News   Apr 17, 2024
Sustainability Month: The Combined Power of Bike + Subway + RER
 1.4K     0 
News   Apr 17, 2024
Daniels' OMG2 Offers EV Charging at Brampton Condo Homes
 345     0 
News   Apr 17, 2024
Canada Lands Company Advances Downsview Lands Transformation
 2K     1 

Mountain Equipment Co-op

They do have quality stuff and I'm sure there are serious outdoor enthusiasts who benefit from it, but I think a lot of people buy their stuff for the MEC cachet, similar to Canada Goose. I bought one of their heavy winter parkas to replace my 40+ Woods and hopefully it will outlast me. Woods used to be the go-to Canadian manufacturer but not anymore (still ok stuff but not what it used to be).
 
lenaitch said:
They do have quality stuff and I'm sure there are serious outdoor enthusiasts who benefit from it, but I think a lot of people buy their stuff for the MEC cachet, similar to Canada Goose. I bought one of their heavy winter parkas to replace my 40+ Woods and hopefully it will outlast me. Woods used to be the go-to Canadian manufacturer but not anymore (still ok stuff but not what it used to be).
Click to expand...

Pfft, you expect the coat to last another 50 years?

Come on now!

Spry, middle-aged people such as yourself have to temper your expectations.
 
Two years ago when my girlfriend and I were preparing for a trip to Iceland, we decided to check out MEC for outerwear when they were still located on King West. Although I appreciated the conversation and advice we had with a staff member, I couldn't justify the price points for their rain/shell jackets and fleece layering. None of the suggestions were even MEC branded. I ended up buying 2 outer jackets eventually, one from Sporting Life and the other at Sport Chek (on sale), while picking up a fleece inner layer sweater at Uniqlo.
 
Northern Light said:
I offer up this assessment of how MEC went down.

It's somewhat different from the link above in suggesting that board elections were manipulated to produce a different type of board.........

https://twitter.com/x/status/1306270121653084161
Click to expand...

The two narratives are not in direct contradiction - one described the mechanics of the fall; the other the governance of the organization leading to decisions behind such mechanics.

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
The two narratives are not in direct contradiction - one described the mechanics of the fall; the other the governance of the organization leading to decisions behind such mechanics.

AoD
Click to expand...

I agree with the caveat that I think the first leaves more of an impression of inevitable organizational drift; where the second implies a level of chicanery or at the very least a wilful move to undermine what MEC was.
 
When the product line was high-end 'backwoods' gear - the type of stuff your health and safety depends on - the market was likely comparatively small but the margins higher. Once they went more mainstream, they started to compete directly with just about everybody else. Perhaps they were weak getting into the whole online sales thing (assuming they were in it at all), but I don't know how well that would work in the 'hard core' outdoorsy world where inspection of things like fit and construction are likely more important.
 
AlbertC said:
Two years ago when my girlfriend and I were preparing for a trip to Iceland, we decided to check out MEC for outerwear when they were still located on King West. Although I appreciated the conversation and advice we had with a staff member, I couldn't justify the price points for their rain/shell jackets and fleece layering. None of the suggestions were even MEC branded. I ended up buying 2 outer jackets eventually, one from Sporting Life and the other at Sport Chek (on sale), while picking up a fleece inner layer sweater at Uniqlo.
Click to expand...
I buy my winter gear at Eddie Bauer and more often now LL Bean. Last November I was in Ballyvaughan, Ireland climbing the burren and after looking at hiking shoes at MEC, I bought these at EB for about 50% cheaper than anything at MEC. The EB boots are leather, none of these polyester-mesh things, and waterproof. I paid CAD $130 on sale, and they are by far the most comfortable hiking shoe I have ever owned, I wear them pretty much as walkers everywhere. I also wanted something low but totally waterproof for those slushy days walking the dog, and MEC was way too expensive, so I bought these at LL Bean, and love them. IDK if they make them like they used to, but my Eddie Bauer winter parka has seen 20 winters now, and still looks new and kept me warm whilst living in Fredericton for three years. MEC is like Canadian Tire, you go in there with the best expectations of getting what you need, but always leave frustratingly disappointed.

I don't believe MEC sells any made in Canada footwear, https://cansumer.ca/boot-brands-canada/ My winter boots are made in Canada Sorels (IDK if they still make them here) and my motorcycle boots are from Boulet in Quebec. If MEC is just another retailer selling made in Asia stuff, you might as well shop online or elsewhere. There is Mountain Warehouse, which is also a co-op, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Warehouse
 
Last edited:
Admiral Beez said:
MEC is like Canadian Tire, you go in there with the best expectations of getting what you need, but always leave frustratingly disappointed.
Click to expand...

Canadian Tire but with price points in the Holt Renfrew range. The French sporting goods retailer, Decathlon, was supposed to have a rapid expansion across Canada but seems like they've scaled or slowed things down since the pandemic hit.
 
lenaitch said:
When the product line was high-end 'backwoods' gear - the type of stuff your health and safety depends on - the market was likely comparatively small but the margins higher. Once they went more mainstream, they started to compete directly with just about everybody else. Perhaps they were weak getting into the whole online sales thing (assuming they were in it at all), but I don't know how well that would work in the 'hard core' outdoorsy world where inspection of things like fit and construction are likely more important.
Click to expand...

I think the initial growth in range, in line w/the first big store on King was entirely reasonable.

Predating that, but around that time they became a higher end camping/hiking store and that was how I came to use them.

Reliable, high-quality hiking boots, tents, gear and an ample supply of topo maps.

They completely lost me with the move into cycling.

It wasn't their first over-reach, but probably their most egregious.

I think handling a diversity of activities that all share a 'back country', remote theme made some sense.

But adding urban/suburban and extreme sports stuff did not.

The company had a clear expertise and a clear value set and watered down both to their detriment and to that of their customers.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top