Quiksilver

The r/BuyItForLife community has a genuinely warm relationship with older Quiksilver products, with numerous members citing items from the 1990s, 2000s, and early 2010s that are still going strong after decades of use. The brand's surf-heritage gear — jackets, hoodies, backpacks, shorts, and sandals — earns the most consistent praise for longevity. However, there is a notable and recurring caveat: newer Quiksilver items are widely perceived as lower quality, and the brand's acquisition by Authentic Brands Group raises concerns about ongoing manufacturing standards.

Vintage and older Quiksilver products have a strong track record of decade-spanning durability across multiple categories, but a documented quality decline in recent years and the brand's acquisition by a licensing-focused holding company make new purchases a gamble.

Long-time owners across multiple product categories consistently report items lasting 10–30 years with minimal wear, particularly jackets, hoodies, backpacks, and shorts from older production runs.

• Ski and snowboard jackets lasting 20+ years in harsh conditions
• Backpacks surviving 20+ years of daily commuting and school use
• Shorts reportedly lasting 10+ years with near-zero wear and tear
• Flip flops and sandals lasting 4–15+ years of regular use
• Hoodies and zip-ups holding up 6–20+ years without degradation
• Waterman Hawaiian shirts praised for durability and abrasion resistance

A clear quality decline in newer production is the most significant concern, with multiple users contrasting durable older pieces against quickly failing recent purchases. The brand's acquisition by Authentic Brands Group — known for licensing out brands rather than maintaining manufacturing — is cited as a structural red flag.

• Newer items (post-2010s) reported to develop holes within one year
• One new backpack failed on first real use due to single-stitch construction
• Quiksilver flip flops outlasted by competitor Ipanema over similar timeframe
• Brand now owned by ABG, which licenses rather than manufactures directly
• Dopp bag interior polymer lining degraded despite durable canvas exterior

One user noted they still own Quiksilver shirts from the early 2000s that hold up fine, but a shirt bought in 2020 developed holes within a year — a sentiment echoed by others tracking a clear quality decline over time.

A commenter described wearing the same Quiksilver snowboard jacket since 2010 through Norwegian winters as cold as -20°C, needing only one minor seam repair in over a decade.

Someone pointed out that Quiksilver has been acquired by Authentic Brands Group, the same company behind the decline of Aeropostale, Reebok, and Billabong — raising serious concerns about whether the brand's historic quality can continue.

A user casually mentioned their Quiksilver shorts from around 2011 are essentially immortal — worn every spring and summer for over a decade with virtually no visible wear.