Selma Manufacturer Competing In Statewide ‘Coolest Thing’ Contest

SELMA, N.C. – A product made in downtown Selma is among 88 entries competing for statewide recognition in the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in NC contest.

Lynx Defense has been nominated in the small business category for its Pistol Range Bag, one of the company’s longest-running products.

The annual competition, organized by the NC Chamber, highlights products manufactured in North Carolina and the companies that make them. This year’s contest includes separate divisions for small, medium and large manufacturers.

Lynx Defense founder and owner Michael Savage said the nomination carries added significance because the company’s products are made locally.

“We started Lynx Defense with a pretty simple goal: make better gear and make it here,” Savage said. “We’re a small company, and everything we make is designed, cut, sewn and assembled right here in Selma.”

Lynx Defense was founded in 2013 and operates a manufacturing facility in downtown Selma. The company produces range bags, rifle cases, backpacks and related shooting accessories.

The nominated Pistol Range Bag has been part of the company’s product line since 2014.

Made from 1000D Cordura nylon, the bag is designed to carry one or two handguns along with magazines, ammunition and other range equipment. It includes removable handgun and magazine inserts and a rollout range mat.

“Our Pistol Range Bag was one of the first products we built, so seeing it recognized in a statewide competition celebrating North Carolina manufacturing means a lot to us,” Savage said.

The Coolest Thing Made in NC competition began in 2020 as an effort by the NC Chamber to draw attention to products manufactured across the state.

Public voting in the first round remains open through Wednesday, Sept. 2. Voters may cast one vote per day in each category using a verified email address.

Semifinalists are scheduled to be announced Sept. 9, with winners in the three manufacturer-size categories announced Oct. 1.