Buying Waterproof jackets in Vancouver for Alaska Cruise

[billie2011]

We are in Vancouver for a couple of days pre-cruise to Alaska and was wanting advice about where to purchase rain jackets for the trip. Have been advised better to purchase them in Vancouver..we are coming from a subtropical area Gold Coast in Australia, so thinking that there would be better range in Vancouver...any suggestions of where to buy reasonably priced attire for Alaska...will be staying somewhere close to port..but havent booked anywhere as yet..so somewhere easy to get to and find from central Vancouver would help also.

[Putterdude]

There is a large Hudson's Bay department store in the downtown core and Sears also have a store downtown that they will be closing out this summer and fall. We also have a large regional shopping centre downtown called Pacific Centre where you will find a number of retailers that will carry what you want. The shops of Robson street will also carry what you are looking for.

[Urban trekker]

If you want a good well known brand name and price isn't the biggest consideration there is a Helly Hansen store on Granville across from Pacific Center - I have both sold and used there clothing in the past.

 

Also Sports Experts/Advantage in Pacific Center would be a good choice - the problem with the Bay and Sears are that they are retreating from the Sporting goods and clothing market because frankly they can't compete.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[scottbee]

We are in Vancouver for a couple of days pre-cruise to Alaska and was wanting advice about where to purchase rain jackets for the trip. Have been advised better to purchase them in Vancouver..we are coming from a subtropical area Gold Coast in Australia, so thinking that there would be better range in Vancouver...any suggestions of where to buy reasonably priced attire for Alaska...will be staying somewhere close to port..but havent booked anywhere as yet..so somewhere easy to get to and find from central Vancouver would help also.

 

If you're looking for something inexpensive downtown;

 

• Costco next to Rogers Arena/Stadium Skytrain (need membership)
  
• Joe (Granville St between Dunsmuir & W.Pender)
  
• H&M (Pacific Centre, Dunsmuir & Granville)
  

if you hop on Skytrain (Expo/Millenium Line) it's a quick 15 mins to BC's biggest shopping mall at Metrotown; where the selection will be endless.

[martincath]

Plenty of solid suggestions so far - if you want to buy something good enough to keep without spending a fortune, and get excellent advice from staff about what suits your needs best, I don't think you can do better than Mountain Equipment Co-op http://www.mec.ca/AST/ContentPrimary/Services/Stores/Vancouver.jsp You do need to join - but it's $5 for life and you can do it at the checkouts.

 

Unless you want a good jacket to take home though, all you really *need* is a water/wind-proof top layer with some light shirts, sweaters, fleeces etc. that can be layered as needed underneath.

 

I've found that the poncho-style 'roll back up into the hood or a little pouch' work really well for short trips like port days on a cruise - they're baggy enough to cover your backpack/camera bag as well as yourself, plus light & compact enough to be easily carried all the time.

 

I spent about 10GBP on one in the UK over a decade ago and it's still going strong today - and has seen more use than most of my fancy expensive jackets!

[billie2011]

Thanks for all recommendations... will take them all into consideration...hopefully they will have larger sizes for my DH who needs at least a 3XL

[Urban trekker]

Here's the web site for the Mountain Equipment co-op - http://www.mec.ca

 

They have a mail order division

 

Eor the record I have been a member since the 1970's and my membership number is under 5000.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

Someday I will have to look up my number....if I can still find my card....but I am probably right in there with you UT.

I have been thinking about it a little more and I think it is a pretty tough sell to convince someone from OZ to purchase an expensive Gore-Tex type jacket albeit I have no less than 3 for winters in AZ....hey you never know.

If they are not doing something that requires a lot of physical exertion then they can get away with a decent quality nylon jacket that is waterproof. I purchased one a couple of years ago at Mark's that folds up into a pocket, has a hood and the whole 9 yards; I think I paid about $25 for it. While their website doesn't show that particular jacket I do see a couple at about $50.

 

 

http://www2.marks.com/

[maryann ns]

If you want waterproof, you have to get either plastic, or the special microfiber gore-tex fabrics. Helly Hanson and MEC have great ones. I love my new Mountain Equipment jacket. It is a plain colour with a great hood and big pockets. I walked for a day in heavy rain in Europe and did not get wet.

[Urban trekker]

For fear of getting off topic - MEC recently sent out there ballots for this year's election and you member number is on it - plus remember a number of years ago they added an extra digit at the end.

 

I have a number of rain proof jackets but brought a fold away at Three Vets - Viking Brand I think and it is the one that I take on my cruises - it is getting old but still does a pretty good job of keeping me somewhat dry but then those of us from the Wet Coast have built up an immunity to wetness and dampness haven't we.

 

Just a note - I have done three Alaska cruises - 2 in the Spring and one at the end of the season and have had about three days of rain in total.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[BecciBoo]

We hve the roll up into the hoodie by Coleman, nylon waterproof pants/jacket set we bought from Cosco several seasons ago and we are taking those, they take up hardly any space in the bags. Plan to take light shirts like Columbia nylon with fleece to layer and shorts/pants with zippers at the knee. Does this sound O.K. for our Sept. Alaska cruise?

[Putterdude]

That should work but you may just care to try the waterproof quality of the jacket and pants by turning a garden hose on one another on a hot summer Texas day.

[no fuss travel]

We take our rain covers we purchased in Disneyland with us. Yes they are plastic, but they roll up to nothing and if they get ripped , don't care. You can purchase plastic rain ponchos at London Drugs or a dollar store and if your really don't want to pack them home with you, so reasonable, you don't mind turfing them at the end of your trip.

[Putterdude]

I do not recommend ponchos except in the case of an emergency, the problem with them is that the rain in coast Alaska is often accompanied with wind and they are all but useless in wind.

[BCHappyGal]

I too am a fan of the "Dollar Store" disposable rain ponchos... they are cheap and easy to carry. I keep a supply in our travel back pack and if we run into inclement weather on our travels they just come out and do the trick over our cloths....

 

Now having said that we are not intrpid hikers we are sightseerers or the roayl order. WE love to see everything we can wherever we go (we generally skip the shopping) but we usually have transport as part of our touring.

[Sally Forth]

Here's the web site for the Mountain Equipment co-op - http://www.mec.ca

 

They have a mail order division

 

Eor the record I have been a member since the 1970's and my membership number is under 5000.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

Ditto. I used my card at the Toronto store once and they treated me like royalty when they saw my card.

 

They are the best for small day packs and socks, too.

 

Viv

[RachelG]

Also check out rei.com

 

 

Have been buying stuff from them for years and never disappointed. In fact, I am still using the same gore tex jacket I bought 10 years ago and it is fine.

[scottbee]

Also check out rei.com

 

 

Have been buying stuff from them for years and never disappointed. In fact, I am still using the same gore tex jacket I bought 10 years ago and it is fine.

 

REI don't exist in Canada; but MEC is a very similar organization.

[lamchops]

http://www.yellowpages.ca/bus/British-Columbia/Burnaby/Stormtech-Factory-Outlet/2556386.html

I like the jackets from MEC but I am also a fan of Stormtech. They make a lot of golf weather gear and I have paid as little as $5 for a jacket. This is a clearance outlet so "last year's stock" is discounted heavily.