Meet The Company & The Team

Welcome to USATuff® and USATuff-SeaDek, a veteran-owned and family-operated company focused on providing exceptional products and services to help our individual and corporate customers make lasting impressions and memories and functional use of our customized coolers, wraps, SeaDek cooler pads and SeaDek boat decking installations.

 
Founded in January 2015, we launched USATuff® leading the way as the first cooler vinyl wrap company in the US.  We were the first to offer off-road racing grade wrap material for cooler graphic wrap kits.  While other businesses have followed suit, we can confidently say that nothing compares to the USATuff® cooler wrap quality or service!  USATuff® is dedicated to manufacturing premium cooler/ice-chest Vinyl Wrap Skin Kits and meticulously crafted SeaDek Cooler Pads.  We are adding new product lines including bucket wraps, fly box wraps, gun case wraps and more to meet new customer demands.  


In late 2018, USATuff was selected to become the SeaDek Certified Fabricator and Installers for Idaho and Oregon prompting us to launch the new USATuff-SeaDek division.  USATuff-SeaDek focuses on helping our customers transform their boats and other watercraft with genuine SeaDek which has proven to be the industry leader in premium, marine-grade, non-slip EVA boat decking.

Our primary focus is to provide an exceptional customer service experience each and every time.  We assist individual and corporate clients to create the perfect customized cooler for personal use or for promotional projects.  At USATuff® you will find top of the line cooler wrap and marine-grade pad accessories for all major brands including YETI Coolers, RTIC Coolers, CORDOVA Coolers, LIFETIME Coolers, ORCA Coolers, CABELAS Coolers, IGLOO Coolers, OZARK TRAIL Coolers, BISON (BRUTE) Coolers, ENGEL Coolers, GRIZZLY Coolers, K2 Coolers, FRIO Coolers, COLEMAN Coolers, YETI Cups, RTIC Cups and more.

Why Choose USATuff®/USATuff-SeaDek?

USATuff® Cooler Graphics are toughest, thickest and most durable vinyl graphic wrap kits on the market. Our vinyl product is 100% Made in the USA and manufactured with the same process and material that is used for off-road racing graphics. We make our cooler graphics in the same production plant where graphics for MX, ATV, UTV and other off-road vehicles are manufactured. The vinyl product we use to create our kits is proprietary to USATuff® and is specifically designed to stick to injection-molded and roto-molded products. Our product is 23-mil thick and features a very aggressive adhesive designed for years of use and enjoyment. When installed and stored properly, your USATuff® cooler graphic wrap will last for many years to come. Please be aware of imitation kits! If they are not USATuff™, you may find yourself replacing them in a few months’ time. We take great pride in our product, and we can assure that if you choose USATuff®, you will not be disappointed. 

USATuff-SeaDek Cooler Pads are among the best in the world. Every cooler pad is hand-touched and meticulously crafted from start to finish. When you order one of our custom Marine-Grade Cooler Pads, you can expect to receive the best!  All pad sold by USATuff are fabricated in Idaho, USA!

USATuff-SeaDek Boat Digitization and Installation services are hands down among the best in the industry.   We treat every watercraft as if it were our own and are always focused on providing quality service and installation.  You can count on us!

Thank you for stopping by! We appreciate your support, and we look forward to welcoming to the USATuff family!

Laura & Gary 

USATuff™

 

Meet the Team

 

Laura Hallenberger Gary D. Johnson Jr  John Honeycutt Eric Carlberg
 Joshua Gray  Dylan Johnson  Bodhi  Pepper
  Malibu

 

Laura Hallenberger [Founder/Owner/CEO]

Laura Hallenberger was born and raised in Boise, Idaho and is a true Northwest girl at heart. After moving out of Idaho at the age of 19, Laura enjoyed spending 20 years collectively between Seattle, WA, Eugene, OR (where she attended and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Oregon - Go Ducks!) and Seaside, Oregon. In late, 2010, ventured to sunny Las Vegas for some Southwest adventures where she met her now husband, Gary.

In 2015, Laura founded USATuff® with her husband and has been fervently focused on its growth and success. Laura is an Entrepreneur at heart and loves the process of developing and growing the family business. As Owner/CEO, Laura is active in all aspects of USATuff® and USATuff-Deck®. She spends an equal amount of time behind the scenes handling the day-to-day operations and molding the company's development as well as being active in the daily interactions with our customers. Her dreams came full circle when the decision was made to transition USATuff from Las Vegas back up to the now permanent office location in Middleton, ID just miles from where she was born and raised.

Laura is most passionate about creating connections and building the USATuff® brand based on integrity and family values. Her mission to help her clients build relationships and create memories with their quality products and unique services. She has vowed to keep 'true' customer service alive and kickin' within the USATuff experience. 

Laura enjoys the beach, fitness, wake-surfing, mountain-biking, hiking, running, fishing and camping at the dunes. You’ll always find her with a book in hand or listening to one of her favorite podcasts. She loves to learn and grow! 'Family' is what Laura values most in life. Her passions include spending time with her husband, family, and dogs as well as raising her stepson, Dylan, and living a healthy and active lifestyle. Laura is also a Certified Professional Life & Business Coach with CPC & ELI-MP certifications and enjoys impacting people’s lives with positivity. 

Laura Hallenberger Media Bio 


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Gary D. Johnson Jr [Founder/Owner/Production Engineer]

Gary Johnson was born in Groton, CT and spent his childhood in Virginia and New Jersey.  He moved to Oregon at the age of 17 and enlisted in the NAVY at the age of 19.  After his service, Gary had a long career Federal Law Enforcement resulting in his relocation to Las Vegas, NV after the events of 9/11.  In 2004, Gary transitioned out of Law Enforcement and joined with his business partner to launch AMR Racing, one of the most successful off-road racing graphics companies in the world!   Then, in 2005, the most important event in Gary’s life occurred when he witnessed the birth of his son, Dylan.  Gary’s life from that day forward has been focused, first and foremost, on raising his son.  In 2010, another pivotal chapter began when Gary met his now wife, Laura. 

Gary is actively involved in running the company and plays an integral part in the development and management of our unique production process.  His attention to detail and meticulous nature has laid the foundation from which our product and brand was built. He never settles for ‘good enough’ demanding only the exceptional!  He is a visionary and is always looking to take things to the next level. 

Gary describes himself as a ‘jack of all trades and master of none’ although those who know him would say he is a Master of All!  He loves spending time with his son Dylan and wife Laura and believes that family is what is most important in life.  His two favorite activities are wake surfing at the lake or playing around in his sand rail at the dunes.   He has spent years enjoying such activities as riding Jet Skis, MX bike, Street Bikes, Mini-Moto, Harleys, Sailing and Wakeboarding.  He also loves fabricating and building cars.  In fact, when Gary and Laura met in 2010, they spent their first year together building an award-winning RatRod 'RUSTED' from the ground up!

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John Honeycutt [Website/Online Marketing]

John is originally from East Tennessee but now enjoys living in sunny Las Vegas! 

John joined the USATuff family in 2017 and has become an integral part of our team and is always happy to provide support and help wherever he is needed. He oversees our online distribution sites and assists with updates on our website and social media platforms. If you’ve had a chance to watch any of the USATuff videos, you’ll witness first hand John’s creative side. He turns our ideas and content into amazing YouTube videos. We appreciate so much having him as part of our team.

John enjoys fitness, outdoor activities, video games and disc golf.  

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Eric Carlberg [Lead Designer/Product Development]

Eric grew up back East as the youngest of four brothers in a Navy Family and joined the USATuff team in January of 2019.

Eric who now calls Idaho home was lucky enough to live in England in the 1980s and traveled across Europe seeing some amazing history along the way. One of his favorite places was Rome, Italy and recalls the day he came across a fifteen-year-old kid recreating the Sistine Chapel paintings on the sidewalk with colored chalk to make money for him and his family. He recalls the breathtaking work as a real inspiration for his design work.

Eric has had many careers including that of Carpenter, Computer Room Clean Tech, Cable Technician, Inspector/Estimator, Database Management, Visual Production, and Graphic Designer which makes him a great asset to our team.

He is a multi-disciplined Digital Artist who specializes in Conceptual Design, Typography, Illustration, Animation, Video Editing, Digital Photography, Order Fulfillment, Customer Service, and IT Support.

Eric's mottos include:
"Never be stagnant, always try to learn something new about yourself every day!" & "Do not be afraid to make mistakes, our success is paved upon the bricks of our failures."

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Joshua Gray [Lead CNC Operator]

Joshua Gray was born and raised in Idaho and lived in Colorado for a short time where he won his first art competition in the 2nd grade. Drawing and painting is his passion and he has sold original work all over the country. Besides art, Josh has also worked in laser engraving and printing technology. His son, Landon, has also started to explore the world of art as well, which is very exciting for Josh as a Father and an artist. “Working for USATuff is a very exciting opportunity for me. Working alongside Gary with the CNC and what we can do is nothing short of amazing! We are the best in the business and I look forward to what the future holds.”

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Dylan Johnson [Future Owner]

Dylan was born in 2005 and is growing up to be quite the accomplished young man.  Dylan loves being part of the family-owned business.  He enjoys being part of the creative process as we come up with new product ideas and is coming up with ideas of his own.

Dylan is a very active boy, and at the age of 12 has already participated in more activities than most men in their 30’s! Some of Dylan’s activities include Go Kart Racing, Snow Skiing, Swimming, Wakesurfing, MX Bike Riding and driving the family RZR in the dunes!

Dylan enjoys spending time with the family dogs, Bodhi, Pepper and Malibu and he loves playing games with his friends on YouTube.  Dylan is aspiring to be an Anesthesiologist so that he can help make a difference in peoples' lives. 

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Bodhi [English Bulldog / USATuff Mascot]

Bodhi, born Feb 16, 2015, was adopted into the USATuff family when he was eight weeks old. Bodhi is named after the Buddhist term Bodhisattva which means ‘Enlightenment’ and secretly after Patrick Swayze’s character in the movie Point Break. Bodhi is our little Buddha boy, always happy and exceptionally loyal. While he was born an English Bulldog, he is happiest when channeling his inner Labrador and can run faster and jump higher than any Bulldog we’ve ever seen. This 70 pound beast of a bulldog loves to chase and play with orange, road cones and perpetually thinks he’s a 10-pound lap dog.

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Pepper [English Bulldog / USATuff Princess]

Pepper, born Feb 25, 2015, was adopted into the USATuff family when she was six months old. She is named after Gwyneth Paltrow’s character ‘Pepper Potts’ from Iron Man. Pepper is a typical Bulldog and makes it well known that walking more than 50 feet, at one time, constitutes as a MAJOR walk... and it must be break time! She is happiest lounging in her kennel area, and sleep is her best friend! When she is not getting her beauty rest, she loves to play with her best-buddy, and partner in crime, Bodhi.

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Malibu [Cane Corso / USATuff Class Clown]

Malibu, born Oct 29, 2017, was adopted into the USATuff family when he was eight weeks old. He was named after the family’s wake-surfing boat - a ‘Malibu’ WakeSetter. He plays the role of the class clown and loves to romp, play and terrorize all of his siblings, including his two-legged brother Dylan. He loves to be near his ‘people’ and is falling well into his role as the family protector.

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