Not so hot....

[Derek0525]

My not so hot purchases have been few so far

1. MSR Gravity works. It seemed like an awsome idea worked well for a few times back flushed the filter everytime but eventually back flushing didnt work so I was going to buy a new filter and they are spendy atleast at that time. There is better lighter options out there now.

2. Badlands superday pack was awsome untill you had to put some weight to it wich i guess is not what it isbdesigned for.

3 Oregon Pack Works Orion Pack definitely an upgrade from the badlands but the waistbelt webbing would constantly loosen up and twist when tightening sent the belt back and got it back and had the same problems. They may have fixed the issue now other than that it was a pretty decent pack but i about threw it off a cliff because the waist belt kept coming loose when I had weight in the pack.

4. Cabelas space saver rain gear just because it does not breath I think i might of stayed drier without it on might of been better if it had some way to vent.

 

[bluetick78]

Badlands Sacrifice pack. I think a kitchen trash bag would've held up better.

 

[LaGriz]

Confessed Gear head here!
The addiction is pretty much hopeless at this point in the game. Looks like I have plenty of company on this subject. We all seem to suffer if only in different degrees. LOL!

My friends at the 90's deer camp once called me "Mister Gismo" because I often showed up with a gadget or product they had not yet seen.
It is hard to understand just how content I was at 15, roaming the New England hillside in a green & black plaid wool jac-shirt with the pocket half-full of 22 long rifle ammo while hunting gray squirrel. My boots leaked, feet got cold and wrinkled, but I didn't much care. One wonders how I survived the winter camping, hiking trips on the Appalachian Trail, solo fishing trips with out waders, canoe trips, and January grouse hunting in the snow & bitter cold with only a "crack-barrel" 16ga.

I quickly found that goose down, good boots, and later Gore-tex made things much more comfortable. When I started Bow Hunting the "Gear Fairy" really got me by the throat! Suddenly as my income rose it mattered to me that my clothing matched. First it was Tree Bark, later Mossy Oak, Max-1, then Predator (when I could find it), and now I lean towards the ASAT pattern.

I find I do well for a while....only to give in again to the urge at a later date. Justifying each new purchase with research on quality and good price. I now try to "cull" (upgrade) with quality, lighter weight, and dual purpose in mind.

Optics,
I was sporting thick eyeglasses back then before the RK procedure corrected my vision. I saved up snow shoveling money and ordered a 4X monocular for $20 and 105 buck knife from LL Bean. It was "Bucks Only" during or Massachusetts 6 day Shotgun season and I wanted to spot antlers at a distance. In the 80's I picked up a set of 5X32 Binos for $99 dollars that worked in the flooded timber and palmettos of So. Louisiana. These got replaced (90's) with 8X32 binoculars form Minox that were a real upgrade. In 2015 I sprung for the Victory HD Zeiss 8X45 RF units that are more than I need but are so sweet.

Things that go bang,
My 12 year old gun safe is nearly full as I have only sold 3 weapons in my life and regretted each sale. I have added a couple more to stable recently.

Archery,
Traditional Bug got me pretty bad since early 2000's! Now have 4 Bighorn take-down (recurves) with 2 extra sets of limbs.

Camping,
I too have a "floor-less option" with the purchases of a SO BCS-2, Nest, and a Ti-Goat Wi Fi stove.
This is in addition to my base camp tent, wood stove, camp stove, Zodi shower, and lots of accumulated gear.

Picked up a used ATV in 2008 and a new hybrid Kayak fin 2013 for both fishing and hunting. Dual purpose - LOL!

The "88" land cruiser and a 2011 Tahoma 4X4 complete list of hunter friendly rigs.

Love this thread!
LaGriz

 

[Tsnider]

Under Armor Wall Hangar boots. Most comfortable boot or shoe I have ever worn. Fail immediately. They warranty them for me out of the warranty date which is great, but im on my 3rd pair. First year they started falling apart after 6 days, the next pair werent water proof and they lace eyelets chopped both boot laces within 1/2 mile which was weird. Now I have my newest pair with almost no use. I want to buy some higher end boots but I am not sure its in the budget this year. I have been buying a LOT of new high quality hunting gear since September.

 

[jspradley]

Kuiu ultra 6000 pack. I'm a fan of most Kuiu gear and the bag itself is nice but the suspension was just nowhere near my kifaru

Cabelas Imeon 0 sleeping bag. Well made bag with a nice zipper but I almost froze my nuts off in 30 degree weather.... would have been a great 40degree bag!


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[DenRuyter]

I've had 2 so far....

The first has been Kenetrek Boots. The pair I had felt great if I was walking on a completely flat surface, but with any incline I would instantly get blisters on my heels the size of Texas! They just plain didn't work for me, but found Lowa's are awesome from the experience, so it's all good.

The other would be a Kiui Icon Pro pack. No matter how I adjusted it and changed it around it was like a porcupine riding on my back after loaded with 20lbs. Most ungodly pack I've ever used, and I spent 6 years active duty with some pretty bad gear.

 

[Tbob]

I'm also an admitted gear junky! I justify it by not having kids and not needing to send anybody to college... So far my biggest fail is a sporting scope.. I bought it, but it's big and heavy and I really just prefers my 10x50's on a tripod..

 

[durangobrad]

Confessed Gear head here!
The addiction is pretty much hopeless at this point in the game. Looks like I have plenty of company on this subject. We all seem to suffer if only in different degrees. LOL!

My friends at the 90's deer camp once called me "Mister Gismo" because I often showed up with a gadget or product they had not yet seen.
It is hard to understand just how content I was at 15, roaming the New England hillside in a green & black plaid wool jac-shirt with the pocket half-full of 22 long rifle ammo while hunting gray squirrel. My boots leaked, feet got cold and wrinkled, but I didn't much care. One wonders how I survived the winter camping, hiking trips on the Appalachian Trail, solo fishing trips with out waders, canoe trips, and January grouse hunting in the snow & bitter cold with only a "crack-barrel" 16ga.

I quickly found that goose down, good boots, and later Gore-tex made things much more comfortable. When I started Bow Hunting the "Gear Fairy" really got me by the throat! Suddenly as my income rose it mattered to me that my clothing matched. First it was Tree Bark, later Mossy Oak, Max-1, then Predator (when I could find it), and now I lean towards the ASAT pattern.

I find I do well for a while....only to give in again to the urge at a later date. Justifying each new purchase with research on quality and good price. I now try to "cull" (upgrade) with quality, lighter weight, and dual purpose in mind.

Optics,
I was sporting thick eyeglasses back then before the RK procedure corrected my vision. I saved up snow shoveling money and ordered a 4X monocular for $20 and 105 buck knife from LL Bean. It was "Bucks Only" during or Massachusetts 6 day Shotgun season and I wanted to spot antlers at a distance. In the 80's I picked up a set of 5X32 Binos for $99 dollars that worked in the flooded timber and palmettos of So. Louisiana. These got replaced (90's) with 8X32 binoculars form Minox that were a real upgrade. In 2015 I sprung for the Victory HD Zeiss 8X45 RF units that are more than I need but are so sweet.

Things that go bang,
My 12 year old gun safe is nearly full as I have only sold 3 weapons in my life and regretted each sale. I have added a couple more to stable recently.

Archery,
Traditional Bug got me pretty bad since early 2000's! Now have 4 Bighorn take-down (recurves) with 2 extra sets of limbs.

Camping,
I too have a "floor-less option" with the purchases of a SO BCS-2, Nest, and a Ti-Goat Wi Fi stove.
This is in addition to my base camp tent, wood stove, camp stove, Zodi shower, and lots of accumulated gear.

Picked up a used ATV in 2008 and a new hybrid Kayak fin 2013 for both fishing and hunting. Dual purpose - LOL!

The "88" land cruiser and a 2011 Tahoma 4X4 complete list of hunter friendly rigs.

Love this thread!
LaGriz

Except that this thread is supposed to be about the gear that doesnt work for you....

 

[charvey9]

I can't recall anything I was totally burned on, although I have purchased many items over the last few years that just weren't for me. Clothes, shelters, sleeping bags, packs, and other random ultralight gear.

Any more, when I purchase something new I often look at it as a rental opportunity. Just about anything can be bought, tested, and sold for a minimal loss if it doesn't work out. As long as I get some use, I can live with that. Rokslide has been an awesome resource for buying, selling, and sharing new gear. I have refined just about everything in my kit over the past few seasons using this trial and error process.

 

[twall13]

I can't recall anything I was totally burned on, although I have purchased many items over the last few years that just weren't for me. Clothes, shelters, sleeping bags, packs, and other random ultralight gear.

Any more, when I purchase something new I often look at it as a rental opportunity. Just about anything can be bought, tested, and sold for a minimal loss if it doesn't work out. As long as I get some use, I can live with that. Rokslide has been an awesome resource for buying, selling, and sharing new gear. I have refined just about everything in my kit over the past few seasons using this trial and error process.

You make a good point here. Just knowing I can resale items at a minimal loss on Rokslide has allowed me to purchase multiple options of the same gear item and figure out which one works best for me and then sale the other. I've done this with my bino harness, bino adapter, packs, etc. Everyone prefers a slightly different setup and you never know what works for you until you try things out. When I first started looking at high end gear I had some major sticker shock. Now it doesn't seem as bad since a lot of my gear is just traded around as I update and refine my gear. I appreciate the Rokslide classifieds and encourage everyone to donate a small amount with each sale they make on here so we can keep the classifieds going. It's a great resource as I refine my setup.

 

[freediver111]

Not so hot:

-Zamberlan boots. Both me and buddy bought a pair since we get them on a pro deal. Both of us found the boots to wear the back of our achilles raw. Not sure why, but they just didn't fit right for us. Boots are tricky, everyone has different feet. Love my Hanwag's though!

-Tarp tent. I had a Etowah tarp for a while. Very light and easy to set-up. The open end was just not working for me. Bugs would fly in while I was sleeping and kept me awake at night. Switched to a mountain smith LT and much happier. It's heavier, not as fancy as some more expensive models, but still pretty light and the closed off nature means no bugs buzzing in my ear.

-Badlands 2200. Not a bad daypack, horribly uncomfortable for hauling meat. Zippers seemed to have issues too.

-Harris Bi-pod. Never really used it in the field. Heavy and poked me in the back when carrying my rifle on a sling.

-Ruger No. 1. Nice gun, but heavy and not that accurate. I know I could have fiddled with it to make it more accurate, but it was more of a safe queen so I sold it.

-Leupold VX1 scope. Not horrible, but went haywire after a year on my .338 Win mag. Probably fine on a .223 or lighter caliber. Sent it in for repair, they fixed it for free, and I sold it to buy a FX-3 6x with the LR duplex reticle. Really like the FX-3. Hash marks allow me to shoot to 500 at the range with accuracy and no dial to fiddle with. I'm not much of a gun hunter so wanted something simple. Too bad they discontinued the FX-3 with the LR duplex reticle.

-Easton Axis arrows. The hidden insert exposes the carbon on the end. Took very little to ding, chip, or crack the end of the carbon shaft. Switched to Gold Tip with the aluminum insert exposed and find them to be much more durable.

-Kifaru mini belt pouch. Only needed it to carry my Garmin 62, but found opening the zippers required two hands. Kind of a pain. Switched to the FHF bungee type GPS pouch for the Garmin 62/Rino. So far not bad, but still not 100% happy. Bungee is a little awkward. It seems best designed for the Rino which has two antennas so you can slip the bungee between them. With my 62, I split the bungee between the single antenna. Works ok, but not in love. So far it's the best I've found though.

-S4 bino pouch. Use of bungee type straps made it bounce all over and very uncomfortable.

 

[bowtech3dhunter]

Where does one start? Thank god for classifieds.............

Many, many years ago........electric socks.
Stoney point bipods.......pieces of junk.
Any kind of scent control...........years ago running around with wafers on head.
Danner boots......

Man, who brought this topic up?????

Randy

I always preferred the Fresh Earth Wafers!!! Good times!!

 

[lacseul]

Thanks for starting this thread. Very interesting. I was literally days away from dropping some $ on merino. Think I'll stick to the synthetics that I've been running.

In the interest of building the resource for future users of this site, I will take a moment to defend (sort of) floorless shelters:

I think tarps and floorless shelters have their place, but can imagine how frustrating it must be to be camped in wet conditions without a stove and have deal with condensation. I was just watching the Gritty Bowmen Trad elk series this weekend, and they mentioned it. But I never thought about it as a chronic problem for floorless shelters in wet conditions. I love my tarps for hammock camping or hunkering down during a monsoon.

My worst burn was on Danner Pronghorn boots. Entirely underwhelming perfomance, longevity, construction, etc. I eventually just gave them to goodwill after only 2 hunts (ca. 20 days and less than 200 miles on them).

Wore mine 1 day out west that was it, when I got home took them in to the boot shop and added extra lace eyelet at the ankle.... Just like every other boot has and they've been good since! Guy shouldn't have dick with that though

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[kicker338]

Very interesting thread, my not so hot item is nat a particular brand but what the design claims to do. I'm a rain gear junky and have tried a number of different rain gear brands that claim to be silent and not noisy in the brush. Silent they were and soaked up water they did. Also the breathable ones never breathed. I can live with the non breathing ones that claim they breath as long as they don't soak water. To me silent rain clothes are pointless as the rain makes a ton of noise in the woods.

 

[bowieknife50]

I actually wasn't impressed with my FL uncompahgre. I had to put my rain coat on every time I had wind over 2mph in only 30° weather and I'm used to much colder. That being said it makes such a great pillow I don't know if I can get rid of it

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

 

[robtattoo]

I'll second the S4 lockdown Bino harness.
It fit nicely & was nice & compact, but I had to fully 'flatten' my Leopolds & drop the eye cups to get them in. It just made using it a two handed operation. Upgraded to a AGC & couldn't be happier (although I wish the side clips were reversed)

Oh, also a Kuiu Peloton t-shirt. Not only did the XXL fit like a large, it stank after an hour & took longer to dry than the merino. Gave it to a buddy who wears a large & I believe he tossed it. All my other Kuiu gear has been faultless.

 

[Salix]

Purchased lots of good gear I like and works great. Biggest mistake has been the large thick cotton game bags I purchased a few years before I learned about TAG bags. They were expensive, are heavy and bulky.
Will keep them for moose hunting but moving onto synthetic game bags for backpack hunts.

 

[SHTF]

I actually wasn't impressed with my FL uncompahgre. I had to put my rain coat on every time I had wind over 2mph in only 30° weather and I'm used to much colder. That being said it makes such a great pillow I don't know if I can get rid of it

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Pretty shocked to hear this I use my Uncompahgre religiously and it breaks the wind really well for me. One of my favorite puffy coats. Its not as warm as my Lost park Parka but it does a fantastic job. You must of gotten robbed on the insulation.

 

[Coyote813]

Mountainsmith Mountain shelter LT - while plenty lightweight and durable, I never could get it pitched right while in the hills. One of those tarps that worked fine in the yard, but a pain to get it pitched just right when you are tired and ready to get down for the night. Unless it is pitched just so you have no headroom.

First lite boxers - an echo to others on here. Extremely comfortable, but they just don't last. Crotch is tore out of every pair I own. Tried the standard weight and the aerosols... same result

MSR pocket rocket - did not realize how much even a little wind will kill the boil time. By the way, there is wind everywhere in case you didn't already know...

 

[robtattoo]

'nother thought.
Havalon Piranta. Everyone seems to love the things, so I bought one.
Hate it.
Hate every thing about it. Blade is too short, handle is too long. Changing the blade safely & with bloody, greasy hands requires pliers, which totally negate the weight saving.
I've field dressed 3 deer with it & managed to nick the gut of all 3. I've NEVER done that with a fixed blade.