Spend your $.02 here - brands that count

[powstash]

I've been chatting with a friend about the various brands of gear that we use/like and what is it about those brands that makes us keep coming back for more. Like Black Diamond, Scarpa, DaKine, Smith, Giro, Salomon for me - these are brands I completely dig and would buy thier crap even if it were brown and steamy. (I know, bad visual)

Take Smith for instance. I bought my first pair of shades from them a long while back and since then have owned likely 10 pairs of shades and who knows how many goggles of thiers. Some I've been given by folks at Smith whom I've become friends with over the years, some I've purchased. Things have broken and been repaired but overall they've performed. I've been given shades and goggles from other companies and have a good friend working for another company but I just can't stomach the thought of wearing another brand. Just wouldn't feel right.

Just wondering why you've got such a love afair with the brands you use.

[upallnight]

Generally speaking, when a company stands behind their product (in terms of warranty), that does it for me. Although I'm after good deals just as much as the next guy and I want the best-performing gear, when I have a solid warranty experience with a company they've pretty much got me for life -- or at least their gear makes the short list when I'm in the market for something new.

As a second factor, I like to support local companies and companies that have some level of corporate responsibility.

Some that really stand out for me are:
Smith (took care of me with warranty issues);
BD/Scarpa/Fritschi (solid products, excellent support)...esp for climbing gear;
Marmot (true lifetime support for products i purchase 8, 9, 10 years ago);
Cloudveil (local...well, design at least);
Life-Link/Dynafit.

[jonski]

Volkl/Fischer - skis that have taken abuse, and many days of riding, and still go strong. Usually want something new/different before the skis 'die'

Icebreaker - been using it for a few years now, and it does what it says; little smell, good wicking, keeps you warm and dry.

Look binders - have a few pairs and have put about 500 days on them, over a few pairs of skis. Still going strong with no complaints

Arcteryx - yes, its expensive, but it sure as hell works

Helly Hansen - works well and lasts without too much in the way of cost. Not Arcteryx, but for the value its hard to beat.

Oakley Eyewear- finally they made some eyewear that fits me, and have to say I'm stoked on them over the last 18months of use

Scott Poles - haven't broken a pair yet, and Smith don't make any anymore, so not even a need to look elsewhere

Intuition Liners - since I got these back in '03, I've never even thought about having a different liner in my boots, Warm, Light, Fit Great.

Da Kine bags - Have 5 different types - backpacks and travel bags - and have yet to have a problem that makes me want to retire any of them yet...

[Catbert]

Oakley... everything is bomber, and if it isn't, theyll probably fix it.
Voile... I dig my shovel
Head skis... bomber bases, super durable
volkl... good skis
helly hansen... solid high quality stuff
The north face... " "
Patagonia/underarmour... quality under coat-wear
Look bindings... release when needed

[iggyskier]

Smith - best goggles ever

Subaru - outback is the best ski car ever

Smartwool - enough said

Igneous -

Voile - only shovels that are still going strong

Helly Hansen - favorate long underwear

Oakley - my favorate pants ever

DaKine - great backpacks and customer service

Giro - fits my head well, super light and comfy

[Catbert]

Have to agree on subaru. Clearance of a truck, drives like a car, full time AWD, and pretty much unbreakable.

I might add toyota for the sr-5.

[Trackhead]

Black Diamond:
Cause they have the best warranty dept ever, atleast if you live here in SLC. Drop anything off that isn't right and they fix it for you, no questions asked. Some of their products can be kind of gimmicky and have a tendency to not be
tested enough before release, but the warranty dept makes up for it. It's all about customer service. And knowing some of the people who make the stuff doesn't hurt either. Knowing it's made by climbers/skiers who are actively using the stuff, not just talking smack about it.

[ccwaskier]

Patagonia
Arc Teryx
Smith
Cloudveil
BD - skins, fritchi
BCA - stash pack and tracker
PBR

[WWCD]

Toyota. I may never own another brand.

[XtrPickels]

Blackdiamond was the first thing in mind... always had great products from bags to poles to headlamps, bomber bomber bomber.

They're the only ones I'm going to hold that high.

[Shredgar]

Black Diamond

Marmot

Patagonia

Voile

[Gurterno]

I just have to be a bit negative.

Salomon is probably the most boring brand out there. Never any new exiting products, they never stick their head out and produce anything radical. Everything is mainstream. Maybe good stuff, but boooooring.

[KANUTTEN]

I just have to be a bit negative.

Salomon is probably the most boring brand out there. Never any new exiting products, they never stick their head out and produce anything radical. Everything is mainstream. Maybe good stuff, but boooooring.

Salomon boots, bindings = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Black Diamond; yeah, I agree. The first thing that comes to mind is just solid quality. I would never question the quality of a BD product.

Otherwise; not much really. I'm an Arcteryx guy, but I reallize there are loads of others out there that makes really good shells++. Goggles; sure oakley is good, but goggles are goggles.

[ill-advised strategy]

www.dalebootusa.com
Daleboot is a small company totally devoid of marketing bullshit comprised of one small building 8 blocks from my house and populated/run by guys who genuinely give a shit and bust their ass to make their product work in the specific way I like it too, individually, for me, based on my requests (which is what they do for all of their customers). The price is way, way reasonable (especially considering their commitment to work on them free for the life of the boot), my feet feel good in boots for like the first time since I was 12, my money is going to the only boot made in the US, let alone in my state, city, and neighborhood.

How could you possibly ask for more than that in a ski product?

[bad_roo]

I've got to give major props to Chris Tybursky in the Atomic Warranty department. I've never owned a pair of Atomic skis but I think a pair of Big Daddies (or their replacements) could be my next ski purchase when my Nordica FF9.1s expire.

Having snapped my Spatula in half, I sent Chris an email and he vowed to see if there was anything in the racks he could help me out with. No 'where did you buy your ski', 'show me some receipts' or even 'send your ski in so we can have a look at it.' He DHLed the one remaining Spat Atomic had in stock overnight to Gaper Stu in Sacramento and didn't charge me a penny.

I'd call that great customer service if I was an Atomic customer. As a result I vow to be in future.

[ulty_guy]

patagonia

i have to say that i don't even like the direction that their clothing has gone (baggy fit for people who just wear it to look cool), but i've sent numerous items back them for repair or replacement (5+ years old too) and they've always come through trumps. i always spring another 10% for their stuff vs their competitors.

[mn_teleswede]

I second, or third, or fourth? the Patagucci endorsement.

In this day and age when a lot of "lifetime" warranties are more of a marketing ploy than a solid stance behid their product- Patagonia stands tall.

I never buy anything at full price, but then again - who does on this board?

I have an expedition weight capilene top that I have had since 1993 and it is still going strong, albeit is more of a lightweight top now.

[glademaster]

Patagonia - best base layers and underwear(silkweight capilene boxers rule) ever.

Arcteryx- most comfortable and durable ski pants I've ever worn.

Look Binders- no experience with Solly green springs, but I've yet to be disappointed with Looks, I have P14's on all 3 of my pairs of skis.

Cloudveil- Run Don't Walk top is my favorite layering piece of all time, it's so nice to have a super tall collar, too bad I can't find them anywhere.

Lange Boots- If they fit your feet, they're amazing, only flaw is that the stock liners wear out pretty quick.

4Frnt Skis- only a year on mine so far, but I've hit some nasty stuff and haven't landed more than a scratch in the base. Bomber skis, pretty light, and nice if you like a damp pair of boards. Can't wait till I ski some camber out of them to really make them rule.

[lemon boy]

I have very few items that I'm that partial to. I end up all over the map brand wise b/c I find that each company is so specific for certain items that I really like.

Black Diamond has been generally good to me but occasionally they put out some unmitigated POS items and it bums me out.

Scarpa, I have a scarpa foot and I flat love their boots.

Linken, sure I'm a special case but everybody gets well taken care of by the boys from Narvik.

In another category:
Backcountry (et al) has an insano good warranty dept. I don't even have to name drop to get the most rediculous returns and warranty assistance out of them.
Cabelas same

[Free Range Lobster]

BDEL
Scarpa (since they're seperate companies now)
Arc'Teryx (hardshells)
Bomber
Mountain Hard Wear (layers/softshell)
Hestra (cuz they're dextrous as fuck)

[vano]

Pontiac - quality, well designed cars that are a great deal, excellent service.

Dell - best $200 desktops on the market

Line - for giving us the best line of snowblades year after year

Focus Features - for unforgettable movies like Nurse Betty, Monsoon Wedding, My Summer of Love & Brokeback Mountain

[72Twenty]

Smith - goggles and sunglasses; just love 'em
K2 - although I have other brands, I've always been a K2 guy since the Extreme.
Lange - Best boots in the world. Period.
Sage - perfect
Patagonia - fleece is comfy and gives me the liberal-mountain-dude look.
Columbia - great fishing clothing, good quality fleece; not bad ski pants and shells either.

[lemon boy]

Oh, I got another one:

Filson

[yooper]

I've always had great luck with Volkl- I've bent a couple of pairs, but it's NEVER been an issue to get them warrantied.

Hestra - they ARE dextrous as fuck. Incredibly durable too. After basically going through one pair of gloves per season for years, my Hestras look basically brand new still after a full season.

Intuition liners - If I couldn't get these liners anymore, I might take up snowboarding.

[focus]

I'd say 'look' but i'm not super jazzed w/ the redesign.

Salomon - boots

Asics - running shoes

Smith

Apple

Marmot - current pair of gloves have gone through 3 (or is it 4?) seasons, and are still going strong. only pair to ever last me more than one season.

Toyota - Wife's car has over 150k on it and still looks/feels/drives like new. My next purchase will very likely be a yota if I can find one in my range.

Thomson

Gore-Tex XCR - shit's amazing, lasts forever. It'd take a lot to persuade me to try a shell made out of a different material.