Where do you shop for your camping attire?

[Northern Dancer]

Very much agree. I'm not a great supporter of thinsulate anything. Layering for extended outdoor activity has always been the rule. What you wear is determined by what you have - that's the reality of the situation. If you are actually winter camping then selection will be crucial. If you are outside for short periods of time and have access to excellent shelter you don't have to dress like the arctic man. I mentioned the buddy system in another thread - we use the buddy system when involved in winter activity to watch for frostbite.

 

[2sweed]

I was watching some other video's about family camping at the Algonquin Park, and several people mentioned stopping at the Robertson Trading Post. Not far from Otter Rapids. They showed the store in the video and it looked like they have a little bit of everything. Has anyone here from Canada, ever been in this store and was it worth the trip?

 

[Northern Dancer]

I was watching some other video's about family camping at the Algonquin Park, and several people mentioned stopping at the Robertson Trading Post. Not far from Otter Rapids. They showed the store in the video and it looked like they have a little bit of everything. Has anyone here from Canada, ever been in this store and was it worth the trip?

Of course...it is located in Dorset Ontario about 45 minutes from the main entrance to Algonquin Park. It has all the trinkets, gizmos, luxury things you like to have, authentic native leather clothing, statues, carvings, pictures AND groceries at a fair price. It is a tradition to visit. BUT...there is even a bigger store at West Guilford in the Haliburton Highlands. There are several shops in the vicinity and if you don't curb your goodie appetite it's gonna cost you more than bananas.

 

[happyflowerlady]

I LOVE Value Village! I have shopped there for years, and my family always teases me that I won't move to any place that doesn't have a VV store somewhere nearby. Years ago, I even worked at a Value Village Store. It was much harder work that you would expect; but also had its perks. Not only did I get an employee discount on everything that I bought; I was right there to see what new items were being put out. They had a rule that employees were not allowed to buy something until it had been on the floor for a length of time (unless you paid full price) to stop the workers from getting all of the best items.

The Value Village where I worked had a $1 day on Mondays; so when I was at work on Sunday, I was also checking where the best items were that would be on sale the next day, and then got there when it opened , so I could go and get the items that I wanted. Since I already knew what and where, I could go straight from one thing to the next and didn't waste any time by having to browse through every thing to look.

 

[Northern Dancer]

...me too, I'm a card carrying member. AND I live in a megalopolis which means that there are several stores in easy driving distance. AND there are some stores that are better than others depending on the community they serve.

 

[campforums]

ValueVillage is great for camping because usually you don't want to bring expensive clothing since it easy for it to get ripped, stained/dirty or lost. I have so many hats and gloves from VV because I am prone to losing them. Another favorite for me that I like to stop off at before a camping trip is Bulk Barn which isn't really related to camping attire but I can't think of Value Village without thinking of Bulk Barn or vice versa probably because they are both budget stores which make use of alliteration in their names.

 

[Northern Dancer]

I use the Bulk Barn for dried foods and such and found it to be really helpful. It cuts down the packaging considerably.

 

[2sweed]

I wish we had a few of those stores in my area. I usually end up buying most stuff online because I live so far back in the boonies that I would need to drive 150 miles to a big city to find these types of stores. One of my favorites for stocking up food wise is bulkfoods.com, located down near Harrisburg. Their prices are fair and shipping is not bad. I looked up the Value Village, nearest one is out mid-west area. Good old Goodwill store works for me for some clothes, but need to go online to find good jeans.

 

[Northern Dancer]

We have some Goodwill Stores in our area but Value Village has them beat for the kinds of things that I am looking for. Though as I have said I'm not really loyal to any store I like the Value Village stores in upper scale income communities - you can get some really great buys.

 

[Northern Dancer]

I don't shop, I use all the old stuff that I don't wear anymore.

Ha ha - I was just trying to visualize you wearing stuff that you don't wear anymore. It's not that... Emperor who wore no clothes is it?

 

[campforums]

I wish we had a few of those stores in my area. I usually end up buying most stuff online because I live so far back in the boonies that I would need to drive 150 miles to a big city to find these types of stores. One of my favorites for stocking up food wise is bulkfoods.com, located down near Harrisburg. Their prices are fair and shipping is not bad. I looked up the Value Village, nearest one is out mid-west area. Good old Goodwill store works for me for some clothes, but need to go online to find good jeans.

I find buying clothes online tricky because I have no idea whether it will fit or not. Even with jeans where the sizes are labelled, there is a big difference from brand to brand or even between styles from the same brand. Then it becomes a huge hassle trying to return things.

 

[Northern Dancer]

Agreed - it's not like having a trillion stores in driving/walking distance from your tent/house/apartment/jail cell - whatever. I'm one of those who needs to see, feel, try on. I don't know about you, but there are some so called brand names that I avoid like the plague.

 

[campforums]

Agreed - it's not like having a trillion stores in driving/walking distance from your tent/house/apartment/jail cell - whatever. I'm one of those who needs to see, feel, try on. I don't know about you, but there are some so called brand names that I avoid like the plague.

Oh yea of course, the ones which just simply never seem to fit even when I try on all the sizes and styles or the ones which are way too expensive and never on sale. I don't know if I am just proportioned weird but I just find that more clothes don't fit than do... Maybe others would have better luck with online shopping.

 

[Northern Dancer]

Oh yea of course, the ones which just simply never seem to fit even when I try on all the sizes and styles or the ones which are way too expensive and never on sale. I don't know if I am just proportioned weird but I just find that more clothes don't fit than do... Maybe others would have better luck with online shopping.

First I check to see where they are made - it seems that offshore manufacturers have a bit of trouble with North American legs, necks, and stomachs. Then I try them on, then I look at the price, then I put them back on the shelf and then I leave with credit card in tack.

 

[campforums]

Oh, which offshore manufacturers do you mean? Pretty much everything these days is manufactured somewhere in Asia. Maybe you tried something which was sized with European/Asian measurements which is very different?

 

[Northern Dancer]

Oh, which offshore manufacturers do you mean? Pretty much everything these days is manufactured somewhere in Asia. Maybe you tried something which was sized with European/Asian measurements which is very different?

I found that Mexican t-shirts seem to have big necks. I tend to stay away from Bangladesh and places like that. I know, I know...you don't have to say it.

 

[campforums]

Haha, I know I haven't noticed that myself but then again I don't really look at where most of my clothes are made. It is just that the times I do that I notice most of it is made over seas.

 

[2sweed]

Off shore like China and Asia, where shoes are made in smaller than normal sizes. I am sure that feet do not continue to grow longer in old age, so most have to buy shoes one size larger than they used to, so that they fit correctly, unless of course you are lucky enough to find shoes are made in USA or Canada.

 

[Northern Dancer]

My practice (as hard as it is sometimes) is to purchase Canadian first, if not here, then the U.S. and if I can't find it in North America I usually move on. Keeping in mind that a lot of our home town stuff is actually made else where. Oh boy...I'm in trouble now.

 

[campforums]

The problem is that that is so rare and even when a Canadian brand finds success and expands they often switch to manufacturing over seas also. Sorel and Lululemon are a couple of examples. I don't see it as so much of a problem though, most of those jobs that are getting out-sourced are fairly low end ones, what is important is that the company remains owned, operated, and stationed in Canada.