In 1971 Kokatat began making paddle sports apparel and gear in Arcata, CA. Their founder and president, Steve O’Meara, recognized from the start that keeping production local was necessary in order to control quality and continually develop the finest and driest paddling apparel in the world. Today, over 90% of their annual revenue comes from the sales of products handmade in Their Arcata factory (now 196 employees strong) and by their local and regional manufacturing partners. Yes, they do make items in Asia. But, only for products that do not have scalable infrastructure here in the US and to support their environmental commitment to Gaia® PVC free flotation foam for all Their life vests, available exclusively through their Asian manufacturer.
All Kokatat products are manufactured to Their exacting quality standards, developed by paddlers for paddlers over 49 years. Their products are backed by a lifetime guarantee against defects in manufacturing or materials* and their repair service facility inside their Arcata factory is unsurpassed in the industry for customer satisfaction.
