Eddie Bauer

My family loves to get me Christmas presents from Eddie Bauer. Some of it has been great some of it not so much. Does anybody have any EB stuff they really like? If I had the opportunity to nudge them in a particular direction what would you recommend?

First ascent stuff is pretty good. I love the guide work pants. I have four pairs…

The generic stuff isn’t Low quality” anymore than the quality you’d find in Columbia or northface now as mainstream as it’s become. Their casual clothes are just fine compared to any other pair of pants, sun hoodies, fleece pullovers, etc. I actually love love the fleece lined pants. I’ve hiked in their Jean lookin pair up to RMNP sky pond in jan with extrem cold temps with the intense wind and cold feel the cold on my legs whatsoever. It’s like you’re wearing a fleece blanket around your legs all day long. It’s quite astounding to me honestly how wonderful those feel.

Their first ascent line is where their gear shines from the technical climbing pack to their Peak XV belay parka although I didn’t prefer it to something like a mountain hardware nilas due to no dual zipper, it’s weight and consequently lack of packability. On the flip side I have a very light and packable BC evertherm that I’ve now ice climbed in -15° temps in North Conway NH, 0° northern Michigan and climbed with it up the kautz glacier on Rainier and it’s perfect for what I’d say is about 95% of anything your want or need in winter recreation activities. I also have the regular lighter FA evertherm puffy that’s packs down to nothing literally and kept me quite warm at sub 20° temps. The jacket is quite thin outer shell though that can easily get a hole or snag in it as it doesn’t have that durable out pertex shell of the BC evertherm. Overall I’m pretty happy with Eddie Bauer for a balance of their deals, their warranty, quality of technical climbing line and even their casual clothes. They also give you a $10 reward certificate which got me a pair of maroon FA guide pro pants that were one the cleanse rack for $10 so essentially a pair of free guide pro pants which I wear rock climbing all the time at Seneca rocks, RRG or any other crag I go to.

I would say to tell you family to get you anything from their first ascent line but particularly I’d recommend the fleece lined mt. Rainier pants or the BC evertherm as I would always buy these again and again. 

I have two pairs of their generic pants and they have lasted far longer than similar items from the big name "climbing" brands, and they cost less. 

Their guide pants are really good, and agreed any puffy down or synthetic will be good. I’ve noticed that the differences between brands on quality/performance has narrowed a lot over the years so pick out a piece of gear to complete your kit and go with that. Plenty of people I know use EB gear because it’s always on sale. 

I love their Lined Guide Pants.  They are comfortable in a very wide range of temps.

I got a First Ascent IgniteLite Stretch Reversible Hooded Jacket and I love it. I also love that they offer it in a regular or tall, so I could get the fit right around the middle, but still have it be long enough. 

Thanks everyone!

Guide pants are great. I have 4 pairs.

Agree with prior posters that Guide Pants and also the Lined Guide Pants are great items.

I have a First Ascent soft shell jacket that is still going strong (if a bit grimy) after 7 seasons of ice climbing. And I wear an old First Ascent lightweight stretch puffy underneath on extra cold days. Love both pieces, not sure EB still offers them, but just adding my voice to the chorus: you can't go wrong with the first ascent line.

I own 2 pairs of guide pants and shorts. They're excellent, and one of my go-to pants for playing outside. I was actually looking at purchasing the lined pants just yesterday! 

I also bought one of their relatively generic down jackets for like $18 and I just keep it in my crag pack, it's pretty warm and weighs nothing. 

I really like their Guide and Guide Light gloves.

Lots of dexterity for placing ice screws and plugging in pro.  

I like EB stuff.....I feel good quality.

I love their Guide Pro pants.......light weight, I always wear them rock climbing.....I feel they have the right amount of stretch, and protect my legs from getting all scratched up. 

I wore out a pair of guide pants in under a year of barely using them. I pretty much live in my LS excelsior pants since I bought them and probably wore the guide pants once every week or two while those were in the wash.

I do love the new huge down jacket that I picked up for Denali last spring, the Downclime Alpine parka. I call it my “I’ll never be cold again” layer… and I’ve never been cold wearing it.

The Bacon 2.0 pack is fantastic. It rides better than most of the other climbing packs I’ve tried out, and at 28 liters can carry a double rack with a rope on top, or can carry skis.