AMEN!
I paid retail in a local outfitter's shop for my shoes and my pack. They spent 2 hours with me on the shoes, and an hour on the pack. "The laborer is truly worth his hire." They earned it, they earned my respect, I gladly paid them!
(My Tarptent was bought online, no risk there, no extra services needed. I did take a chance buying my sleeping bag online, it is not as good as it's rating, but I'm OK with it; when I get the proper funds I'll buy a better, lighter one - from the same outfitter.)
Firefighter - I couldn't agree more. What's better than supporting an American manufacturer. We are in this mess because each year we send about 1.5% of our national treasure elsewhere. Each year we have less customers to support non-manufacturing job because that segment doesn't have jobs. Your paying $200 for that $70 Golite pack either way. That packs just going to be paid from your taxes in the next twenty years. Please support American companies when you can.Originally Posted by Firefighter503:1320085
Congrats. That is why they make all kinds of flavors of ice cream. I hope you are happy with your selections.
You are quite obtuse to badmouth other gear though, because it isnt what you have chosen, and is more expensive.
You should note that ULA does not have to discount packs heavily to sell them.
The ULA service is also second to none. Want it repaired 5 years later when you rip it on a sharp rock? , done free of charge.
Want it modified 2 yrs after purchase? Likely done free of charge as well.
Lose 30 lbs and want a smaller hipbelt? done free of charge.
Most importantly, the Circuit will carry circles around the frameless Jam, and most other lightweight packs. That is the reason that it is among the most popular packs used by thru-hikers on long trails. It simply has the feature set that they want.
not to perpetuate the online vs mom and pop argument, but speaking from the experience of working at a mom and pop outdoor shop for over 5 years, it became frustrating when you would spend a few hours answering questions and fitting a customer, only to have them tell you at the end that they're going to buy it online, or have their friend get it for them on a prodeal. privately owned outdoor shops aren't free resources that are subsidized by backcountry.com, and the dynamic shift of online vs instore purchasing has created a lot of friction between owners and customers in situations like the ridiculous cost to get bindings installed on skis that were purchased elsewhere, paying a big chunk of money to have a bike built, and having to pay a fee to install a car rack( a service that most shops always did for free until a few years ago), and people that buy things online and try to return them to a local shop...)
Signed,
Jaded Former Retail Worker
and to clarify, I buy a lot of gear online, but I do my research online and by reading reviews. I would never get off my high horse to waste a retail store employee's time for an item that I had no intention of purchasing from them.