Gear-addicts.com Outdoor gear with a dash of A.D.D.

Brand Obsession

When it comes to gear, i find i tend to get some major crushes on a few brands.  So i figured i would get all of the gear-addicts groupies to give me a list of their top 5 brands and this is what i got.

For me it is pretty simple.

1. Crumpler - this is one of the first companies to let gear-addicts test out their bags and we're glad they let us. They are by far some of the best built messenger bags out there and they hold up great.  I have made sure to to test this out a few times.  I just wish my helmet would of held up as well as the bag.

2. Black Diamond - I just really like their stuff.  It is always a good time to have a designer tell you all about little design features of products they created or worked on.  Any company so focused on making good products that work is always going to be high on my list.

3. Carhartt - Some of the best built pants around and they dont cost an arm and a leg *cough-mtn-khaki-cough*.  I only wish that they would bring their street line to the states.

4.  Asana Climbing -  these guys make some really cool stuff and they have one of the more fun indoor gyms i have been to.   It can be a bit scary your first fall.

5.  Red Bull.- Ya i went there.  Hell i like the stuff and dont really care.  Mix it with orange juice for and extra kick in the morning or vodka for one or more at night.

Greg:

1. Osprey because they take care of repairs no matter what

2. Planet bike because they donate money to cycling advocacy groups

3. Giro helmets because they fit my head

4. Quaker oatmeal because it tastes better than the store brand

5. Black diamond because they make darn good bindings

Grant:

I had trouble with this list...  I am easily swayed to switch loyalties.

Osprey: Products are solid.  A buckle broke, I got a picture of the pack circled the buckle that broke emailed to them and they proceeded to overnight a new buckler.

Marmot: I have liked every product I have purchased from them, Sharp point, Lithium, and a down vest.  Never had a deal with them but I hear they have great customer service.

Smartwool: Love merino wool.  High quality but not as pricy as some other brand

Moosejaw: they had a line of shirts with images of a bloke cutting down a forest, spearing whales, and burning books while smoking a pipe in a captain morgan stance.  Need I say more?

GU: I actually hate this product.  If I spent more time getting in shape I wouldn't need it but it get's me to the top of a hill and then crushes my hopes and dreams when I get down.

Rette:

prAna: As much as I try to deny I like their stuff, I really do. It's always too expensive, even when they claim a price reduction. But it's high quality and I have 5 pairs of their yoga shorts as my river shorts. They dry quickly and are more my style than some of the cheek-flaunting-roxie-girl type board shorts.

Olympus: I have a Stylus 1050 SW, and it's shock-proof/water-proof/freeze-proof, which means you could flush it down a toilet in cold water and it'll still take fantastic pictures. If you really wanted to.

Chaco: This is no surprise to anyone who knows me. I live for the arch support these sandles provide, and my favorite style is the Hipthong.

Lehi Roller Mills: The local choice for me until I move out of Salt Lake. Their wheat germade is my favorite. And Sherm, the owner, is just a peach of a guy.

Smartwool: I also have a thing for Merino wool. My drawers are stuffed with their toasty socks and layers. It would be a cold world for me without them, anytime of the year in any activity.