Buy now, buy later??
 

Hello everybody!

I'm going to be travelling from Australia to Poland in mid-september, then staying in Europe (Travelling through Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia and France) until Mid-october.
While there, I want to do plenty of outdoorsy stuff walking, horse-riding, exploring etc.. I know it's gonna be getting chilly, and probably raining...

This mightn't seem like a major dilemma, but it is to me! Should I buy a nice, lightweight waterproof jacket here (I found a nice one today in Snowgum, $250AU), or should I wait till I get to Poland and try and find one there? Might be cheaper... I do like shopping, so I do plan to visit their malls and whatever else, but I don't want to not be able to find one, and end up cold and/or wet for the first week and a half until I find something...

Plus I won't be able to read lables in Polish, to know what something's made of, whether it is/isn't waterproof etc...

Hmm, I don't know. Ideas? Suggestions? Thanks!

Frank;y that seems like an outrageous amount for a thin waterproof jacket. If you can;t find something for half that - wait and get in in europe. Just be sure you have a sturdy folding umbrella with you, as well as a couple of sweaters (mid-October can be quite chilly at night).

Nah, wasn't thin.. Think it had down in it. I do a lot of outdoor stuff here too so it wouldn't go to waste.

But thanks for your opinion. :)

i say buy before you go
wait til there is a sale on at katmandu - they seem genuine and get something in gortex if you can
personally i wear a warm jacket ( fleece) with a huski brand raincoat over it which i keep in my tote
that way if i leave the raincoat somewhere i wont cry buckets

dont go for cheapie raincoats like slazenger - absolutely no good if theres real rain

i also bought a pair of salamon hikers with gortex liners - theyre waterproof- thats a big thing for me cos last time my shoes got wet they stayed wet for two days - nowhere to dry

try the hood when youre trying on your jacket from snowgum carefully - some drop into your eyes easily so i have packed a soft hat with a brim ( cap would do ) to keep the hood propped up

I responded to your other post. I think you may find that high-quality outdoor clothing is actually more expensive (or certainly not less expensive) in Eastern Europe than in Australia. If the Australian dollar is particularly strong against the zloty right now (and a lot of currencies are), you might have a marginal savings.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm going to start a hunt for a good jacket now, before I go.

Doug, particularly helpful. :) I thought that being as they have such cold, cold winters over there, they'd be better equipped re: warm clothes, but if you think the quality might be lacking I'll get something here before I go.
The challenge then will be not wearing it to death and getting it all grimy at dog competitions in the cold and wet there. ;)

Hi, one more. Just saw this. I too recommend buying before you go. To be sure, there are great jackets in the major shopping malls (and not so major ones) in Warsaw and other cities. I'm from the states and brands like North Face etc are popular here and available there. There are very cute winter coats in the shops. That said, unless you want to have the pressure -- or the fun -- of needing to get out and find something right away, I'd say this is something to bring along. And you never know what is available at any given time or place and running around to look isn't so easy as at home. The other thing is the exchange rate. Check it out and see what you think. And have fun!

Thanks everyone!

I got one here. It's pretty good, I'm happy, and will definetly come in handy running about in the rain with my dog when I'm at home as well. ;)

Buy it before your trip or in other countries BUT not in Poland - Poles travel outside to buy quality clothing electronics etc ... Zloty is not that great yet ...

With respect to PeterB, I disagree with the general premise that Poles travel outside to buy quality clothings, etc. It's not so much the quality as the price. You can get great quality! But Poles do love their jeans and love to travel to NY to shop, and buy them cheaper, but at discounters, which aren't available in Poland. I'm going to stick up for the quality of what's available -- it's just like any other European country, the brands, the chains, the same. But, as I wrote earlier, I just don't want the hassle or pressure of having to find something right away. Have a great trip and enjoy the rain with your dog!