If you read QRPer regularly—or listen to the Ham Radio Workbench podcast—you probably know I’m a bit of a pack geek.
Okay… that’s a gross understatement.
I’m more of a quality-pack evangelist.
For many operators, a pack or field bag is just a way to transport gear—an afterthought. But for me? It’s one of the most important parts of the kit. In some cases, I’ve spent more on the bag than the radio it carries.
Why? Because I believe a well-built pack should last a lifetime—ideally long enough to pass down to my kids. I never want to worry about a zipper failing me on a summit descent, or a strap breaking in the backcountry. To me, a good field pack is mission-critical.
That’s why I don’t mind paying more for bags that are overbuilt and made to last—especially when they’re made here in North America, where it’s still possible to produce high-quality gear locally with skilled labor and fair, living wages. In fact, if I lived in Germany, France, Japan, or anywhere else, I’d try to support local makers too—especially in categories like packs and bags that don’t rely heavily on global supply chains the way our beloved electronics do.
Red Oxx Fan Here
One company that consistently exceeds my expectations is Red Oxx, based in Billings, Montana.
Their customer service is second to none.
I’ve been buying Red Oxx gear for over a decade, and I’ve been impressed not just with the thoughtful designs and rock-solid construction, but also with their No Bull lifetime warranty. If a Red Oxx bag ever fails you—for any reason—they’ll repair or replace it. No caveats, no hoops to jump through. Even if you bought it secondhand–they don’t need or want the original receipt–they know their own bags.
It’s not a marketing gimmick—it works because they over-engineer their gear from the start. They expect it to last.
Recently, Red Oxx launched a new video series on YouTube, showing how they make some of their most popular bags—and how you could make them too. So far, they’ve started with simpler designs like the Aviator Kit Bag and the Lil Roy.
As someone who appreciates craftsmanship, I’ve been blown away by the attention to detail and the way each component is purpose-built. Even the stitching is layered with redundancy—if one line fails, there’s another ready to hold.
Here’s their first video, showing how they make the Aviator Kit bag:
Here’s the second video, showing how they make their Lil Roy EDC pack:
Click here to bookmark the playlist for this series.
Thanks for indulging me on this little gear tangent. I’m not on Red Oxx’s payroll—I’m just a long-time, happy customer who genuinely appreciates what they do. I even keep in touch with their team from time to time because I admire their ethos and craftsmanship.
If you’ve got a company in your part of the world that builds gear with this same kind of care and commitment to quality, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. Always happy to discover and support makers who choose quality over quantity.
