Being from the East Coast, I stick out like a sore, preppy thumb out here in the land of flannel and beards. But I have to admit that I've slowly incorporated a little bit of the region's iconic looks (like going a couple of days without shaving). Given the snow that has hammered us during these first days of Winter, I really need to get serious about outdoor sports like cross-country skiing, etc. Luckily, Northern Idaho is populated by intelligent, self-reliant types and that makes for some opportunities to gear up on the cheap.
The first spot that I'd like to highlight is White Pine Outfitters in downtown Moscow. It's very cool, as are the owners. Some new gear is for sale but it is mainly a resale shop that is well curated with cool outdoor stuff at bargain prices. Sorel snow boots, parkas, shell-pants are for sale in the winter along with serious climbing and camping gear in the basement. Warmer weather brings out the fly-fishing hiking gear.
On a recent trip into the store, I came upon this exquisite Filson shooting jacket. The 'Tin Cloth' coat was brand-new and I love it. -For $65, you can't go wrong.
To finish off the 'cardboard outfit,' I went to another go-to outdoor outfitter that's an institution in these parts. Tri-State Outfitters is a large outdoor store that's kind of like Cabellas or REI but cool. Family owned, it has lots of gear and clothing and cool stuff like Thule car bike racks and LeCruset pans. But it manages to have the cool stuff while avoiding hipsterism and embracing its practical Idaho roots. They also sell Wrangler polyester blend cowboy shirts (unironically). I went there for Levis 501 jeans. You can get those anywhere, right? Well, they sell BOATLOADS of Levis and sell the hard-to-find stiff-as-a-board untreated jeans. These are addicting. Don't wash them--just let them 'air out' before reuse! Due to their unique cotton and indigo fabric, they age beautifully and "shrink to fit. Also, they sell so many of these, they sell these prized Levis for $39 a pair, every day!
