Hello there, fellow adventurers! Are you ready to inject a bit of personality and pizzazz into your outdoor, woodsy gear this year? Well, say hi to our all new EXPLORER KITS – your ticket to the exciting world of leathercrafting where creativity knows no bounds.

Picture this: you, with a toolkit in hand, ready to dive headfirst into the wonderful world of crafting. But hey, this ain't just any crafting – it's leathercrafting! We're talking about crafting gear that not only serves a purpose but also screams "YOU" in every stitch and stamp.

Whether you're a seasoned pro or a total newbie, our Explorer Kits are here to guide you on your crafting journey. From making your very own handy hatchet sheath to crafting a bold and beefy backpack, these kits are chock-full of goodies to help you unleash your inner artisan.

Our Explorer Kit Collection includes many different designs like a rucksack, water bottle holder, and belt bag kit, among many others! 

                   

But here's the kicker – our kits come with attaching tabs, making them modular. What's that, you ask? Well, it's like Lego for leather! Mix and match components from different kits to create your own custom gear ensemble. The possibilities are endless – just like your creativity!

And who knows better than a leathercrafting than an Eagle Scout! Meet Connor, one of our incredible staff members at our flagship store in Ft. Worth, TX, and let him share about his time with the Boy Scouts of America and his history with the art of leather. 

Connor shares the following:

I still remember my first time working with leather as a Cub Scout. Equipped with a spray bottle, hammer, and a bottomless basket of stamps I set off to work on my masterpiece. My hammer smacked the ends of stamps, substitutions made throughout the process to achieve the best design possible for whatever my 9-year-old heart desired. The final product one might assume to be a piece of leather for trying out stamps, but in my eyes it was the next Starry Night. As I dig through my Scout box and rediscover things, such as these leather pieces I made many years ago, it’s no surprise to me how they’ve ended up there. It was an important part of my Scouting journey as a youth, the Leatherwork merit badge even used as one of my twenty-one required for Eagle.

Now, several years later I find myself re-immersed in a community I find so similar to Scouting. It’s a feeling I find hard to describe, but one that’s so eerily familiar, kind of like returning home after being away for a few days. Maybe it’s not a feeling at all and the ability to disconnect from the world while out camping for the weekend, or while becoming immersed in a project. Perhaps even it’s projects you finish and show to friends and family just like you would for a new patch on your sash or uniform. Whatever the feeling or ability might be one thing stands out, Tandy Leather and Scouts BSA are dedicated to developing skills you can use for a lifetime. What better way to be prepared for what the world throws at you than with something you crafted with leather by your side.

It’s exciting to see Tandy Leather roll out their Explorer kits and continue their legacy of inspiring the timeless art and trade of leathercrafting as they bring Scouting along with them. Wherever you are with your Scouting journey, it’s never too late to try something new, especially if something is made specifically with you in mind.

I’m looking forward to grabbing one of these kits and traveling back in time to the first time I worked with leather as a Cub Scout those many years ago. Until we meet again, Connor.

So,  with Connor's wisdom ringing in your ears, whether you're gearing up for a camping trip, a road adventure, scouts event, or just need some snazzy accessories for your daily grind, our Explorer Kits have got you covered. And trust us, nothing beats the satisfaction of rocking gear that's as unique as you are.

           

In a world where everything seems mass-produced and cookie-cutter, there's something special about creating something that's uniquely yours. So, why wait? Grab an Explorer Kit, let your imagination run wild, and start crafting your own adventure – one stitch at a time!