No no no no no no no. Also, no.
Good loose leaf tea is 100x better than Lipton or Tetley swill. I did not drink tea for years and years because I thought it was all just like Lipton. I was dead wrong.
I get my loose leaf tea at David’s Tea.
I don’t mind the light beer. It’s no worse than Coors et al., IMHO. Thought their “fancy” Kirkland beer is merely okay, I particular think they need to improve the selection, 4 flavors most of which are similar styles.
FYI there are two Kirkland vodkas, a French one and an American one. The latter is cheaper. I forget who makes it, though I believe the rum is by Cruzan
I have LG TV and getting my second LG phone. Samsung and Sony may be “better,” but the price also reflects it.
On the Gripping Hand, Grey Goose isnt all that good. It’s not really better than Smirnoff.
I very much prefer Kraft’s Mayonnaise. Fruity Dynobites is the best version of Fruity Pebbles, even better than the original.
Nathan’s, fucker!
(Sorry 'bout the ‘fucker’ thing.)
I’m surprised so many people stuck/are sticking with Heinz through the whole high fructose corn syrup thing.
If you don’t want corn syrup, Heinz has a variety called “Simply Heinz” that uses sugar. Not that there’s much difference.
Ahem…Vernors ginger soda. They no longer use the ‘A’ word.
And after reading this thread I resolve to not take it for granted. The stuff is ubiquitous 'round these parts.
mmm
I have a pair of Lucchese cowboy boots that are as comfortable as a pair of bedroom slippers
Heinz for catsup
Philadelphia for cream cheese
Lee and Perrin for worchestershire sauce
La Croix for fizzy canned water
kikkoman for soy sauce (yes, some specialty soy brewers are superior)
Snap-on for hand tools
Contadina for tomato sauce and paste
V-8 for vegetable juice
Blue Diamond for smoked/flavored almonds
Allen Edmonds for dress shoes
For enemas, it’s CVS brand or bust.
Libbys for potted meat
Well, I’m not in the habit of getting enemas, but I’d rather not have anything bust inside me.
Asus or Gigabyte for motherboards. Some of the other ones are visibly cheaper, though it’s not something I buy often so maybe some of the cheaper brands got better.
Only on the Dope, I guess. :dubious:
Summer’s Eve!!
Anker phone chargers. Got myself a 5 port charger a couple of years ago. It can charge several devices quickly and not even get warm to the touch.
Nathans are quite good. But I only get them on sale.
Not really what you’re asking about OR in the spirit of the thread, and I’m only a dilettante dayhiker, but I have found REI’s house brand to be a fantastic value when it comes to hiking clothing (have a couple pairs of shorts and a few shirts from them) and backpacks.
I was in the market for a real hiking backpack with pole storage and space for a hydration bladder and that sort of thing, enough pack to do anything short of actual backpacking-where-you-sleep-outside, and I was looking at Osprey, but REI’s packs actually had more features for cheaper (come with their own rain covers, for example) so I ordered one to try, knowing I could count on their satisfaction guarantee, and I have been so satisfied with this pack that I’m now their best free advertising. I tell everyone how great this pack is. I’m sure part of it is that I’ve never had a woman-specific pack before, but I could seriously not improve this pack unless it was by having somebody else carry my stuff for me. AAA+ would buy again, and I got it for about $60 with a coupon.
In other words, in my opinion the REI Co-op stuff is cheaper than similar prestige brands and just as nice if not nicer. I like the shorts I bought from them better than any others I’ve found, for example.
ETA - next time they send me a coupon code I’m upgrading my trekking poles to their house brand, BTW. I think I want the $90 ones with the cork handles, but I keep considering the $140 lighter ones. Decisions, decisions.
REI stuff is a good value, and some of their products are quite good, but they’re not up to the workmanship and materials of a real high end pack or jacket, for example. Good enough for most anything, but not really better. Granted, most folks don’t need the “better” stuff. I have an REI pack that I use frequently, but I also have several others. Now, they’ve made an effort in recent years to re-position their house gear as high end, but IMO that’s had limited success. The two areas they’ve done best at are packs and tents. Most of the other stuff is good, but not really premier.
Here’s a case in point, the Black Diamond Flicklock poles are the best I’ve used, and I’ve gone through well over half a dozen pairs from various manufactures over the years. They work more reliably and stand up to abuse better than any of the others. BTW, I think Leki makes the REI branded poles.
Do you have the metal or plastic Flicklocks, and what kind of grip?
I was reluctant to move to Texas a few years ago, but after sampling Shiner Bock and Blue Bell ice cream, I’m glad we came.
Also, with regard to Boar’s Head meat, it’s all good but Sweet Slice Ham is in a class by itself. Try it and you will never get “just ham” again.
I have a set of 3 section poles for hiking, and two 2 section poles for skiing. I just got the most basic set (no shock absorbers or cork handles) because I beat the crap out of them. Not sure what you mean by plastic; do you mean carbon fiber? I go for metal.