c/buy-it-for-life-gear

The $90 cast iron pan I bought new beat my inherited 40 year old one

Tbh I tried everything to save gramps' old skillet, reseasoned it six times and it still flaked, but after two months of daily eggs on a modern Lodge with a smooth bottom, the old one now just hangs on the wall, so has anyone else had better luck with new gear over heirlooms or am I doing the old one wrong?

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mason283•1d ago

I finally gave my 14 year old cheap backpack a proper wash and it feels brand new

I bought this no-name daypack from a street vendor in Austin back in 2011 for like $25, just for a weekend trip. It's been through two moves, a rainy season in Seattle, and daily commutes since then, but I never really cleaned it. Last Sunday I soaked it in the tub with some mild soap, scrubbed the zippers with a toothbrush, and let it air dry for two days. The fabric colors are brighter and the zippers slide like they did on day one, honestly shocked it held up this long. Has anyone else had a cheap bag surprise them like this, or did I just get a lucky one?

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hugo_ellis•1d ago

My old $8 webbing belt outlived three $50 leather ones

I used to buy leather belts at the mall every year because they sagged or cracked by month eight. Back in 2019 I grabbed a cheap nylon climbing belt from REI on a whim for a backpacking trip, and it's STILL going strong after daily use. The leather ones looked nicer at first, but the webbing never stretched and the buckle never bent out of shape. Now I only buy military or climbing surplus webbing belts, and I save a ton over time. Has anyone else switched away from leather for daily wear and never looked back?

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nancys90•2d ago

Cheap rain jacket outlasted my $200 shell by two years in Seattle

I bought a cheap store brand rain jacket for $35 back in 2021 just to keep in my truck for emergencies. My fancy Gore-Tex shell started delaminating after one wet winter, but that cheap thing is still going strong. It's not breathable at all, so I sweat like crazy if I move fast, but for standing on a roof in the drizzle it does the job. The zipper finally started catching last month, and honestly I'm impressed it lasted three full seasons. I figured you had to spend big to get weatherproof gear that holds up, but this thing proved me wrong. Has anyone else had a budget item quietly outperform their premium version? What was it?

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taylor.jessica•3d ago

Vent: My $40 steel toe boots died in 5 months, my $90 used ones are going on 4 years

I bought a pair of brand name steel toe work boots from a big box store in Denver last spring. The sole separated from the upper right where the toe bends, and the stitching on the heel wore through by October. Then I grabbed a used pair of Red Wings from a pawn shop for $90 and they have held up through two Colorado winters plus daily warehouse duty. Anyone else find that the cheaper new stuff fails faster than resale quality gear, or did I just get unlucky twice?

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william917•4d ago

My 20 year old cooler outlasted a brand new one on a 4 day trip

I dragged my dad's old steel cooler up to Lake Superior last fall, the one with rust spots and a latch held on by a zip tie. My buddy brought his new plastic rotomolded cooler that cost $350. By day two, his seals were already leaking and the hinges felt loose. My old one kept ice solid for the full 4 days, no drama. We measured it, his melted twice as fast in the same sun. Has anyone else found that older steel designs just beat the new fancy plastic stuff, or did I get lucky with a good one?

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felix_bailey45•5d ago

Rant: The $120 'tactical' flashlight that died in 4 months

Picked up one of those fancy aluminum flashlights from a surplus store in Denver, thought I was getting a lifetime tool. Four months in, the switch started flickering, and now it won't turn on at all. I could have bought three basic Maglites for that price and probably had one work forever. Has anyone else gotten burned by overpriced gear that just stops working, or am I just cursed with bad luck?

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charlie_lane85•7d ago

Two years to find a flashlight that survives my work truck

I kept killing $30 lights every few weeks hauling gear around Austin, so I started logging failures. After 14 dead units and a lot of reading, I finally got one that's lasted 11 months so far. Anyone else tracking their gear failures like this or am I just extra petty?

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derek939•7d ago

A customer's one sentence about buckles made me rethink my whole harness setup

Last month I was guiding a trip up in the Cascades and this older climber watched me fiddle with my chest strap for a minute. He just said 'you're fighting the buckle, not using it'. I had been twisting the webbing every time I tightened it because I was pulling at an angle instead of straight out. Spent 10 minutes on trail adjusting it after that. Now I check my harness every time before I clip in and it's a totally different feel on long approaches. Anyone else had a random piece of advice from a stranger that completely changed how you use a piece of gear?

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