February 3, 2009
| Twenty-Five Things >>
Stuff That Lasts
This answer from Gary Hustwit really resonates with me:
How has making [the film “Objectified”] changed the way you look at everyday objects?I really think about what I buy now: (A) Do I really need this? (B) What if this is the last of this object that I ever buy? I don’t want to buy chairs I’ll be sick of in five to ten years.
I’m trying to get better at finding, and buying, things that last. Ten years seems to be the magic number. Most things I own right now are more in the, uh, ten-week range.
So far, I’m amazed at the durability of my Cole Haan shoes; I’ve got a pair that are five years old and going strong. Russell Davies pointed out a new micro-brand that guarantees it jackets and bags for 10 years, which is pretty cool. I have a feeling my Mission Bicycle is gonna last.
Any recommendations for brands, or specific products, worth investigating? Any good experiences you’ve had?
File under: Briefly Noted, Object Culture
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Comments
Chrome messenger bags. Mine is at six years now and just has some marks on it. It looks like it will easily last 10.
And I believe if anything breaks there's a lifetime guarantee on everything about it.
Dr. Martens' shoes. I had one pair for the last 10 years and still get inquiries about whether or not they are new.
I can vouch for clothing from Thousand Mile Outdoor Wear, especially men's shorts and the pants they call Geyser. Their slogan used to be "non-disposable clothing," and I have owned some of mine for 10+ years.
http://www.thousandmile.com/home.php
Man, I'll have to check out those Chrome bags. The ones I've got usually last a year if I'm lucky.
p.s.: michael, if you're a troll who works for chrome, I will find you. ;-)
Lots of good recs in this AskMeFi thread - "Cheap but bombproof":
http://ask.metafilter.com/80890/Cheap-but-bombproof
Wait, back up: Robin, you own a fixie? Please tell me there's a front brake on that thing! How do you like it? Did you get a tricked out color scheme?
Of course there's a brake!
My colorz are low-key: gunmetal gray with blue rims. Actually, after I got it, I realized it looks sorta like a police bike. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
--Marmot Mountain Works coats. Cheaper than North Face, Better than Columbia, last really really well.
--Old school Indian stainless steel water glasses. Indestructible, but classier and less creepy than plastic.
Ooh cool. Where would one procure old school Indian stainless steel water glasses?
I'm flashing back to memories of my grandmother's house, drinking lemonade out of a long cylindrical metal cup, dyed blue or pink, ice cold to the touch and slick from sweating water vapor, a slight tinny taste to everything.