overseas. I guess their original models may still be U.S. made but the Storm, Classic, 120M, Wichita, SPL-120, Spec Ops, and possibly some others are being made overseas.


----------



## jch79

WOAH, that's a bummer. :shakehead I'm sure they'll be fine quality, but when I think Novatac, I think "Made in USA". :shrug: That's the way things go though!

Thanks for the heads-up, matrixshaman. Unfortunately, the OP hasn't been on CPF since April! :candle: I wonder if a Mod could alter his post?

:thumbsup: john


----------



## Lightcrazycanuck

jch79 said:


> WOAH, that's a bummer. :shakehead I'm sure they'll be fine quality, but when I think Novatac, I think "Made in USA". :shrug: That's the way things go though!
> 
> Thanks for the heads-up, matrixshaman. Unfortunately, the OP hasn't been on CPF since April! :candle: I wonder if a Mod could alter his post?
> 
> :thumbsup: john


 

Love your Avatar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:wave::wave::wave:


----------



## jch79

:thumbsup: Thanks!


----------



## MCP

*American Made Flashlights*

Hello CP folks.

Just stumbled on this wonderful forum the other day and have a question. I'm in the market for an American made pocket EDC flashlight. I know of three companies, Mag-Lite, 4Sevens, and Tektite. Are there any other companies out there? I like the size of the 4Sevens Q-Mini 123. Other than that, I'm open to battery type, clicky verses twisty, etc.

Thanks,
Matt


----------



## hiluxxulih

*Re: American Made Flashlights*

Get a Maglite XL200 , I just got mine in the mail today and it is very good :thumbsup:


----------



## mwb01

*Re: American Made Flashlights*

I think 4sevens only designs their lights in the USA and manufactures in China. That said, I hear good things about their products and think if you think you want a light you should get it regardless of place of manufacture. I respect and can understand wanting a USA made light but being open minded can get you the light you really want. 

HDS makes very high quality USA-made EDCs that are thought pretty highly of here but they're a bit pricey. Novatac makes similar ones and they may still have their prices marked way down.


----------



## HotWire

*Re: American Made Flashlights*

Among many others I have lights from Surefire, Peak, HDS, and Malkoff. I can highly recommend them. There are some fine Chinese lights as well. Buy them from the Marketplace.


----------



## John_Galt

*Re: American Made Flashlights*

As others have mentioned, there are several. Ones that immediately come to mind, and that I would recommend are: HDS Systems, Surefire, Malkoff Devices/Elzetta, PEAK...

Novatacs are decent lights, but note: their newer, lower priced models are made in China, and users here have reported very very poor quality lights when compared to the older, American made Novatac's. I can't really suggest these: HDS lights do everything they do and more, with more output, and longer runtimes. HDS lights are also much "beefier" in construction.

Also note: Surefire and HDS Systems cannot claim "made in the USA" because they use important components that are manufactured in other countries. But both companies provide excellent products, with many hours of R+D work, great warranties, and companies based here in the US.

-----
4Sevens lights are, as another poster stated, designed here in the US, but manufactured in China. They are good lights, but if you want/need made in the US, you need to look elsewhere.


----------



## chazz

I see TerraLux on the list and mentioned a couple times in the thread. The LightStar 220 Led 2xAA Flashlight package says "Designed & Developed in USA" then on the back is says "made in China".


----------



## ericjohn

Fulton
Koehler/Bright Star
Maglite
Surefire
Pelican


I think these are the companies that make their lights ONLY in the United States, God bless them. There are others that make some of their lights but not all, such as streamlight and eveready. There may be others that I have forgotten so correct me if I am wrong.


----------



## Robin24k

You can take Pelican off that list...the 1910 and 1920 are imported.


----------



## Monocrom

Robin24k said:


> You can take Pelican off that list...the 1910 and 1920 are imported.



Along with their incredibly craptacular 2360 model. I've seen No-Name lights from overseas that were made better.


----------



## d2eux

can anyone confirm Foxfury lights are made in the USA?


----------



## jch79

d2eux said:


> can anyone confirm Foxfury lights are made in the USA?



One of my all-time favorite CPF threads - love when this gets bumped.

It seems to me that if Foxfury lights were made in the USA, they'd put it on their website. They only say that it was founded in Vista, California - not that their lights are made there.


----------



## dieselducy

it is a shame that 4sevens or some of these other "flashaholic" lights could not be made here. It would also improve their customer service as well. Instead of having to ship the light overseas for repair, it could be done right here.


----------



## jch79

dieselducy said:


> it is a shame that 4sevens or some of these other "flashaholic" lights *AREN'T* made here.



Corrected. :thumbsup: They _could be_ made here... they just aren't.


----------



## d2eux

jch79 said:


> One of my all-time favorite CPF threads - love when this gets bumped.
> 
> It seems to me that if Foxfury lights were made in the USA, they'd put it on their website. They only say that it was founded in Vista, California - not that their lights are made there.



So I think for fairness sake, this list in the OP should be heavily shortened, or modified to distinguish which manufacturer is 100% made in the US vs "assembled", "designed", etc.

And that's not to bash non-USA made companies. As we all know alot of crap is made in the US and it boils down to quality control of the manufacturer. But again, just to be consistent with the title in the OP we need to distinguish which part of "USA made" we mean.


----------



## d2eux

also I think we should add Elzetta to this list.

http://www.elzetta.com/Webpages/faq.htm


> *Where are Elzetta products made?* All Elzetta products are designed, engineered, and manufactured in the USA using American tooling, labor, and materials.​


----------



## Monocrom

jch79 said:


> Corrected. :thumbsup: They _could be_ made here... they just aren't.



The cost of doing so would most likely heavily eat into any profits those companies make. It's not a simple matter of just make them here instead of over there.

It's the main reason why there are no Made in America watches anymore. There are simply brands that used to be American, and have a rich history. Some, such as Gruen, have suffered by being turned into a junk brand filled with garbage-quality watches. Others have faired a bit better. Despite being a ridiculously giant monopoly allowed to operate by the Swiss government, the Swatch Group did at least save Hamilton from extinction. While far from modern-day junk, Hamilton isn't what it used to be. Still, the American tradition is there. And it would not look out of place for someone who has done well to wear a modern-day Hamilton. On the other end of the watch spectrum, Bulova was saved from oblivion thanks to Citizen. Bulova also isn't what it used to be. But Citizen has helped the brand to still be identified with very good quality watches.

America has given up on competing with companies overseas for certain items. Smaller companies simply could not be as competitive as they are now if they moved their operations to America. (That's if they could even find other companies in America to outsource certain areas of production.) Just a cold, harsh, fact of reality. Ironically, some countries haven't given up. Want a well-made watch with a case that isn't made in China or a watch that won't cost you nearly $10K? The Germans make those under the names Damasko, and Sinn.


----------



## Erzengel

There has been quite a lot of economic research, why the American economic culture favors some kind of companies, and why other companies have gone down the road. The same has been done for Germany and the other important capitalist countries. This topic is too difficult to address it here, for one book I needed two weeks to understand it, others are too old.
The biggest concern is, good engineers can add more value if they develop more important or more sophisticated products. Flashlights don't offer enough profit to pay good engineers for a longer period. This is the reason, that most developments are rather evolutionary than revolutionary.
You can also get nice German flashlights made by Lupine, they are great and the price starts at 310€. Unfortunately I can't afford them (now).


----------



## Crushmaster

LazerBrite is another US-manufacturer.  Here's their statement on it...

"*Made in the USA.* 12 American manufacturers from 8 different U.S. states provide the custom components for our lights, accessories and packaging. Enjoy."
God bless,
Joel ><>.


----------



## eurypylus

Bumb this up, the list can't be that short ...>_<...


----------



## Monocrom

Yeah, it is unfortunately.


----------



## run4jc

If I missed them I apologize, but Cool Fall is made in the USA as is Prometheus (Dark Sucks.)

I did read through the entire thread but may have missed those two. Good thread!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


----------



## Farlark

*Who Makes Flashlights in the USA?*

I can name only a handful of companies producing lights in the US: Surefire, HDS, Peak... and that's about it. 

Who else is making flashlights in the USA?


----------



## kyhunter1

*Re: Who Makes Flashlights in the USA?*

Underwater Kinetics and Pelican make some nice lights here in the US.


----------



## Monocrom

*Re: Who Makes Flashlights in the USA?*

Not all Pelicans are made in the U.S. though. Their China-made 2360 model in particular is beyond garbage. I've honestly had No-name models from China purchased at the Dollar Store that were better made.


----------



## csx7006

*Re: Who Makes Flashlights in the USA?*

Pentagon lights have folded so you can scratch it off the list


----------



## jabe1

I just skimmed through, but I didn't see Lenslight.


----------



## Monocrom

*Re: Who Makes Flashlights in the USA?*



csx7006 said:


> Pentagon lights have folded so you can scratch it off the list



Going out of business is not the same thing as having operations relocated outside of the country. Anyone wants a PentagonLights model can still get one on eBay or by making a WTB topic on the CPF MarketPlace. SureFire in their lawsuit alleged that P.L. did not make their lights in America. But instead of a trial, a legal war of attrition was waged instead. P.L. went out of business without anything disproven regarding the company's Made in America claims.


----------



## gsr

*Re: Who Makes Flashlights in the USA?*

We can add Kel Tec to this list.


----------



## Shurefire

*Re: Who Makes Flashlights in the USA?*

I think we can take Inova completely off of the list. Just looked at the back of a recent X1 Purchase and discovered the light is "manufactured in China". Of course, they promote that it was designed and engineered in the US


----------



## jch79

*Re: Who Makes Flashlights in the USA?*

Bummer about Inova, but good to know! 

I wish the OP was still around - he hasn't posted in almost 3 years.


----------



## Monocrom

*Re: Who Makes Flashlights in the USA?*



jch79 said:


> Bummer about Inova, but good to know!



Not really surprising though considering they were bought by Nite-Ize quite awhile back. When they were, customer service hit a shocking all time low.


----------



## troutpool

*Re: Who Makes Flashlights in the USA?*

Okluma can be added to the list.


----------



## fisk-king

Lol, wow what a bump


----------



## archimedes

fisk-king said:


> Lol, wow what a bump


I directed others here, instead of starting a new thread ...


----------



## dpadams6

Elzetta is tough to beat, as far as durability/quality.


----------



## bykfixer

New kid on the block is Texas Lumens


----------



## quinlag

Because I'm new to the flashlight world; I'm doing research on the different types of lights and what part of the world they come from.
So far I have found that even though it says made in the USA; some of the parts, especially led's are outsourced from other countries.
Any and all comments are welcome. TKS


----------



## bykfixer

Many times certain parts and pieces a light maker chooses to use in certain models are not available from US manufacturers. Other times foreign made items are just less costly. 

Some say all LED's are imported. But CREE has a factory in the US so if a light maker chooses the models made there all is well. Sometimes they choose to use LED models not made in the US because it fits the design better than stuff made here.

Is there a light made 100% in the USA from100% US parts?
Good question.


----------



## Modernflame

bykfixer said:


> Many times certain parts and pieces a light maker chooses to use in certain models are not available from US manufacturers. Other times foreign made items are just less costly.
> 
> Some say all LED's are imported. But CREE has a factory in the US so if a light maker chooses the models made there all is well. Sometimes they choose to use LED models not made in the US because it fits the design better than stuff made here.
> 
> Is there a light made 100% in the USA from100% US parts?
> Good question.



"Some parts not domestically sourced" seems to be a common turn of phrase. If any such 100% USA made light exists, then it would have to be Elzetta. As loud and often as they blow that patriotic whistle, it would be almost scandalous for them to acquire parts from overseas.


----------



## dpadams6

Modernflame said:


> "Some parts not domestically sourced" seems to be a common turn of phrase. If any such 100% USA made light exists, then it would have to be Elzetta. As loud and often as they blow that patriotic whistle, it would be almost scandalous for them to acquire parts from overseas.


Agreed. They are absolutely built like tanks and with malkoff potted lights. What's not to like?


----------



## Bullzeyebill

Enough said we have done this "Made In America" long enough. End of thread.


----------

