Tell us about your knock off gear fails

Shokgoblr

Shokgoblr

Rank III
Launch Member

Off-Road Ranger I

676
PA, USA
First Name
Shok
Last Name
Goblr
Member #

25276

Ham/GMRS Callsign
Ihave1
Everyone has monetary concerns and we all look to save anywhere we can. Sometimes thats on our gear. What gear have you cheaped out on that has failed you?
I actually enjoy testing cheap gear. My most recent fail was Odoland 3500 Solo stove. This stove is similar to MSR or Gigapower stoves. Unfortunately it does not work well. It spits and sputters, it has poor gas metering as well.
I can not reccomend this stove.
Some things I see most often being listed as junk are knock off awnings, knock off tire carriers, KO Maxtrax, KO Lights, KO Roof tents.... etc.... What have you actually seen fail?
 
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X-BULL Traction Boards. Bought them because I got tired of jacking, digging, and building up when I got stuck and didn't want to pay almost 3x for Maxtrax. Used them 2-3 times when one broke on day 1 of a 10 day NE trip. Made a detour and picked up some Maxtrax from OK4WD and I haven't needed them since... Go figure.
 
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same....bought some chinese brand (yeeroy) traction boards off amazon and they are total shite. sometimes the off brand is OK, but not in this case :rage:
and the sad thing is that i could hear them laughing at me...

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grubworm said:
same....bought some chinese brand (yeeroy) traction boards off amazon and they are total shite. sometimes the off brand is OK, but not in this case :rage:
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I bought some xbull ones last week...hope they are ok...Box came in with giant "made in china" writing on it and i felt like an absolute dick, lol...I mean, i knew they were copies, but i wouldn't have been that proud of where they were made.

I've gone through enough knock off parts in the car world where now i try my absolute hardest to buy once, cry once...This is a little newer for me and just in case the wife really doesn't enjoy herself i felt some off brands would be ok initially.
 
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LostWoods said:
X-BULL Traction Boards. Bought them because I got tired of jacking, digging, and building up when I got stuck and didn't want to pay almost 3x for Maxtrax. Used them 2-3 times when one broke on day 1 of a 10 day NE trip. Made a detour and picked up some Maxtrax from OK4WD and I haven't needed them since... Go figure.
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Out of curiosity since my set just came in, were you trying to bridge potholes/gaps, or genuinely stuck in mud/sand? I'm curious how long mine will last.
 
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My xbull boards are doing well and ive used it to jack up the truck also because it was too short
 
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haaken675 said:
Out of curiosity since my set just came in, were you trying to bridge potholes/gaps, or genuinely stuck in mud/sand? I'm curious how long mine will last.
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All I remember is gunked up tires (stock tacoma ATs are terrible in mud) and a somewhat sunken log step up in the trail. I think they just didn't slide under like I expected and the little bounce on them when I hit the face of the log did them in. The design is tall, if that makes any sense and it adds a lot more rigidity. They still worked to get me through so it's not like I shattered them, I just cracked the edge on both sides.

I think for a backup plan in mud or sand, they're likely fantastic - you just can't do the stupid shit with them that I've seen Maxtrax take all day long.
 
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Bought some LED light strips (of course they are made in China) and it failed the first time I installed them and tried to turn them on. This was a good looking product too, except that thought went out the door the moment it failed and I had to curse everything "Made in China". I'll pay $20 more and buy them at HomeDepot.
 
I bought a "tactical shovel" on Amazon a few years ago. 10 in 1! The problem is, it does all 10 things very poorly, including digging. The compass barely spins, the handles come loose when using it, and a crowbar would split wood faster than the hatchet function. I was hoping it would be a decent compact emergency tool for the cars, but it is so bad at everything I wouldn't want to trust it in an actual emergency.
 
While I may agree and laugh it is not appropriate to make racist jokes about ones nationalities.....OK to say China makes cheap crap or whatever, but not get personal......Just trying to keep this from going off the rails please.

Thank you all!
 
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malacandro said:
I bought a "tactical shovel" on Amazon a few years ago. 10 in 1! The problem is, it does all 10 things very poorly, including digging. The compass barely spins, the handles come loose when using it, and a crowbar would split wood faster than the hatchet function. I was hoping it would be a decent compact emergency tool for the cars, but it is so bad at everything I wouldn't want to trust it in an actual emergency.
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I have an old army issue E-Tool with the pick attachment, and freaking love it. Got it for free from a Fire Dept getting rid of some old gear. Definitely worth seeing if you can find one on the cheap.
 
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Maverick9110E said:
I have an old army issue E-Tool with the pick attachment, and freaking love it. Got it for free from a Fire Dept getting rid of some old gear. Definitely worth seeing if you can find one on the cheap.
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My grandpa had several when I was a kid, they were very compact and worked wonderfully. Finding an original is getting hard.
 
Maverick9110E said:
malacandro said:
I bought a "tactical shovel" on Amazon a few years ago. 10 in 1! The problem is, it does all 10 things very poorly, including digging. The compass barely spins, the handles come loose when using it, and a crowbar would split wood faster than the hatchet function. I was hoping it would be a decent compact emergency tool for the cars, but it is so bad at everything I wouldn't want to trust it in an actual emergency.
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I have an old army issue E-Tool with the pick attachment, and freaking love it. Got it for free from a Fire Dept getting rid of some old gear. Definitely worth seeing if you can find one on the cheap.
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If youre referring to the M-1951 military intrenching tool (with pick) You are 100% correct. They are awesome.
 
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Maverick9110E said:
I have an old army issue E-Tool with the pick attachment, and freaking love it. Got it for free from a Fire Dept getting rid of some old gear. Definitely worth seeing if you can find one on the cheap.
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Unless you have to dig a fox hole in rocky ground. Not so fun times with the ole e-tool.
 
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