Anchorage Good Places to Get 3n1 Jacket

[masterdrago]

DW has been having issues finding the "right" 3n1 jacket for our Alaska trip in May. I called REI at their new store and was told the weather is too warm there in May to keep jackets in stock. He even told me they had shipped most out to the Midwest when they had that nasty cold front weeks back. I find this really hard to believe. We've looked around Houston but have not found much the last two months since the "winter" is over here. She ordered a couple online but the fit was poor. She has been losing weight big time since Christmas so her old stuff doesn't fit. I'm sort of in the same boat but am fine with a slightly too large light Gore-Tex rain jacket, rain pants and a couple of thin layers of Merino wool under that. Looks like temps will be from 30 to 55 when we are in Alaska. Any ideas?

[Coral]

For me - a 3 in 1 is too warm for those temps.

 

I would focus on a good rain jacket and a sweatshirt and shirt under that (layers). If Ketchikan is one of your fist stops - this jacket is very popular at Tongass Trading right at the pier - it is water proof with fleece on inside. It used to sell for $20 and comes in a variety of colors: https://tongasstrading.com/category/6/25/Jackets-%26-Fleece/?subcategory=Unisex 

 

Not 3 - 1 but practical for Alaska.

Edited April 18, 2019 by Coral

[mapleleaves]

did you look at the Anchorage REI inventory ?  or other sporting goods stores in Anc that might ship to you?

 

Your time in Alaska is already limited.  Shopping seems like such a waste of your valuable time.

 

 

Edited April 18, 2019 by mapleleaves

[masterdrago]

15 minutes ago, mapleleaves said:

did you look at the Anchorage REI inventory ?  or other sporting goods stores in Anc that might ship to you?

 

Your time in Alaska is already limited.  Shopping seems like such a waste of your valuable time.

 

 

It absolutely does. I just want DW to be prepared since she is very cold sensitive. I think that she will be just fine with Under Armor, sweater or Merino or fleece middle layer and a waterproof but breathable outer layer. She wanted to pack a heavy jacket for both of us but I was strong about me not taking that. I think I finally talked her out of the heavy. Anchorage is our 1st stop (1:50pm) so thought that the new REI would be a perfect place to "finish" shopping. And it is "Alaska". Our first stop after arriving in Anchorage and picking up rent car is most likely a meal. Overnight there, then to Talkeetna.

[mapleleaves]

And if she doesn't find what she needs in Anchorage ...... then what?  

I think she should continue shopping on line until she finds what she wants/likes.  Get this resolved before you leave home.

[masterdrago]

18 minutes ago, mapleleaves said:

And if she doesn't find what she needs in Anchorage ...... then what?  

I think she should continue shopping on line until she finds what she wants/likes.  Get this resolved before you leave home.

She'll freeze her nuggies off.....  Not really. She has stuff but she thinks they fit too loose since she has lost nearly 50#. I just want her to pack smart and what the hey, she is female:) And her 1st trip to Alaska (cold country) where there will be days filled with glacier, whale and top of Denali walks on glaciers. She's a southern gal. We spent a Christmas in Angel Fire , NM and she dressed like an Eskimo. She has a friend 60 miles south that we're meeting for dinner this weekend. She has a 3n1 Eddie Bauer light weight Gore-Tex rain jacket with a down inner liner. She thinks it will be too large also but if it can work, will save some coin and more frustration of sending stuff back. Should know by Saturday afternoon. We also plan on checking the big REI just north of Houston again and the Sun & Ski again. I was just shocked that the Anchorage REI would not have several tons of warm weather clothing for all the cruisers that pack too little. With average temps in Anchorage 2nd half of May being 40-60F and 43% mostly cloudy and 20% of the time it's raining, was just thinking out loud.

[Coral]

Where I live, we go to shorts when it hits 50 :)

 

Remember - she was in Minnesota at Christmas. 

 

Tell her congrats on the weight loss!! That is great.

Edited April 19, 2019 by Coral

[SightCRR]

Have her spend some time on The North Face site with their size charts to figure what size she needs. Some activities you will have large wind chills and standing on 32 F ice. Dick's is another retailer. Easy to fix to hot, not so if cold. sightcrr It looks like their are several Dick's  in Houston. Check this jacket out. https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/the-north-face-womens-carto-triclimate-jacket-18tnowwcrttrclmtjapo/18tnowwcrttrclmtjapo

 

Edited April 19, 2019 by SightCRR

[masterdrago]

37 minutes ago, Coral said:

Where I live, we go to shorts when it hits 50 🙂

 

Remember - she was in Minnesota at Christmas. 

 

Tell her congrats on the weight loss!! That is great.

I'm with you, I'm usually good down to about 45 in shorts if there is no wind. On one occasion, I was caught still in shorts running up a ladder at one of our astronomy sites when it had dropped into the 40s. Someone finally said something.

I meant to say New Mexico at 9,000ft, Thanks for the kind words on her weight loss.

[masterdrago]

15 minutes ago, SightCRR said:

Have her spend some time on The North Face site with their size charts to figure what size she needs. Some activities you will have large wind chills and standing on 32 F ice. Dick's is another retailer. Easy to fix to hot, not so if cold. sightcrr It looks like their are several Dick's  in Houston. Check this jacket out. https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/the-north-face-womens-carto-triclimate-jacket-18tnowwcrttrclmtjapo/18tnowwcrttrclmtjapo

 

Thanks on the Dick's suggestion. We have one of their big stores 25 miles south and they should have a lot more room to add some late winter clothing since they removed firearms :{

[rma2001]

I like moosejaw dot com. I’ve gotten a couple nice coats on clearance through them. Easy returns if something doesn’t fit. 

[AKStafford]

In Anchorage there's REI, 6th Ave Outfitters, Bass Pro, Cabelas, Big Rays Alaskan Outfitter or as you come through Wasilla there's All Season Clothing Co.

Big Rays and All Season Clothing supply a lot of clothing for North Slope workers, so regardless of the season they'll probably have what you are looking for. Google will get you to their websites and I'd say give them a call.

[nicoleinwi]

I'd just look at Amazon and order a few that have free shipping back.  Or, Eddie Bauer will likely have some online if you search their clearance section.  You should be able to do any return to a local Eddie Bauer.  

 

I'd do everything I could now to find the gear, last thing you want is her to be is miserable because she couldn't find one in AK.  

 

Edited April 19, 2019 by nicoleinwi

[masterdrago]

Thanks for the ideas AKStafford. I'm doing an inventory now of the pile she will be packing in a few weeks. She has decided that she will not wait til Anchorage. I personally, with 4 layers, the top being light weight rain jacket will be fine in anything the weather Gods will toss my way - very warm blooded. Looking at today's weather in Anchorage, and the next several, DW has almost made me rethink the heavy jacket. I just don't want the extra bulk and weight. You can see a pix of her pile. I think way too many choices, but hey, DW is on this trip also. I gotta go with the flow since she has only balked about me taking a camera slider which she was going to have to carry 😉

[Coral]

I think I have the same red sweater. :) 

[kentuckycruiser]

Dick's Sporting Goods still has a number of coats in stock, I have been looking there also. Try LL Bean and Land's End. Of course the annoying thing about Land's End is the inability to return at Sear's anymore. Do you all have a Nordstrom Rack? That store has lots of coats. Nordstrom also has coats in the clearance/sale.  We are in Ky and there are several nice stores here that sell Patagonia year round plus other outdoor brands. I am sure in Houston there are loads of stores like that.

[Italy52]

I just replaced my husband's 3 in 1 jacket --- we couldn't find any at our local Dick's Sporting Goods or Eddie Bauer stores.  I found the website listed below and was able to snag a good deal for DH ($299 Columbia 3 in 1 jacket for $129).  Jacket came today and it fit great.  We are fans of the 3 in 1 jackets because we don't like to wear sweat shirts and heavy clothing.  DH is fine with a Henley, 32-Degree undershirt and one of the jackets.  I like to wear a long sleeved cotton shirt with a 32-degree vest and one of the jackets.  We also take a light-weight Eddie Bauer rain jacket for those in-between days.  We live in Northern California so the 3 in 1 jacket comes in handy for the cold fall/winter days so the jackets have a dual purpose for us.

 

https://www.mountainsteals.com/

[masterdrago]

45 minutes ago, Coral said:

I think I have the same red sweater. 🙂

Now that's a hoot! DW got it for me just b4 a Christmas trip to Gatlinburg in 2014. I've lost about 35# since then and it is rather loose so it most likely will stay home.

Hey kentuckycruiser, called Dick's down south of us. Said they have a good selection of coats. We did look on LL Bean few weeks back. Nothing jumped out and tickled her fancy. We don't shop Land's End - X Sears repair guy, laid off in 2016, retired in Feb. '17. We have a Nordstrom  and their Rack store also. Maybe tomorrow. Had not even thought of them. Good suggestions. Thanks.

[Coll0108]

Howdy!! Fellow Texan headed to Alaska this summer. I have a Colombia 3-1 ($89) that I've had for a few years that I'm bringing. You can get them at Khols or Amazon this time of year. (I know Khols was having a sale). 

 

[masterdrago]

3 minutes ago, Coll0108 said:

Howdy!! Fellow Texan headed to Alaska this summer. I have a Colombia 3-1 ($89) that I've had for a few years that I'm bringing. You can get them at Khols or Amazon this time of year. (I know Khols was having a sale). 

 

We have a Khols just south of us (10 miles) and some coupons to boot!. Never thought of looking there. Thanks. We'll check it out.

[Katwoman007]

I know here in SoCal the sporting stores flipped to spring in late December. lol We were needing snow gear for our son's science camp and no one had anything. We did find some adult stuff at Columbia still via their outlet stores. REI had nothing, The  North face had nothing. I would have thought those two would have since we are only an hour from snow and such. Columbia Outlet even had waterproof hiking boots so score! Just trying to break those in 😉 We are going to be over packed, but at least I should not be cold. hahaha

[SuperCrewBear]

On 4/18/2019 at 6:14 PM, masterdrago said:

DW has been having issues finding the "right" 3n1 jacket for our Alaska trip in May. I called REI at their new store and was told the weather is too warm there in May to keep jackets in stock. He even told me they had shipped most out to the Midwest when they had that nasty cold front weeks back. I find this really hard to believe. We've looked around Houston but have not found much the last two months since the "winter" is over here. She ordered a couple online but the fit was poor. She has been losing weight big time since Christmas so her old stuff doesn't fit. I'm sort of in the same boat but am fine with a slightly too large light Gore-Tex rain jacket, rain pants and a couple of thin layers of Merino wool under that. Looks like temps will be from 30 to 55 when we are in Alaska. Any ideas?

Honestly, I'm certain something you already have will be fine other than your wife having lost weight. I lived in Houston for a couple years and I know the winters aren't bad at all (generally speaking) and May in Alaska isn't generally too bad.  Have you thought about going to Bass Pro on 288 & the tollway?  Or shopping Bass Pro online?  I've got a semi-heavy fleece jacket I bought there a few years ago and that's all I've ever needed on my trips to Alaska - including two May cruises.  Good luck!  (I tend to think people way over do it going to Alaska...)

[masterdrago]

She is now all fixed up with a 3n1 Eddie Bauer light rain jacket with a light weight down inner liner. And yes, my DW always does big time over-packing. But I always get the blame for overthinking what camera gear to take 🙂

[Coral]

7 hours ago, masterdrago said:

She is now all fixed up with a 3n1 Eddie Bauer light rain jacket with a light weight down inner liner. And yes, my DW always does big time over-packing. But I always get the blame for overthinking what camera gear to take 🙂

I will now be curious if she uses it :)

[masterdrago]

5 hours ago, Coral said:

I will now be curious if she uses it 🙂

I could make serious $$ betting on that. She is very cold sensitive. I've had to work pretty hard to keep her from taking a much heavier single layer coat also. My bulky coat is staying home for sure.  I'm still wanting to take shorts and tee shirts 🙂 I'll make sure to note what she ends up wearing when I make the post cruise report.