My boots are made by dudes (& possibly a lady) who live and work within 10 miles of where I live and work. Mostly within 5 miles.
My boots are made by dudes (& possibly a lady) who live and work within 10 miles of where I live and work. Mostly within 5 miles.
”But in the end all of these ideas just manufacture new criminals when the problem isn't a lack of criminals.” -JRB
It makes me sad but I agree. I’ve had Arc’teryx stuff for years and everything else I’ve tried hasn’t come close. I’m doing cold weather training in about two weeks that includes skiing and snowmobiling in sub-zero temps and even though we’re getting issued a lot of stuff for it, I’ve spent hundreds on Arc’teryx gear to prep. Probably would be more if I could find the remaining things in stock. I’ve tried a few OR things where dead bird was leaving a gap and have been immediately disappointed in fit if nothing else.
I wore Lowa Zephyrs for a few years about a decade ago and was very happy with them for a temperate GTX boot. I’ve had a newer pair for the past few years but haven’t had much occasion to wear them yet.
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Put me in the disappointed to learn this camp. Their LEAF Knee Caps are my favorite knee pads and I was issued a jacket that is nothing short of amazing.
That said my go to of late have been KUIU and Orvis. Warm, well made and from what I can tell American owned companies.
As for Lowa, I finally tried some a couple years ago. The toe box is too tight for me.
Arcteryx has been on downward spiral (and made overseas) for a very long time. Their customer service has dropped substantially as well, but I suppose that's to be expected with acquisition and growth. But at the cost, it's not worth it to me and while sure, their fit and designs are nice they certainly haven't performed any better than Mountain Hardwear, Patagonia, and any other of the mainstream outdoor brands.
All of the outdoor companies used to offer really bulletproof warranties and CS, but that was when they were small and had more control over their production. If I was buying outerwear, etc. depending on the activity, there are a tons of other brands I'd consider such as:
- Filson
- Simms
- Canada Goose
- Prometheus Design Werx
- Varusteleka
- Sitka
…along with many other (even smaller) manufacturers than can make excellent, well-built products.
I also find I'm more interested in using natural materials when it makes sense. Transitioning to wool base layers and even overshirts has worked out well for me.