The great deabate

Every year around this time, I begin debating winter outerwear for the kids. In August I start haunting Ebay for deals. Generally I can find something for at least one of the kids, last year I lucked out and landed a coat for C for $12. This year I am not having much luck. And getting nervous because a few years ago I got really stuck for C as when I couldn't find one on Ebay and finally decided to buy full price, everyplace was totally sold out. I can't even remember what I ended up doing. I think I bought a size up and he swam for a year...

A generally gets hand-me-downs from Julia, but this is the year that Rebecca also bought a size up for Julia and that coat is now in London and not all that useful to me. And while C's coat from last year still fits, it was a light yellow, and used, and stained a little when I bought it for $12, and now it is just so gross that I can't in good conscience let him wear it, especially when I only spent $12 on it.

I've been haunting Ebay, and everything is going for so close to retail that there seems no point. But to pay retail for a winter coat and snow pants is just EXPENSIVE. I know that it is something they will wear every day and end up being inexpensive per wear, but STILL. And I just can't bring myself to believe that the Old Navy coats as as warm as the LL Bean or Lands End ones. Additionally, the New Englander in me insists that the winter coat is a VERY IMPORTANT item, as one never knows when one might get snowed upon and be forced to play outdoors in snow banks for hours on end.

Where do you get your kids winter coats (for those of you who have to worry about such things!) Would you continue to haunt Ebay, or suck it up and order coats now to make sure you could get the right size (and, of course color combination as C MUST have a coat with orange on it...)? Inquiring minds want to know...