Kitsbow Now Accepting Orders for Made-to-Order Haskell Shorts, Sewn in North Carolina

 Wouldn't that mean that the prices are reasonable, not absurd?

 Disagree that it's absurd, but agree with your follow-up. It's going to be challenging to re-calibrate our pricing expectations when we are multiple generations deep into a worldwide supply chain. I have to constantly remind myself that it's better to pay more for quality and consume less as a result.

 @lagranger: That last line is it right there.

If people really want to bring back local manufacturing we have to get used to the idea that it won't be cheap, and we cant impulse buy things on Amazon that come in a four pack when we only need one.

 We may discover that quality lasts longer, and by that token less is more.

 @TrailFeatures: This.

Very much this.

 Well they do come with Kitsbow's crash policy and lifecycle guarantee. Crash? They'll see if they can repair it, if they can't they'll make it easier to get back in Kitsbow. Not mentioned in the article - their products come in biodegradable packaging.

 I’m definitely not an expert in this but I bet we could make the prices less absurd, over time, if we more to a USA manufacturing model. We don’t have a ton of infrastructure for it because we’ve always been so reliant on China and they’re just aren’t many USA manufacturers. I bet if we really shifted the paradigm, we could scale over time and reduce the costs. Probably wouldn’t be Chinese cheap necessarily but they would come down I bet.

 @TrailFeatures: i feel ya. every time I walk into the liquor store I walk out with 6 pack instead of 2 tall cans

 @lagranger: I'd like to clarify that the only reason I think their pricing absurd is that this is placed as a premium market good. Needs Factory here in Canada has made in Canada riding pants for the same price, but in Canadian dollars. Their shorts significantly undercut kitsbow price wise, especially once exchange, rates are taking into account. Their ability to make an amazing product, made in North America, for a competitive price shows what's possible.

 @TrailFeatures: one more time, louder for the people in the back!

 $200 for shorts with non zippered pockets…I’ll pass

 @grizwald: Try the Mezcals.

 As long as my boss want to make money with my time ,the cheaper as possible... Ill do the same

 I struggle with Kitsbow's value. They moved here and have linked up with local organizations pushing new trail in the area, but at the same time, they're pushing a lot of west coast nut job mindset and pretty sure that hasn't worked out on the left coast either.

I like that they're trying to revive an industry in Old Fort that died 2 generations ago. The only people who worked in textiles in the area are over 70 years old now. They are trying to train and bring back jobs to the small town, but their clientelle drive Bentley's and Bugatis. I know exactly ZERO locals that have the money to buy their goods.

As I've said previously, you would think that if they moved to a small town to trim costs from their prior location, got TONS of local tax incentives and a cheaper labor force, their pricing would stabilize and/or become more reasonable.

It hasn't.

 @lagranger: It is going to be hard to recalibrate. Especially with brands like Voler making shorts in California for half that price...

 @blowmyfuse: ehhh idk dude lots of people around here rock kitsbow - I do believe you have a point about the tax incentives and wages they pay their employees (lets face it here in NC poverty wages are totally normal) but
the commenter at the top hit it on the nose - we live in a totally ruined economy - if you want high end hand made clothing to go on your mtb rides you prolly need to realize that these things will never be "affordable" again. I work at a bike shop and 50% of my day is trying to help novice riders understand that the price of bikes is just as much of the "new normal" as everything else.

 @ratedgg13 I don't assume every piece of clothing is made in an unethical factory just because it is not made in the USA. So just labeling every overseas job a sweatshop neglects to recognize some people might consider that a viable way to provide for their family. Other countries provide so many different types of goods and services and jobs to go with it. If you only see the solution as moving production to north America....well good luck with that dream.

 @foggnm: I would think most realize it's not a goal to bring back all manufacturing, but to maintain a level of competency and internal trade that supports one another rather than sending our purchasing power to tiny countries that will not be returning any purchasing power in like kind.

Keeping skilled trades alive is vital to living autonomously. I think COVID has taught us a lot about that. No one understood just how bad it was to send all our purchases through Bezos or overseas companies until we saw the economic impact to everyone.

Granted, we'll never stop the flow of "gotta have a dingle this and a dongle that" desire to have cheap stuff, but I've seen an exponentially greater number of people starting to understand that it really is garbage.

 Other bike manufacturers have gear made in China but charge a premium, but I am glad these are domestically made at nearly the same price as other manufacturs.

 @blowmyfuse: ...so is my cell phone I need to call my family garbage? Are the bike shorts I have that were made in Asia that have lasted 5 years garbage? Kitsbow still relies on others for fabrics, machinery, etc.

 @foggnm: its not about giving up on all the things we have and love, it's about reassessing what those things are worth - economically, socially and environmentally. I'm not calling for ceasing trade with China, but rather accounting for the other factors in trade that we currently ignore.

 @femto505: And not saying domestic production isn't good. Just saying domestic product is still subject to the same supply issues as international products. And also just objecting to the whole virtue signaling of "asia=sweatshop=garbage." I have bought several pieces of USA made bike apparel in the past two years and it is definitely not of the quality of asian or european made apparel, unfortunately. But if Kitsbow makes awesome shorts that have longer inseams (13+ in).... I'll be happy to buy a pair for $200.

 @foggnm: I can't type enough to not offend.

To clarify and spell out specifically, baubles, trinkets, disposable crap . Anything cheap, tiny, novelty, gadgety, shiny, plastic and so on down the line we don't need.

You own a fidget spinner or a cheetah print sparkle phone case or one of the 7000 different variations of a pen with a company logo on it? Maybe a stress ball from State Farm? A plastic key chain twistie with a bank name?

I've got a half dozen novelty letter openers around my house. Potato chip bag clips of every shape and size. Kids have plastic sunglasses with every color and shape of princess or hero on them that you can't see out of. Sunglass clips for the visor of your car. Gift shops that line every end of town with millions of coffiee mugs and crappy novelty gifts. Claires Boutique?

Did I list anything you need in there?

 @Weens: Voler doesn’t even compare to Kitsbow…they make run of the mill stuff. I used to buy direct from them for years.

 @Ryanrobinson1984: why not?
It's not rocket science (no disrespect to logistics managers, planners, and technicians).

 @blowmyfuse: I fully endorse your rant.

 Absolutely true but paying so much more for individual items will hopefully mean a move away from disposable-consumerism and people get more longevity from quality products and fix stuff not bin stuff when it breaks. IE like life before 1980's

 Tech tees marked up 20% or more and marketed as somehow mountain bike specific are a total farce, but quality shorts are worth every penny if you’re willing to repair them every once in a while and keep them for years and years.

 @blowmyfuse: I agree, I dont see many people rocking Kitsbow either. I mean it is very nice stuff and if I could justify it I would own it.

They now share a building with a new brewery and that place is AWESOME!

 @blowmyfuse: I "need" a plastic spatula. I "need" small plastic parts for my bike. I "need" reusable coffee mugs to carry my drinks in the morning. That's my point. Low cost items aren't garbage and are arguably needed. If you want to go out and make your chainrings out of recycled lumber, more power to you. But using pejoratives to describe low cost items as if they are somehow morally beneath our consideration.....well it is stinky. This is not 1890, it is 2021. And no one makes you pick up tchotchkes. I turn down stuff like that. In fact, I even turn down print outs people offer me at work and say "I have the electronic copy." But just because you are "above" owning crap, doesn't mean that the rest of us need to be shamed about it. And I'm not making fun of anyone or you. Being sensitive to the 'junk' we accumulate is just smart living. But calling out anything made in another country as sweatshop crap is painting broad strokes. It is like people saying a plastic bag at the grocery store is a sea-life trap. No it is a plastic bag that safely transports goods from the store to home. And if proper disposal happens it shouldn't be considered a tragedy of nuclear proportions. People get too caught up in the little things so much that they miss the big picture. It is like someone telling me to drive a Prius when I rode my bike to work for 10 years. I know you are more referring to the 'dollar store' phenomena, but the original posting just was about overseas stuff somehow being morally reprehensible.....to which I disagree.

 @blowmyfuse: great points, they made good business Decisions to take the tax breaks. Tell your representatives you don’t want that happening again. I think they walk the environment walk much better than Patagonia. Patagonia talks about a small footprint, and don’t buy more than you need, but sends 4 marketing emails a week. Speaking of Patagonia, aren’t their shorts $150 made in a communist country …?

 Everyone seems to be comparing to "other" factories/brands making shorts in North America, but to these other brands sell S/M/L cookie cutter sizes, or are they making a tailored fit like the featured brand here, made to order to YOUR sizing? Meaning if you have a body that isn't quite the "norm", i.e. you are super tall and skinny, short and stout, bug butt with skinny legs or massive quads with a skinny behind, the Kitsbow may be offering something the others are not - and there is value in that. Buying something that you know will fit perfectly is kind of nice, especially if you yourself are an odd size, not out of come cookie cutter mold.

 @Weens: Will Voler make custom sizes for you? Because surely that increases manufacturing time, cost, and complexity.

 @blowmyfuse: offer a solution instead of complaining. Let’s evaluate if your solution is feasible in reality lol.

 @muscogeemasher: In the case of Kitsbow, they'll literally repair them for you to keep them going. Whatever magic they threw in their ventilated T is pure cooling witchcraft.

 @blowmyfuse: agree 100%.

 I don't have any love for China or sweatshops. However, everyone here needs to read up on the "sweatshop fallacy" to understand the economics at play a bit better.

 They’re also supporting the G5 Collective with trail work, providing space (and snacks) for a CCNC youth crew, etc! I was just in Old Fort this morning and they hooked me up with a muffin and some coffee before we got to work :,) So excited about the revitalization of the town via trails and bikes.

 Old Fort has needed some love. I think it’s great that Kitsbow took a chance there and hopefully others will follow. I haven’t checked but I’d bet housing costs are much lower than up the mountain.

 @TheBlueBear any idea how many people who live and reside in Old Fort prior to the company moving there actually work at Kitsbow?

I've not met a single local. Just wondering. Seems more like Asheville folks are driving down there.

 @blowmyfuse: tap into the G5 trail collective and you will meet locals

 @Edwe1rd: that work at the Kitsbow factory who were born and raised in Old Fort? P.G.? Sugar Hill? Montford Cove? Bat Cave?

 @blowmyfuse: That's a great question. I bet if you reach out to kitsbow you'll be able to find the answer. How much time have you spent in this area? The furniture industry, logging and other manufacturing facilities in old fort have been where the jobs existed historically. The industries have changed over so much there's not much furniture production happening anymore and most of the ancillary jobs left town with them. We do now have ONE garment factory and it's called Kitsbow. The town is mostly very poor financially. You'll have a hard time finding a lifelong local in this area at all these days for a few reasons: they don't typically go to the tourist things that out of state MTB folks are into and they're probably not going to invite you to the hunt, the secret fishing spot or other things they would rather not invite a tourist to do. If you came to our rodeo or carnival in the past 2 weeks you would have found more of our lifelong local population. You won't likely find a lot of our locals out for a $7 beer at hillman or ordering a vegan sandwich at the ridehouse and you darn sure won't fins folks born and raised in old fort hanging out in asheville. However, the mtb and tourism industries have the potential to bring some jobs back to folks in old fort. Kitsbow may not be the solution for all, but they are ONE company who are helping get the ball rolling to bring jobs back to our town, weather the employee is a lifelong local or not.

 @TheBlueBear: I am local to Old Fort. Born and raised in McDowell.

I'm not arguing. I literally just like to know who actually is going to work there who is from the area. Tourist money is all they are attracting and work in the tourism industry is low paying. Ethan Allen, Collins & Aikmen, etc were not tourism based and put the most money into the economy.

When you cater to the rich as your community's backbone, you don't set the locals up for long term economic success. They become waiters and janitors. Tourism doesn't preserve any local heritage. It supplants it with the beliefs, values & ethics of the people who drop in and dictate what they want FROM the community.

Would be nice to see communities in our area not sell their integrity to tourism.

 @blowmyfuse: Your profile says you're from NoDak so I figured you were from there. No argument here either, this is a conversation between neighbors. Kitsbow is a manufacturing plant. Albeit small with a small staff but it is providing mfg. Jobs which old fort hasn't had in years. I hear you about catering to wealthy tourists but we are also talking about a town that couldn't keep the dollar general open. The area has also historically been a tourist zone too, the old Mitchell toll road started down here and old fort was the gateway to the mountains. Tourists would come by train or by car and stopped here on their way up to the mountains just like they're starting to again now. Andrews geyser and the picnic area at the bottom of kitsuma are here from that time. Tourism provides more jobs than Just working directly with tourists and the industry typically enables other businesses and tradespeople to operate too. You can't wire a factory without an electrician, operate a fleet of vehicles without a mechanic, operate a machine shop without machinists etc. I hear what you're saying about our community becoming waiters and janitors but if there's currently 0 options and even just those 2 opportunities arose wouldn't you think that's at least a little bit better? There were custodians at the old plants and there weren't any serving jobs because there weren't enough people coming through town to support a restaurant. I'd rather my neighbor have the opportunity to get a job than be stuck on the gov't checks so their kids could have a future and work for a local business or maybe even start their own businesses because of the opportunity created. I also see the downside: people.

 @blowmyfuse: wait so you’re just jealous of people who can afford kitsbow? That’s what it sounds like

 @SterlingArcher: All you do is comment on my comments stalker. You don't actually have any other thoughts in your head except on a daily basis other than "let me find blowmyfuse in a thread...and comment to me directly. You're insane. Go away. You're creepy.

 @TheBlueBear: yeah. Grandmother worked at Parker Hosiery at one point. Neighbors at C&A. Just trying to provide the cautionary side of not selling out to tourism.

I understand what you're saying.

 @blowmyfuse: anti big business and asking for handouts - you’re starting to sound like a Democrat!!!

 @SterlingArcher: go the frick away. You follow me to every thread. You're a loser with nothing to contribute.

Every post you hate on someone.

@pinkbikeaudience seriously this is getting too old.

 @blowmyfuse: LOL this is a public forum. Why are you trying to violate my free speech? Seems hypocritical

 > The prices are high because they make custom garments

What is custom about this short? I went to their site, I can select colour and waist size in steps of 2 inches and two variation of inseam length. This is the opposite of the custom fit. My local H&M have trousers with more "custom fit" options then this.

And from what I can see - there is no system to micro adjust the waist (for example velcro on the left and right side). This makes them completely unusable - unless one wants to wear a belt on the cycling shorts - which I don't want to.

 Yup, we took ourselves out of the game and china sits there laughing it up.

 @jrocksdh: and we pay extra now in tariffs because "it aint made in USA" (something only needs to be 60%made here to be considered). Thanks conservatives!

 @Edwe1rd: you mean thank you politicians. If you think a party decided that and not corporate lobbyist, you'd be fooling yourself.

 @TrailFeatures Yup! Also, everyone wants to stop immigration until they can’t find workers for the crappy wages they are willing to pay.

 Price of Asian good will keep rising - even if ONLY from Shipping costs. Eventually we might get back to pricing that prices in the insanely inefficient supply chain shitshow we have now. Made in the USA is NOT about nationalism for me - I could care less about that childish shit. Made in North America matters because this container ship shitshow needs to chill.

 @whambat: ah yes the wage and gov welfare issue. Take away welfare(or go back to Clinton era policy) whilst also giving workers choice to work more(overtime) then the worker will have more opportunities to gain wealth....just as so many did way back before Big Labor(laws).
Min wage/OT/unions(prev. Wages).
Liberty=choice to work 20 hours a day if I want. Employers wont offer now bc too much OT costs so they have more employees or reduced hours of operation.

 @jrocksdh: sounds like you hate weekends.

and the Liberty to NOT work 12 hour days and still be able to survive

both to you brought by Unions

(no unions are not perfect but shitting on "big labor" while enjoying a weekend and spouting off about liberty is just uneducated)

 @jrocksdh: the government has done more welfare for corporations that the workers. The main reason the fed has driven up interest rates over history is to prevent full employment and wage inflation, thereby keeping labor costs low for corporations. Historically, the fed would rather risk causing recessions than let labor costs go up too much.

Yes, some unions got too strong over the years, but they also created the middle class, a reasonable work week, and are the only reason that workers like firefighters, cops, and teachers make a living wage.

 @dontcoast: actually, I'm pretty well read on economics. A fav author being thomas Sowell. Hayek is another. Weekends..? I average 50-60 hours a week. Not many days off as I'd rather earn more now for later.
Agreed, corporate bailouts and no bid contracts etc is crony capitalism.
That said, majority of my jobs have come from some form of corporation, the rest being rich and risk taking sole proprietors.

 Wal-Mart & Amazon with record profits and average employee wages that force the employees to accept welfare and medicaid & low income housing and then those same employees get taxed to cover those subsidization programs while Amazon's Bezos & Wal-Mart pay almost zero tax.

As long as the corporations control the tax code, the impoverished will always pay themselves back off their own crumbs while the mega-rich pay zero tax.

 @blowmyfuse: they dont pay what kind of tax? Income? Cap gains?
"Forced the employees to accept welfare"...speech and debate class 101.
Crony capitalist(chamber of commerce) are bad players as well as so many career politicians getting rich from servicing tax payers.
Term limits and reform tax code(flat or fair tax) are strong ideas.

 Beware the high cost of high prices.

 Beware of the high cost of repairs when your cyclist sized calves rip through those tiny leg openings.

 @silkyrhino: At the risk of defending the Rapha of MTB, I have huge calves and Kitsbow shorts work fine for me. They are very durable and well made. As for value, I only buy on sale, so I've felt it was worth it. Problem is this JIT production results in fewer sales for cheapskates like me.

 @WasatchEnduro: bust out the sewing machine? :.)

 Yeah good points and I noticed this as well. They do look pretty sweet though.

 Favorite jerseys I've ever worn, but two months?! Like they traveled by wagon train.

 Yep agreed. The NF pants are not cheap but they aren't that much more than other riding pants made overseas (and they happen to be fantastic). I guess they aren't made to order but they never seem to have stock so its not like they are producing a ton of waste with overstock.

 Username checks out

 The outer snap actually isn't a snap, though you can't see it the way Pinkbike cropped it. The outer snap goes on and slides into a locking position, it's proven very secure on my Mescal shorts, and the same design works well on Velocio's offerings.

 If you ask nicely they just might.

 Not sure where the fabric for these shorts is sourced, but the Icon shirt is made from Pendleton Wool sourced in Oregon.

 @jmusuperman: I respect that. Appreciate the info.

 @jarretthelesic: No problem. Check your PM's.

 > It’s hard to find shorts that aren’t super baggy!

This ones are not baggy: www.bike24.com/p2325499.html . And they have perfect waist adjustment system for mtb: velcros on the left and right side are connected on the back with elastic material.

 Yep. They're not offering nearly enough options to take advantage of their model. Need to be offering odd waist sizes and trim and relaxed fits. I've got two pair of what is now the mescal that I love and that have lasted forever. But, I had to go with a waist size that is too big to get them to fit in the seat and legs, and I'm not some crossfitter cranking out huge deadlifts and squats.

 Yup, probably from an enemy state.

 Maybe 20 years ago. Inflation would like a word with you about those prices now though.

 Comeback implies some of us stopped wearing jorts.

 @Rigidjunkie: I miss jorts....

 @Rigidjunkie: There are dozens of us

 Think he's talking about a comeback in states other than Florida.

 @PTyliszczak: nevernudes are people too!

 Then you aint getting no shorts.

 Not a bib wearer I see

 @porkchopsandwich: Made my day.

 @porkchopsandwich: cut my pants. checkmate

 @Themissinglink83: i need a bib to catch the food that falls out of my mouth while i kick and scream in my hi-chair

 drab only

 I absolutely LOVE Amazon and Walmart !!!