Month: October 2011

I used to buy stuff at LL Bean and got sucked in to the you can always return stuff there no questions asked policy but what I’ve come to realize is that their stuff is priced at nearly double what you can buy it for elsewhere.  so why pay double when you can get two pairs of basically the same gear for the same price and never have to sweat feeling like a creep for returning 5 year old jeans with holes in them.

This time of year when the temperatures dip and I get caught underdressed for the cold I generally address my winter gear needs.

We went to the Kittery Trading Post last week in search of  Lined Canvas Work pants but they were $80 a pair and there’s just no way I’m paying that kind of dough for work pants to wear down here at the dock so I went home empty handed.

I don’t mind paying a little extra for the right kind of gear but $80 for workpants=no go.

This morning however after refusing to turn on the heat down the dock and not being able to rid myself of this chill, I got online and checked out out LL Bean.  Their Katahdin lined canvas workpants are $79. Strike Two. Not gonna spend that kind of dough on pants that will end up covered in gurry.

LL Bean Katahdin work pants $79-

So I remember this online catalog where I’ve bought stuff in the past- www.sierratradingpost.com  They carry basically the same stuff LL Bean does only they carry national brands that are either the same or better than LL Bean and almost always they are cheaper.

Sure enough they had Carhartt Washed Duck Dungarees – Flannel-Lined (For Men) for $39.95  Half the cost of LL Bean

Not only that, the  base layer mock turtlenecks I get to keep the wind off your neck were on sale for $19.95

Normally I’d get some cotton ones from LL Bean but microfleece does so much of a better job wicking away moisture when you sweat, it’s a hundred times better for cold weather work gear.  So I got two pairs of the flannel lined Carhartt canvas pants and two of the white sierra tongass pullover mock turtlenecks microfleece.  When you spend over $100 they have a deal where they give you 25% off you order. So here’s my total-

$100 and change vs what would have cost $200 at LL Bean and that was with cotton turtlenecks instead of microfleece AND TWO PAIRS of Flannel lined canvas pants instead of one at LL Bean..

So if you consider my judgment from working on the docks all winter long all my life worth listening to, you can check them out and they offer a $10 coupon as a referral from me (full disclosure if you buy anything not only do you get a $10 coupon, they give me one too)

Here’s the link to check out Sierra Trading Post