MEC Gear..

[daveLok]

I will be in vancouver for a few hours this weekend and am thinking about checking out MEC. I need to stock up for the next climbing season and was wondering if any of you had reccommendations about stuff I am better off buying at MEC as compared to locally/online?

 

Here is some of the stuff I am looking for, would also appreciate if anyone had any experience/feedback on them:

 

1) A no frills summit pack (possibly Serratus Genie).

2) Schoeller pants (leaning towards MEC Ferrata).

3) Bivy sack (any reccommendations)?

4) Quickdraws/wiregate biners/slings

5) Cams/nuts,etc (just got started with lead climbing).

6) rope for crag climbing

7) Ice protection

 

I am in no hurry to buy any of this gear and am not sure if I am better off gambling for some online/local sale events coming up in the next few months or should I just go ahead and buy them off at MEC?

 

Thanks.

[snoboy]

1) Read this thread.

 

2) I have the MEC Ferrata "Tights" and like them, They are worn for skiing, work, MTB, and climbing/moutaineering. They won't wear out, and they are cheap

 

3) No experience here

 

4) I like my wiregates. You won't like them if you have really small fingers.

 

5-7) Try other peoples's gear first to find out what you like, and read lots of threads in the Gear Critic Forum.

[ketch]

I would second the Ferratas. I have the pants and they have done me real well. Them and the jacket make a wonderful soft shell (aside from them being the only coordinated items in my whole pile of clothes).

[JoshK]

I just recently bought a serratus genie from pro mountain sports. I love the thing. I modified it by cutting a blue foam pad and doubling it up for a back support/bivy pad. It gives the pack mcuh more form. The long size is actually pretty big. I used it the last couple days and easily fit rope, bivy gear, etc in it.

[Greg_W]

Another vote for the Ferrata pants; I love them. My only bitch is that a few of the seams came unstitched and I had to sew them; not a deal-breaker for me, though. They are heavy, and heavy-duty. I might go with the tights next time. I bought most of my first rack up there using the exchange rate.

[Paul_K]

And yet another vote for the Ferrata Jacket and Pants. The pants are indead heavy and heavy duty - I've found I use them in fall-winter-spring. The jacket has worked well for me. Its just the right weight to keep the wind off, yet not so heavy that I overheat on glacier slogs.

 

All at a great price too.

[spacely]

serratus genie is great...

[fern]

 

if you are going to drop a few hundred $$ it is worth looking into getting your G.S.T. refunded. I am sure a google search will turn up info. You have to keep you receipts and each individual receipt has to be greater than $50 or something like that.

 

MEC seems to go through cycles of running out of climbing hardware and long waits to restock.

[fenderfour]

The sales staff at MEC will tell you how to get your GST refunded at the border.

[shapp]

The real deal is buying european brands in canada, like DMM or wildcountry or Petzel because from what I understand Canada has no tax on incoming european goods while the U.S. does. Therefore, the price is even cheaper after taking into acount the exchange rate bonus. I have bought from them and had no problems although a freind of mine bought a MEC sleeping bag several years ago that was pretty poor quality worksmanship.

[rhyang]

Just noticed the new Sabretooth crampons ... looks like they have a more adjustable heel lever, among other things ...

[cj001f]

The real deal is buying european brands in canada, like DMM or wildcountry or Petzel because from what I understand Canada has no tax on incoming european goods while the U.S. does.

The tariffs aren't different. That's a BS arguement put out by the Outdoor Industry (you can look up the tariffs yourself at the US Customs website if you don't believe me) to support their discriminatory (by market) pricing structure.

[daveLok]

Thanks everybody, I am definately going for the genie and the ferrata pants.

 

Is there anything else which makes much more sense to get at MEC (either because of the price or because you dont get the same item/brand easily here in WA)?

 

Lot of the rock hardware seems to be much cheaper. e.g. this BD stopper set sells for almost the same (but in USD) at REI.

Black Diamond Stopper Set #4-13