This is the time of year to buy winter gear...lots of shops are running good deals for us gearheads!
I went to the Patagonia shop yesterday and the place was MOBBED. One guy barked at me when I got too close to his "pile of loot." Heard that the website was insane...stuff was disappearing from people's shopping carts due to the traffic. I also got some good deals at REI and EMS.
I like Patagonia, though it costs an arm and a leg, their stuff lasts a long time. North Face is junk, I mean, expensive junk. Black Diamond in VT made some good fleece at a good price and I still use mine 11 YEARS LATER!
EMS Gear has really improved. Good prices, good features, and good quality. Ms. Trailboss just received their windproof fleece and later the waterproof/breathable shell from Trailboss for Xmas and her BD respectively and she likes them a lot.
Good experiences? Bad experiences? Your comments?