"Mike Marlow" wrote in message
3X, or 4X for a name? When quality is obvious, then spend the money on
quality, but when it's not then go with the best price. This thread did
start out after all, with a fellow looking for a decent tote to stick some
tools in for around the house occasional use.

You're right of course and tote bags approach the level of being a
commodity. However, my limited experience with thrift shops most often tells
me that I'm wasting my time in them unless I'm looking for something that
will fill the quick and dirty usage category and not especially irritate me
when I have to throw it out.

If I have the time to spend hunting for something suitable in a cut rate
store, then by all means, that's where I'd go. If I'm looking for something
I know is a quality product, with the knowledge that the guarantee is
absolute and the product is dedicated to a particular task, in this case a
tote bag for *tools*, then I know there's an excellent chance of finding the
most useful tool bag at Lee Valley. And I know, I won't have to waste a
great deal of time doing it. So it all comes down to how much time one
wants to spend looking and how *decent* a tote bag they're looking for.
IMHO

And yes, I admit it, I'm a little bit of an elitist in the products I buy,
so that usually sways what and where I buy too.