The price increase puts the GoLite quilts close to the prices from the cottage makers. How do the GoLite's compare to 20-degree 3-season quilts from JRB, Undergroundquilts, Warbonnet, HammockGear etc.? ...
The price increase puts the GoLite quilts close to the prices from the cottage makers. How do the GoLite's compare to 20-degree 3-season quilts from JRB, Undergroundquilts, Warbonnet, HammockGear etc.? ...
Thanks, spaceweaseal. I'm leaning that way ... Now to decide which one. Fortunately, since it's roughly 109 degrees out today, I have some time before I'll need a 20-degree quilt.
It's too bad that they are now at the same price point. I'd say, and this is my opinion only, the key difference here is whether or not you will ever want to go to ground with the quilt. The Golite quilts are wider and equipped with waterproof fabric at the head and foot to make this easier. Virtually all the cottage guys will make you a custom quilt that is larger so you can do this, but it will cost a little more. The trade off is that the Golite quilts are a little heavier than the cottage quilts.
Also, do you care where your money is going? When the 3 season was $125 with coupon, it was hard to argue with. Now that they are more expensive, I'd rather see Brandon or Stormcrow get my money. I know that if anything ever goes wrong with the quilt (very likely my fault! ) they'll actually care about my problem and work with me to get it repaired at a fair price.
I have a lot of different quilts in my closet from cottage guys and Golite alike. If I'm on the ground I bring the Golite, if I'm in the hammock I bring my HammockGear stuff, but then I got my Golites a lot cheaper than they are now.
I have a 20-degree down bag I bought from REI some years back, a semi-mummy shape that follows the GoLite outline pretty closely. Not sure how wide it is, though. Have to check. I've been using that -- being careful about the zipper -- and it works OK. But a quilt would be better, lighter, etc. in the hammock. And I can use the REI bag if I'm in a tent.
I agree, lymphocytosis, about where my money goes (and how far it goes). All things being remotely equal, I'd just as soon give it to Paul or Brandon or Stormcrow or the Jacks.
From golite just got it:
Hi Michael,
The discount incentive for providing product reviews has been temporarily discontinued. *Marketing, Sales, and IT are reviewing the program for greater accountability. *I expect some form of incentive to return eventually, but unfortunately, we are no longer offering this coupon. *I apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your interest.
Brian Esquibel
Customer Service Representative
it's a shame they put the price back up. I was going to pull the trigger as well. Sounds like they lost a lot of business from us. $150 per person is better than no money
Or maybe the prices from US makers and vendors are entirely fair, and it is not possible to maintain a business with employees earning a living wage selling quilts --even imported ones -- to a market that includes folks who are, after all, saving on hotel / motel accommodations for every night of use of the garment.
How many endorsements does GoLite need? Having a established a brand, and one that immediately means, in English,* what its customers want, they learned that the margins in the market are too small to permit retailers to cover costs of distribution, so they've gone exclusively to direct sales. Talk to a former GoLite dealer do find out how they feel about holding inventory when your supplier may be undercutting you with direct internet sales.
*Venture capitalists behind the company wisely counseled that "We're Your Anchor In the Field (tm)" as a brand name or message would make for harder and fewer sales and fewer successful referrals.
All smilies implied.
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