I looked into Muck Boots when I was looking at rubber before (and settled on xtratuf). They seemed to get really mixed reviews. Have you had good success with them?

Hands down this. 100% American made! https://originmaine.com/durable-goods/the-heavy-hoodie-carbon/

Hoggs of Fife

Same! I grew up on a farm using rubber boots (literally woke diapers and rubber boots around the farm) so when I got settled down on my own land I naturally went looking for good rubber (thus, xtratuf), but now that I'm farming regularly I realize I just need a good solid leather pair... I keep reading about Redback but wanted some more opinions.

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Now that I have my own kids, I think my parents just put me in rubber boots so they didn't have to drop tons of money on leather shoes every time we grew. But I have so many vivid memories of horses stepping on my toes, peeing in my boots, etc. rubber is not always the way to go :-D

What model is this?

I was just looking for a van like this in Portland and honestly $18k seems pretty steep for a base model without AWD, and an accident on the carfax. It would be hard to know how bad the wreck was and if it was repaired correctly. Anything that was a rental car could also be questionable just because they tend to get beat on more than a personal car.

Muck boots.

I’m not sure this one exists, unless you’re an urban type who does not really put boots through their paces.

Ultimately most are rubber and rubber will get holes from forks/sharp things. I’ve had success gluing my holes in boots though, gets a bit more time out of them.

Is it worth the WHAT

I freaking love Okabashi. I have worn through many pairs, but they last far longer than any flip flop sandal should.

To put it in perspective I can walk through a pair of standard flip flops in two months. It takes me at least a full year of daily wear to kill okabashis. That's the shortest time I've worn through them, on city streets, walking seven miles on average a day. I usually own a pair and a back up pair.

Some of my best clothes were thrifted. I shop a lot of places, but the highest quality clothing I've thrifted mostly came from private church thrifts or Junior League thrifts. Don't overlook consignment second hand type shops if you are shopping specifically for a professional wardrobe.

Learning about fabric is a biggie, and I have no shortcuts to offer, all require time & touching the good stuff. I've sewn since I was a kid, so spending time with fabric is something I grew up doing.

You can go to a high end department store & look through the clothes, particularly the business wear. Feel the jackets, pants & skirts. Good suits for both men & women have a minimal amount of manmade fiber. Touching a pair of jackets where one is 100% wool and the other 60%/40% will give you a good lesson that no internet or book description can match. Nice infographic with lots of names you might see on labels: https://sewguide.com/textile-fibers/

Know which brands actually last vs. are trendy and popular. How does this shirt you know was popular two years ago look in the thrift store? that low end fast fashion stuff will teach you just as much because you can see what to avoid. Find two similar items & compare them. Look at the seams, look at fiber content, look at what wore out/ tore/ stretched badly.

Personally I look for Ralph Lauren for both me & my husband, Geoffrey Beene for him, Talbots for me. There are other good brands, but these fall into our specific 'will always fit' (hubs is a XXLT) or 'will always suit my style & work dress needs'.

I wish you luck!

The 3 things you want quality are what come between you and the earth. Shoes, mattress and tires. These may be quality, but they look well beyond their useful life.

Duckworth.

https://www.duckworthco.com/collections/mens-jackets-vests

I love these. People scoff at how much money I’m paying for flip-flops but I have bad feet and they seriously are comfortable enough to trek around in for miles! I get a new pair every four years or so, but have yet to throw the old ones out because they still have life left in them!

I found a really really nice wool trenchcoat in perfect shape at a thrift store for like $10...it's been my main winter coat for the last decade.

No, no piece of clothing is ever worth $625. That's idiocy.

Edit to say that I get "Nice coat!" all the time when I'm wearing it. I can't even begin to count how many compliments I've gotten on it from strangers.

You’re welcome! And looking into this, some of the cheaper manual coffee grinders like Timemore or 1zpresso Q2 would probably make excellent pepper grinders. Their grind adjustment is much more robust and precise, they’re probably a lot more BIFL than most pepper grinders, and have come down in price so they’re starting to overlap some of the Peugeot ones.

How soft are her hands?

I feel the clothes and the seams. After a while you get a feel for premium materials and construction. I also look for known brands that make BIFL quality gear, but seriously the picking not up and feeling it test works great, if it’s an older garment and it is undamaged and feels sturdy, it probably is. Also check all the sweaters for anything 100% merino wool or cashmere, I have some pretty “nice” fancy sweaters I use as warming layers under my outdoor gear. $2 for someone grandpas cashmere sweater or $120 for a comparable smart wool.

If it has zippers check what kind they are and the brand of them, for mass produced stuff ykk makes the best zippers, there are a couple of zipper brands out there for high end and premium labels that are as good or better, but I’m not sure of all their names, but in general a ykk is a good sign.

For “waterproof” or outdoor gear, look to see if it is “seam-taped” by looking at the seams on the inside and checking if they have been sealed.

What kind of garment or gear are you looking for specifically, I might be able to give more specific suggestions.

Ah, yeah. I like quality and will pay for it, but there's a limit.

I wouldn't get that anorak. 600+ dollars is just too much. You can get a perfectly good coat for 200-300 less. If you're someone who makes a bit more money and you like the style, then it makes sense. If you spend a lot of time in the snow/live in a cold climate, it also makes sense. For most of us, we're better off buying something else.

Again,Dutch harbor sister, I wear the mens too,cause it lasts. That bad boy will take a beating better than your charhartt. And check out ‘Bad workwear’ just tried a few of their pieces,-like em time will tell…

I have had both and liked the foam more. The leather is mostly for looks / fancy occasions where you want to wear flip flops.

Dutch harbor heavy duty. Real metal zippers,lined arms.hoods big enough for you hardhat.

I like the leather ones because they feel more premium and I like the way leather patinas as you wear it, but the foam ones were way more comfortable in my opinion.

I usually buy crocs with a lot of heels, so the wearing out is not so easily felt. I have owned crocs for years now and each one lasted minimum for 2 to 3 years. I never had any other footwear and used them everyday everywhere I go. The key to having a croc last longer is buying them with good heel width. So even if the heel starts wearing out, takes time before it reaches the throw out phase.

Sanitaire commercial upright fits the bill. Easy maintenance, BIFL quality.