Nice! That's quite a bargain.

Yeah we have a kitchenaid stand mixer as well and use that for all the heavy duty things that doesn't mean we didn't over work the hand mixer at some point and caused the issue, but I don't recall that happening

This will not help OP, who has a gift card to Pendleton, the company, I believe

Having overheated a cheap one recently, I guess the lesson is to avoid overstressing these little boys. We have this guy for when shit gets real.

According to Polartec the moisture-wicking is mechanical vs chemical. In other words, the way the fabric is knit incorporates 2 sizes of yarn knit together, creating a capillary action. So that would never wash out like a chemical additive that draws water. The technology is for apparel, drying you fast when you sweat. But it works well for towels and pillowcases as well.

I’ve had mine since 1995.

Have had this same one for about 6 years now and some time in the last year it has started making some concerning sounds. Still works, but took it apart and it's all plastic gearing so I don't expect it to last too much longer. I tried to do some research when it started making noise to see if there were any with metal gears but couldn't find any.

I hesitate to chime in because I know nothing about wood strengths, but I remember when maple baseball bats were all the rage (Barry Bonds used one).  The argument was that maple bats provided an edge because they were harder than ash (common wood for bats).  

Ladders are a different story.

Tough toe.

Just treat the part of the shoe you kick stuff with. Won’t look great though.

You can try shoe goop for the places where the rubber has worn away. These might not be salvageable though. Rubber does eventually wear out.

I buy a lot of clothes from charity shops with a focus on a list of brands I’ve vetted for specific lines of products. But anything I buy as a general rule can’t come from certain countries with ethical and quality violations (China, Vietnam, Singapore)

Start small and build up a list of brands that you can trust that are in your price range. Buying clothes that last isn’t cheap and costs significantly more to manufacture in a country like England, Italy, Japan, the US, etc.

Another point I look at is materials, looking for certain wools, silks, cashmeres, sea island cottons. Wool indicates more durability but looking at where the wool is supplied and what mills it comes from matters a great deal. Italian milled wool or Scottish will generally last far longer than a China milled wool that’s been shipped to Italy and then woven into a sweater or coat there. So you really have to look into a companies supply chain and find out where the textiles are being sourced.

Buttons are a big indicator for me as well. I find generally cheap companies skimp on buttons and use plastics, a company that is making a quality garment is going to be using horn, buffalo leather, shell, MOP. This is by far the quickest way to weed out a bad garment.

Fantastic info, thank you! Can’t believe I never thought of the obvious answer of just getting a second pair.

Slippers don’t last forever, but they’re still worth paying for. Really good slippers pay for themselves by keeping your feet - and you - warm enough to turn down the thermostat. Seeing that return depends on how much your heat costs and how cold your feet get.

Wool slippers tend to stink less and last longer than synthetics, and wearing socks will keep them from smelling for longer.

Haflinger makes several models that have different soles. I wear the Grizzly with cork soles because I live in a place with hard floors, and I wear through thin rubber quickly. They last me 5 - 7 years.

Alternatives:

Gottstein Magicfelt with leather soles are light, but the leather soles aren’t as warm. I use them for travel.

Birkenstocks with socks. Require cleaning as they will smell over time. They do stink over time, but it’s less pronounced with the tradition firmer model.

If you’re in the US, LL Bean wicked slippers may be good enough, but leather is less breathable than wool, so they could get gross.

No shoe is truly BIFL. You can get a lot more wear out if them by rotation in a second pair to allow them to dry between wearing.

I love them both equally.

I used to walk 10 hours a day in a nuclear power plant wearing 9” steel toe boots (mandatory). The secret is insoles.

I’ve used these pretty infrequently for the past ~10 years. I’m worried that the top will peel more.

Not sure on the material but this is the product page: https://kingshowusa.com/product/m7014-lace-up-boots/

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I define BIFL as something that, we’ll-taken care of with routine maintenance and the occasional replacement part, will last indefinitely.

Hey OP, you chose a really nice knife there and I'm sure your dad would love it. But keep in mind that it'll need more/different maintenance vs other knives. If I could make a recommendation, check out Tojiro knives. They use a cobalt alloy steel split and while they get fantastically sharp you can also beat on them when you need to without worry. They make them in both western and Japanese style handles.

I feel like anything related to working outdoors there is no in-between, it either lasts you a season or 10+ years.

For shoes I don’t expect them to last more than a couple years before they need to be resoled but I expect them to be able to be resoled if they are good quality.

I agree but with a caveat. Metal does fatigue over time so while a cheaper knife can last with proper maintenance it wont be able to hold up to better grade steel in a marathon. I have lower, mid, and high tier and you easily can tell with them where the quality is in how they keep an edge. I use the same level of care for each.

I try not to buy garments that lean too much into what’s trendy but rather timeless. I.e straight fitting pants, not too slim or baggy. Also I try to stay away from shirts with prints etc. This way I know that I’m less likely to grow tired of my garments and I’ll wear them for longer.

The British and Americans are two great peoples divided by a common tongue. I wish you well and a Happy New Year.