Are EAGLETAC Lights Designed In the USA?

[rmteo]

The thread title is "Are EAGLETAC Lights Designed In the USA?" and not really whether the company is considered American or not.

Anyway, here is a thought. I am on a transcontinental flight (over Europe, Asia or whatever) while working/designing a product. Would that product be considered designed in the USA? :devil:

 

[patycake57]

It seems very clear to me that the companies are likely to be exactly who they say they are. Edgetac is an American company who contracts with a Chinese OEM to produce its flashlights. Edgetac, as a startup, probably does not own the Chinese company. I believe that this occurs routinely in many industries. For example, I understand Novatac is doing the same thing, although it historically has manufactured in the US. I don't think that asking about the "Americanness" of a company is the same as asking about the product itself. Whether the product is made in China affects your purchacing decisions is an individual decision.

 

[DM51]

I am on a transcontinental flight (over Europe, Asia or whatever) while working/designing a product. Would that product be considered designed in the USA?

Your point is nicely made, rmteo.

The "designed in / made in" debate is a rather tired one that has been gone over many times before. We really can't be wasting time on one of these threads for every single manufacturer, with the same arguments being made over and over.

I have no evidence for it, but I really doubt that there is ANY make of light where every last component and every scrap of the raw materials are sourced from one single country, with all the design and concept work done in that same country too. I may be quite wrong, but I really doubt it.

Not that this proves anything, but here's a photo of a brand-new ball-cap:

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

I see that folks have mentioned that just because light has similar design concepts doesn't make it a copy. There's only so many ways to make a flashlight with the same basic form factor; someday someone will accuse the maker of copying. I'll leave that at that.

As to the people who complain about lights being made in China, what else is new? Nearly EVERYTHING is made in China these days. I absolutely love to buy American. I honestly try to do that whenever the situation makes sense. But give me a choice between a US made item that sets the quality standard and costs X and a similar Chinese made one that's only perhaps 80-90% the quality but costs one half or one third the money, I may not be picking up the US made one. We all have budgets to make.

Some say that they'd have many more EagleTacs if they were US made. Really? Let's say you would have double the number of lights you have now. I'd bet they'd be double the cost each. So you've just quadrupled your flashlight "budget" (I do use that term lightly) for the sake of buying American??

I'm not a China fanboy or anything, just trying to keep it real.

I just picked up the new Elzetta ZFL-M60 with the Malkoff drop-in and I have to say that it's one of the nicest lights I own. High quality metals, innovative shape, tanklike in handling. It puts many Chinese light to shame. But it's also two to three times the price.

It goes both ways. Those who say you should buy American at any cost and poo-poo anything made overseas and those who say that it's a waste of money to spend more than absolutely necessary on a product.

Both are extremes that I don't subscribe to. The key is to strike a balance, no?

The key is to strike a balance, no?

No, the key is trying to support American jobs tha are being outsourced to slave-workers and child-labor somewhere in Asia. (becauser greed business men and cheap asses are tying to save a buck).

 

[AbnInfantry]

Can't speak for others, but I don't consider such companies to be American. If you have a corporate office in America, but the vast majority of your products are made in a foreign country; your company isn't American. Your products are not made by American workers. American workers don't receive a paycheck from your company. Thus, your company does little or nothing to help the American economy.

Do you have evidence EagleTac's owners and employees in Arizona aren't Americans? Or that they're not receiving paychecks? Are they working pro bono? By your ludicrous reasoning, a firm can be American-owned, located in the USA and employ only Americans yet not be an "American company." Incredible, simply incredible. :duh2:

David Chow's companies (4Sevens and EagleTac-Store.com) are based in Georgia and employ Americans whom I'm confident are being paid for their services. Yet, under your bizarre thinking, 4Sevens, Hewlett-Packard, Levi Strauss & Co., etc. aren't "American companies" even though they're American-owned, located in the USA and employ Americans. What are they? Martian companies?

Not going to go into the moral aspect of a company that engages in such a practice.

Then why did you just inject "moral aspect" into this thread? :thinking: Where did you get the preposterous notion there's anything immoral about a company manufacturing products in a different country? Your peculiar concept of morality didn't stop you from purchasing flashlights made in China. Since your whole "American company" argument is off-topic, I'll pass on citing examples of American corporations who moved their manufacturing operations to other nations primarily because of the egregious behavior of American "workers."

 

[AbnInfantry]

No, the key is trying to support American jobs tha are being outsourced to slave-workers and child-labor somewhere in Asia. (becauser greed business men and cheap asses are tying to save a buck).

Kindly provide evidence that EagleTac, Olight, Jetbeam, Fenix, 4Sevens, etc. flashlights are being manufactured by "slave-workers and child-labor somewhere in Asia." Thank you.

In your profile, you list Lighthound and BatteryJunction as your favorite dealers. In case it escaped your attention, both firms import and sell products manufactured "somewhere in Asia."

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Kindly provide evidence that EagleTac, Olight, Jetbeam, Fenix, 4Sevens, etc. flashlights are being manufactured by "slave-workers and child-labor somewhere in Asia." Thank you.

In your profile, you list Lighthound and BatteryJunction as your favorite dealers. In case it escaped your attention, both firms import and sell products manufactured "somewhere in Asia."

Kindly provide evidence that EagleTac, Olight, Jetbeam, Fenix, 4Sevens, etc. flashlights are being manufactured by "slave-workers and child-labor somewhere in Asia." Thank you.

As a business man with vast experience with factories in China, I know how stuff is run over there.. Having said that, I'd rather NOT find out how or where those lights are being made... (I'm not accusing anyone, though) I am absolutely not against buying from Asia, but having the option of buying American, I'll ALWAYS buy it.

In your profile, you list Lighthound and BatteryJunction as your favorite dealers. In case it escaped your attention, both firms import and sell products manufactured "somewhere in Asia."

Battery Junction is my favorite SureFire dealer (made in the United States) and Lighthound is my official Leef Gear and Muyshondt lights supplier (again, all made in the great USA). As long as they keep selling these brands, they'll keep on getting my money.

 

[rmteo]

As a business man with vast experience with factories in China, I know how stuff is run over there.. (becauser greed business men and cheap asses are tying to save a buck).

 

[Cheapskate]

My main point is that although Eagletac is owned by Americans, although design aspects might come from Americans; the company itself produces products in China. Imports those products into America. And, many of their products resemble lights from two well-known companies in China. Based on that, I don't see how Eagletac itself can be considered an American company.

By your definition of "American Company" Apple must be a Chinese company.

To quote from the packaging on my iPod "Designed in California, assembled in Taiwan"

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Let's be careful CPF'ers, this thread could go downhill fast. Maybe some of our negative thoughts could be addressed better on the Underground forum.

Bill

 

[rmteo]

All evidence thus far points to the fact that EagleTAC products are designed in the USA - which the question asked by the starter of this thread. So unless there is evidence to the contrary, I think we should leave it at that.

 

[DM51]

I think this one has run its course. As Bill says, some aspects of this topic are better suited to the Underground. We'll close it here.