Do you think North Face jackets are overpriced?

The right clothing has more to do with the right time for a certain clothing. And the right clothing has more to do with certain techniques, and does not require a certain price for maximum comfort and usability.

No idea about North Face. Depends on what you want I guess. Bit like saying "Are Ford cars overpriced?" - compared to what?

If you're after recommendations - one brand of outdoor jacket I love are Buffalo. If you do a lot of outdoorsy stuff then they're worth considering. They haven't got much of a profile but are quietly used by lots of mountain types and the military here. They're also pretty reasonable in price. (Also these days they seem to be actually making jackets in colours other than black and green!)

I think waloshin is overpriced.

They can be. I have 4 NF jackets myself. Each are used in specific conditions/climates. The McMurdo Parka is one of my favs. Big puffy down winter jacket. Columbia's are nice too. Whatever your budget/needs are then I guess they can be a little on the pricey side.

I'm not into name brands to be honest. I buy most of my clothes from Costco at better than fair prices. The last jacket I bought was $39.99. Very decent quality too

I have a couple NorthFace jackets. I don't think they are over-priced.

Like a couple other people said.. it's more about buying the right clothing and using it in the right conditions. If it doesn't fit you well and you don't have a need for it, then yeah, it's pretty over-priced.

Like the guy who posted about the Costco jacket. It meets his needs and is $40 and that's fine. But some people need something more.

I don't think so once you factor in how long the jacket can potentially last. However, this obviously this depends on how 'hard' you use the coat.

I got a TNF coat in 2009 and the thing still looks brand new after three winters worth of use.

Similarly, I have an excellent 3/4 length wool coat from Banana Republic that I got in 2005. Sure, it was pretty expensive in 2005 but I've been able to wear it for seven years now for an average cost of $22 a year. $22 a year is cheaper than buying some cheap $30 coat that'll only last a year.

Best value out there? No. Overpriced? Not really.

They build quality products and they stand behind them. If that works for you and you aren't incurring debt to obtain them, then by all means.

Case in point. I had a NF gore-tex ski jacket in college that was given to me as a gift. After about 5 years of use, it lost most of it's waterproofing qualities. I brought it in to a NF store, they sent it in and a week later called to tell me to come back into the store and pick out any similar jacket I liked.

Don't know if they have changed that policy, but that was pretty impressive.

Definitely. It's a fashion brand with popularity the determent of price, rather than quality. You'll find the same quality for less with lesser known local brands like Mountain Design in Au.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/01/south-korea-teenagers-north-face-fashion-fad-bullying.html

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=14185

I usually have a wander around the store, but never buy anything, I don't know what it is, but their gear doesn't grab me
However, I've never had any bad kit from mountain hardware

People buy North Face for the brand?

For winter clothes, I buy based on comfort and durability. For me, I really like Eddie Bauer stuff. I have had a really good experience with the quality of their clothes and they always have plenty of sales throughout the year.

I don't think that they are that overpriced because they are made of good quality.

NF seems to have been latched on to by the Fashion conscious and that normally means the prices get hiked up.
My Latest Jacket it made by Rohan (Its a longer cut than usual and stops one getting soggy thighs as normally the rain runs of the jacket straight onto the upper leg)
I have the version one of this as well (version 2 is a more neutral Charcoal colour, liners can be zipped in, hood packs into collar and hood has reinforced peak) all the things i wanted to see improve in V1 came in V2.

http://www.rohan.co.uk/Product/Detail/MensJackets_03502?ocode=03502357

mobilehaathi said:

I think waloshin is overpriced.

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Overpriced and perhaps overrated. Give me a Swandri and Gumboots any day.

KGB

Yes it's overpriced. You can get a higher quality, more functional jacket from Eddie Bauer.

Totally overpriced, but then again, the quality is great and they do offer lifetime warranty. More of a style thing I think. Best is to get it on discount at outlets or during Black Friday as North Face has deals then.

NathanMuir said:

Similarly, I have an excellent 3/4 length wool coat from Banana Republic that I got in 2005. Sure, it was pretty expensive in 2005 but I've been able to wear it for seven years now for an average cost of $22 a year. $22 a year is cheaper than buying some cheap $30 coat that'll only last a year.

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Wait a minute, am I crazy or why do I think $150 for a jacket, especially if it's made out of wool, is kind of cheap?? Let alone those $40 someone mentioned before.

twietee said:

Wait a minute, am I crazy or why do I think $150 for a jacket, especially if it's made out of wool, is kind of cheap?? Let alone those $40 someone mentioned before.

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Expensive compared to $40? Yes.

Arguably someone who finds $40 an average/ acceptable amount to spend on a jacket will find a coat/ jacket/ whatever have you that costs nearly four times as much 'expensive'.

If I'd known we were having a pissing contest on much we spend on coats/ jackets I'd have included the fact that I got it at a substantial savings.

However, given I actually didn't pay retail for it, I thought it would be disingenuous to indicate otherwise. Here's another math problem for you;

Theoretically I've spent an average of $70 a year to wear that coat. Is that figure more inline with your expectations?

They are expensive, but I guess tread a fine line between merely expensive and overpriced. I don't really think of it as a designer/fashionable jacket, the one I brought last year is a shapeless grey thing that I zip up in when it's particularly wet or windy.

I paid about £120 for mine on sale.

I have a couple of them and while they are expensive, the quality is top-notch.

stop making lame poll threads please. thanks.

Yes

ucfgrad93 said:

I have a couple of them and while they are expensive, the quality is top-notch.

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I have a 30 litre or so North Face backpack. It is OK but nothing special. The Macpac, Lowe, Berhaus and Kathmandu ( a way overpriced Australian NZ brand) backpacks I also own seem better quality. To be fair, the North Face is made out of nylon, but the others are made of cordura so they seem tougher.

I bought a North Face Denali jacket for $180 last winter. Has served me very well and should continue to do so for many years to come.

I'll research more into the 'lifetime warranty' though... anyone know the conditions for getting one replaced? I'd imagine it can't have holes or anything. I bought mine from Nordstroms if that helps.