McQueen,

I'm sympathetic to your point about U.S. goods often being pricey.

To some degree, we're paying more for goods in order that workers of those U.S. companies can make a living wage and have a higher quality of life than workers in, say, China, who may get paid extremely low wages.

I would also say that paying more for quality goods has a benefit in that the products usually last longer and you get your money's worth. You can pay half price for knock-off gear, but it's been my experience that this stuff often breaks or wears out quicker, requiring frequent replacement.

Purely from my own standpoint, I try to look at purchases and ask myself, 'does buying this thing promote American jobs and does it support a company that has a conscience?'

This isn't always possible... but it's something I like to try to do as often as I can.

I also ask myself, 'do I need this thing or can I live without it?'

Not always easy with fly geat but, in my case, I need to start doing more with less.

rjj