One nice little benefit of being a blogger with an audience of decent size is that from time to time people offer you free stuff in the hopes that you'll like it and say something nice about it on the blog. I'm still waiting for the marketing folks from Porsche to contact me.
Medelita, a medical clothing company, recently sent me an email asking about advertising options and offering me a free white coat. I'm not much of a white coat guy anymore (despite the name of the blog), but I told them I could always use some scrubs. So they sent me a set of their “medical scrubs.” I was actually really impressed with everything about them, except the price (although I really liked the price I got.)
Are Expensive (Premium) Scrubs Worth It?
Now I confess I've never given a lot of thought to scrubs, despite the fact that I practically live in them. As a medical student and resident there were some hospital scrubs I liked and some I didn't. I started buying my own because they fit a little better and looked a little better (not to mention didn't have stains, didn't have notes scribbled on the thighs, and hadn't already been washed 10,000 times until they were see-through.) I even had some custom-made once, but after I started wearing clogs the nurses made fun of my high waters so I put them back in the closet. But for the most part, every year or two my wife orders me a few sets for Christmas and I go on with life.
I'm not big into fashion, but with all the time I spend outside in wildly changing conditions, I do have an appreciation for functional clothing. I've tried just about every possible water-wicking and waterproof material out there at some time or another. Medelita uses a different fabric than most scrubs do, which they advertise as being a wicking material rather than the more standard, mostly cotton blend that most scrubs use. They advertise that the material feels soft (I agree), wicks moisture (not really sure as I don't spend a lot of time sweating at work, at least not since I ditched the white coat), fit well (I agree), and maintain a quality appearance longer than other scrubs (not sure as I just got them.)
They also make white coats which are advertised to have stains roll right off them. That would be a pretty useful feature given the amount of vomit, blood, urine, stool, pus, discharge, and spit that my clothes seem to attract. Unfortunately, the scrubs don't have that same “Advanced Dual Action Teflon Fabric Protector” feature. (Don't ask how I know.)
Medelita Sizing – Scrub Fitting Issues
Based on testimonials on the web, one of the best things about Medelita scrubs is that they are designed to fit women. As you may or may not be aware, women are shaped differently than men. If I were a woman, I wouldn't want to wear scrubs designed to fit men, and I'd probably be willing to pay a little extra for that.
One thing that I thought was odd on their sizing charts was that the pants (for men) are all the same length. The inseam is always 32.75 inches. The waist size changes, and the distance from waist to crotch changes, but the total length doesn't. They say they're designed to fit men 5'11” to 6'2″. I guess I'm lucky that I'm very close to that. If you're very far outside of that range, you're going to need some custom tailoring. They'll do it for a fee, but they recommend you have it done by a local tailor. There are no “long” sizes for men (but curiously, there are for women, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that change soon.) Don't worry too much about which size to get since they let you order multiple sizes and just return the ones that don't fit (free of charge.)
The pants have a little bit of elastic in the waist (not too much) and a pocket on each side. The tops have a pretty standard pocket on the left side.
Color Options for Medelita scrubs
They only offer four colors, black, grey, and a couple of shades of blue. That's pretty much all I get anymore anyway, since I think they look most professional, but there are lots of people out there that like a little more variety.
Medelita Scrub Cost
They charge $42 for a women's top, $44 for a men's top, $46 for a women's bottom, and a $50 for a men's bottom. They include free shipping (mine showed up in less than 3 days) and free embroidery for that price, but not alterations. The “mall brand” scrubs I've been wearing are less than half as expensive.
Overall, I think the scrubs look better and feel better than the ones I've been wearing. They may even last longer. However, regular readers know I can be a bit of a cheapskate about some things, so they won't be surprised to see that I haven't thrown away all my “mall scrubs” and loaded up on ten sets of Medelita scrubs at nearly $100 a set. But when it comes time to replace worn out scrubs I think I'll be stopping by Medelita's website. If they last twice as long, buying these “premium scrubs” will be a no-brainer for me.
Do you buy your own scrubs? What kind and why? Would you consider paying $100 for a really nice set? Comment below!
Oh no, say it isn’t so! This is a new low, WCI, but I guess you have to make the website worth your time by whatever means possible. You deserve much more than a free pair of scrubs for this one.
I think you overestimate the amount of time put into this post.
🙂
I agree this review seems out of line with the intent of the WCI. Turned me off
Jeez guys give the man a break… 3 blog posts a week, a little fluff once and awhile never hurt anyone.
I think $100 for a set of scrubs is exorbitant. I won’t pay more than $30 a set. When I was a resident/new grad, I thought monogramming was cool on scrubs. I’ve long since given up on that.
I agree that this post isn’t the usual fare for WCI, but if you can’t talk about the price of scrubs here, then where else?
Feedback is fine, positive or negative. That’s how I make things better for the readers. I’ve made lots of changes on the blog over the years as a result of readers letting me have it in the comments section when they thought I blew it. I’ve done lots of reviews. Most of them readers seem to like. Every now and then they hate ’em. That’s okay. But if Porsche calls with a free 911, I don’t care what you guys think. 🙂
This wasn’t intended as a negative critique of the blog. I just wouldn’t pay that much for those scrubs.
Don’t buy scrubs. I have an entire drawer full I have 5 fingered from the hospitals over the years. Wear usually when I am on call and traveling around to different hospitals/surgery centers.
I agree wholeheartedly on the free Porsche comment. I couldn’t blame you but I would sell the 911 and use some of the proceeds for new tires for my 13 year old Pathfinder.
id actually be curious if anyone had other recommendations for cheap but good scrubs that doesnt involve the 5 finger discount.
its impossible to have super serious stuff all the time.
I gave up on short cut scrubs, and the choice of male scrubs [NASCAR/Sports], I’ve found the scrubs at http://www.nursejoe.com to be VERY sturdy, long, well equipped with pockets, pen, trauma shear holders.
They come in mil-spec fabrics and camouflage, but they have some more neutral options. They don’t have a “digital pus” camouflage.
[prior service 82nd Abn]
Where to get high quality scrubs,
without theft, or malice or might;
where to get high quality scrubs,
that wash themselves each night?
Ah, theres the rub.
(I’ll keep my day job)
WCI, I think you risk alienating your readers by posting reviews like this. Stick to financial topics. That’s what I come here for.
Perhaps you might consider positioning a post like this under your “Review” tab. Or create a new “Product Review” category (for stuff that’s not overtly related to finances). That way the cry-babies won’t have to click on them from the main page. Oh wait…no one forced them to click on the review to begin with. Good grief folks, get off your high horses.
Love the blog. First-time poster, long-time follower. Keep up the great work.
My husband is a dentist. Several years ago he started wearing lab coats. I am dismayed to find the lack of quality for something so basic. I wanted crisp, sharp, comfortable. What I found was coats consistently made a few stitch details beyond an old flour sack. I ran across a Grey’s Anatomy coat with great stitch detail that made it lay well with very nice fit. He was very pleased with them. But it is time to replace and they are now discontinued.I have searched EVERYWHERE for well made top stitched lab coats. This is the “only” product I have seen that I would consider purchasing. I will place an order. It is a relief to find a good product in this category. I do not consider the price unreasonable for the quality they are offering.
I am commenting because I am surprised by the push back to the idea that you would review a product like this on your blog. To me, work clothes are like tools. It matters which ones you use. They determined how you look, feel, & function everyday. It is like a good hair day vs bed head on the job. To move with ease, to look sharp and professional, to be both protected and be able to easily maintain the sharp clean appearance is of great value to my husband and his career. It is part of his identity as a professional. I remember a wall plaque that says, “Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.”
I am not getting recompensed, I just want to affirm the value I see in this product. I want to speak for quality when I see it or it may go extinct!
Hello All,
For the sake of market research, I would like to inquire about the demand for a high-quality, designer made, fully stain resistant female lab coat. If someone were to sell the same, if not better quality coat than the beautiful product made by Medelita, for a lower price, free delivery, and free monogram, would anyone be interested?
Thanks for any feedback!
P.S. this is a well written post and review no matter what the content is supposed to be.
I have ordered from Medelita in the past- the quality is nice but their service is terrible. They advertise shipping within 5-10 business days- it’s a lie. Their scrubs are nice but not worth the money.
Again- costumer service is absolutely terrible! Don’t waste your cash.
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Unfortunately they do not answer emails. I was surprised recently they are charging shipping fees now. Few things make me disappointed at this business and make me seek alternatives