It is that time of year again, and Mr. and Mrs. Phlosphr are out and about shopping for Christmas. I am a huge fan of North Face gear, much of our outdoor gear for Skiing, camping, rainy weather etc…etc… is North Face. I have an old North Face Extreme shell - Yellow and Black - that must be 10 years old.
I like the durability, reliability, warmth, weather-proofing and overall feel of the gear…
My question is two fold: Do others have a brand that they prefer for all weather climes that may be of equal or lesser value? What other brands do people like for hiking and outdoorsy activities etc…etc…? HH, Columbia, Mountain ???
I like Boulder Gear and Marmot, as they tend to be a little cheaper than North Face but of still good quality. This is all based on my own experiences with skiing and camping though. I get the feeling that North Face has somewhat inflated prices due to its popularity.
I agree, I remember when North Face was not so popular, when the prices were not so inflated. My wife and I tend to stick with brands we like, and with companies who are rather solid. Thats why we like the Lands End, and L.L. Bean equipment as well. It has been around for many years, and tends to have a good track record for wear and tear. I’m a little partial to fishing gear from Orvis and Cabelas as well.
I’ve had good luck with North Face gear, particularly my gortex jacket. I bought it in 1998 and it still looks brand new. And no, it hasn’t been sitting in my closet all this time. It’s the best jacket I’ve ever had for hiking, skiing and day-to-day wear, especially in rainy & windy weather.
The prices are definitely inflated now that it’s a more popular brand name, but I’ve found some good deals on North Face gear at several outdoor apparel websites: Campmor, SierraTradingPost, and REI Outlet.
I’ve also been really satisfied with REI gear, and you can’t beat their 100% guarantee.
I like North Face gear. I also have a couple of Patagonia shells that have gone through the wars are are still quite functional. In fact, my wife has started wearing on that I have “outgrown.” Aren’t beerbellies fun?
I like North Face. I have two Gore-Tex shells (a red one and a blue one), and a yellow and black Steep Tech jacket I got back in the early-'90s. I also have a North Face Hotel 45 tent.
I find North Face jackets to be good-looking and they perform as advertised – but I think they’re over-priced.
I’m a big fan of REI. I also just found out that it’s a co-op too. Every REI I’ve ever been in has had very knowledeable and helpful staff who aren’t just trying to sell you the priciest stuff. In fact, last time I was there I was looking at North Face fleece for my girlfriend and the guy suggested some other things that would keep her warmer as well as keep me richer. Thanks REI! (although I ended up springing for the North Face because oddly, there doesn’t seem to be as much variety in women’s as there is in men’s.)
REI is a great place. Over the years my dividend has provided me with two pair of Vasque hiking boots, a Yakima rack system for the Jeep, and myriad bits and bobs and gifts. (I use the REI credit card for everything, so I get a good dividend each year.) Best $10 I ever invested.
For me it’s Columbia for everything except boots. Their footwear doesn’t seem to be as well made as their jackets and pants, but it’s not bad either. My clothes still look great and perform well even though they’ve been well used.
Yes REI, is amazing. Though here in the East, we have Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS). I have not seen an REI in CT. However, if my wife and I take the plunge and move to AZ, there is an REI right down the road from our place. In fact our last trip out there, for thanksgiving, I purchased this years Merrell Chameleons…Great Trail runners!
We had an EMS in Ann Arbor, MI for about a year and a half, but the place it’s in is cursed, so it’s now a cell phone store (before it was a party store, I think… my freshman year memories are a bit hazy). Anyway, EMS had the greatest clearance items I’ve seen. I got my Gore Tex jacket with fleece liner for $70, about 25% of the original price. They had all kinds of packs and stuff for super cheap too. Basically, watch that EMS 'cause if it goes out of business, you can get some sweet deals.
TNF is high quality gear, but not the highest. It’s pretty good value, but not the best value. You won’t go wrong with a purchase, especially if you can find it at discount (which you can if you look long enough).
For truly bombproof mountaineering gear I like a few other manufacturers (Mountain Hardware in particular) but the differences in quality are relatively minor. For around town and outside (but not in the mountains in winter) you wouldn’t notice the difference. For the mountains in winter, you are unlikely to notice much of a difference.
I love love love TNF. I wear these almost every day of my life year round. My black pullover is worn nearly as frequently in the winter. Their stuff is so durable, comfortable, stylish and functional it’s amazing.
Never had a TNF. But around here (Colorado Mountains) they are very popular.
I have had good luck with Columbia. Broke a zipper and they sent me a new coat. Same with EMS. Lost a hood, they sent me a new one. I’ve also owned a Solstice shell. And a LL Bean. Different coats for different purposes, so it’s hard to compare them.
That said, I just bought a shell made by http://fateclothing.com/. I can’t speak to the durability since I’ve only had it for 3 months or so.
But, the fit/functionality is just great. The hood system is great, the adjustment system just works. Better than any coat I’ve ever had. And the material around the neck and chin as well as the hand warmer pockets is very good too. Not just nylon, but not too fluffy.
I’ve told my wife a couple of times that I think it’s the best coat I’ve ever had. I just love it.
I’ve got a few North Face items, all a few years old. The quality is great, but it has recently become the brand of posers around here. Being horribly shallow, that really turns me off. plus I’m sort-of broke, and those prices just ain’t worth it no more
If you’re not a member, become one. Though the dividend isn’t a huge amount, at least you’ll get some money back. Heck, my parents have been members since the only way you could shop at REI was to go to Seattle or through mail-order. That’s probably nearly 30 years by now.
MrValley and I have the matching left-zip and right-zip Cat’s Meow North Face sleeping bags (so we can zip them together). Even though we’ve had them for years and years, I still think they rawk! That’s actually the only North Face we own though.
As far as brands I haven’t seen mentioned yet, MrValley swears by his Dana Designs backpacks and I love my Osprey packs. My big pack is an Osprey design for women, so it’s narrower and has different proportions, and it really helps in how it fits me. My day pack is an Osprey Scarab, a burrito style which I really like as well. There’s nothing like a good-fitting pack (well, except for good-fitting boots).
I have a 14 year old North Face Mountain Light Parka that still looks brand new. I have people ask me where to get one all the time because it’s purple - a color I don’t think they’ve made since then. I also have a Mountain Hardware Ethereal Parka which I don’t think is nearly as well made and was more expensive. It has a design flaw where the hard pieces of velcro will shred the sleeve. However, I sent my coat back to them and they repaired it for free - and will forever. I think North Face has a similar warranty although I haven’t tried it out. That 14 year old coat just will not wear out, and I ski in it every year. When I had horses, I used it as a barn coat for awhile so it collected horse snot and dirt. It cleaned right up. Every so often I re-waterproof the outside using the stuff you put in the washing machine. I think I paid $349 for it, and it’s been worth every penny.