Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jlb]

Just cruising the MEC website and what's with all this expensive Patagonia crap they've got going on? Is this the downfall of MEC as we know it? www.mec.ca

[Novernae]

Rant alert

MEC fell a long time a go. They started being concerned more with outfitting the 'urban hiker' (those who drive SUV's around town because it makes you look outdoorsy, or use a three hundred dollar backpack to carry around their books from class to class with their Nalgene attached to it with a carabiner). If they were going for functionality and real travelers/climbers you would be able to buy shorts past August. Their ethical sourcing policy didn't last long, and their store employee quality has gone way downhill (very difficult to get good recommendations in-store nowadays). They still have some great quality stuff, but you have to sift through a lot of useless stuff that looks good to get to the functional stuff which might be in stock if you're lucky and in season for Canada, and which is often much less functional than it could be if they put even a little bit of thought into it. Their best travel pack (in my opinion) is available in bright blue or orange. Yeah, thanks, when I'm walking through a bus station I want this huge "I'VE GOT A BACKPACK: STEAL IT!" message on my back.

goodbye MEC

[indytrucks]

or



MEC ... meh.

[jlb]

The thing I'm most disturbed by is the lack of ultra-lite backpacking/hiking gear. It's the way of the future but MEC still carries these nasty, heavy Tarn 3's that are great for car camping but not a lot else. Not so cool but maybe it doesn't matter so much anymore because you can anything you want pretty easily online.