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ATeaformeplease t1_jaau50t wrote

Rei does this too

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NodePoker t1_jabe50c wrote

REI does trade in on kid's bikes too, so when you kid out grows it you can take it back and get money towards an upgrade. I don't know how good of a deal it is as my daughter get her bike for Christmas.

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leviwhite9 t1_jabjqi2 wrote

/r/unethicallifeprotips trade in my old shitty "large kids" bike for something that actually fits me at REI because I had to buy the only thing available during the height of the Rona because I was off for a bit and wanted to get back to my roots.

If only there were an REI within biking distance.

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NodePoker t1_jabm9sz wrote

The caveat is you have to buy the original bike there and you only have 5 years.

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leviwhite9 t1_jabo4i1 wrote

Ah fark.

Target probably won't give me shit then with this smol POS.

Ah well, I had my fun clanking my knees against it all over this mountainous town.

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Master_Dogs t1_jacugep wrote

You could sell it on Facebook/Craigslist/etc.

I've sold two bikes that way. One was actually broken - was a mountain bike that had one of the rear struts broken by a low root I didn't see on some single track. Some lady still paid me like $200 or so for it since she had a friend who could weld it back together and she figured her son would love it since it was a pretty decent bike (I paid $1500 for it new back in the day, sold it cheaply to get it out of my parents garage and recoup a bit). The other bike was functional and I got like $300 for it. It was an old Dicks Sporting Goods MTB that I had converted into an urban explorer bike during the beginning of the pandemic. I eventually ended up buying like 2 other bikes and didn't need it anymore. Some guy off Facebook wanted it since it had a 3x7 and a rear rack for cargo.

Just list it at whatever you think will sell, or go high and let people low-ball you enough until you get a reasonable price. Put the proceeds towards your next bike. 🚴

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Dirtbagdownhill t1_jabvjbq wrote

Dude your my new favorite stranger. If you wanna sort out the bike shit there are some very questionable resources right here on reddit.

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leviwhite9 t1_jacb0g1 wrote

Ah my poor neighbor buddy had his nicked and I'm just slightly above that so....

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TommenBrady t1_jacm23z wrote

Don’t know about where you live, but if you report your bike stolen here, you get invited to the police bike auction and can get really nice bikes dirt cheap in a somewhat moralistic way

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knd775 t1_jacqe22 wrote

How do the police get the bikes?

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Natanael_L t1_jacr8yj wrote

Abandoned bikes plus recovered bikes with no identified owner.

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LouSputhole94 t1_jad6jec wrote

Also that whole fun civil forfeiture thing they’ve got going on

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TommenBrady t1_jacrfsn wrote

A lot of bikes that are stolen are quickly abandoned and not everyone files a police report so they store them. And even people who had filed police reports will have often done it for an insurance claim and have a new bike by the time theirs is found, so it doesn’t get claimed . They do the same thing with seized and found cars

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[deleted] t1_jacwopy wrote

[removed]

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leviwhite9 t1_jacxc2j wrote

That's a shame because I'm a few decades past being a kid and was never talking about needing a jacket.

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nspaziani18 t1_jaegoga wrote

You can get a used bike on something like craigslist for cheap!

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ectish t1_jabklvi wrote

>biking distance.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/race-across-america-2022-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-ultra-distance-cycling-event

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macdr t1_jadvhms wrote

Woom bikes does that as well!

1

shea241 t1_jacxbi3 wrote

REI stuff is also likely to last that long, not so much LLB anymore

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averyfinename t1_jad69xm wrote

a lot of brands of children's jackets and outerwear do this.

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putinsbloodboy t1_jab19l6 wrote

Old LL Bean stuff is legit

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Unfair-Thought5814 t1_jabbmno wrote

New bean stuff won't last long enough to use up that label.

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unsteadied t1_jabo4xb wrote

Yep, that’s the real reason they ditched the lifetime guarantee. Just so happens they did it right when they started using cheaper materials and outsourcing manufacturing to China, totally a coincidence.

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ninjasays t1_jac3xq1 wrote

My parents gave me an LL Bean snowboard jacket for Christmas 20+ years ago. Not a thing wrong with it.

3 years ago, my parents gave me an LL Bean fleece pullover. The stitching on the cuff let go within the first month.

As a Mainer, Beans used to be a source of pride. Now they're just another corporate money machine.

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CapitanChicken t1_jacggkk wrote

It's why I'm so thrilled when I see older Bean stuff at Goodwill. I'm still kicking myself for leaving an old pair of their boots behind.

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Unfair-Thought5814 t1_jacekev wrote

Yeah I have a Bean henley that my mom gave me for Christmas in the mid-90s, and it's still looks really good. I stopped at the fancy HQ store in Freeport last summer and found nothing that seemed worth buying. Sad.

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Ultrabigasstaco t1_jacjdaa wrote

You should check out Origin. Made in Maine with as much sourcing from the US as they can. They probably don’t have as good a selection but the stuff is quality.

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CrouchingGinger t1_jacr7cj wrote

Yeah, it’s sad. My grandfather was a ME dairy farmer and wore Bean’s exclusively. I feel like old Leon is rolling in his grave. That being said you can get stuff super cheap at the Goodwill warehouse if you don‘t mind digging. I got backpacks and polar fleece for next to nothing there.

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Double-0-N00b t1_jae6r0f wrote

I work for LL Bean and I will not die on a bill defending it, but it’s not outsourced to china and there’s still a lot made here in America.

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frothy_pissington t1_jacn0v6 wrote

And they did a lot of PR at the time about how they were being FORCED to drop the return policy because of customers abusing it.

Then one of the Bean family went all in for Trump.

We raised our kids in Lands End and Bean, but haven’t bought either brand in over a decade.

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solvitNOW t1_jacpmdt wrote

Lands End is even worse than Bean as far as how crappy it’s gotten…Bean is still decent quality but not as good as it once was. But Lands End stuff is unwearable now.

We still have a couple of their kids storm jackets that have passed through 3-4 kids and look brand new from around 2012 but everything from there feels super cheap and fits weird now, when fabric and fit used to be their specialty.

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orthopod t1_jabgw9p wrote

They still make a bunch of good stuff. The made in America bean boots are legit

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DooWopExpress t1_jacojuh wrote

I did some maintenance in the boot factory and was flabbergasted that they just... Made them for real, by hand. It was very cool.

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FuckingKilljoy t1_jabpv0b wrote

Dummy expensive though

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copperwatt t1_jac8zf9 wrote

How long do you think it takes to make boots by hand, and how much do you think people should be compensated for their labor?

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FuckingKilljoy t1_jacbh6h wrote

Look, I own some real high quality hand made stuff and I like supporting more ethical businesses

But that doesn't mean it isn't super expensive

I can't believe that "LL Bean shoes are really expensive" is a hot take, like it's literally just a fact

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copperwatt t1_jacdnas wrote

Sorry, I just misunderstood you. I wasn't familiar with the phrase "dummy expensive", so I took it as a variation on "stupid expensive", which usually implies the speaker thinks the thing is expensive for no good reason.

Also, they.... aren't particularly expensive? $149 about normal for good winter boots.

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Ultrabigasstaco t1_jacitiv wrote

$149 is not expensive at all for good boots. Especially made in USA ones.

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copperwatt t1_jacsuim wrote

Our sense of appropriate price for clothing and footwear has been massively and perversely warped by our collective tacit acceptance of child and slave labor.

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Rpgwaiter t1_jac22uk wrote

Username checks out

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FuckingKilljoy t1_jacbv5q wrote

Gotta say I'm amazed that saying "those shoes are expensive" is a killjoy take. Are you telling me that they aren't expensive? I didn't say "you're an idiot if you buy them" or anything, just that they're not affordable for a lot of people

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BanditXJ t1_jaccili wrote

Mafks gonna be furious when they hear about Red Wings

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TheDeityRyan t1_jabfja3 wrote

I used one of their backpacks for over a decade and the inside lining is finally tearing away

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_banana_phone t1_jacslr7 wrote

Yeah these were the “it” backpack at my school in the late 90s/early 2000s. Especially when they dropped new colors besides the original navy/hunter/burgundy/black. I had a neon orange one.

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PagingDoctorLove t1_jaepds8 wrote

I have a sweatshirt from them that I bought secondhand 15 years ago. It's still in fantastic shape.

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This-Construction-65 t1_jabs66l wrote

LLBean H6 Subarus hold up too

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nater255 t1_jad765y wrote

> LLBean H6 Subaru

Subaru's in general, but there's something about that damn model that just can't die.

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kb_klash t1_jacg7g8 wrote

I've had a heavy duty winter jacket from LL Bean that my mom bought me nearly 20 years ago and it still feels brand new.

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page85 t1_jac4xx3 wrote

My mom got me one of the back packs with my last name on it my freshman year of high school. I carry it to work everyday 23 years later.

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Grompson t1_jab5do4 wrote

My 9-year-old's Columbia winter jacket has an extendable sleeve; when his arms get too long I can take out a line of stitches in the sleeves and they extend an extra 1.5 inches! I also scored the jacket new/unworn in a consignment shop last spring for $25, I have no idea how nobody else snatched it up.

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Komatoasty t1_jabo6ns wrote

Both my kids have snowsuits like this! I'm glad to know it continues into the bigger sizes.

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evanjw90 t1_jacfmej wrote

I always thought that would be a genius selling point. My grandparents raised us basically, and the one thing they never cheaped out on was clothing. We would get Levi's and Eddie Bauer etc. The thing is, we kept those Levi's for four kids. Oldest one would outgrow them and then she'd sow up the pants or arms to fit the second until she could take out the thread and make them the same size again.

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SGoogs1780 t1_jacgh43 wrote

I bet those Levi's had some great fades by the time they reached the last kid. Youngest probably didn't even know how cool they looked.

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awgeezwhatnow t1_jadjnmy wrote

I've gotten hand-me-down coats for my son where I didn't even vaguely recognize the original kid's name!

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SimpleVegetable5715 t1_jadrble wrote

I used to work at the Children's department at Macy's, and a bunch of the pants had extendable waistbands and pant legs, so I think they could increase by 2-3 sizes. Pretty cool since they grow so fast! Customers would usually ask what all those extra buttons were for.

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JamieC1610 t1_jadx3qk wrote

My son had a pair of obermeyer snowpants that did that -- also from a consignment shop. I was happy because snowpants are great to have but not used as much as a jacket.

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cutesun1616 t1_jaauaml wrote

I absolutely love that the company is encouraging this. Very cool.

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KeystoneSews t1_jaay3mt wrote

Most kids jackets I’ve seen have lines for multiple names. At least, my kid has handmedowns from Columbia, Osh kosh and Hatley and they all do.

Given a kid wears a coat for one season, and doesn’t wear them hard at the very young ages, an 18 month size coat ought to last for like… 10 kids. A baby coat even longer.

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lucidzebra t1_jab0jm2 wrote

I got Osh K hand me downs that all three of my kids used, and the clothes were passed on. So at least 5 kids strong, and they were toddler's sizes.

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KeystoneSews t1_jab34ji wrote

I’m sure there are toddlers wearing the winter coat their parent wore out there somewhere. 😂

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New_Chemicals t1_jacuyxp wrote

I have several clothing pieces (specifically a pair of osh kosh overalls size 2T) that my husbands older cousin wore about 30 years ago, and then my husband and his 5 brothers all wore regularly growing up! My toddler wore them super regularly too, the only issue with them is one of the snaps is worn and pops open very easily. I plan to add a snap before my next little one wears them.

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StonccPad-3B t1_jabjqmr wrote

I am 19 and the skis I learned on at 2 finally got passed down to somebody outside my family. 7 cousins learned to ski on them!

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Serious_Escape_5438 t1_jabtlzb wrote

Well my daughter is the youngest of four cousins and gets tons of clothes we then pass on but, and maybe it's a lifestyle thing, coats tend to be one of the things that don't last well. Baby age yes but after that she's wearing it every day without rotation and at daycare/school they spend lots of time outdoors in a muddy playground.

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KeystoneSews t1_jaccs67 wrote

Totally agree that the older kids are the harder they wear their clothes!

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Serious_Escape_5438 t1_jacdigp wrote

Yeah, but at 18 months that was already the case for mine. In fact worse because she spent more time on the ground probably.

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KeystoneSews t1_jacfxsf wrote

Fair. I buy our coats secondhand and there’s so many in near perfect condition that I think sadly many kids don’t go outside as much as yours.

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ancienttacostand t1_jaddt2q wrote

Kind of a skewed sample as the brands you listed are known for particular quality

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KeystoneSews t1_jadkfdx wrote

Right well this is BIFL? Get a $20 coat from old navy, get $20 worth of quality.

We buy all our kids winter stuff second hand. It’s amazing the kinds of things you can get so cheap. My kid has nicer winter boots than I do, and they cost 10$

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mbfunke t1_jabnept wrote

Story time: Patagonia kids gear has these hand me down tags too. I bought my kid a used puffy with 2 names already present in 2010. Kid added his name and thrashed the jacket for a year or two. Passed down to sister who added her name and wore it for a year until the zipper broke. She was sad so I sent it in to Patagonia with note explaining 2nd hand, 4th kid, and asking them to bill me for a zipper replacement. They asked if I’d be willing to take a gift card for a new puffy instead since they wanted to reuse old puffers for new coats. Patagonia gave me a $200 credit for a kids puffy that cost me $40 and had 4 names in it. Daughter got a new coat for like $140, wore the sucker til we had to peel it off her, passed it on to a friend’s kid, and patagucci made a customer for life. Just absurdly over the top support. Used clothes are boss.

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Dirtbagdownhill t1_jabvzzo wrote

Most companies don't support like that. They're 100% about it though, so it's worth the price every time.

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Forover100years t1_jaf03l3 wrote

Had a similar experience where I had a Patagonia puffer for 4-5 years. The zipper had ripped the material and the down was falling out. I took it in to fix it and they just gave me a new one.

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TheMamaBird4 t1_jab9ue0 wrote

I put our last name on the kids clothes so I only have to label it once

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thebipeds t1_jac810b wrote

I was a substitute teacher. On recess duty on a cold day in January, these two boys were on the ground fighting it out, screaming at each other. “That’s my jacket” “no it’s mine!” I intervened and the first kid said, “that’s my jacket, it has my name in it” other kid says, “no, it has MY name in it”

Inside the jacket is the first kids name, crossed out, and then the seconds written in.

Turns out the first kid had left his jacket at school the day before winter break, it went in the lost and found, which was cleaned out and donated over the break. The second kids mom then bought the jacket at the thrift store where it had been donated. The first kid got in trouble at home for loosing the jacked and freaked out on the second when he found his missing jacket.

As a teacher I had to play King Solomon a lot. But this is a clear case of finders keepers.

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Dangerous-Cost-5746 t1_jae03fb wrote

The lost and found couldn't locate the jacket's owner with his name literally written on it?

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thebipeds t1_jae69nv wrote

First name only, I believe they had a bunch of announcements about the lost and found being over filled and it was just bad luck he lost his jacket at the deadline. I am sympathetic to the first owners argument and I didn’t bust the kids for fighting. Generally when fists fly there are serious consequences.

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SecuriousGeorge t1_jabtx71 wrote

Shame you have to name your 4th kid L.L. Bean for this to work.

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Terry_Dachtel t1_jab8lsn wrote

Love the quirk of it. Adds to the LL Bean vibe. I'm still rocking my comfortable Bean flannel top every winter and it never disappoints.

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Dingerdongdick t1_jacalyq wrote

I bought 2 $300 ll bean coats this year and both have inexplicable holes. Warranty covers this year, but not thinking it's buy it for life quality anymore.

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keysandtreesforme t1_jaccqa0 wrote

It’s really not anymore. On the upside, they’re still good about repairs. They replaced a zipper for free this year on a 3-4 year old coat. Even if they charge you, it’s really reasonable, around $35.

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954kevin t1_jab4lrh wrote

L.L. Bean makes some great, reasonably priced kids jackets.

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thefalcon3a t1_jac8enp wrote

Buy It For (the small portion of your) Life (that you fit in it).

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lacksidentifyinginfo t1_jacm5ll wrote

I just bought a North Face coat off of Facebook marketplace for my 2 year old for $10. She's the 6th name written in the coat and I couldn't be happier about it.

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king_kong123 t1_jaci439 wrote

Ha, they think it will only go through 3 children. My childhood coat is still in circulation 20 years later. It just keeps being handed to the next nextdoor neighbor.

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Necessary_Tie_1731 t1_jacphcp wrote

My favorite BIFL kids clothes company is Hanna Andersson for normal clothes. They just launched a buy back program.

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_rockethat_ t1_jabs7nl wrote

I don't understand it. Can someone explain the meaning of this ? (I'm no English native)

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Jonne t1_jac1jcc wrote

It's a kid's jacket, so when the first kid outgrows the jacket, it gets handed down to the next sibling. That's why there's space to write multiple names.

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_rockethat_ t1_jac1nij wrote

ohhh! right, it makes sense now : D I don't have kids, so I'd never think of that. Thanks! :)

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atamusk t1_jacfcop wrote

The ll bean toddler snow pants also have a leg extension stitched into each leg, so when they out grow them, you just rip the stitches and get another year out of them.

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jaya9581 t1_jacsl89 wrote

I have an LL Bean fleece coat I got for Christmas when I was 14 that I still wear almost every (chilly) day. I’m 41 now.

I’d love another because I feel like almost 30 years of life is enough to justify a new color even, but I’ve never found one half as comfortable or nice. So I just keep wearing it. No one believes me when I tell them how old it is.

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Radiant-Barracuda863 t1_jad1593 wrote

Btw, l.l bean got rid of its lifetime guarantee so and dropped their quality so dont expect the newer stuff to last multiple decades like the old stuff that built their reputation. At this point it's not lifetime, it's just long ass time

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schmidtaaron t1_jab929c wrote

Pretty sure a lot of my coats growing up and stuff from osh-kosh. Also had a reusable lunch bag from Eddie Bauer that had the same thing

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Suppafly t1_jabkdq2 wrote

I suspect those actually sell more costs because it shames people who'd otherwise not mind having something that's gently used.

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padiwik t1_jac2pmq wrote

What's the shame here? Knowing other people used the coat?

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Merid-NundaExegesis t1_jabtz91 wrote

Damn I didn't know LL Bean made jackets. I know them as the sledding tube company lol

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sm1ttysm1t t1_jac10hc wrote

I would urge you all to look into the past of Linda Bean. She's a miserable person.

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gooder_name t1_jacdo44 wrote

Quality of LLBean has tanked massively, buyer beware

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Quiquist t1_jacdwhg wrote

Actually have the 3 in 1 jackets for my kids and they have held up nicely.

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dubauoo t1_jacf7vj wrote

Journey of the jacket is common on LLBEAN kid’s products

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Rodlund t1_jacgfle wrote

My son's snowsuit has colored stitching in it, that you cut when it gets too small and grows with essentially. So it will last multiple seasons instead of one.

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stptea t1_jacgpan wrote

Aw I really love this!

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MyInterThoughts t1_jacitgx wrote

My disappointment is immeasurable on seeing no names on the trail.

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computer-machine t1_jacj6z8 wrote

Maybe if you're writing the second or third name now.

LLBean changed their lifetime warranty to one year around the same time they started making cheap crap.

I bought four pairs of jeans, and I'm just hoping the wife doesn't notice the tears because ahe likes throwing things away.

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Evilpessimist t1_jacjtrf wrote

I moved from Florida to Massachusetts and had heard numerous fantastic stories about legendary retailer LL Bean. My wife was still rocking her rucksack from 20 years ago. Mom-in-law has her 30+ year bean boots. So I go all in. I buy flannel sheets, I buy a backback, I buy a jacket, etc. I know I’m paying a little more but it’s buy once cry once purchase.

The first time I try to take some back, slippers that are 9 months of use, it’s denied do to being “normal wear and tear”. I’m like “the stitches popped out the bottom and they don’t look that work”, too bad next. Ok, one bad experience. My kids backpack, the top nylon strap used to hang it up pulls out completely at 28 days old, I take it to the store. I’m scrutinized exhaustedly, they bring over a manager, I finally push and say it’s less than 30 days, take it back or I’m disputing the charge and they finally replace it. My wife just had a similar experience with a jacket that had a manufacturing defect.

tl;dr the new LL Bean isn’t the same quality and they are no longer handling returns in a way that stands behind their products. LL Bean is now just a brand label slapped on cheap stuff.

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showmethestudy t1_jacjtse wrote

Patagonia does this too. With a lot more lines on it for more kids’ names because it’ll last.

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ElectricalAd3421 t1_jackzro wrote

Patagonia started doing this on their adult jackets too.

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AwesoMegan t1_jacwqcp wrote

I'm the third owner of an LL bean coat, the first two owners being my older cousin and older sister. I've replaced the zipper once in the 15ish years I've had it but the rest of the coat is still in perfect shape.

1

Spacemage t1_jad3gsv wrote

Has anyone had LL Bean repair stuff older than 15 years old? I had a backpack that I got brand new, and about 5 years ago one of the straps broke, and the material inside started flaking.

I contacted them, asking if they could fix either, and they told me I would have to mail them my backpack and it would take them like 6 weeks to determine if it could be fixed.

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Elegant_Housing_For t1_jad3n8h wrote

I give all my boys LL and Patagonia winter stuff to my nephew and my sister jokes: “He looks so good and my daughter looks like a walking advertisement.”

It’s nicer to hand down clothing and baby gear. Just gave my friend a ton of baby carrier stuff to keep in his car has backup.

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CarlFriedrichGauss t1_jad6s0r wrote

This is like Kurapika bringing a shovel to a death match. Big BIFL confidence.

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PageStunning6265 t1_jadab6d wrote

I want to say Helly Hanson does this as well (not as cute, it says 1st kid, 2nd kid, 3rd kid). We donated one of their winter coats after it went through 4 seasons with my 2 kids and I saw the 3rd kid wearing it in town. Looks like it will easily go on to a 4th and 5th kid, too.

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Nodeal_reddit t1_jadb17c wrote

That poor 4th kid can go kick rocks.

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boh3m3 t1_jadp711 wrote

Well you better name your fourth kid LL Bean is all I'm saying.

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SimpleVegetable5715 t1_jadqvdo wrote

Awww, I was the third child, so I understand this very well. Except our name was usually written on the neck tag. Back in the 70's-80's when clothes were meant to be handed down. Then some of my stuff went on to my nephews. Poor boys, having to use their mother's stuff from the 70's 😂

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givvadoggabone t1_jadtim1 wrote

Man this is actually pretty damn cool. Normalizing not buying a hundred dollar jacket twice when you can donate it or give it to a loved one. I’m impressed.

1

Asshai t1_jaeid0z wrote

Molly Weasley: ...We're gonna need a longer trail.

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RichTE t1_jaelgbo wrote

This is pretty common with kids clothing. Still a nice touch though.

1

LogicJunkie2000 t1_jaemgnv wrote

These seem to get used about as often as I sign the back of a credit cards.

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jorking29 t1_jaeqddx wrote

And if you’re a tired dad scrambling to get out the door, you write your kid’s First, middle, and last name in sharpie.

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Bi-LinearTimeScale t1_jabm6q2 wrote

What am I even looking at?

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zwack t1_jabocpp wrote

A label inside a kid’s jacket.

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scalesight t1_jabpuuq wrote

You write the name of each kid that wears this as they hand it down after outgrowing it. It's a way to make handing it down feel more special.

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Jaracuda t1_jaboaku wrote

Agreed. What the hell is this?

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