I work at Mountain Equipment Co-op, ask me anything.

Any qts there? If positive post said qts instagrams.

>>979754
What is your favorite flavor ice cream?

>>979759
I will not post my store location or anything personal information, this is a professional post. That said, I can honestly say it is the best job I have ever had due to the management staff and my coworkers. Everyone is friendly, intelligent, and fun to work with. The management staff work actively on the store floor and keep a casual, friendly atmosphere with their employees.

>>979761
Coffee ice cream gets me every time

>>979764
>this is a professional
Where do you think you are. Back to faggdit or Facebook then.

>Being this much of a stiff
Lol.

>>979754
Can I get a discount?

>>979764
>this is a professional post
Well then you're obviously advertising, if you're acting in a professional capacity, and you not allowed to do that.

Since you with at mountain whatever coop, my question is this: why did REI turn you down?

why do your wool garments suck now? ie ones with new logo, made in el salvador

>>979798
I think it's cause they're focusing so much on ethical sourcing they're almost forgetting to balance it with quality. That said the merino underwear are the only baselayer I've had trouble with. The band separates from the material pretty easily.

>>980012

>ethical sourcing

How is it ethical to charge more for inferior products by exploiting brown people in advertising?

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>>980012
>>980029

>>979754
why are the store brand bags terrible quality these days?

I have an old duffel with the mountain and "Mountain Equipment Co-op" spelled out on it. very heavy zippers, double or triple bar tacking, webbing goes all the way around the bag and metal fittings that have borne my entire body weight. over 20 years of service and it's perfect still.

went to buy a few more bags over the holidays and saw that the new bags are barely jansport tier. thin materials, lots of plastic, straps just dangling on to the sides with a per-functionary amount of craftsmanship.

saw the same trend with other store brand products. I have a lot of old mec stuff bought over the last 10-20 years that I still use regularly, but I just can't imagine much of the newer stuff lasting as long.

>>979754
How does it feel to be inferior Canadian REI?

>>979754
so you think you can come and shitpost here?
how about we go to all your stores and shit there?

>>979754

Where is my fucking package?

I had a tent ordered for in store pickup 2 weeks ago and no email to come pick it up yet.

>>979754
Where do you work?

When is your birthday?

Have you ever met someone with the same birthday?

>>979774
this

>>979754
Why do your Brooks dry bags suck so much? My old Bag of Fundy is so much better.

Why is everything slim fit? I have mountain biker's legs, but everything seems cut for vegan rock climbing heroin addicts from Vancouver.

If you're a member owned co-op how come your prices on so many things are higher than Crappy Tire and LeBaron?

How come every time you make something good it gets discontinued by the time I need a new one?

On that note, why the fuck did you discontinue the Super Microft cycling jacket, Bernoulli rain jacket, original Rad Pants, Weeping Wall backpack, Khamsin fleece pants, wool hoodie, fleece hoodie, original World Tour panniers (Serratus style), and helmet strap ear warmers? Those were your best products ever. (At least Running Room still carries a clone of the microft jacket.)

Why don't your jackets have pockets anymore?

Why do you sell purses and dresses at the expense of stocking real outdoor gear?

Not even trolling, I've had these questions for the past 15 years.

>>980523
You jest, but MEC is one of my top choicee when I need a bathroom downtown. And as an owner-member, I'm entitled to use it even if I don't buy anything.

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>>980663
>vegan rock climbing heroin addicts from Vancouver
don't hate, braj. do you have any idea how hard it is to find ethically sourced biodegradable syringes right now? yeah, i didn't think so.

>>980012
>ethical sourcing
Ethics my ass. They used to sell decent and affordable made-in-Canada gear under the Serratus line. Now they sell overpriced chinashit and Patagonia memeware.

>>979754
Are people who work at MEC actually outdoorsmen/women?

>>980871
Yes, we are interviewed about our experience, partly to decide if we're experienced enough to work there, and assigned our departments accordingly. If they want to hire someone who doesn't have experience they usually work at the till or in clothing

>>980871
No they are all self righteous virtue signalling cunts who can ramble on about recycling their ethically sourced Peruvian wine bottles or how wonderful Trudeau is but ask them any questions about their products and they are clueless

>>981698
If you answer their questions, they win.

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>>981716

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>>981698

Why don't you guys have really good non-leather boots? I can't use leather, and currently I end up spending over $100 twice a year on cheap naugahyde "vegan" boots when there are better alternatives. Had a pair of heavy canvas (but light tread) boots that were far better than leather and lasted me 4 years AFTER the entire Appalachian Trail. Now all I can find are heavy leather waffle stompers or thin leather throwaways, nothing inbetween. We've put people on the moon. (And, by the way, their boots weren't leather.) Can't we get a decent nonleather boot?

>>979764
>professional

>>979773
This

>professional retail customer service associate
Topjej

>>981848
Do you have a wide or narrow foot? A lot of the gortex boots from Salomon are very sturdy and hold up just as well as leather

>>979777
Not OP, but you do realize that REI and MEC operate in different countries right?

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Do you stock this

>>979754
Why are your wool products so shitty and overpriced? We don't care if they come from gluten-free, free range sheep ethically managed and masturbated by vegan shamans who use the highest quality lube on the market and are constantly high on the best recreational drugs, we just want affordable, high-quality gear.

>>982732

>Why are your wool products so shitty and overpriced?

That is a sweet spot in retail. The yuppie who doesn't mind paying for glossy advertising meant to virtue signalling what a great person you are while ignoring the damage your shitty corporate culture does. Markup on these shitty products exceeds 400% and the kicker is these products have to be replaced more often.

What's the price markup?
That is, what is gross profit on Clothing?
Footwear?
Packs and tents?

It's a "co-op*. We need to know.

>>982951
This is don't know actually. Information about profits may be on the website but i know it's not great. The 1% for the planet campaign comes out of profits and they've been putting a lot of the other profits into improving our branded gear. Around 2019 they're planning to overhaul much of the clothing and camping gear.

For all the people who asked why does X suck so much now, idk if you're actually asking or just expressing that your dissapointed. Either way if you actually don't know it's because that's the way capitalism works. A few dicks near the top of the company decided to go for cheaper but less expensive gear, and obviously it was not well recieved. To the best of my knowledge you can expect the quality and price of much of the camping gear to rise around 2019-2020

>>983024
Hahah clearly just got a job there and don't know how to use as400.. could work this out in 20sec bro.

>>979754
why don\t mec stock luci lights?

>>979754
Why don't you have a 30-38L travel pack that meets Ryanair's carry on requirements, is waterproof and has waterproof zippers, has a PADDED hip belt, has a tensioned mesh back like the Thule Capstone (to reduce sweating), and has a main compartment that opens exactly like the one on the Supercontinent 65's main pack? I want a pack that I can take skiing and on the plane, surely this isn't too much to ask.

>>979754
>>977843

Why are people asking a glorified Wal-Mart greeter anything? Why would anyone expect him to be anything except for a gear queer weekend warrior.

It's obviously just some normie Chad who wears all synthetic North face shit to take his shitty little fluffy white dog around the block from his shitty rented apartment.

What's a good trowel to purchase?

How come the house brand stuff turned to shit? Member when the sling bag was awsome? Or the softshells were still made in Canada?

I check Kijiji every few days for quality MEC stuff. Wouldn't buy much at retail though, since it's all made in china junk that hardly lasts a season. My fav Canuck-made softshell is almost 8 years old now, and looks as good as new(though they cheaped out on the pocket zippers. No weather guard on the edges)

>>979754
One of the one's in edmonton?

I went there once and one of the staff was a 200+ pound, muscular transvestite with giant fake tits. Freaked me out. Now I'm scared to go back.

I get that they're probably a nice person but its just not something I think is socially acceptable to just do so openly. Maybe I was just brought up in a different era before polyetherial-intersex-tincan-kin

Anyone buy Taiga equipment? Is it a good company?
https://www.taigaworks.ca/

>>982861
>markup exceeds 400%
clearly you've never worked a clothing store.

markup is far more than that. Think around 1000% on most items. And that's the cost the store buys them at, not even what they're manufactured at. Not even joking.

Here's the deal though, even if a store wanted to sell their products for a really low price, the company they buy the products from does not allow them to sell them for less than a certain price. Usually those high end companies that do sell wool and stuff actually decide the price a retail store can sell their products at. This is why if you look on the OSC website and see a sale, you can go down to cabelas and see the exact same sale. I don't actually know if OSC does this but most high end companies do.

>>990512
Standard retail mark up is more like 100% of wholesale. I work at a non-franchise outfitter and the highest markup I've ever seen was 300% and that was on a late season special buy of left over stock. If you want to see screwy markups you have to look at the manufacturer end of things. You get companies like Patagonia selling $10 jackets for $600. At the same time though they have more to make up than straight manufacturing cost. They have advertising, distribution, trade shows, reps to employ, and enough office workers to run a small country.

>>990876

>manufacturer end of things. You get companies like Patagonia selling $10 jackets for $600

WHY DO ALL YOU FAGS NEED TO LIE TO MAKE A POINT?

>>990876
Hmm... this might explain it. The store I worked at owned many of the brands it sold. It was Mark's work warehouse btw. They're owned by canadian tire corp. which owns brands like DH and Dakota.

>>980663
12.76% of /out/ posts are just angry fat people getting triggered by "lanklets" and pretending they've had sex with a girl before.

>>979754
Why aren't you answering any of our questions about how MEC turned to shit? I've been a member for 25 years, and you've gone from being the best to being a joke.

It's pretty ironic that these days I go to MEC to buy travel bags and urban techwear for stylish bike commuting, but more often than not I have to go across the street to Europe Bound to find real outdoor gear.

>>990512
>, the company they buy the products from does not allow them to sell them for less than a certain price.
That may apply to brand name gear but MEC also has its own shit made by Chinese slaves. Presumably they can charge whatever they want for it.

>>992185
I'm also an MEC employee, but I haven't drunk the koolaid to the same extent this lad has.

I've heard this from the CEO himself, that MEC as a chain is targeting millennials, and particularly non-white millennials. This is why they are focusing more and more on social camping (car camping). This explains all the shit that they have been bringing in which is pretty useless for us /out/types.

There have been some good products coming in, but you really have to find a good staff member to help you find it. Sadly there aren't many of those. Over the past year, the stores have been firing staff who have been with the store for 15+ years. These are generally the more experienced and knowledgable staff who have the knowledge which made MEC great once. They usually pull the employee aside, and make them sign a renegotiated contract (with very unreasonable terms) or quit. This is in line with the CEO saying that they see MEC stores as a place for someone to work for about 5 years max.

MEC is purposefully removing its very strong knowledge base, which had given it a massive advantage over many of its competitors. I should also mention that the work culture at head office is full of cliques, very cutthroat, and criticism adverse. Over the past year, the Head of HR and the head of Tech were both fired, each employees for 10+ years.

As for products being expensive and shit. I mostly agree. I also had a chance to speak to some product developers. They were surprisingly open. They said they are working hard to improve quality and design (some of the most recent packs show this). That said, they do appear to be under huge pressure to deliver on products aimed at the target audience (which loves compromise over practicality).

I do enjoy working here, but the environment is becoming increasingly toxic. I'll be leaving within the next year.

Happy to answer other questions.

>>992405
Thanks for the insight.. I also work at MEC... Not op either..

You hit the nail on the head with how MEC is shifting. Favouring fast cash on trash over high caliber gear and solid staff. A real shame. This whole big box store move seems like such a shame.
Still love working there but I feel my time is also coming to an end.

>>994724
I feel your sentiments m8

>>979754
What's the coolest thing you think MEC sells?

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>>979754
>Mountain Equipment Co-op
your product prices are shit
your product selection is narrow
and you lack any diversity to the companies you are a vendor for.
best pack? you don't sell it
best gear? you don't sell it
best hardware? you don't sell it
prices on buy it anywhere gear? more expensive than other retailers that stock the same bullshit product as everyone else

>>981848
Quit being a fag and get Merrel MOABs or RAT boots. Used both on deployments and they were great. Also stop bitching.

>>979754
Why are good carabiners $20 a pop?

>>979754
>ask me anything.
How do you deal with the crippling disappointment that you must feel every time you go to work to talk to people who are going on vacation?

>>979767
I came here to troll, but you have impeccable taste.

I like you. You should come over to my house and fuck my sister.

>>979767
Don't do it, Anon! >>997538 just puts on a dress and high heels and blocks the door, jerking off.

I-it's not p-pleasant...

>>996894
You dumb fucker. Have you no idea what goes into making them? How strong they have to be, how light they need to be, how long they need to last..
Clearly you always buy cheap shit. When your climbing high and hard you can't afford shit to not work for you.
Or you could just go camping with your paracord and lifestraw.

>>979754
Do you prefer vinegar or tomato based BBQ sauce

>>979764
lmao what a faggot

>>997965
Woa now no need for language. I do appreciate what goes into them and the surability they have, the form they need to be to be the strongest and have freedom for things to pass through. But it's literally just $5 more than what I like to spend on climbing gear when in a fair amount of stuff. To me I woukd have thought the need and popularity of them would at least give the companies enough of a profit to lower the price a few bucks.

>>979754
How does it make you feel to know that literally every piece of gear I own, from my merino wool underwear & $25 a pair socks to my ultralight tarp and Ti memepot to my comfy Mammut bootsies, was stolen from corporate sporting goods chains?

>2017
>not funding your next adventure selling pilfered Ti sporks & pocket rockets on the interwebs

>>998873
>MEC
>Corporate

>>998976
It's the worst type of corporate faggottry. Shitty overpriced garbage sold with an environmental and sjw focus pushed by smarmy tools

>>999049
>Not understanding the difference between a co-operative and a corporation.

Though I do agree, their culture is increasingly corporate. However all the merchandise there is technically owned by the patrons/members, not anonymous shareholders.

>>979754
The one I always went to is closing, are they downsizing or is it just ours

>>999225
A distinction without a difference since you are powerless either way and with corporations at least you can sell or get a dividend

>>996894
Because you choose to spend that. You can find black diamond screwlock carabiners for $10-15 at Amazon/REI.

>>998825
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=black+diamond+carabiner

I bought a Arcteryx gamma sl hybrid jacket recently for cheap and I thought desu it would be quite a bit more water resistant. Is it really just an expensive wind jacket?

>>999728
>I thought a softshell was going to be waterproof instead of water resistant

You played yourself.

>>999881

>getting this triggered by double spacing

Is this some sort of epic meme?

Are you going to shit up every thread with this?

Well, are ya?

>>999887
>voted
good goyim, good goyim
reminds me of all the jewesses breeding with the blacks out in nature where they belong.
soon.

>>999902
wot

>>979754
Best staff draw win?

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What backpack model is this (it's MEC branded)? Picked it up on kijiji for $65 and wondering the model and size. Sorry if the pic sucks

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>>1002528
Here is a better pic of another one I found online, same pack

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>>979754
Board elections are taking place right now! Reminder to give Ontario cunts the shaft and vote for non-SJW candidates who want to ensure that the gear remains affordable and of high quality.

>>1003194
literally signed up for the mec membership finally a month ago, who should i waste my vote on anon