Methodology
What defines "good"? What earns a brand a place in GoodBrandArchive?
Selection Criteria
- Proven durability
- At least one product line has a strong reputation for durability. Not everything a brand makes needs to be exceptional, but at least something they make should be considered by many to be of good quality.
- Sustained community sentiment
- That reputation of the brand (or that one good thing they make) should be based on a sustained community sentiment, not just a recent trend.
Where the Information Comes From
- Community discussion
- A huge part of this comes from r/BuyItForLife on Reddit. Trustpilot is also used, not to see what is good, but to check for any recurring themes among the comments made. The focus generally is on patterns that span over long periods of time.
- Official documentation
- Warranty terms, return policies, and manufacturing information from the brands themselves.
- Public records
- Ownership changes, acquisitions, manufacturing relocations—anything that might affect quality trajectory.
What I Don't Do
- No ratings
- There will be no "Best backpack brand of 2025" badges or articles. I'd like to avoid systems that can be gamed.
- No affiliate-driven decisions
- If affiliate links are ever used, they will not influence which brands are listed or how they are described. Affiliate links would only come to the site with the intention of funding the backend costs (not much for a site like this).
- No paid listings
- Brands cannot pay for a listing, and cannot steer the language used, or steer anything about the site across the board.
Updates & Corrections
If something is wrong, I would like to know about it. If you want to voice any opinions about the site or anything on it, please reach out: contact@cloudedstar.com