Kudos to "The Last US Bags"

[Abitibi]

Just want to share the great product and customer service from this Vancouver WA company. They have been sponsoring local Overland Rallies and have amazing gears. I initially bought some cheap Amazon special seat storage solution. Looked good until I started using them. The storage pockets wouldn't stay connected to the base, they slowly started coming apart and mainly, they were not efficient for storage.

At last year NWOR I met with Will and other members of their team. As soon as I saw their product I gave my old ones away and bought a bunch of their gears. Made in USA, amazing use of space and great price. It's been over 6 months now and I feel comfortable to share my appreciation for this company. Their product held strong and have been a very welcome addition to my set up. Bunch of my friends bought their products after seeing mine and are all as satisfied as I am.

So, without any affiliation with this company aside from receiving a great product and customers service I'm hoping these can come as useful for you as they have been for me!

Cheers
David


David

 

[lastusbag]

David! Thanks for posting this ad we appreciate your continued support. Let us know how we can improve anything we produce... -Will

 

[krick3tt]

That is a lot of storage, especially for seemingly small items. Sure can tell you like their gear.

 

[Abitibi]

That is a lot of storage, especially for seemingly small items. Sure can tell you like their gear.

You'd be surprised how much small items a family of 4 take on trips!
-1st aid (most used ones)
-flashlights
-ropes, tie downs, bungees...
-pens (kids love to draw)
-emergency flares
-fire starter & matches
-usb cables
-snacks
-and the list goes on!

The larger ones at the back get filled either with clothing, that way they also act as padding when sitting down but mostly with our toiletries items. Nice thing about those ones is they come with a sling so whenever we decide to take a real shower we pack them with towels, toiletries and spare change of clothes. Easy to hang in public stalls... Always ready to go.

Might be overkilled for a single occupant going out for a wknd but when spending upward to a month on the road with 4 of us means a lot! Better organization in such a small place makes a world of difference

Cheers
David

 

[Oilbrnr]

I take it that your seats must be fairly flat fronted (the part that your back rests against)? Seems like the straps would really be annoying otherwise...

 

[Pilat]

Although I kind of like the bags (they would be great in my boat, for instance), I feel that if the vehicle is ever left anywhere, those things are an invitation to an opportunistic thief. I can see things like this being useful in ,say, the military etc. where a vehicle isn't just left somewhere unattended.

But if the vehicle is not left, I very much "dig" the practicality of them - especially those for the "hull sides" (i.e the camper sides).

 

[Pilat]

I take it that your seats must be fairly flat fronted (the part that your back rests against)? Seems like the straps would really be annoying otherwise...

I may be mistaken, but it looks like there is a wide piece of webbing going over the top (and I assume; all the way down and through back to the bags). That would at least alleviate some of the problem by holding the horizontal straps a little more towards the back. Unless, of course, the seat is also curved vertically.

Edit: Not to rain too much on that company's parade, but I think Red Oxx might have a problem with the "LastUSbags", as it's not true. I am sure there are others out there too. Oh, and I do recommend Red Oxx (even as non-us customer like me). They even do custom bags if you ask (there's a flat fee and x amount of hours included in that fee), and they can do that because they produce their stuff at their shop in Montana.

 

[Abitibi]

Hey Pilat

My seats are basic and of pretty typical shape. As you could tell I do have a separate canvas seat covers that doubles as a platform on the back to which the Lastusbag attaches (Molle system) . As for Red Oxx, I've never heard of them or the possible drama you mentioned between them and Lastusbag but I trust you when you say they're another good company to deal with. As I said earlier, I don't have any affiliation with Lastusbag, just a very satisfied customer which enjoys getting first hand reviews from fellow overlanders and now returning the favor

Cheers
David

 

[Pilat]

No, no, not a drama. I am just saying there are other US-made bag manufacturers out there. I only had a beef with the name, as I do like the bags themselves, and I could see myself have them (Last-bags) made some boat ones for me at some point.

 

[mep1811]

Is this it?

Industrial Lift Rated Bags ⋆ Last US Bag

We manufacture heavy duty lift rated bags for a variety of industrial and wind turbine applications | Made in the USA

lastusbag.com

 

[Pilat]

Is this it?

Industrial Lift Rated Bags ⋆ Last US Bag

We manufacture heavy duty lift rated bags for a variety of industrial and wind turbine applications | Made in the USA

lastusbag.com

Must be. It's the same as the one I found. I don't like the bit where they say "overseas". That's not truth in advertising when they then call their company "lastusbag.com".

Oh well, Red Oxx are at least honest. And their stuff is great quality, so if I have to pay a bit more, I'm good with that (I say that as a Dane, having their stuff shipped to Denmark). Their bags are made from 1000D Cordura and just about bullet proof (well, not literally).

 

[lastusbag]

I may be mistaken, but it looks like there is a wide piece of webbing going over the top (and I assume; all the way down and through back to the bags). That would at least alleviate some of the problem by holding the horizontal straps a little more towards the back. Unless, of course, the seat is also curved vertically.

Edit: Not to rain too much on that company's parade, but I think Red Oxx might have a problem with the "LastUSbags", as it's not true. I am sure there are others out there too. Oh, and I do recommend Red Oxx (even as non-us customer like me). They even do custom bags if you ask (there's a flat fee and x amount of hours included in that fee), and they can do that because they produce their stuff at their shop in Montana.

No rain, very common misconception, or interpretation, of the name. During the 90's and early 00's we lost so many companies like ours to overseas competition and industry attrition it was alarming. Our entire industry saw our labor base vanish, funding disappear, and consumer concern for US made products wane. We were commonly called "The Last US Bag Co" and it stuck. If anything, it is a commentary on survival in the textile industry when the industry was fleeing the United States. We never intend for people to believe we are the last one, in fact, we work with many companies to ensure we aren't the last to survive. I have seen and observed RedOxx bags many times and appreciate their quality and commitment to US manufacturing. I feel it is critical for US textile companies to collaborate, and cooperate, to help make our industry stronger and allow the base to remain stable. Recognizing others is something we openly, and actively, promote.

 

[lastusbag]

Must be. It's the same as the one I found. I don't like the bit where they say "overseas". That's not truth in advertising when they then call their company "lastusbag.com".

Oh well, Red Oxx are at least honest. And their stuff is great quality, so if I have to pay a bit more, I'm good with that (I say that as a Dane, having their stuff shipped to Denmark). Their bags are made from 1000D Cordura and just about bullet proof (well, not literally).

If I might comment on your statement, we have both domestic manufacturing capabilities (Vancouver, WA, 30k sq ft facility) and clearly state that we offer multiple options for manufacturing, including assisting brands find manufacturing partners overseas. In 1998, when most of our industry was folding, we took a step to try to keep our employees employed and company alive by offering an alternative, and we barely survived - but we never gave up our manufacturing in the US and it is the core of our business. The name, as described in a post above, was a result of a lousy market condition and a struggling industry. Roughly 70% of our volume is made in Vancouver, WA with the remainder considered imported. The product you see in David's post is made from 1000d Cordura Nylon, sourced from Brookwood Roll Goods in California, and is generated from our work in military and industrial production. The product is the waste (cut-off) that we end up with which would normally be discarded and often delivered to landfill. Unfortunately, 85% of fabric materials today are not recyclable, and the US produces over 20 billion lbs of textile waste a year. These products help us reduce our impact, and I am really proud of our efforts to eliminate waste. They also provide good paying (above scale) jobs to our team when workflow is thin, so ultimately, we can keep American workers working.

I have heard this complaint before, however, I would encourage everyone to come visit us, learn about what we do, and why we do what we do. It just might change your perception.

 

[mep1811]

No rain, very common misconception, or interpretation, of the name. During the 90's and early 00's we lost so many companies like ours to overseas competition and industry attrition it was alarming. Our entire industry saw our labor base vanish, funding disappear, and consumer concern for US made products wane. We were commonly called "The Last US Bag Co" and it stuck. If anything, it is a commentary on survival in the textile industry when the industry was fleeing the United States. We never intend for people to believe we are the last one, in fact, we work with many companies to ensure we aren't the last to survive. I have seen and observed RedOxx bags many times and appreciate their quality and commitment to US manufacturing. I feel it is critical for US textile companies to collaborate, and cooperate, to help make our industry stronger and allow the base to remain stable. Recognizing others is something we openly, and actively, promote.

So the above website is for your company?

 

[lastusbag]

lastusbag.com is our web site, yes. We also build products in Europe for European distro as well.