Quality brands with quality materials for men's purchasing power

[IM3000]

I got a Goruck backpack a few years ago and it's great + made in the US. Pricey but worth it.

For handmade dress shoes in Europe, check out the Heinrich Dinkelacker brand. They are handmade in Budapest and of superb quality. I have 3 pairs and they are well-worth the money.

 

[ball dont lie]

One of the best men's shoes companies is Alden. American made - hand made - the highest quality materials possible.

Whats the catch? $600 for a pair of boots. I bought a few pairs used on ebay. My first pair I bought used off a Buy / sell / trade for men's clothes forum. I have a couple pairs that cost me $150 a piece because I bought them used from a wealthy guy who buys shoes, tries them for a while, then flips them.

I know it might seem crazy to spend $200 for a lightly used pair of leather boots, but they will last another 20 years easy, with a couple resoles along the way. Will be the most comfortable pair of boots you ever own because they will entirely conform to your feet.

 

[Hell_Is_Like_Newark]

Dearborn Denim. Every pant I have bought from them has held up well. I bought Carhartt jeans previously but had two instances of them falling apart due to poor quality materials.

 

[Dr Mantis Toboggan]

I got a Goruck backpack a few years ago and it's great + made in the US. Pricey but worth it.

For handmade dress shoes in Europe, check out the Heinrich Dinkelacker brand. They are handmade in Budapest and of superb quality. I have 3 pairs and they are well-worth the money.

Allen Edmonds is another good quality dress shoe brand, made in Wisconsin and reasonably priced (more expensive than the stuff you get at a department store but much less than the fancy designer brands).

I highly recommend Origin USA, their core product is BJJ gear (gis, rash guards, etc) but they also sell jeans, work boots, workout/casual wear, belts, nutritional supplements, a bunch of other stuff. Everything they sell is 100% made in the USA including the sourcing of all components, and the company itself was started with the express intent of bringing manufacturing back to the US (Jocko Willink is one of the co-owners). I also had the opportunity to tour their factory in rural Maine a year or two ago and every other work station had some sort of pro-Trump sign/sticker/etc displayed. Some of their items are a bit pricey and others are surprisingly cheap (BJJ gis are their specialty so that's probably the most reasonably priced thing they sell for the quality), definitely worth taking a look and their jeans in particular are the best I've ever owned. Do take caution if you buy jeans from them as they have 2 lines, the original line is fairly heavy and the Delta 68 is quite a bit lighter, buy whichever is more appropriate for the climate where you live (I live in the southeast so can only vouch for the Delta 68s, but I'm sure the others are great as well).

ORIGIN® - Handcrafted in America, Without Compromise.

originmaine.com

 

[Hermetic Seal]

My go-to shoes are Wesco engineer boots. I wear the 7500, they’re unbelievably sturdy and well made, and can dress up nicely as well... a truly versatile shoe for many occasions. Pricier than Red Wing, but well worth it.

If you’re looking for a good Bible, the best I’ve handled are from Cambridge. I have a Turquoise KJV and it’s easily the best Bible I’ve ever used, terrific quality and materials that will surely outlast me. The only downside is that the deuterocanonical books aren’t included but you can get them in a separate book from Cambridge. I also have a Clarion NKJV from them and it’s pretty good as well, though the leather is not quite as nice.

 

[CDRhodes]

I highly recommend Origin USA, their core product is BJJ gear (gis, rash guards, etc) but they also sell jeans, work boots, workout/casual wear, belts, nutritional supplements, a bunch of other stuff. Everything they sell is 100% made in the USA including the sourcing of all components, and the company itself was started with the express intent of bringing manufacturing back to the US (Jocko Willink is one of the co-owners). I also had the opportunity to tour their factory in rural Maine a year or two ago and every other work station had some sort of pro-Trump sign/sticker/etc displayed. Some of their items are a bit pricey and others are surprisingly cheap (BJJ gis are their specialty so that's probably the most reasonably priced thing they sell for the quality), definitely worth taking a look and their jeans in particular are the best I've ever owned. Do take caution if you buy jeans from them as they have 2 lines, the original line is fairly heavy and the Delta 68 is quite a bit lighter, buy whichever is more appropriate for the climate where you live (I live in the southeast so can only vouch for the Delta 68s, but I'm sure the others are great as well).

ORIGIN® - Handcrafted in America, Without Compromise.

originmaine.com

I love origin as a company and support a lot of their products(their leather wallet is awesome). I hate to admit it though, but I prefer Fuji for my gis.

 

[The Penitent Man]

I have had a Benchmade 585S folding knife for years and it’s solidly built with a good blade. The warranty/service policy is good too. Not a cheap knife but I’m pleased I bought it.

 

[Jacob Robinson]

Knives: Buck (the made in USA ones), Spyderco, Victorinox (kitchen knives too), and Case. For kitchen knives and spatulas Rada Cutlery--their "slotted turner" is one of the best spatulas I have ever used.

Shoes: SAS (made in USA) -- I have one pair I wear daily for years, then have them resoled and wear them some more.

Tools: S&K (mechanics tools), Klien (nut drivers, screw drivers, pliers, etc.), Eklind (allen wrenches), Estwing (hammers), Council Tool (axes), Wilde (pliers, etc.), Starett (measuring tools), CS Osborne (misc), Pratt-Read (screw drivers), Wall Lenk (soldering irons), Channel Lock, Wright Tool (mechanics tools), Vaughn (hammers), Buck Brothers (wood chisels), Mayhew (punches and cold chisels), Xcelite (screw drivers), Bollmann Grip (locking pliers), Dubuque Clamp, Midwest (tin snips), Norseman (drill bits), Lisle (mechanics tools), Veritas Tools (wood working), and Fluke (volt-ohm meters).

 

[SouthernTory]

Shoes are something you should invest in I have a pair of boots and some formal shoes from NPS Solovair (all made in England) also have some Walsh trainers also made in England.

History | NPS Solovair

From small beginnings to the present day, NPS Shoes has lived a product defining history! We’re proud of our heritage and how over a century of experience in factory surroundings has shaped our outlook, processes and work ethic to make us a great example of British craftsmanship.

uk.nps-solovair.com

https://www.normanwalshuk.com

 

[Easy_C]

For Ties try a boutique named Seigo. They’re handmade by an old Japanese dude, and are better than Hermes/Ferragamo for a third of the price. Catch is they’re a boutique so you’d need to call them up.

 

[Easy_C]

I o

Allen Edmonds is another good quality dress shoe brand, made in Wisconsin and reasonably priced (more expensive than the stuff you get at a department store but much less than the fancy designer brands).

I own three sets and they’ve held up fairly well, although they’re very much business wear shoes for the most part.

 

[Pendleton]

One of the best men's shoes companies is Alden. American made - hand made - the highest quality materials possible.

Whats the catch? $600 for a pair of boots. I bought a few pairs used on ebay. My first pair I bought used off a Buy / sell / trade for men's clothes forum. I have a couple pairs that cost me $150 a piece because I bought them used from a wealthy guy who buys shoes, tries them for a while, then flips them.

I know it might seem crazy to spend $200 for a lightly used pair of leather boots, but they will last another 20 years easy, with a couple resoles along the way. Will be the most comfortable pair of boots you ever own because they will entirely conform to your feet.

You can save $100-200 per pair on Alden shoes if you buy factory seconds. I would generally say the better UK brands (e.g. Church's, Crockett & Jones) are superior in quality to Alden if you are looking for dress shoes.

 

[Pendleton]

Knives: Buck (the made in USA ones), Spyderco, Victorinox (kitchen knives too), and Case. For kitchen knives and spatulas Rada Cutlery--their "slotted turner" is one of the best spatulas I have ever used.

MCusta also makes high quality and stylistically unique knives. Like many Spyderco models, they are made in Seki City, Japan.

 

[Sargon2112]

For you guys with drilled, deep water wells, Franklin still makes the best pumps. Being hundreds of feet down a hole, difficult to retrieve yourself and expensive to contract out, spend the money for a top of the line pump. If you go cheap, you'll be pulling it out in 5 years or less... It'll last 20 if you get a good one.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Seiko makes fine watches. I have a Seiko Flightmaster and it's a beautiful $300 watch.

 

[Brother Thomas 256]

For you guys with drilled, deep water wells, Franklin still makes the best pumps. Being hundreds of feet down a hole, difficult to retrieve yourself and expensive to contract out, spend the money for a top of the line pump. If you go cheap, you'll be pulling it out in 5 years or less... It'll last 20 if you get a good one.

I'll keep that in mind for when I buy some livable land out in the country. Thanks for the tip

 

[Horus]

I made a thread about buying quality dress shoes here.

One brand that I mentioned but didn't have experience with at the time were TLB Mallorca which is a Spanish shoemaker in Mallorca. I now have a pair and I highly highly recommend them. While many people will balk at the $400 price, they are in my and many others opinion worth far more than this. The quality of this brand is in many ways equal to shoes that are twice the price. For example, the construction and fine details are noticeably better than pairs I own by Alden, Crockett and Jones and Carmina, all of which are considerably more expensive. There's no doubt they will last a lifetime with good care.

It's hard to understand how they manage to keep prices so low for such a high quality shoe. Here's my theory. They are a very new, relatively small, family run company, and the owner has been in the shoe trade all his life. I think he's trying to build a strong following while running on razor thin margins, perhaps even taking a loss, before he increases prices to what they're really worth, probably around 600. There's no other explanation I can think of. Carmina did something similar when they started, but I don't think prices were ever as low as TLB.

Customer service is awesome and the owner Toni answers all emails personally. There's free shipping worldwide and free returns. (Make sure you try them on on a carpeted surface so the soles don't scratch, otherwise they're not usually returnable, although i wouldn't be surprised if Toni, being the gentleman he is, would overlook this).

The best thing is they are completely customizable. For about 50 dollars you can customize everything including the leather, colour, sole, laces, width and last. Get the JR soles, as they will double the time before the shoes need to be resoled.

This all sounds like a long advertisement, but I'm just a very satisfied customer who wants to share an incredible high quality product which will last forever. Its also an example of a Western family owned business which had kept prices affordable and standards high without outsourcing to China. I've been recommending to everyone that will listen that they should invest in a pair now before they inevitably jack up prices to what they're really worth.

This guy explains it better than I can...

 

[Horus]

For Ties try a boutique named Seigo. They’re handmade by an old Japanese dude, and are better than Hermes/Ferragamo for a third of the price. Catch is they’re a boutique so you’d need to call them up.

These guys also make very good quality ties at decent prices. Customer service is excellent. They're based in Hong Kong, so I assume the ties are Chinese made though.

thedarkknot.com

 

[Dr Mantis Toboggan]

These guys also make very good quality ties at decent prices. Customer service is excellent. They're based in Hong Kong, so I assume the ties are Chinese made though.

thedarkknot.com

On the topic of business attire, I can't recommend Tom's in Bangkok enough for suits. Made in Thailand by a family business, not some Chinese sweatshop. Custom tailored suits in the $500-800 range (depending on type of material), best way to go if you can swing it is visit their showroom on Sukhumvit but if you get on their email list they also tour major cities in the US, Europe, and I think Australia around once a quarter or so (pre commie flu) and do appointments for fitting. I can only personally vouch for getting fitted in Bangkok and their traveling fittings are probably a bit rushed since you don't have time for 2-3 fittings over several days, but I would bet still probably better quality for the price than just about anywhere else. And, once they've got your measurements you can order new clothes anytime you want, shipping from Thailand to east coast US has typically taken about 3-4 weeks for me.

Tom's Fashion - Best Tailor in Bangkok

Tom's Fashion is ranked #1 Tailor in Bangkok, identified with superior fabrics, custom tailoring, latest styles and fixed price.

www.tomsfashion.com

 

[ball dont lie]

Alden style shoes are more traditional American in shape. Boots that look somewhere between dress and work boots. Shoes that can be worn with jeans, chinos, more casual clothes and maybe a casual suit coat jacket or a Carhart.