Stirrin' the pot

[druff6991]

Ok I'm gonna come back and reply to this as the mechanic I am.

I will stick with name brand tools, snap on, matco, Mac. Because if you've ever used a cheap one, you know how much nicer your job becomes with the name brand stuff. Not only nicer but they're usually associated with a no questions asked warranty. Craftsman will turn you away if you're wearing a company shirt fyi.

Now as the engine builder. I use brands I trust. Just because stuffs cheap, doesn't mean it's bad. For example a royal purple oil filter is a 25 micron filter, it's also 15 dollars. The same oil filter made by Bosch is 7 dollars and is a 20 micron filter. The cheaper filter, filters better. And guess which is on my truck right now. This is a case where you'd be paying for the purple paint (think John Deere if you're in agriculture)

Now for every other aspect (minus tents, I want a 1300 dollar tentpi just because it's cool and i don't know of another canvas teepee that has a floor in it) I'll go with the cheaper stuff like my Ozark trail cup example so many people seemed to enjoy. Or the cheap lawn chairs because the sun is gonna deteriorate them just as fast as an expensive one. Or a cheap shovel because it's gonna dig just the same.

If I buy a brand name, it's because they've proven themselves to be better to me, I will not buy a brand name when the knock off does just as good.

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[CCH185]

I tend to stick with name brand gear, but I seldom buy it at full price. Craigslist, Ebay and simply hunting for closeouts and sales are great ways to get good stuff at reasonable prices. Items I don't recommend going cheap on for the outdoors are tires (although there is a pretty big range in the good department), boots (Sierra Trading Post is my friend and can be yours as well), tents (if you use them in all weather, you have proven this for yourself) and optics. Most other camping items are pretty open. You can set up a pretty decent camp kitchen without going all Snow Peak. I have some Patagonia clothing (bought on clearance) and some from Sam's Club (their merino socks are a particularly good deal and I really like their travel shorts), but clothing is pretty easy to buy cheap and not feel like you've cut into someone's engineering work. Sleeping bags for overlanding can be had cheap, especially as weight is not nearly as much of a consideration. Again, STP is a great source for decent but relatively inexpensive gear.

When it comes to the blatant rip off items like Helionox style chairs, I struggle a bit. I had an REI flexlite chair, but it wasn't ideal for me due to height and stability. I came across a similar chair at Sam's Club and tried it. The funny thing is that it has some significant design differences in the frame that make it a sturdier chair, and is imported just like the REI chair but only $25 instead of $75. I find it worth keeping for guests. Was I wrong to keep the "knock off" that appeared to be improved over the name brand?

Coolers make for very entertaining threads. Watching the debate between Yeti Cultsters and Yeti Bashers never gets old. Wait, I lied. It gets old very quickly. Personally, I have two Yetis. Neither was purchased at full retail, but both are of a specific size that fit exactly how I want in the back of my Jeep, and I trust them to do a good job cooling especially when it comes to transporting game. When I needed a smaller day trip type cooler, I went with an Ozark Trail soft cooler that had (for me) a more useful design than the Yeti Hopper and was significantly less coin. It has been a winner for $150 less than the Yeti equivalent.

Yeti has sued Wal-Mart over the mugs. However, they don't have a design patent on them, but are claiming "trade dress rights" -- essentially saying they look too much like the Yeti product. I struggle with that a bit. There have been plastic insulated mugs around for a long time that have a similar shape to the Yeti product, so I'm not sure that they are all that visually unique. The Yeti mugs are not made in the U.S., so I also struggle with the fact that they are marking them WAY up just for the name. I received a Yeti mug as a gift and then invested $10 in a new lid that actually closed. $40 for a mug! My wife and kids have Sam's Club versions: $15 for two. They seem to work fine.

I think the most important thing to do is not let getting the "best" gear keep you from getting out. Get what you can afford that will allow you to enjoy a safe trip, and get out there. Don't wait forever until your rig is built just right and your kit is suitable for a trip with Andrew St. Pierre. Time on the trail is the goal.

 

[chuckoverland]

Spent 80$ on a harbor freight air compressor, besides the gague being faulty (pick up quality gague 20$) thing works fine just fine.

 

[Anak]

Or a cheap shovel because it's gonna dig just the same.

Hey! Not so fast!

I've got a thing about shovels, having worn out and broken more than my fair share over the years. A good Razorback with the double riveted socket and a reinforced, welded back is a wonderful tool. A proper hickory handle with straight, correctly oriented grain matters too. Those yellow fiberglass things don't even begin to cut the mustard. The red fiberglass with a wooden core is okay, but not great.

Sadly, I don't think they make them with the reinforced back anymore, but I have seen them with the double rivets within the last ten years.

What it really comes down to is "How much use are you expecting with a certain tool?"

Having to maintain a mile and a half of dirt road up the side of a mountain for twenty years gave me plenty of quality time with the old muck stick and has resulted in my refined sense of shovel quality.

On the other hand, if you all are going to do is dig a hole to do your business every now and then, and maybe get yourself unstuck once every few years, well maybe you can justify a cheap shovel. But I wouldn't want to count on it for the getting unstuck duty. I swear some of those things are made of "butter-grade" steel. You look at them hard and they will bend. And then there are the others that have no give and snap across the middle. There are a number of failure modes for those "tool-shaped objects".

I appreciate a well made shovel.

(Just doing my part to keep the pot stirring)

 

[druff6991]

Hey! Not so fast!


I appreciate a well made shovel.

(Just doing my part to keep the pot stirring)

Lol in my area, if I wear out a cheap shovel, that is just way too much digging for one man and I'm probably just better off just renting a mini excavator for the day[emoji16]

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[SeguineJ]

So happy where this post has gone. I think some points have been made that honestly are correct. Tools is a spot where I learned to spend the money on something that will last, but I have also learned what has been stated, it depends on how much use and abuse its going to get. I don't need a 10,000 snap on toolbox setup, I have used craftsmen my entire short lifespan and never had an issue.

Those two points go hand in hand, the amount of use and abuse surely affects whether you need whats considered "The Brand" to buy.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I have used craftsmen my entire short lifespan and never had an issue.

Sad thing, the Sears in my area is GONE. Looks like they will be closing more.

I heard somebody bought the Craftsman NAME and stuff, but have no idea how the warranty is going to work, or where to take broken tools, or even IF they have a Lifetime warranty anymore.

I would have never dreamed the Nations #1 retailer and builder of the Worlds tallest building (at the time) would have crumbled to practically nothing in just a few decades.

 

[Anak]

Sad thing, the Sears in my area is GONE. Looks like they will be closing more.

I heard somebody bought the Craftsman NAME and stuff, but have no idea how the warranty is going to work, or where to take broken tools, or even IF they have a Lifetime warranty anymore.

I would have never dreamed the Nations #1 retailer and builder of the Worlds tallest building (at the time) would have crumbled to practically nothing in just a few decades.

I think the lifetime warranty will remain even after Sears is finally gone. Some Ace Hardware stores carry them (it varies from store to store) and OSH (Orchard Supply and Hardware) also carries them. OSH seems to be extending their reach. It will most likely be harder to get them exchanged.

The demise of Sears is probably going to go down as a textbook example of what happens if you fail to adapt to a changing world. Sears should be in the position of Amazon right now. Their catalog should have been an easy transition to web sales. I guess someone didn't think this internet thing was going to add up to a hill of beans and decided to ignore it. I would say Bezos should buy up what is left of Sears, but there is probably too much of a failure stigma attached to Sears by now. What is the opposite of "blue sky" when it comes to valuation?

 

[crit_pw]

OK so here is my $0.02...I have many "premium" name brand items from tools to gear to parts, however I have just as many "no name" items. I spent 17 years in the automotive industry so yes I have $1000's invested in name brand (Snap-On, Matco, MAC tools). My favorite ratchet is now 20 years old and other than the wear on the grip from years of use it still functions like it did the day I bought it. I also have a large selection of Harbor freight tools. I looked at what I expected the tools to do and how long I expected it to last and how much I was going to use the tool. There has been many tools I have bought cheap with no name brand because I only needed the tool to work one or two times. I also have a great deal of Craftsman tools that have never let me down but Craftsman never came to me on a weekly basis or would come to replace a broken or faulty tool with just a phone call. The same goes for my gear and parts. Research and buy based on need and expectations. When it comes to gear that could make or break a trip then I will research and make sure that I am getting the product that meets or exceeds my expectations. When it comes to the cheaper items that wont destroy my trip then I will go with a cheaper brand, especially if I can get 2 or 3 of an item for the same price of a single name brand item. I can pack one for a lot of $ or pack 3 for little $ and afford to throw one away if needed and still have 2 in reserve. Some items I will never skimp on. Recovery gear must be top notch and certified to do the job advertised. I wont risk mine or anyone else's safety on cheap rigging gear. First aid kits are the same. I will spend the extra in hopes I will never use it rather than finding out that the discount kit I bought doesn't do what a situation requires. Parts for my rig are the same. I will spend the extra for the proven brands with history, reputation and customer service rather than saving a few bucks to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. When it comes to safety I will always choose the tested, proven brand that has a verifiable track record no matter the cost. Do I have brand loyalty? Yes I do but I still continue to follow the other brands in case their quality or reliability improves. If I say I am a life long brand customer its because I have not found a better option for that particular item, tool, or part. I do also have a loyalty/ preference to US made products but am a realist and know not all items made in the US are the superior product. As I stated at the beginning of my post this is my $0.02 and my opinion. I know not all will agree with me and that's fine. I make my purchases based on research, conversation with others that have used a product and my own experience with different brands.

 

[druff6991]

My favorite ratchet is now 20 years old and other than the wear on the grip from years of use it still functions like it did the day I bought it. I also have a large selection of Harbor freight tools.

I've got a couple old black hawk ratchets that are like that. And I love harbor freight for when you gotta make a funky shaped wrenches, or any you gotta turn into stubbys


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[Arizona Overland]

This has been an interesting thread for sure.
"Ozark trails because 60$ for a cup is a lot of stupid"
"R&D and ................."
"Yeti is suing Walmart..............."
So, did yeti do the R&D and invent the vacuum liquids container?
LOL. No, Yeti knocked off the products of the company that did that. So who cares if Ozark Trail Knocks them off?
Not me.
ARB..................
Do they really have a refrigerator manufacturing plant? Or are they just branding a product made by a different company?
Craftsmen tools are still fairly good, but they used to be as good as the big names. The warranty was better also. Things have changed with Craftsmen though. They decided to not manufacture top quality tools in the early 90s it seems like to me.
And Sears as a whole has been in decline long before the internet came along.
I could go on and on with this, but there is no point. The guy that wants to berate me for not buying Yeti or ARB is not going to change my mind, but it is interesting reading to pass the time while I drink my iced tea.

 

[GABEHERNANDEZ]

I'm glad this was a topic. Now I know who I would hang out with and who I wouldn't. Haha. [emoji16]

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[vegasjeepguy]

The axiom of "you get what you pay for" runs into the law of diminishing returns. My brand loyalty is primarily motivated by supporting companies that innovate and offer unique or quality products at a price that I consider fair. While I am not anti-Walmart, I have seen what the retail giant does to local businesses when a Superstore opens in a community. Amazon has done the same to brick and mortar retailers who can't adapt in the age of online shopping.

 

[Arizona Overland]

The axiom of "you get what you pay for" runs into the law of diminishing returns. My brand loyalty is primarily motivated by supporting companies that innovate and offer unique or quality products at a price that I consider fair. While I am not anti-Walmart, I have seen what the retail giant does to local businesses when a Superstore opens in a community. Amazon has done the same to brick and mortar retailers who can't adapt in the age of online shopping.

Local Businesses are supposed to be owned by business people. Part of business is changing and innovating. If a local business doesn't have the ability to change and innovate, then the person running them is not a business person, they are just a shopkeeper. Shopkeepers LOVE small towns where the population is, I don't know the word Im searching for here, because they don't have to compete. They can offer limited choices at prices they dictate because they don't have to compete.
I don't like Mom and Pop shops.

 

[Scott]

Im an admited gearhead and I tend to get the best stuff I can afford. But it's not really about "brand names"'as much as a company's integrity, and user reviews from folks I trust. I own a lot of the usual backpacking and overlanding suspects: ARB, Blue Ridge Overland Gear, MSR, GSI, snowpeak, Pelican, etc.

That said, I recently bought some "Moon Lence" (no-name Chinese brand) ultra-light chairs and a small table off Amazon and they were less than half as much as REI or Helionox chairs and tables of the same design! So far they have performed really well (and yes, they seat adults too [emoji12])

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On the topic of these chairs, if you are an Amazon prime member, they have them on sale for $27 for today only. I am seriously thinking about getting a couple.

 

[buckwilk]

I'm a military brat, didn't sleep on anything but a GI cot till I left home. Spent my outdoor youth hunting, fishing and camping with army surplus equipment. Was the gear perfect? Yes, yes it was, considering the alternative. As for today's equipment and pricing, one size does not fit all.

 

[Young Satchel]

On the topic of these chairs, if you are an Amazon prime member, they have them on sale for $27 for today only. I am seriously thinking about getting a couple.

If you do (did?), let us know what you think in this thread. I've yet to give them as much use as I would like, but so-far-so good!


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[The Raven]

I buy "proven" brands second hand when possible like my Canada Goose jacket that i got at Goodwill for $10 last winter. Have no problem with off brands but do read the reviews pretty regularly. It really comes down to getting what you pay for.

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[Gary Stevens]

I have Auxbeam lights front and back on my rig. These are just a good bang for the buck and are doing well, wiring kit and all. For as much as I use them these seem like a reasonable cost vs. quality. Next I have had more fun with inexpensive LED strip lights that I have installed in the front, and back of my rig. They work great. I just put in colored lights under the dash I love them. Along the way I have picked up a bunch of LED camping lights, when I have seen them go on sale. Most are small. These work great in camp. The newest two are solar powered and it is amazing how well they work. I also have a collection of no-name LED flash lights. This is more hit and miss, but I have enjoyed making a small collection for not a lot of money.

 

[Stone74]

I have name brand and the off brand stuff. Sometimes, I have found some great deals on the off brand and has just as reliable as the name brand. Other times, got what paid for...Sadly
I've gotten better at researching on potential gear. So, I've gotten more "bang for my buck" as I go along.
Boils down to preference.

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