Mike Wolanin | The Republic An exterior view of a Hiker Trailer at the Hiker Trailer production facility in Columbus, Ind., Monday, Nov. 21, 2022.
Consider it the “Sweet 16” of Hoosier ingenuity.
Out of 47 original competitors, three unique products made in south central Indiana are among the 16 who made it through the second round of the 2023 ‘Coolest Thing Made in Indiana’ competition. They are:
- Camping trailers made by Hiker Trailers, 2860 N. National Road, Suite B, Columbus
- Children’s bicycles manufactured by Guardian Bikes ,2230 D Ave E Suite C., Seymour
- Hard Truth Maple Bourbon Cream – Hard Truth Distilling Co., 418 Old State Road 46, Nashville
Hiker Trailers was also one of the finalists in last year’s competition, according to Director of Sales and Marketing Robbie Bosar.
“We honestly didn’t even know we were back in the running,” Bosar said. “We were either grandfathered in because we made it to the Final Four last year, or maybe somebody submitted our name on our behalf.”
This is the third year for the competition overseen by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. Progress in the competition is designed to resemble single-elimination brackets like major sports tournaments. Winners for each round are chosen by fan voting, with the products receiving the highest votes in each bracket moving to the next round.
Janus Motorcycles of Goshen took top honors in the inaugural 2021 competition. Last year, Leesburg-based Maple Leaf Farms won top honors for its roast half duck.
Voting for Round 3 is already underway, and will continue until 9 p.m. Tuesday evening. Round 4 will take place from Nov. 14-17. Semi-final voting is scheduled from Nov. 20 to 24 and votes for the finals will be accepted Nov. 27 through 30.
The 2023 winner will be announced Dec. 13 at the 2023 Best IN Manufacturing Awards Luncheon.
Hiker Trailers
The customizable teardrop camping trailers made in Columbus are made for those on an budget. The trailers have over 200 options to choose from, so the customer can have exactly what they want, according to the company’s website.
Four different models of trailers are available to choose from, with each capable of different off-road capabilities.
Hiker Trailer was formed about 10 years ago by two entrepreneurs in Indiana and Colorado, Bosar said. The company was initially based on the north side of Indianapolis and in the Denver area. At one point, Hiker Trailers started contracting with local manufacturer Sterling Industries Inc. through a metal shop it operates in Edinburgh, Bosar said.
In 2020, Sterling Industries moved to acquire the Indiana portion of the Hiker Trailers business and moved production to Columbus, Bosar said. In 2021, Sterling Industries merged with the Colorado portion of the business and now fully owns Hiker Trailers.
Guardian Bikes
Originally a small startup company, Guardian Bikes first introduced an innovative braking system to eliminate head-over-handlebar biking accidents.
But after being featured in 2016 on the ABC television show “Shark Tank,” billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban became an investor.
In July of 2022, Guardian Bikes opened their first U.S. factory in Seymour. Since they, the company has increased their production capacity and provided economic growth to the Jackson County community.
Hard Truth Maple Bourbon Cream
Since 2017, the Hard Truth Distillery Co. in Brown County, as well as their sister company, “Quaff ON! Brewing Co. have enjoyed substantial growth. In 2018, the company opened the Restaurant at Hard Truth near Nashville.
The Hard Truth Maple Bourbon Cream is a blend of bourbon, dairy cream and pure maple syrup. Customers say the aroma features a variety of scents such as maple candy, toasted pecans, sweet cream and oak.
The Maple Bourbon Cream can be use to create specialty drinks like Maple Bourbon Iced Coffee, Maple Bourbon Espresso Martinis, and Horchata Pumpkin Maple Martinis, the company says.
Other finalists :
- Angry Sturgeon Lures (Crawford County)
- Aqua Blast Corp. Custom-Build Power Washer (Decatur)
- Birthday Chocolates (Wayne County)
- Blue Fox Farms LLC, selling woodland and wetland plants (Noble County)
- GE Aerospace – Lafayette Engine Facility
- Heritage Construction and Materials – makes a membrane to preserve asphalt pavements. (Indianapolis)
- Hoosier Racing Tire (Plymouth)
- Institute for Affordable Transportation’s Basic Utility Vehicle for use in third-world countries. (Indianapolis)
- Kidstuff Playsystems Inc. School Bus on Springs for playgrounds. (Gary).
- Polywood Chinoserie’s Martha Stewart 4-piece deep seating set. (Syracuse)
- Revive Home Brands High-end Custom Cabinetry. (Allen County)
- Wag’n Tails Mobile Conversions Elite, a mobile veterinary clinic (St. Joseph County)
- Wood-Mizer Portable Sawmill (Batesville and Indianapolis)
How to vote
Ballots can be cast online at indianachamber.com/coolest-thing-made-in-indiana-tournament
A voter may vote once per matchup per round.
While a company does not need to be headquartered in Indiana to enter, the product must be manufactured in the state.
How to vote
Ballots can be cast online at indianachamber.com/coolest-thing-made-in-indiana-tournament
A voter may vote once per matchup per round.
While a company does not need to be headquartered in Indiana to enter, the product must be manufactured in the state.
Other finalists :
- Angry Sturgeon Lures (Crawford County)
- Aqua Blast Corp. Custom-Build Power Washer (Decatur)
- Birthday Chocolates (Wayne County)
- Blue Fox Farms LLC, selling woodland and wetland plants (Noble County)
- GE Aerospace – Lafayette Engine Facility
- Heritage Construction and Materials – makes a membrane to preserve asphalt pavements. (Indianapolis)
- Hoosier Racing Tire (Plymouth)
- Institute for Affordable Transportation’s Basic Utility Vehicle for use in third-world countries. (Indianapolis)
- Kidstuff Playsystems Inc. School Bus on Springs for playgrounds. (Gary).
- Polywood Chinoserie’s Martha Stewart 4-piece deep seating set. (Syracuse)
- Revive Home Brands High-end Custom Cabinetry. (Allen County)
- Wag’n Tails Mobile Conversions Elite, a mobile veterinary clinic (St. Joseph County)
- Wood-Mizer Portable Sawmill (Batesville and Indianapolis)
More complete descriptions and photos of each item can be found on the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s website.
