I appreciate folks with the courage of their convictions and spending money with companies whose politics align with your own - whatever they may be. Vote with your purchases for sure. And generally, that's all I'd have to say on the subject.
But, I have to say, in the specific case of many if not most mountain bikers I know who use ammunition manufacturing as a reason to avoid Vista brands there's something that often rings a bit hollow and it comes down to the exact objection. It's easy to not buy Vista - it's obvious which brands they own, and yeah - bullets are bullets - but is that where the exercise stops?
For example, Fox Racing Shox manufacturers suspension for armoured vehicles - and other military uses - under Fox Defense. But it's not like they publish a client list so who knows what conflicts their suspension is being featured in? Does that stop you from buying Fox products or is it a big enough step removed? Would you consider it when purchasing a suspension product?
It gets even more opague when you start purchasing bikes that are manufacturer overseas (which is the vast, vast majority of them). Who, or in some cases what government, owns the factory where your frame was made? I don't know a soul who's gone that in-depth when purchasing a bicycle but I do know that it doesn't take more than 30-seconds on Google to figure out who is (or at least was) making carbon bikes in Myanmar. How in-depth did you research before buying your last bike?
Who's making say Bontrager's light system? Do they also make electronics for military applications?
Please don't take it as a personal criticism, it's just something I feel the need to say in response to the usual, casual, dismissal of Vista. It could be a stepping stone to an individual being more aware of all their purchases but I feel like it's usually low-hanging fruit.
Oct. 25, 2021, 4:58 p.m. - Andrew Major
I appreciate folks with the courage of their convictions and spending money with companies whose politics align with your own - whatever they may be. Vote with your purchases for sure. And generally, that's all I'd have to say on the subject. But, I have to say, in the specific case of many if not most mountain bikers I know who use ammunition manufacturing as a reason to avoid Vista brands there's something that often rings a bit hollow and it comes down to the exact objection. It's easy to not buy Vista - it's obvious which brands they own, and yeah - bullets are bullets - but is that where the exercise stops? For example, Fox Racing Shox manufacturers suspension for armoured vehicles - and other military uses - under Fox Defense. But it's not like they publish a client list so who knows what conflicts their suspension is being featured in? Does that stop you from buying Fox products or is it a big enough step removed? Would you consider it when purchasing a suspension product? It gets even more opague when you start purchasing bikes that are manufacturer overseas (which is the vast, vast majority of them). Who, or in some cases what government, owns the factory where your frame was made? I don't know a soul who's gone that in-depth when purchasing a bicycle but I do know that it doesn't take more than 30-seconds on Google to figure out who is (or at least was) making carbon bikes in Myanmar. How in-depth did you research before buying your last bike? Who's making say Bontrager's light system? Do they also make electronics for military applications? Please don't take it as a personal criticism, it's just something I feel the need to say in response to the usual, casual, dismissal of Vista. It could be a stepping stone to an individual being more aware of all their purchases but I feel like it's usually low-hanging fruit.