Gearing Up...

OK, I don't usually spend a lot of time fretting about when stores hold their big sales, but I've made an exception for the end-of-winter sales this year. For months, I've had a low-lying fear that we'll end up in Fargo in t-shirts and shorts if I don't plan this right. On the other hand, I also had a low-level suspicion that I was being unnecessarily hyper about the issue -- at least, until Fargo's wind chill hit -44 this week. Now I believe myself to be the essence of prudence.

The sales have begun in Washington, since our winter is just about through (sorry, F-M area readers!). I spent a personal record at the local REI last weekend, nabbing 50%-off coats, gloves, and boots for the five of us.

I nabbed a coat for myself that is, I think, the warmest, most beautifully made garment I have ever put on (right). It's a long down jacket made by Bonfire called the "Strobe." It turns out that it's made for snowboarding. The hood is lined with down. The snowboarding heritage shows through in its very thoughtful accommodation of iPods and headphones. If Fargo-area readers can tell by casting a critical eye on the jacket whether it will keep me from freezing to death next winter, I'd most appreciate it. It's a large, and I'm wondering if I shouldn't go back and exchange it for an extra-large. It's not tight, but there's not a giant amount of extra room in there, either.

I'm also pleased with the boots I bought for the girls (left). They are said to be rated for -32 weather, but I certainly can't tell by looking at them. I'm a sucker for the technical details: "Removable 6mm Zylex® liners combine a moisture-wicking polypropylene inner layer, a warm wool felt middle, and a heat-reflecting foil outer layer." Sounds good to me.

We had called the folks at Patagonia months ago to find out when they put their winter stuff on sale, and it's next week. I called the local store yesterday to make sure that there was no pre-sale, during which all the good stuff would be spirited away. A staffer assured me that there was not, but that the best strategy would be to go and buy what I needed now, then come back after the sale started and get a refund for the difference. A curious strategy to hear from the store itself, but there it was. With Jen out of town in Raleigh, N.C., visiting our pal Suz and her newborn twin boys (!), I decided to head downtown today with Joey and Ellie to see what they had.

Turns out, not much. Patagonia is famed for its mountaineering gear, but they stock their stores according to the local climate. I asked for the warmest women's coat in the store, and was pointed to a middleweight coat. "This is overkill for D.C.," the salesperson told me. "We're moving to Fargo next year!" I hissed. (No, actually, I only hissed on the inside.) He pointed me to a catalog with their seriously warm stuff, none of which they stock in the D.C. store.

Jen mooted the question by combining her visit to Suz's new family with a stop at the Raleigh, N.C., REI store, which was still filled to the gills with women's winter outerwear. The men's side was stripped -- I guess women in the Research Triangle have better things to do than tromp around in freezing temperatures.

So I hope we're set. If any Fargo-area readers have a thought on items we should be picking up for next winter, please feel free to let us know via comments. Thanks!