>"you found a Sierra Designs down jacket in a thrift store?"

Oh, it happens. I've scored that and better many times. Whether I'm looking for a dress shirt or kid's puddle boots, or whatever, I look at labels. Dress shirt example: LL Bean, Nordstrom's, Land's End, etc. Jackets: Sierra Designs, Northface, Patagonia, Helly Hansen, etc. Only when I see a quality manufacturer, do I slow down and look at condition, size, etc.

It helps to be shopping for a family of growing kids so there are many more possible sizes and many sizes that can be set aside for a year or two. Also, quality kid's stuff is outgrown before it is worn out.

But the best, easiest deal? Kiss up to a family with older kids. We hand off a lot of great stuff to local friends.

... are obviously better than those in the UK...

I trawl through them for 2nd hand CDs on a very regular basis (to an extent that it's probably OCD...), and I don't think I've ever seen any item of clothing I'd want to wear.

I did once get a reasonable tent for £10; an earlier model of a tent I already have, but the inner design was better (continuous pole sleeves).

I guess it's down to luck of right place, right time.

Maybe you lot just tend to hold on to your stuff longer..? Less stuff goes to thrift store and more stuff used to end of serviceable life?

On the OP's situation, impetus seems pretty nice. I got some samples from DIY Gear Supply added to my last order and I was pretty surprised how much I like the swatches of it. Haven't gotten around to stress testing or anything but I would say it's quite similar to my Nobul that I have. Though, I also don't see much cause to fix what's not broken but if that's what will make you happy it's a pretty inexpensive option when all is said and done.

I think that the thrift stores are a quite a bit more difficult to find good stuff these days (at least the ones by me) so I only go through once a month or so. I had a friend who makes a living going around to the 4 thrift stores and garage sales in town and reselling stuff on ebay. He still does OK but he said that he needs to be a lot more prudent about getting there right when they open on the days when new stuff gets put out or else it's all picked through within a day.

It's also going to be harder when you've got an entire generation captivated by a rap song about thrift store shopping. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK8mJJJvaes

"Are you gonna trust the fashion sense of a guy in zebra tights?"

Don't be silly. Roger would never wear anything like that.

They appear to be leopard skin pattern tights.

--B.G.--

You can always give it to me, purple is my favorite color.

">"you found a Sierra Designs down jacket in a thrift store?" Oh, it happens. I've scored that and better many times."

Ditto. Just the other day, I came home with a pair of Marmot insulated taped GoreTex shell pants, in very good condition, for $11. $175 new! On the same day, I also purchased a like-new Gore Windstopper fleece Mountain Hardware hat for $1 ($18 new) and a never used set of saddle bags for my dual-sport motorcycle for $4. They are $175 new!

Perhaps my best find happened ~4-5 yrs ago: A fully taped GoreTex Marmot one piece suit w/ pit zips, fleece lining, suspenders, etc...lightly used, for $25. $750 new!

Other recent items of mention: Like-new Marmot taped GoreTex jacket w pit zips for my wife for $3. Don't know the MRSP but likely $150+. And how about a Patigonia R1 fleece, like new, for $7.50! $130 new.

I run across so many nice casual button and collared short sleeve shirts that I can now be quite choosy: Patiagonia, Royal Robbins, Columbia, Pranha, etc. $2-$6. Most of them are at one particular thrift store for some reason.

Too many other nice things to mention in a single thread. I do visit 6 different thrift stores regularly though...an average of twice/weekly.

.....and after posting this morn, I hit three thrift stores and came away with a Nevica micro-fleece jacket with no signs of wear for $8 and two pairs of the same Columbia nylon cargo pants for $4/pair. They don't even look like they've been worn or washed! Kid you not.

Sorry to have hi-jacked this thread. Just a little stoked...and hoping to inspire others to "thrift-store". It's fun to see what you can find for so little.

Hi Rusty, i completely agree. Thrift stores is where i get a lot of Merino wool shirts, and i also often get pants there too. If they get trashed, you don't feel as bad since you paid so little for them, but like you mentioned it's not unheard of to find relatively new and unused stuff too sometimes.

I recently made some carbon fiber hiking poles from golf clubs i found at some thrift stores. Course, i probably wouldn't have even thought to do so in the first place, if i hadn't first perused it on here previously.

>"Most of them are at one particular thrift store for some reason."

Look for thrift in richer areas (Marin County, CA, for instance). Higher quality stuff, not many poor people shopping in competition with you. Often the stuff is priced to sell (it's a non-profit business, partly to train new-to-the-workforce cashiers, sorters, etc).

In more rural, poorer areas, no one is wearing Patagucci in the first place, so no one is donating it. Also, the model of the thrift store often seems to be more in competition with normal retail - cheaper, but not a lot cheaper. They are trying to maximum revenue on each item instead of marking it low and moving it fast.

I've searched for "thrift store" on my smart phone around the country on road trips and I'd say the biggest predictor of a good score is the economics of the area - if you want good stuff, go to where the donors can afford good stuff.

There ought to be an app for that. To ID thrift stores near Trader Joe's outlets (using TJ's as a proxy for the upper middle class).

David,

I agree....but I'm probably in a bit of a unique area. Some of my better finds are from thrift stores in smaller populated agricultural towns that don't have great economics. However, these town are 1.5 hrs from one of the swankiest and affluent outdoor meccas in the country. There, everyone wears outdoors clothes...whether they wear them in the outdoors or for the cool factor at the local bistro. To a small degree, this filters down to these ag towns....particularly the image...and I benefit greatly from it. :-)

Edited by rustyb on 02/17/2013 07:51:47 MST.

Your women's coat has the zipper slide on the "other" side, just like a men's zipper in European coats. Pretend you got it in Europe and forget the color. Hey, it's just for outings, Right??

(OK, if you insist on wearing it to raves, shopping sprees, etc. then you MUST also wear your "European men's shoulder bag". Pretend you're Euro Trash.) Jus' sayin'...

Actually, American men's zips are on the same side as European women's zips... I've no idea what side American women's zips are on... Judging by the placket in the picture, it looks like they're the same as a US man's zip...

UK/Euro men: zipper on left, placket on right
US men: zipper on right, placket on left (at least all my Patagonia stuff is this way)

I also have no idea why the different sexes have different handed zips; anyone have any idea?

As for the thrift/charity bargains, I've remembered that there is a market somewhere in the north of England, where there is a stall run by someone selling ex-expedition stuff.

A friend managed to pick up (barely, given its 19.5kg weight...) an MHW SpaceStation for £70 (~$110).

US lady zips are on the opposite side of US man zip.

I have heard the closures (zips or buttons) are on diff sides between the sexes to facilitate dressing or undressing each other. Or it was to make things easier for attendants to dress ladies. Something along those lines. Either way, having the buttons on the side opposite that you are accustomed to for your own clothing helps when you are facing someone else..

Also, I don't know who Trader Joe is. Trader James sounds upscale. I don't think I live near Tradah J.

I use bright pink scuba tanks, while my wife uses green. I guess I could switch, but then I'd miss out on all the shoreline banter and ribbing. Guess who never has a hard time being found/identified under water (Texas lake diving can get pretty murky)? ;)

i don't have any hot pink stuff. i also choose colors for visibility. i see your TX lake and raise you SC black water river :)

when i hike i try to take things different colors. i have two sets of long underwear, purple and blue. i never take matching top and bottom. make it easier to know which i am grabbing. they are both dark colors, though. more now, i try to vary brightness. this helps find stuff at night.

i made insulated pants and the inside back of the waist band is a lighter color. the black pants have no fly and the lighter band only on the back half tells me which side is up.

Edited by Tan68 on 04/16/2013 13:02:21 MDT.