MEC Swap

Mountain Equipment Co-op did a spectacular job of destroying Vancouver's collective fashion consciousness back in the mid to late '90s. All of a sudden Vancouverites decided rain pants and fleeces were appropriate clothing for everyday life. Umbrella sales must have bombed while anorak sales (remember those two-toned ones?) went through the roof. And then there were the backpacks. No one was without one of those totally impractical long backpacks that cinched at the top. Even though it had about one metre squared of material it only had one pocket (on the top flap for extra impracticality). If you were super cool you may have had one of those "laptop" bags. Maybe in the signature MEC green? Somehow they were even able to penetrate the high school cliques and get the trendy girls to jump on their station wagon. They traded in their Aritizia school bags for their carry-alls (you could tell who these girls were by the teeny tiny jean jackets in the middle of winter and how the bag would hit their knee with every strap because they were convinced the strap should be as long as possible).

Now that I think of it MEC didn't just hijack fashion... it was around this same time people started buckling up. Regardless of the weight of the backpack all the belts were cinched tight and clasped snugly to the chest and waist.

The MEC craze has definitely simmered down but just like Birkenstocks those people sold on the concept are loyal for life. This post is for those people who have already pledged their allegiance to The Co-op. If you still buy pants based on how hot they make your ass look and not because you can wear them in -37 weather I beg that you do not check out the information after the jump.

MEC is hosting a gear swap. They have an on-line one but they're doing a real live swap at their 130 West Broadway location (up on the rooftop parking lot) this upcoming Sunday (10.30 - 13.30).

If you don't own anything MEC then, trust me, this is not the time to start (unless you promise you'll only use the products in the "great outdoors").