Quote:
Originally Posted by Locke
The downfall of MEC is actually very saddening.
I remember when I started Jr. High my parents got enough money together to my sister and I MEC backpacks, I dont even know how much they cost, I was a kid at the time. Prior to that we're been using those crappy semi-plastic ones that last a couple of months?
That backpack has been with me through all of Jr. High, all of High School, 3 trips to Europe, University and then...I gave it to my youngest daughter, so it did another trip through Jr. High and High School, a few North American trips to Chicago and San Francisco and another 5 years through U of L and she convocates at the end of this month and is STILL USING IT!!!
That to me is the legacy of MEC! If you bought something, you bought something GREAT! It can be repaired but it'll last.
That backpack is practically a member of my family.
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IIRC, most of the school bag ones were in the $50-100 range. Anything more and those were for backpacking in the back country.
It wasn't just the quality, it was the fact there was some semblance of ergonomics. Stuff like curved/vented back and thick straps that weren't just durable, but were comfortable and didn't cut into you. Some even had the chest and waist strap so the weight wasn't solely on the shoulders.
I remember laughing at a recent comment about a <20lb backpack for a kid who had a laptop/tablet in it. Not that the concern wasn't valid, but when I was young, I seem to recall there were even news articles about kids who were trekking 20-40 pounds back and forth per day due to the fact we had multiple textbooks and stuff to bring. God forbid you were in band and had to trek that instrument back and forth too. It was like a weighted vest and kettle bell every damn day of school life.
Ooo... coincidentally, a few weeks ago, MEC might become Canadian again.
https://hardlines.ca/gp_dailynews/me...anadian-buyer/
We will see what happens after that.