Having Nice Things
 

I'm 61 and finally in a position (financially and mentally) to act on the advice of "buy quality." Here are two recent purchases. Though I live in the Seattle area (company headquarters) I first heard of Filson jackets here on Pelican OT. I now have this jacket. With tax....a little over $400. No regrets. I really want their medium duffle. It is just a matter of time. Their briefcase is also very popular. They specialize in outdoorsy stuff and their warranty is absolute. You have two options. Repair or replacement. Here is a telling story:

A friend watched the following transaction: A fellow brought and old, tattered tin-cloth jacket to the store for repair. The sales people freaked out because this jacket was one of the first ever made (about 120 years old). They offered the customer $500, plus a new jacket, if they could keep the old one (for their display/museum). The customer refused. He wanted the jacket repaired. 'Nuff said.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1556858389.jpg

These shoes came today. Samuel Hubbard. $300. Supposedly "ridiculously comfortable." Performance so far is as advertised.


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Tell me about your decisions to buy quality. Hopefully, someone can tell a story which does not begin at 61 years of age. If I had bought these two pictured things forty years ago, the shoes may have worn out but the jacket certainly would not have. Tell stories.

Here are the Filson medium duffle and briefcase. WANT!

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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1556859380.jpg

Have a 50 year old Filson tin coat that my dad wore as a logger and I then wore while working for OR Dept of Forestry. It's not pretty but is still indestructible.

Have several old and new Pendleton pieces. Always (and still expensive) but great quality.

Recently bought a Woolrich red/black plaid Cruiser jacket. Hoping it outlives me.

I have the padded laptop briefcase. It has probably 750,000 air miles under its belt. I need to replace the strap because one of the brass buckles wore its self into two pieces. I reached out to them and it was on back order. Need to follow up on that.

Have a few other items from them including a shirt jac or whatever it’s called that I really like.

I'm happy for you Jim......You have earned it.........

Your old floorboards are welded into the 1969...I should send you photos........Looks like factory install..........

We call that fabric oilskin around here. VERY water proof. A friend even got his dog a padded oilskin jacket LOL.

I know what you mean about nice things. It's hard to go backwards from nice to ordinary, and you can really appreciate the difference in quality. Good on you.

I have my Grandfathers Navy wool peacoat from when he attended the Naval Academy Annapolis class of 1934. Feels thick enough to stop light shrapnel. Heavy enough to beat hangars into submission. Tailor made, it fits like a tapered glove.

Filson Cruiser here. Problem is, it often isn't cold enough to wear it...

(edit) The nice thing I used several hours today? Hand made by Keith Josey a little over a decade ago. A bit over $1,000. Removed it from a case made by Jack Justis...it a little over $800. Add the break cue, and another cue with two shafts, plus accessories...around $3,000 total.
http://www.joseycues.com/

BooYah!

Bring the rain!


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[QUOTE=Superman;10446480]I'm 61 and finally in a position (financially and mentally) to act on the advice of "buy quality."

I am still in the position of launching kids out of the house, with one still in college, and one getting married this fall. If I can get through this year (financially, and mentally) we will be in a much better position to start treating ourselves to nicer things...until then ?......

My wife and I are hiking addicts...and in our early 60's, having recently completed NH's 48 4000 footers, we don't plan to stop anytime soon. One of our best investments to help support our addiction was to have Peter Limmer (the 3rd), located in Intervale, NH, make us some of the best custom hiking boots anywhere. Eighteen month waiting list and 750.00 a pair...worth every penny!

I am all for quality stuff, but the $40 duffel I bought on Amazon is great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078S4DWCT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And now it's $50....still a good deal.

I have several Filson, solid bits of kit for sure. The relationship took a bad turn when my first bit, a olive green packer coat was sent in for repairs. The coat lived hard on the farm and had a few rips that needed repair, but had developed an awesome patina over the years. sent it in and never saw it again. "they lost it". and sorry we don't make that color anymore, so here is a tan one. still grumpy over that experience.

I've been wearing tailored clothes since 1981. Nothing like them. Yes they are expensive, as are good shoes, but they are vastly different from off the rack clothing. Quality lasts. I still have every pair of dress shoes that I've ever purchased. My favorite pair is from Bruno Magli. Not custom, but an absolute perfect fit for my feet. Even tabs might be jealous.

I like to buy things once. Long term, it's cheaper. Everything I buy is with that in mind.

to be honest. nice things.

yea, i'm a fan. but it really depends. one of my greatest joys is cooking, but oddly enough i dont feel the need for the "gold standard" in cooking gear.

hunting, yea. my packs and knives; i could have dialed it back a few notches.

i do often wonder how much of the added cost is simply "prestige pricing"

oh and filson. my stepdad had one, but he was way bigger than any of us kids. it was like a tent on me. we let it go to a friend. who was, "filson? okay, i guess i'll take it." i bet he tossed it. but honestly, they are not my thing. i gravitate towards modern fabrics.

I have a newer Filson hunting coat, upland chaps and vest. I do have an old wool cruiser jacket, probably 60-80 years old. The label says "Fil-Clothes, for the man who knows".

In the late 70s, I scored a Woolrich hunting jacket at one of the local outdoor stores (Adventure 16) for $25. They wanted to get rid of it for some reason, I suppose. I don't wear it much, but every time I do, I marvel at the design and quality of it. I'll let my wife sell it or pass it on after I kick the bucket.

I grew up just down the road from Woolrich - I have plenty of Woolrich stuff.

For fishing I have a Filson Packer hat and wading jacket. I also have a blaze orange wool/tincloth cap for hunting. Each about 20 years old. They keep me dry. "Might as well have the best".

I inherited my dad's old Duluth cruiser pack - which went all over the world with him. I sent it back to the company and they replaced straps (reusing hardware at my request) and patched some holes and attachment points. The lady I spoke with there said it was made in the late 50's /early 60's, which would match up with the time he was living in Michigan.

I'm a fan of quality gear.

It's interesting to me that if you're a "sportsman" in the classic sense, ie hunting, fishing, hiking, then you can buy gear from companies like Filson that brag about longevity and warranty; if you do a sport, like cycling or skiing, or motocross, (or any sort of speed-sport) well, technology marches on unchecked and pretty soon your expensive gear that has lots of life left will be obsolete, until it's rediscovered by the vintage crowd.

I am a fan of quality gear but only up to a certain price point. If I won't be able to get the most "mileage" out of it, e.g. stuck in a closet half the year, then no. I don't have sons to pass them on to. For example, I will never buy Canada Goose or Barbour.

That said, I've been buying a few pieces "Made in USA" before they disappear, and some good quality leather products - bags, shoes.

I feel the same way about my motorcycle gear. You get what you pay for. I've had crappy budget minded boots, jackets, helmets in the past but now I only buy the best stuff. Rukka jacket/pants, Daytona boots, Shoei helmet. They cost a lot more than the average gear but I feel its well worth it.

Shoei RF1200 Daijiro Kato race replica (best fitting helmet I've ever had)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1556903425.jpg

Rukka Merlin Gore-Tex leather jacket/pants
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Daytona Road Star Gore-Tex boots (warm, comfortable, well padded)
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[QUOTE=ckelly78z;10446566] This tells me you set priorities well. Hang in there, it will come. When it does? You'll realize it's all "just stuff" and not what's truly important.

I tend to buy very high quality things for things I care about and the cheapest of the cheap for things I dont have any emotional investment in. My stereo costed more than my daily driver but my TV is a cheapo they had on sale at Walmart. I have a pretty nice collection of new and vintage watches, yet my clothes and shoes come from costco / amazon basics

I really hate the disposable mentality of modern day society, I like than if you buy something truely high quality it can last a life time and beyond. Though admittedly I do buy some cheap disposable crap at times.

This too...we all have various interests. In some things we look for the best. In others, couldn't care less.

There was a tiny backpack manufacturer in Schenectady NY. They made VERY high quality backpacks.

https://toughtraveler.com/

They still exist and are a lot bigger now. Everything made in New York

My story is a seam opened up on one of my day packs. I brought it in to the store. They whisked it into the back and 5 minutes later they had torn out the entire seam and re-worked the backpack. I wish we had a place like that here in Houston.

I totally get the urge to have nice things. Been there, done it. You get over it. There is a thread here from the days I was into “nice things.”

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/634626-best-way-sell-watch.html

The best, most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever had was a pair of Piloti black leather, I think they were Prototipo.

I still look on eBay for a decent pair but they are hard to come by. Not sure if the resurrected company is the same quality but man I miss those shoes. They were in clearance for $40 and in hindsight I should have bought 10 pair!

For most of my young adult life I didn’t have much. I bought cheaply out of necessity. What I quickly learned was what we all know now, buy cheaply and eventually it will cost you more since you will have to replace it and will probably buy something more expensive now exceeding the price of a good product if bought originally. I had to learn this lesson many times before 1. It stuck, and 2 I could afford to buy good quality.

Now that many years have passed since being perpetually broke to now being comfortable (not rich), I always buy good quality (not superior) for longevity and to perform its function well.

I do draw the line by justifying that I deserve something over the top or outrageously expensive or that it is owed to me because I used to sell my plasma to eat. My needs for status or worse yet envy by others, has subsided many years ago when I came to the realization I can’t buy my way to happiness. Many try and try and try just like the 1% thinking if they only had a few more millions their life will be complete.

If you can afford it, good on you. Keep the economy strong.

From inside the Filson store in downtown Seattle you can see a hundred sewing machines with people sitting at them. Last time I was there, there was a sewing machine and operator right in the showroom. I guess Filson stuff, after eighty years or so, could need maintenance. ;)

Lots of great stories and perspectives here. I own seven brand new Brooks Brothers dress shirts. At 61, I likely will never, ever, buy another dress shirt.

Oh....and I have a 1978 Porsche 911. In good shape, this is probably the cheapest car to take on a trip of five-figure miles. Just sayin'.....

I own the Daytona Road Stars. They’re like riding in warm slippers that are protective. I also just purchased the Shoei Neotec 2 helmet. The most comfortable helmet I’ve ever owned.

Even when young and dirt poor I still found the money for high end motorcycle gear.

+1.
I have a pair of Prototipos that are 15 years old. Think I paid $90 for them. I do not wear them often but they have held up great and still look like they are a only month old. Super all-day comfortable and actually designed for an American foot.

I would kill a Filson in about three seasons, maybe less.

The briefcase isn’t -that- great. It’s taken on a stain and a couple of holes have appeared in the pockets in 5 years. I wish I’d got the leather one tbh.

I bought an old! BMW last week, does that quality for a old purchase?

You can have those shoes resoled...multiple times so long as the insoles and uppers are good.

I have 2 pairs of Vasque hiking boots one made in the USA in 1973 and the other in Italy in the 1980s..you can not wear em out.

Vaque is a Red Wing company..

Vintage Florshiem Imperials are considered to be just about the best shoes ever made. They have international appeal..

Hubbard's are made in Portugal..which is better than Asia.

I like Mephistos..and have around 10 pairs..

Even very expensive shoes can be cheaply made..Tom.Ford

Bally Scribe...975
Alden..600
Sutro Mantellassi..850 to 7500
Par West..custom golf shoes
Edward Green..1000 plus

It doesn't get better.

Mother Marcos passed it on ...LOL :)