Built on Principle. Run by a Real Person.

Tanstaafl Backpacks is independently operated out of Louisville, Kentucky.

I’m 55 years old, and I run this company myself — from selecting materials to preparing every order for shipment. When you reach out, you’re not contacting a help desk or a call center. You’re contacting me.

TANSTAAFL stands for:

“There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.”

It’s a reminder that responsibility matters. That value matters. That what we build today affects our families tomorrow.

That principle guides how I run this business.

Why I Started Tanstaafl

I believe American families deserve better — better products, better accountability, and better stewardship of our future.

Our products are responsibly sourced, then personally inspected and prepared before they ever reach your home. I don’t ship anything I wouldn’t hand to my own family.

No gimmicks.
No inflated promises.
No “free” anything that costs you later.

Just practical gear for practical Americans who are thinking long-term.

A Note on the Name

The phrase TANSTAAFL was popularized in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress — a story about independence, self-governance, and responsibility.

To me, it’s not about rebellion.

It’s about ownership.

Ownership of our choices.
Ownership of our families’ future.
Ownership of the country we leave to the next generation.

Contact

If you have a question, concern, or idea — I want to hear it.

When you fill out the form below, it comes directly to me.

Thank you for supporting an independent American business.

Chad C. Rediker
Founder, Tanstaafl Backpacks
Louisville, Kentucky