4Patriots is a privately held American emergency-preparedness company headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded by husband-and-wife team Allen and Erin Baler in 2008, the company sells emergency food, portable solar generators, water-filtration equipment, survival gear and related preparedness products primarily through direct-to-consumer ecommerce.
The company’s current product catalog extends well beyond its original offerings into RV and camping equipment, heating and cooling products, emergency essentials and preparedness education through 4Patriots University.
4Patriots describes itself as championing “freedom and self-reliance.” Its official terms identify 4Patriots, LLC as the operator of 4Patriots.com.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Company | 4Patriots |
| Legal Entity | 4Patriots, LLC |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Original Company Name | Reboot Marketing LLC |
| Founders | Allen Baler and Erin Baler |
| Headquarters | 2920 Berry Hill Dr., Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37204 |
| Business Type | Privately held / direct-to-consumer |
| CEO | Allen Baler |
| CSO | Erin Baler |
| Major Categories | Emergency food, solar generators, water filtration, survival gear, education |
| Fulfillment Locations | Salt Lake City, UT and Atlanta, GA |
| Website | 4Patriots.com |
Allen is currently identified by the company as co-founder and CEO. Erin is identified as co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer.
History of 4Patriots
Most “Who is 4Patriots?” articles get the company history wrong or leave out the most interesting parts. The real story involves a corporate name change, at least three branded product lines that preceded the current unified identity, and a progression from information products to one of the largest direct-to-consumer preparedness operations in the country.
Founding in 2008
Allen and Erin Baler left corporate careers and relocated from New England to Nashville in 2008 to launch their company. The original corporate name was not 4Patriots. It was Reboot Marketing LLC.
The company’s own history says its first product was a series of how-to guides. That detail matters because it tells you 4Patriots did not begin as a freeze-dried food company or a solar generator company. It started as a direct-response information business that happened to focus on preparedness topics.
Power4Patriots and the Company’s Early Preparedness Products
Federal trademark records show that POWER4PATRIOTS entered commercial use by December 2011. The original trademark holder was Reboot Marketing LLC, and the registration covered educational materials about off-grid power.
That confirms the company’s early model had a significant preparedness-information and direct-response publishing component before the current massive physical-goods catalog took shape.
Food4Patriots
The FOOD4PATRIOTS trademark shows first commercial use in July 2013. Its registration covered prepared emergency food kits.
Food4Patriots was not a completely separate company. It was an earlier 4Patriots-branded emergency-food product identity that preceded the broader emphasis on the unified 4Patriots name. Older consumers and long-time preppers may still remember the Food4Patriots branding from its earlier marketing.
The 4Patriots Brand Emerges
Federal trademark records list first commercial use of the 4PATRIOTS name in July 2014.
More interesting: a USPTO assignment record confirms that Reboot Marketing LLC formally changed its name to 4Patriots, LLC in 2014. The company publicly announced the rebrand in July of that year, noting that the business had previously appeared on the Inc. 500 under the Reboot Marketing name in 2013.
Expansion Into Solar Generators
The Patriot Power Generator trademark dates to July 2014, helping establish when the company moved heavily into portable solar power. Today, solar generators are one of 4Patriots’ central product families alongside emergency food and water filtration.
Company Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Company founded as Reboot Marketing LLC; first products were informational how-to guides |
| 2011 | POWER4PATRIOTS enters commercial use |
| 2013 | FOOD4PATRIOTS enters commercial use; Reboot Marketing appears on Inc. 500 |
| April 2014 | Reboot Marketing LLC formally changes name to 4Patriots, LLC |
| July 2014 | 4PATRIOTS branding and PATRIOT POWER GENERATOR trademarks enter commercial use |
| 2016 | Approximately 2,200 Patriot Power Generators recalled (battery fire risk) |
| 2018 | 4Patriots assigns trademark interests to Avalon Group, LLC |
| 2019 | Federal 4PATRIOTS trademark registers to Avalon Group |
| 2020 | BBB accreditation begins June 4, 2020 |
| 2022 | NAD rules on advertising claims involving 4Patriots long-term food kits |
| 2023 | 4Patriots successfully challenges competitor My Patriot Supply’s advertising before NAD |
| 2020s | Substantial expansion into water filtration, emergency equipment, RV/camping and education |
The important takeaway: 4Patriots did not simply appear as a survival-food company in 2008. The better-supported progression is Reboot Marketing, then preparedness information products, then Power4Patriots, then Food4Patriots, then the unified 4Patriots brand, then the broader preparedness retailer it is today.
Who Founded 4Patriots?
Allen Baler
Allen Baler is co-founder and CEO of 4Patriots. A 2017 profile in The Startup Magazine reported that Baler holds a Harvard English degree and came from a corporate-marketing background, having worked for Eaton Press and Danbury Mint before launching the preparedness business.
That background matters. Early 4Patriots was heavily rooted in direct-response marketing, not traditional brick-and-mortar survival retail. The company’s advertising, sales-page structure and customer-acquisition model all reflect that heritage.
Erin Baler
Erin Baler is co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer. She is not merely “the founder’s wife,” which lazier coverage sometimes implies. She is publicly involved in company strategy and representation and holds the CSO title in current company materials.
Some older sources identify her as COO rather than CSO. A 2025 company release used COO, while current 2026 material uses Chief Strategy Officer. The simplest explanation is the title changed.
Who Owns 4Patriots?
This is one of the more interesting questions about the company, and most articles handle it poorly.
The Operating Company
A 2026 Florida corporate filing for the Tennessee company 4Patriots, LLC identifies two members:
- Allen Baler
- Erin Baler
That supports: public corporate filings identify founders Allen and Erin Baler as members of 4Patriots, LLC.
It does not support a specific ownership-percentage claim such as “Allen owns 50% and Erin owns 50%.” Membership in an LLC and equity distribution are not the same thing.
What Is Avalon Group?
Here is where the corporate picture gets more interesting than most coverage acknowledges.
USPTO records show that 4Patriots LLC assigned intellectual-property interests to Avalon Group, LLC in July 2018. Avalon now holds a collection of major trademarks including:
- 4PATRIOTS
- FOOD4PATRIOTS
- POWER4PATRIOTS
- PATRIOT POWER GENERATOR
- FRANK BATES
Avalon’s current 4PATRIOTS trademark address is 2920 Berry Hill Drive, Suite 300, Nashville, the same business address as 4Patriots LLC.
The careful version: major 4Patriots intellectual-property assets are held by Avalon Group, LLC, a separate Tennessee LLC using the same Nashville address. Public records reviewed for this article do not, by themselves, establish that Avalon owns the operating company.
Do not write “Avalon Group owns 4Patriots.” That has not been established. What has been established is that Avalon holds several of the company’s most important trademarks.
Where Is 4Patriots Located?
Nashville Headquarters
The corporate headquarters is at 2920 Berry Hill Drive, Suite 300, Nashville, Tennessee 37204. That address is confirmed independently by both Florida corporate records and the BBB business profile.
Warehouses and Fulfillment
4Patriots says orders ship from facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah and Atlanta, Georgia, while the corporate headquarters remains in Nashville.
The distinction matters: headquarters, manufacturing facility and fulfillment warehouse are three different things, and a lot of online coverage mashes them together. 4Patriots is headquartered in Tennessee, packs at least some of its emergency food in Utah, and fulfills orders from warehouses in Utah and Georgia.
What Products Does 4Patriots Sell?
Today’s company is much broader than emergency food. Its current ecommerce catalog spans survival food, portable solar generators and power stations, water filtration, emergency lighting, power banks, emergency kits, RV and camping products, cooking equipment, refrigeration and various home-preparedness items.
Patriot Power Generators and Portable Power
The Patriot Power lineup is 4Patriots’ portable-power family. Current and recent models include:
- Patriot Power Generator 2500X
- Patriot Power Generator 2200X
- Patriot Power Generator 2000X
- Patriot Power Generator 1800
- Patriot Power Generator 1500
- Patriot Power Generator 1200
- Patriot Power Sidekick Solar Generator
- Patriot Power Cell-CX Portable Solar Power Bank
Supporting products include solar panels, expansion battery packs and various charging accessories.
Patriot Pure Water Filtration
The Patriot Pure line covers the company’s water products:
- Patriot Pure Ultimate Water Filtration System
- Patriot Pure NanoMesh Water Filter
- Patriot Pure Water Pitcher
- Patriot Pure Personal Water Filter / filter straws
- Replacement filters
- Emergency water storage
Certain Patriot Pure NanoMesh filters are specifically advertised as made in the USA.
Cooking, Refrigeration and Off-Grid Equipment
These products broaden 4Patriots well beyond its food-and-generators identity:
- Sun Kettle and Sun Kettle XL solar water heaters
- StarFire Camp Stove
- Solar Go Fridge
- Freedom Fridge
- 4Patriots Freeze Dryer
Radios, Lighting and General Preparedness Gear
- Liberty Band Tactical Solar Radio
- HaloXT Multi-Use Flashlight
- BugOut Solar Lantern
- Patriot Pure Air Purification System
- Victory Garden Seed Kit
- Bug-out bags, car kits, tools and general emergency supplies
4Patriots University
4Patriots University offers online preparedness education covering topics such as emergency planning, water safety and general preparedness skills. Seth Weller is currently identified as senior manager of the customer-education team and lead instructor.
This is worth noting because it demonstrates the company is not purely a storefront. There is a historical symmetry here: 4Patriots reportedly began by selling preparedness information, evolved heavily toward physical goods, and now also maintains a structured educational arm.
4Patriots Emergency Food Kits, Supplies and Meals
Emergency food remains one of the company’s core product categories and deserves its own treatment rather than getting buried in the general product catalog.
Food Kit Sizes
| Kit | Servings | Total Calories | Approximate Calories Per Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72-Hour Survival Food Kit | 20 | 4,800 | ~1,600 |
| 4-Week Survival Food Kit | 192 | 36,480 | ~1,303 |
| 3-Month Food Supply | 704 | 140,000 | ~1,556 |
| 1-Year Food Supply | 2,816 | 560,000 | ~1,534 |
The current 1-year kit explicitly warns that individual calorie requirements may be higher than 1,555 calories per day. That calorie transparency is more forthcoming than older preparedness marketing in the industry generally provided. The calorie-per-day figures become relevant later when discussing the 2022 NAD advertising case.
Additional kits at the 1-week, 6-month and other intervals appear in the current catalog.
Other Food Products
Beyond the standard emergency food kits, 4Patriots also sells:
- Freeze-dried meat and protein products
- Freeze-dried fruits and vegetables
- #10 cans of individual foods
- MRE-style meals
- Emergency food bars
- Freeze-dried milk and eggs
- Individual meals including breakfast items, rice and bean entrees and other single-serving options
Where Are 4Patriots Products Made?
The correct answer is: it depends on the product.
Do not say everything is American-made. Do not say everything is imported. The reality is more specific than either claim.
Emergency Food
Current 4Patriots pages say its survival food is hand-packed in Utah using ingredients sourced from the United States and around the world.
That supports: 4Patriots survival food is packed in the United States, but not all ingredients are necessarily of U.S. origin.
Generators and Solar Products
4Patriots’ FAQ says the solar products are designed and developed at its Tennessee office, while most of its lithium-battery products are made in Asia. A current generator sales page puts it more plainly: designed in the USA and manufactured overseas to company specifications.
So: yes, designed and developed domestically. No, the current generators are not broadly American-manufactured. That distinction is worth repeating because the company’s patriotic imagery makes this a predictable consumer question.
Water Filtration
Certain Patriot Pure NanoMesh filters are specifically advertised as made in the USA.
How 4Patriots Makes Money
4Patriots is fundamentally a direct-to-consumer ecommerce business. The company itself uses that description.
From a business-model perspective, 4Patriots operates through a cycle of paid advertising driving traffic to landing pages, supported by email and SMS marketing, upsells, bundles and repeat preparedness purchases. The current site uses limited-time packages, free-item promotions, product bundles and installment-payment offers extensively.
That is not inherently sinister. It is classic direct-response marketing applied to preparedness ecommerce. And that heritage makes much more sense once you understand the company began as Reboot Marketing and initially sold informational products.
The company also confirms it operates an affiliate program, though it presents it as something prospective affiliates inquire about directly rather than a completely open self-service signup. That helps explain why so many third-party 4Patriots reviews exist across the web.
4Patriots Marketing and Political Image
One of the most-searched questions about 4Patriots is whether it is a “MAGA company.” The honest answer is more interesting than a simple yes or no.
Patriotic and Conservative Marketing
WIRED’s 2026 company profile documented a long history of advertising to conservative audiences. The reporting established that Allen Baler began buying advertising with Newsmax in 2011 and later expanded to National Review, The Blaze and Fox News. WIRED reported that the company’s earlier customer profile skewed toward older conservatives in red states.
Earlier 4Patriots marketing also invoked themes of government distrust, grid failure and political uncertainty. That context is well established.
Broader Mainstream Preparedness Marketing
The brand today is measurably broader. Current 4Patriots positioning emphasizes hurricanes, wildfires, blackouts, camping, RV use, homesteading and everyday emergency preparedness rather than exclusively partisan themes. The company’s own recent material describes its founding mission as a “common-sense, apolitical resource.”
The Nuanced Answer
4Patriots has deep historical ties to conservative-oriented direct-response marketing and built much of its early customer base among politically conservative consumers. However, marketing to conservative audiences through conservative media is not the same thing as formal affiliation with MAGA, Donald Trump or the Republican Party.
That distinction matters. Advertising on Newsmax does not prove Republican Party membership any more than advertising during Monday Night Football proves NFL team ownership.
Who Is Frank Bates, and Is That His Real Name?
Frank Bates is one of the more interesting pieces of 4Patriots company lore, and there is real search demand around his identity.
According to 4Patriots itself:
- Frank Bates is a real person
- “Frank Bates” is a pen name
- He lives in Tennessee
- He served as a U.S. Navy officer during the Vietnam era
- He is a longtime 4Patriots spokesperson
- The company says he now writes less frequently because of his age but continues appearing in videos and blog material
Even more interesting: FRANK BATES itself is part of Avalon Group’s trademark portfolio, registered for spokesperson services. That does not mean Frank is fictional. It means the public-facing name became a protected commercial brand asset.
WIRED’s 2026 reporting also covered the history of questions surrounding his identity and the company’s explanation. For longtime preppers who remember the Frank Bates newsletters and email campaigns, this background fills in a question that has been floating around preparedness forums for years.
Other 4Patriots Spokespeople and Experts
Cade Courtley
Cade Courtley is a former Navy SEAL who appears in 4Patriots marketing and preparedness content. The company openly discloses that Courtley is compensated for helping test and endorse its products.
Importantly, 4Patriots explicitly states that the United States military and Navy SEALs do not endorse 4Patriots or its products. That disclosure deserves credit for transparency.
Seth Weller
Seth Weller is identified as senior manager of the customer-education team and lead instructor at 4Patriots University. He appears in preparedness training content and educational material.
4Patriots Customer Reviews and Reputation
Any honest company profile needs to present the actual reputation data rather than cherry-picking the version that looks best.
Better Business Bureau
At the time of this research, the BBB lists 4Patriots as:
- Accredited (since June 4, 2020)
- A+ business rating
- Approximately 3.16 out of 5 customer-review rating from 340 reviews
- 314 complaints during the previous three years
- 28 complaints closed during the previous 12 months
BBB notes that complaint volume is sufficiently high that it publishes details for only about 60% of submitted complaints.
Three important distinctions here. The BBB organizational rating (A+) is not the same as the customer-review rating (~3.2/5). And neither of those is the same thing as the complaint volume. They are three separate data points, and articles that present only one of them are giving you an incomplete picture.
Trustpilot
At the time of this research, Trustpilot shows:
- 2.4 out of 5 overall rating
- 527 total reviews
- 54% rated one star
- 29% rated five stars
Trustpilot also displays a warning that the company has not recently invited customers to review on the platform, meaning the review pool should not automatically be treated as representative of the entire customer base. Unsolicited review samples tend to skew toward people with complaints.
Company-Hosted Reviews
4Patriots publishes customer testimonials and product reviews on its own site. Its disclosures state that some reviewers have received free products in exchange for honest feedback. That is a standard practice across ecommerce, but it is worth knowing when evaluating on-site review sentiment.
Recalls and Advertising Disputes
These belong in a comprehensive company history. They are facts, not hit pieces.
2016 Patriot Power Generator Recall
On July 28, 2016, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall involving approximately 2,200 Patriot Power Generators because the battery could catch fire.
CPSC reported:
- 13 generator fires
- 2 reports of smoking
- 1 report of unusual noise or odor
- 0 reported injuries
The recalled units were manufactured in China, sold exclusively through 4Patriots.com between November 2014 and April 2015, and retailed for approximately $2,000.
This was a specific historical product recall involving a specific generation of hardware. It is not evidence that current 4Patriots generators are unsafe, and presenting it that way would be irresponsible.
2022 National Advertising Division Decision
The National Advertising Division considered claims about 4Patriots’ long-term food kits after a challenge from competitor My Patriot Supply. NAD found some claims adequately supported but recommended modifications to others.
Most notably, NAD recommended clearer disclosures surrounding kit-duration claims and advised 4Patriots against creating the impression that buyers would receive the abundance of food depicted in advertising for the entire stated duration. NAD also recommended clearer disclosure of material connections involving paid endorsements.
2023: The Roles Reversed
In 2023, 4Patriots challenged My Patriot Supply’s advertising before NAD. NAD recommended that My Patriot Supply modify or discontinue claims involving, among other things:
- Fresh fruit representations
- 2,000+ calories per day claims
- Made-in-USA representations
- “Home-cooked” food descriptions
- Limited-time sale representations
- Website review presentation
The broader context: the two major preparedness-food competitors have repeatedly challenged each other’s marketing before the advertising industry’s self-regulatory system. This is an industry rivalry, not a one-sided enforcement action.
Is 4Patriots the Same Company as My Patriot Supply?
No. They are independent competitors.
4Patriots (Nashville, TN) and My Patriot Supply are separate companies that compete directly in emergency food, portable power and water filtration. Their competition has been significant enough that they have challenged each other’s advertising before the National Advertising Division.
WIRED’s 2026 reporting describes the two companies as major competitors that helped turn modern American prepping into a large direct-to-consumer business category.
This question deserves a direct answer because consumers regularly confuse the two brands. Similar names, similar product categories, overlapping advertising channels. Different companies.
4Patriots Returns, Warranty and Customer Support
This section exists because the company’s own published terms are not entirely consistent across its website.
The company’s dedicated Warranty, Return and Refund Policy, last updated August 29, 2025, describes a standard 365-day product warranty but says refunds for non-defective merchandise generally must be initiated within 90 days.
However, other currently accessible 4Patriots FAQ and product pages still advertise a 365-day money-back satisfaction guarantee. The company’s newer “Our Story” page references a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Because 4Patriots operates numerous product pages and promotional offers with varying terms, customers should verify the return conditions attached to the specific product and offer they are purchasing rather than assuming a single company-wide policy applies to everything.
Veterans and Charitable Giving
Veteran support is a significant part of 4Patriots’ corporate identity and branding.
The company’s current charity page reports cumulative donations of more than $2.05 million to military-oriented organizations, plus products and employee volunteer time. Organizations it says it has supported include:
- Operation Homefront
- Team Rubicon
- A Soldier’s Child Foundation
- Fisher House Foundation
- Hire Heroes USA
- Pets for Vets
- For The Troops
Note that older company pages show smaller cumulative donation totals because those figures were published at earlier dates. This article attributes the current figure because that is what the company presently reports. These are self-reported numbers from a private company, not externally audited financial disclosures.
How Large Is 4Patriots?
Because 4Patriots is privately held, detailed revenue, profit and employee figures are not publicly reported in the manner they would be for a publicly traded corporation.
What the company itself currently claims:
- Approximately $1 billion worth of preparedness products sold since founding
- 8 million customers served since 2008
That billion-dollar figure is cumulative since 2008, not annual revenue. Do not misread it.
Employee counts vary across the company’s own pages. The News Bureau page currently says 125 employees. The charity page says 175+ American employees. BBB currently lists 151 employees. The simplest explanation is different pages were updated at different times. Describing the company as having well over 100 employees, with company and BBB sources currently reporting figures in roughly the 125 to 175+ range, is the most honest framing.
Does 4Patriots Have Physical Stores?
4Patriots is primarily an ecommerce and direct-to-consumer operation. The company held its first large parking-lot event at its Utah distribution facility in 2026, but that is not the same as operating a retail store network.
4Patriots does sell some products through Amazon, although not every product appears there and prices may vary between the Amazon listings and the company’s own website.
Frequently Asked Questions About 4Patriots
Is 4Patriots legit? Yes, in the basic sense that it is an established operating U.S. company with an 18-year business history, a physical headquarters in Nashville, registered corporate entities, BBB accreditation and millions of reported customers. Whether any individual product represents good value for the price is a separate question that depends on the product.
Who owns 4Patriots? Allen and Erin Baler are listed as members of 4Patriots LLC in public corporate filings. Certain major trademarks are owned by a related entity, Avalon Group LLC, which shares the same Nashville business address.
When was 4Patriots founded? 2008, originally as Reboot Marketing LLC. The 4Patriots name entered commercial use in 2014.
Where is 4Patriots headquartered? Nashville, Tennessee. Orders ship from fulfillment facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah and Atlanta, Georgia.
Is 4Patriots a MAGA company? 4Patriots has historically marketed heavily to conservative and patriotic audiences through conservative media outlets. However, advertising to conservative consumers is not proof of formal MAGA or Republican Party affiliation. The company’s recent positioning emphasizes broader mainstream preparedness rather than exclusively partisan themes.
Is Food4Patriots the same as 4Patriots? Food4Patriots was an earlier 4Patriots-branded emergency-food product identity. The trademark entered commercial use in 2013. The company later unified its branding under the 4Patriots name.
Is My Patriot Supply the same as 4Patriots? No. They are independent competing companies.
Are 4Patriots products made in America? Some are and some are not. Emergency food is hand-packed in Utah using domestic and internationally sourced ingredients. Generators are designed in the USA and manufactured overseas. Certain Patriot Pure water filters are advertised as made in the USA.
Where is 4Patriots survival food made? Currently hand-packed in Utah using ingredients sourced from the United States and around the world.
Where are Patriot Power generators made? Current company materials say designed in the USA and manufactured overseas to company specifications.
Who is Frank Bates? A longtime 4Patriots spokesperson. The company confirms Frank Bates is a real person but says “Frank Bates” is a pen name. He is described as a Vietnam-era Navy veteran living in Tennessee.
Does 4Patriots sell on Amazon? Yes, though not every product is available there and pricing may differ from the company’s own site.
Does 4Patriots have an affiliate program? Yes. The company describes it as inquiry-based rather than a completely open self-service signup.
What is the 4Patriots return policy? The company’s formal Warranty, Return and Refund Policy generally gives 90 days for non-defective returns while maintaining a 365-day standard product warranty. However, some FAQ and promotional pages reference different guarantee periods. Verify the terms attached to the specific offer you are purchasing.
4Patriots in 2026: Where the Company Stands
4Patriots sits somewhere between a traditional emergency-supply retailer, a direct-response ecommerce company and a preparedness education brand. Its catalog now spans food, backup electricity, water filtration and general survival equipment, while its marketing has expanded from the company’s historically conservative preparedness audience toward a broader market of homeowners, homesteaders, campers and consumers concerned with increasingly common power outages and severe weather.
Whether 4Patriots products represent the best value in the preparedness market depends entirely on what you are buying, what you are comparing it against and what you need it to do. What is not in serious question is whether the company itself is real, operational and established. It is. It has been for nearly two decades.
The more useful consumer question is not “Is 4Patriots legit?” but “Is this specific 4Patriots product the right choice for my specific preparedness need at this price point?” That is a product-by-product evaluation, not a company-wide verdict.
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