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edie.montana
Boulder climber
Montana
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 12, 2017 - 12:48pm PT
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So, question. What are your favorite, small, passionate start-up companies that make clothing/gear that are good alternatives to name-brand?
I really like supporting small businesses, and I know in the ultralight backpacking community, often the little companies started by passionate backpackers themselves make some of the best gear.
I'm a total newbie climber FYI. Looking to buy some gear. The reviews on outdoor gear lab are awesome - but they're mostly big name-brands.
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EdBannister
Mountain climber
13,000 feet
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Feb 12, 2017 - 01:07pm PT
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Feathered Friends,
Western Mountaineering,
Ray Jardin,
Warmlite
Moonstone was bought
Edit and lest we forget the self described overlord
FISH products first guy to have the brains to use rubber boat fabric for a haul bag.
great rope bag, great haul bag, harness was not up to the rest. maybe he has a new design?
best aid stuff, fish hook etc.
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wayne w
Trad climber
the nw
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Feb 12, 2017 - 01:09pm PT
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NW Alpine...
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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Feb 12, 2017 - 01:30pm PT
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Your mom.
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matty
Trad climber
under the sea
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Feb 12, 2017 - 01:46pm PT
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McHale Alpine Packs
http://www.mchalepacks.com
Owner is an oldschool badass who posts here as McHales Navy
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Feb 12, 2017 - 01:49pm PT
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Value Village? The Thrift Shop on Broadway in Denver? Army Surplus store in Colorado Springs?
You can always buck the designer trend!
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clinker
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
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Feb 12, 2017 - 01:53pm PT
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The latest Levi's 559s are stretchy like prAnas.
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Pete_N
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Feb 12, 2017 - 02:40pm PT
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Packs from Cold, Cold World...
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Feb 12, 2017 - 03:02pm PT
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The military has some decent gear that you can use as layers. I just bought 10 pullover fleece jacket/sweaters, made by Peckham, less than 2 bucks a piece. It helps that I live next door to one of the biggest training bases in the world
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EdBannister
Mountain climber
13,000 feet
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Feb 12, 2017 - 03:37pm PT
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and not quite on subject but possibly of interest.
dehydrated "backpacking" food is very expensive,
but there are many food items that are dehydrated at your market, or at the 99cents store.
potatoes to ramen, and quaker instant oatmeal, almost anything that says just add boiling water.
note that the above mentioned website for Mike Graham's gear is superb.
Mike started Gramicci in case you do not know.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Feb 12, 2017 - 03:55pm PT
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I remember a guy in the Tetons in 68 or 69 who went by the moniker "pig pen." He didn't have much money so he treated the shabby cotton clothing he owned with a healthy dose of Snowseal. He stayed both dry and celibate...something to consider.
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steve s
Trad climber
eldo
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Feb 12, 2017 - 04:57pm PT
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Costco
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Feb 12, 2017 - 05:45pm PT
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Enlightened equipment for quilts, packs and shelters
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Feb 12, 2017 - 06:27pm PT
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Costco sells some OK soft shells. Not bad for $30
Don't forget Russians were known for using Walmart gear on Denali while only occasionally needing a rescue.
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JC Marin
Trad climber
CA
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Feb 12, 2017 - 08:00pm PT
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Ivanka Trump's line...nope i like Westcomb
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Spiny Norman
Social climber
Boring, Oregon
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Feb 12, 2017 - 09:05pm PT
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+1 on the Westcomb stuff, especially in eVent. Unlike dead bird and patagucci, still stitched in North America (BC), too.
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Happiegrrrl2
Trad climber
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Feb 12, 2017 - 09:07pm PT
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I always wanted to pick up a piece or two from this Etsy shop called Intertwined Designs. Mostly women's clothes, but there are currently a few men's tops. The owner is a climber as well.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/IntertwinedDesigns
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Feb 13, 2017 - 02:22pm PT
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Stonemaster gear.
Made exceptionally well.
Reasonable prices.
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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Feb 13, 2017 - 02:39pm PT
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Hey tony montana do you own that name?
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Feb 13, 2017 - 05:10pm PT
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I have several pairs of military fleece bibs. Full zip everywheres would be easily 500 clams if they were padagucci. $14.99 a pair. be shure to get the long size ans the normal size is wicked short???
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skitch
Gym climber
Bend Or
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Feb 13, 2017 - 08:21pm PT
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Where do they make the military clothes? When I was in we used the goretex jackets and pants for skiing along with the poly long underwear, but at 6'4" the large tall pants were always too short, but really baggy for me.
Almost all of my favorite gear is Patagonia, especially my R1 hoody, and quandary lightweight soft shell pants. Their stuff tends to fit me well.
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skitch
Gym climber
Bend Or
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Feb 13, 2017 - 08:30pm PT
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Jack wolf skin is pretty much the north face of Germany and has been around a long time, how did it fit? I've been tempted on a few pieces I've seen on stp.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Feb 13, 2017 - 08:41pm PT
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Any big city will have a dozen thrift stores at which you can buy your favorite brand-name clothing for next to nothing.
I'm all for supporting the small outfits that are doing their best to make really good clothing and gear, but even the little guys often have really big numbers on their price tags.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Feb 13, 2017 - 09:01pm PT
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Where do they make the military clothes?
The Military takes bids for contracts. I find a fair amount of Outdoor Research gear (gloves, balaclavas, gaiters), a lot of Peckham. They bought a lot of Eureka tents. Most of the gear has the manufacturers name on the tag.
Any big city will have a dozen thrift stores at which you can buy your favorite brand-name clothing for next to nothing.
You have to hit it regularly daily to score deals. Good stuff goes quick. Even the thrift stores are looking gear up now, but some stuff slips through. I quickly peruse the trousers racks, mens and ladies and pull out the convertible hiking pants, almost always like new.
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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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Feb 13, 2017 - 09:02pm PT
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BOTH are big name brands, but Dane Burns had a good comparison last fall of Carhartt and Arcteryx hoodies. The Carhartt can be found for a lot less than $119, if you search online:
http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2016/11/carhartt-crowley-hoody-vs-arcteryx.html
Carhartt Crowley Hoody VS the Arcteryx Gamma MX Hoody.......seriously?
Let's be honest here. If I can with a straight face make any comparison to a $119 insulated soft shell, and a $350 insulated soft shell things are really messed up some where in the outdoor industry food chain. (prices quoted are typical msrp retail pricing) If you are just into labels...and not performance you can stop reading here :)
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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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Feb 13, 2017 - 10:41pm PT
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Where do they make the military clothes? ..... Almost all of my favorite gear is Patagonia. ...... Their stuff tends to fit me well.
Skitch, Patagonia used to, and maybe still does, make what they called their Military Advanced Regulator System or MARS Clothing System. Its an assortment of technical clothing that covers an array of environments, from desert heat to Arctic cold, in "Alpha Green" and "Coyote" colors (latter for base layers), with no external Patagonia labels. I got a drab green DAS Parka for cheap, back in 2008, when Patagonia sold a lot of this gear via web specials.
There's a listing at http://webbingbabel.blogspot.com/2016/09/patagonia-military-advanced-regulator.html
Some on eBay, but not cheap: http://www.ebay.com/bhp/patagonia-mars
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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Feb 14, 2017 - 09:15am PT
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Goodwill
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skitch
Gym climber
Bend Or
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Feb 14, 2017 - 09:35am PT
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Jody: sounds like it fits just like north face stuff, at least for me north face jackets are always too big.
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Majid_S
Mountain climber
Karkoekstan, Former USSR
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Feb 20, 2017 - 09:19am PT
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Climbed to top of Island peak (20K+ feet) in full expedition gear and saw the local Sherpa sitting on top wearing Levis 501 cotton jeans smoking Winston.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Feb 20, 2017 - 09:24am PT
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Thrift stores in mountain towns rock for cheap winter gear.
I only buy harnesses from Misty Mountain. Small company-Awesome quality made in USA. http://mistymountain.com/
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Feb 20, 2017 - 01:30pm PT
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Scissors, sewing machine and gore tex.
When GoreTex first came out I bought a bunch. I made a bivvy bag with Goretex top and coated nylon bottom. I still use it!
Also made a pull over anorak which I wore out about 20 years ago. Worn out by thousands of meters of rope dragging across it as I belayed a partner.
I beat the Big Names to it and got exactly the fit I wanted for each project.
The bivvy bag has given me shelter in a couple of tough situations. Still works fine.
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steve s
Trad climber
eldo
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Feb 20, 2017 - 02:20pm PT
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We use to make our bivy sacks out of tyvek and duct tape.
The best thrift store was in Aspen, killer stuff, barely used.
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