I am a Brand Whore
Eh, not really. Far from it actually, but recently I've become in critical need of a new pair of boots. My current dog protectors are nearing their 6th year and have been worn every single day for the last three. Anyway, I am loathe to buy anything but Rockies. I positively hate Nike, and not because they force toddlers to manufacture their shoes out of puppy and kitten skins (for .00005 cents a week) or any such tripe. No, I'm opposed to Nike because I think they are overpriced, poorly constructed (the few pairs I have owned have never lasted longer than a year), not to mention ugly. I'm opposed to Nike because they seem to think that by making an athletic shoe brown, this somehow qualifies it as a boot.
I'm not 100% monogamous to any certain brand, but I do have very strong preferences and convictions based solely on my experience. So, here are a few brands that I have absolutely no shame in promoting.
Rocky shoes and boots - Rockies are what Timberlands used to be before they became a fashion statement instead of a boot/shoe. And selection? You bet. They've got everything from snow pac boots with 1000 grams of Thinsulate all the way down to slip on casuals. What's more is that most of their shoes have GORE-TEX booties. Eh, no. Not that kind of booty.
KitchenAid mixers/food processors. My mom's mixer is almost as old as I am and is still kicking all sorts of culinary butt. It slices and dices (literally), and handles divinity like its Cool-Whip.
Kenwood receivers & CD players. This is a hard one, because due to the price of audio/video products I haven't been able to test as wide a range of brands as I would like. However, in comparative shopping, Kenwood receivers have always came out on top in the bang for the buck category, and my current Kenwood models KR-V7070 and DP-R4060 have more than adequately pummeled my speakers for the last seven years. Not to mention the head Kenwood unit/CD player that went through two vehicles, lots of cigarette smoke, and the occasional beer splash in the nine years it was in my clutches and is still functioning perfectly as far as I know.
Crate amps. No, people don't clamor after a 'Crate sound' like they do Marshall, Fender, or Vox, but they have received some notable mention for their BlueVoodoo series as well as their VC series. Crate amps are built in the USA and I've owned my current model since 1989. That's 14 years of being tossed in and out of trunks, rattling around in the bed of a pick-up, and pissing of neighbors with only minor maintenance.
Ingersoll-Rand air tools. Having spent two or three years earning my daily bread with these things, I'll take an I-R impact over all the others any day. Of course that was 10+ years ago, so I guess it is possible (although I think improbable) that their quality has changed since then.
There are others I'll think of when my memory cooperates. How about you? Any brands you couldn't live without?
