Built to Last in Billings: Jim Markel on The Vault Podcast

There’s a reason Red Oxx is still building gear in Billings, MT. It’s not the easy way. It’s the right way.

On a recent episode of The Vault at 201 N Broadway, Jim Markel, CEO of Red Oxx, sat down in a historic bank vault in downtown Billings to talk about what it really takes to build things that last—products, places, and relationships.

If you care about American-made gear, Montana grit, and businesses that stay true to their roots, this conversation is worth a listen.

Listen to “Built to Last: Jim Markel and the Red Oxx Way” on The Vault: https://thevaultat201.com/ (Sign up for The Vault newsletter there to get new episodes every Monday.)

From a Billings basement to American-made gear

Red Oxx started small and scrappy in Billings, MT.

Jim grew up in a military family and served as a parachute rigger, where “good enough” was never good enough. That focus on reliability followed him home to Montana.

His dad launched Red Oxx out of a Billings basement with surplus webbing and a simple standard: build gear that will endure. No compromise. No shortcuts. Just rugged materials, practical design, and the kind of durability you stake your name on.

That story still drives everything we do today: Durable. Rugged. Reliable. Made in Montana.

From fitness gear to travel and workhorse bags

Red Oxx didn’t begin with travel bags. In the early days, we focused on fitness gear and training equipment. As customers kept asking for tough bags that could survive airports, job sites, and back roads, the focus shifted.

On the podcast, Jim walks through how Red Oxx evolved into building American-made travel and gear bags that handle real life—early flights, heavy loads, and hard use.

He also talks about Red Oxx making an early move into e‑commerce back in the ’90s, long before it was common for a small manufacturer in Billings, MT. That blend of old-school craftsmanship and new-school thinking is still how we operate.

Why “Made in Montana” still matters

Keeping production in Billings, Montana is not a marketing line. It is the core of who we are.

Every Red Oxx bag is cut, sewn, and built in the U.S. That means:

• We know who made your gear.

• We control every stitch, seam, and zipper.

• We back it with our “No Bull” lifetime warranty.

On The Vault, Jim digs into why staying American-made matters for more than just quality. It supports local jobs, keeps skills and craftsmanship alive, and proves you can build world-class gear without leaving your roots.

If you have ever wondered what Made in Montana looks like beyond a label, this episode takes you inside that mindset.

Factory #8, the 406 Event Lawn, and a Billings community

Red Oxx is known for bags, but our footprint in Billings goes beyond the sewing floor.

Jim and host Marcell Bruski talk about:

• Factory #8 – our home base and production facility, where American-made gear comes to life piece by piece.

• The 406 Event Lawn – the adjacent space that has hosted concerts, events, and community gatherings over the years.

The episode shows how Red Oxx has grown into a small ecosystem in Billings: a manufacturer, a neighbor, and a committed part of the local business community.

The Red Oxx way: move forward without losing your roots

One of the anchors of the conversation is Jim’s philosophy on growth:

“We are a blend of old and new, we try to always move forward but not so fast we are leaving our roots behind which is making high quality products and good customer relationships.”

That’s the Red Oxx way:

• Keep standards high.

• Take care of your customers.

• Respect where you came from.

• Keep building what’s next.

If you want to understand how a Billings, MT company can grow while staying loyal to American-made gear and local roots, this episode lays it out clearly.

A big thank you to The Vault and Big Sky Economic Development

We are grateful to host Marcell Bruski and the team at Big Sky Economic Development for the invitation and for shining a light on the people and ideas driving our region forward.

The Vault releases a new Montana-based business episode every Monday and has even taken “The Vault on the Road” to conferences like the Energy Open and the Montana Economic Developers Association Fall Conference. You can check out some of those conversations here:

• Energy Open: https://youtu.be/E-JaDyx9bvQ

• MEDA Fall Conference: https://youtu.be/UmR1HoFtero

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