Tariffs, Trails, and the True Cost of Outdoor Gear: The Economic & Environmental Impact on Your Adventures

You’ve meticulously planned your next backcountry trip. The maps are printed, your gear list is set, and you’re eyeing that ultralight tent that would shave a pound off your pack weight. But when you check the price, you do a double-take. Did this tent really cost $100 less last year?

While inflation and supply chain disruptions have played their roles, another force is silently reshaping the price of your gear: tariffs. These hidden economic policies don’t just affect your wallet—they’re also influencing the sustainability movement in outdoor gear.

As gear prices climb and manufacturers rethink supply chains, outdoor enthusiasts face an important question: Will tariffs push the industry toward sustainability, or make eco-conscious gear even harder to access?

Understanding Tariffs: How Policy Meets the Outdoors

Tariffs are taxes imposed on imported goods, meant to protect domestic industries and encourage local manufacturing. However, for the outdoor industry—where cutting-edge materials and technical components often rely on global supply chains—tariffs often increase costs rather than fuel local innovation.

As of 2025, here’s how U.S. tariff policies are affecting outdoor gear:

• China – A 10% tariff on imported technical fabrics (like Gore-Tex and Dyneema), carbon fiber, and aluminum components—essential for ultralight backpacking gear.

• Canada & Mexico – A 25% tariff on general imports, raising costs for some North American gear brands.

• Aluminum & Steel Tariffs – Directly impacting the cost of tent poles, trekking poles, bikepacking racks, and vehicle-mounted storage systems.

For gear brands and consumers alike, these tariffs present a financial challenge—but their effects extend beyond price tags.

How Tariffs Are Shaping the Future of Sustainable Outdoor Gear

1. The Cost of Eco-Friendly Materials Just Went Up

Many of the most sustainable innovations in outdoor gear rely on international supply chains:

🌱 Recycled & Repurposed Fabrics – Brands like Patagonia, Arc’teryx, and Rab increasingly use recycled nylon and polyester sourced globally. With tariffs raising import costs, will brands pivot to cheaper, less sustainable materials?

♻️ Dyneema & Advanced Composites – Many ultralight tents and backpacks are made with Dyneema, a high-performance material produced primarily in Europe and Asia. Tariffs make these imports pricier, potentially leading brands to move away from ultralight gear or pass costs onto consumers.

🚲 Bikepacking & Overlanding Gear – Aluminum racks, water bottles, and lightweight metal components—many of which are sustainably produced overseas—are subject to tariffs, increasing costs for environmentally conscious bikepackers and overlanders.

Impact: Higher tariffs mean sustainable materials cost more to import, making less eco-friendly, mass-market alternatives more financially attractive to brands.

🔹 Industry Expert Insight: A 2023 report by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) found that 38% of outdoor brands surveyed had delayed or reduced investment in sustainable materials due to rising costs from tariffs and supply chain issues.

2. Will Tariffs Push Brands Toward Domestic, Sustainable Production?

On the flip side, tariffs could incentivize more U.S.-based manufacturing. If importing sustainable materials becomes too expensive, brands might:

✅ Invest in domestic production – More U.S.-made tents, backpacks, and technical apparel could emerge.
✅ Develop alternative materials – Companies may start sourcing natural, plant-based, or synthetic-free gear components.
✅ Prioritize long-lasting gear – A return to "buy it once, use it for decades" gear models could reduce consumer waste.

Some brands have already embraced sustainability-driven domestic production:

🇺🇸 Hyperlite Mountain Gear (Maine) – Specializing in Dyneema backpacks and shelters, HMG manufactures in the U.S. to avoid overseas tariffs, but Dyneema material is still imported, meaning higher costs.
🇺🇸 Voormi (Colorado) – Uses domestic wool to produce sustainable outdoor apparel with no reliance on imported fabrics.
🇺🇸 Seek Outside (Colorado) – Makes lightweight shelters and stoves domestically, avoiding tariff-related price hikes.

🔹 Challenge: Scaling up U.S. production takes time and resources, so these shifts may be gradual rather than immediate.

3. The Risk of Greenwashing: Are Brands Using Tariffs as an Excuse?

As tariffs increase production costs, some companies might cut corners while still marketing their gear as "sustainable."

💰 Greenwashing Red Flag: A brand that once championed recycled materials might quietly switch back to virgin nylon while keeping their eco-friendly branding intact.

🔎 How to Spot True Sustainability:

• Check materials sourcing (has the brand switched from recycled to non-recycled materials?).

• Look for third-party certifications (e.g., bluesign®, Fair Trade, Global Recycled Standard).

• Pay attention to brand transparency—are they explaining pricing increases due to tariffs, or using vague sustainability claims?

What Can You Do as a Conscious Outdoor Consumer?

As an adventure enthusiast, you can’t control tariffs, but you can control how you buy and support the industry:

✔ Prioritize Long-Lasting Gear – Quality over quantity. Buy durable, repairable gear that won’t need replacement after one season.

✔ Support Domestic & Ethical Brands – Look for companies actively investing in sustainable U.S. manufacturing.

✔ Buy Secondhand & Recycled Gear – REI Used Gear, GearTrade, and brand-specific buyback programs (e.g., Patagonia Worn Wear) reduce waste and keep gear affordable.

✔ Hold Brands Accountable – Demand transparency from gear companies about how tariffs affect their materials, sustainability efforts, and pricing.

Final Thoughts: Are Tariffs a Setback or a Step Forward?

Tariffs are shaping the future of outdoor gear in unexpected ways—making some sustainable materials harder to afford while incentivizing domestic production. Whether these policies lead to a boom in U.S.-made, sustainable gear or a slide back into cheaper, less eco-friendly alternatives depends on how brands, consumers, and policymakers respond.

If you care about the future of adventure gear, sustainability, and accessibility, now is the time to pay attention to where your gear comes from—and where it’s going.

What Do You Think?

💬 Have you noticed price increases on eco-friendly gear?
💬 Would you pay more for domestically made, sustainable equipment?
💬 What brands do you trust for true sustainability?

Drop a comment below—let’s talk about the future of sustainable outdoor gear! 🌍⛺🚀