Well, it was only a matter of time before he graced our screens with his stupid fucking face… again. Kaepernick is back and this time it came in the form of an add for a certain shoe company. In celebration of their 30th anniversary of its “Just Do It” slogan. The company in their infinite wisdom has decided to put an add out featuring the face of Kaepernick with the slogan, “Believe in something, even it means sacrificing everything.”
Let us be one of the few to point out the Irony of this ad. Kaepernick isn’t sacrificing shit in fact it seems as if he is giving in to the shoe companies dollar… most likely on his knees.
As you can imagine there has been a huge backlash of patriots burning or destroying their [redacted] products in response.
Some have even gone so far as to replace Kaepernick in the add with the likenesses of Fallen soldiers and posting them to the internet without the families permission.
To this we have to say stop. Sounds harsh, I know, but hear us out first. Those families of the Fallen aren’t being paid by [redacted] for those post. [redacted] did this KNOWING full well the right would run a boycott and smear campaign. They knew the right would take to the internet and post these videos and memes all featuring [redacted]’s Logo. Negative reinforcement is still reinforcement. [redacted] is getting FREE advertising on account of you.
By all means Boycott the shit out of them. But quit posting their logo all over the internet. You are falling into their trap. You are inadvertently making them millions.
There are other great alternatives to [redacted] that wont make you question your patriotism if you still need to get your PT in for the week. Many of these companies are not only veteran owned but operated as well!
TRU-SPEC, By 1996, ATLANCO® management became aware of a glaring need in the marketplace for a manufacturer of high quality, affordable military and law enforcement apparel with vision, ambition and panache. The result was the introduction of the TRU-SPEC® brand as well as the construction of the company’s first manufacturing facility. The new factory provided the company with the ability to create and produce its own products at competitive prices while responding to market trends and demands in a timely manner. An even larger, state-of-the-art production facility followed in 2004 and currently employs more than one thousand employees. Today TRU-SPEC® continues to lead the market through innovation and service. TRU-SPEC® is now one of the leading suppliers of uniforms and personal equipment to the military, law enforcement and public safety markets. Thousands of police, firefighters, EMTs and military personnel use and depend on our products daily, the name TRU-SPEC® has become synonymous with quality, innovation and service.
VIKTØS is a family run business headquartered in Janesville, Wisconsin. Launched in the fall of 2017 by a combined force of industry and military veterans, it is their mission to produce innovative gear for the tactical user. Their products transcend the typical boundaries of conventional tactical companies and addresses the entire black gun lifestyle; from combat, to training, to R&R. It is a decidedly unique approach from a decidedly unique brand.
WOOBIES, Founded in 2015. In 2018, Woobies relocated to Texas and appointed new CEO, Tony Aguiniga. The mission : Is to become the first veteran owned shoe company and most valuable shoe maker in the world, in order to facilitate support to veterans and their families. Woobies Shoes, are designed and engineered with the intent to bring you a comfortable, timeless and universal shoe system for daily life. Tony works with the Green Beret Foundation and other honest organizations to make a difference in our veteran’s daily lives and to help find their purpose after military service.
LALO is another awesome company. Founded to serve the needs of Special Operations Forces and NSW Operators. Their award-winning designers and developers have been creating innovative footwear for some of the world’s most popular brands for over 30 years. They use top tier materials to create some of the best and hardest working tactical boots and athletic footwear for those that rise to the toughest occasions. The LALO Tactical Athletic line is a direct result of briefings they received from Special Operations Forces. The need was to build a lightweight, packable, breathable shoe they could cross train and run in – a shoe they could count on, whether training or deployed. Their tactical athletic designs put an emphasis on noise reduction, support and game day performance; gear that hits the mark time after time.
Altama is another great option! For nearly 50 years, Altama has proudly carried the American military through every challenging environment that global conflict has thrown its way. There is no intention on stopping now. The Altama OTB Maritime Assault Low shoe is the ultimate shoe designed specifically for tactical water operations. The fin friendly fit allows these shoes to easily fit into just about all dive fins used by militaries worldwide. The high abrasion, quick drying 1000D Cordura quarter panels are durable and rugged, and the non-shine and rust-proof lace hardware will stand up to heavy use. These shoes stay comfortable and supportive, with low profile laces that won’t cause pain from fin wear, a full length one piece ABS shank that provides stability and support, the Ultron PU contoured insole that doesn’t absorb water and drainage ports which allow for water to easily drain out when flexing. Best of all, Seal Rubber sticky outsoles, originally developed for rock climbing, have been modified specifically for wet tactical operations on the OTB Maritime Assault Low shoes, making them one of the stickiest, highest traction rubber outsoles on the market today.
And Finally, 5.11 Tactical founded in 2003 began developing a more extensive law enforcement line in 2003. Their designers work together with public safety professionals to create gear that meets the needs of real people in the field. In 2012, they rose to the challenge of redesigning their women’s collection to create better fitting and higher performing options. their women’s category has grown to include premium uniforms, covert clothing, fitness apparel and more. Today, 5.11® is expanding into the outdoor and fitness markets with products like the Vaporlite short and the ABR trainer. They are determined to meet these new challenges with the same grit and fortitude that has always defined their brand.
Needless to say its important to show [redacted] that the veteran and law enforcement community has a myriad of other options available and we are not going to idly sit by and play their little game. We understand how marketing works and this, this is low. We will be taking out money elsewhere!