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Hi Tom et All
My wife still wears my 20 <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> year old original TNF goretex mountain light jacket as her winter goretex shell [we live in Bend] <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />and it still functions perfectly, shows little wear, the snaps still work and the zipper is like new. The don't make em like they used to... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

My TNF mtn 24 tent is as bomber and well made as any tent. OTOH I have had two different Marmot coats delaminate. My old Marmot 40 below down hybrid expedition coat simpley cannot be replaced so I live with a bit of measles in it. Most of my gear is Marmot and most of it is very fine.

I bought my Kelty White Cloud for $500 in 1988. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> I returned my backpack to Kelty in 2005 Because the waterproofing was coming off like dandruff on my gear, after several hundred nights use, and kelty replaced it for free with a new $850 backpack, <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />also spectra. My old pack is a Kelty Tioga external frame - yep just as good as new. You pay for quality, but with it you get service. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />


Kelty is great with service so far to me. Did you ever deal with Marmot service? Qurious.

I never said TNF doesn't make good stuff. In the old days from what I heard, not being around back then, they were top of the line stuff... I personally have an old TNF sleeping bag that's still doing quite alright, though most of my other cheap TNF stuff (not always an oxymoron if you shop in outlets) has not really gone the mile. I'm sure a lot of what they make these days is good too, based on what I read in backpacker mag... I would worry about buying a new TNF thing that you think you might want to get service on though... unless I buy from REI. They're service is impeccable. Besides, the 20% sale on any one thing is also very nice...

My wife called their service department for the third time now about that buckle... and they promised to ship it out again, for the third time... We'll see.

Yi-Jien