What is the worst bit of kit you have ever bought?

[Hathor]

Evening all,

The worst bit of kit you ever bought? As a self-confessed kit freak, I ajve several contenders but I have often wondered what other folks would reckon was theirs....

I intend this as a relatively light hearted thread, no intention to create arguments so here goes.

Mine is the Swanndri Rover jacket. I bought it based on sevreal positive reviews but I just think it is poorly designed, can not get much in the pockets never mind hands on a cold day, the lining neither keeps out the wind nor stops the itchjing effectively, the collar is for nothing and the zip lightweight.

I do not understand what is supposed to be so great about it. It is now relegated to 'dog walking coat'!! (see avatar).

Over to you guys....

[Ashley Cawley]

It's not the worst bit of kit, but it is something I now regret buying: A slim-airic mat.

Don't get me wrong I loved it for a while, bought two (1 for the Mrs). But now with a hole I can't seem to locate in mine it's useless, I've gone back to a sturdy, thick dutch roll-mat when I'm on the ground and won't turn back!

Thermarest style things just aren't made for the Woodland floor, one puncture and your done for, with a foam-mat you can kneel on it, jump on it, rip the bugger in half and still use it perfectly fine when sleeping to insulate yourself :)

[Martin]

I have never never bought a bit of kit that I haven't been entirely satisfied with (well, not that I'd admit to the wife). Actually, I really do have a very extensive collection of garage fodder but can't think of anything that I just don't like. I have several rucksacks, stoves, sleeping bags, loads of clothing and coats etc etc etc, but really can't think of anything so bad that I'd never use it again.

Actually, come to think of it, I'll probably never use my Swiss Army Volcano stove again. Not because it's a bad stove but just because I have subsequently bought several items all of which are better.

I'll keep thinking, something must be lurking somewhere. :)

Martin

[Shewie]

I might be flamed for this but it's just my point of view .....

Worst buy ever for me was my Berghaus Vulcan pack, although I got the correct size for me it was a horrible pack to carry any distance, as soon as I'd tried the Sabre it was straight up for sale. Maybe I'm just not built to carry a 100L+ bergan but after a four day trek with it I just couldn't hack it anymore.

[Martin]

I might be flamed for this but it's just my point of view .....

Worst buy ever for me was my Berghaus Vulcan pack, although I got the correct size for me it was a horrible pack to carry any distance, as soon as I'd tried the Sabre it was straight up for sale. Maybe I'm just not built to carry a 100L+ bergan but after a four day trek with it I just couldn't hack it anymore.


Lol, you're right. I've got one of those and there's no way I'd want to carry it for four days, actually 4 hours is more than enough. ;)

However, it's just the job for lugging loads of stuff from the car to the camp at Woodland Valley though and, as you know, it's tough as old boots.

Martin

[Janine]

A Shewee!!! sorry, girly item I know...

[Shewie]

A Shewee!!! sorry, girly item I know...

I still think I should get royalties for those :)

[Northwoods]

Vango Spirit 300 tent. Took it up in the hills, flattened first night by a stiff blow. End of trip….. But that was nothing compared to the after sales service :-(

Closely followed by…

A light that replaces the cap on a Nalgene bottle, creating a lantern. Nice concept but a couple of small issues
- what if I want to use my water bottle ?
- battery compartment can only be opened by microscopic philips-head screw-driver !


Richard

[hoppinmad]

my worst buy was a vaude bivi tent, the condensation is that bad its like waking up in a submarine escape chamber..dank and misrable..i have hacked it for about five nights on a trot before giving up becouse all my kit was soaking
Regards
stu
PS i would not even give it to my worst enemy

[MartiniDave]

I didn't buy it, but I was given an unused british army jacket. Extremely well made, very good design but it won't keep you warm or dry unless its a warm, dry day!

Dave

[JustinTelford]

Anything made by Jack Pike.

[leon-1]

It's not the worst bit of kit, but it is something I now regret buying: A slim-airic mat.

Don't get me wrong I loved it for a while, bought two (1 for the Mrs). But now with a hole I can't seem to locate in mine it's useless,

Ahaaa, been there. Had big problems with mine, initially as you said fine and no problems, but after a short while it failed and no matter what I do, I cannot find or locate the puncture. I think that it may well be a case that the valve is knackered.

As to the rest of it that inflatable matts have no place in the woods I'll have to disagree on that, I bought the airic to replace a thermarest that I had had for 15 years and had served me well for that time. It had delaminated over an area a foot square.

I am still trialling things as suitable alternatives.

[luresalive]

Infllatable matresses, burst the first one on a barb wire fence before I even got to the camp and the second was punctured first night of another camp, never gain!

[Bambii]

I dont think i've bought a bad bit of kit yet.

I just thought.. Shewee's arent just for women, you could use it on a really cold day.

[Martin]

I dont think i've bought a bad bit of kit yet.

I just thought.. Shewee's arent just for women, you could use it on a really cold day.

:D :D :D

Martin

[OKBushcraft]

A pair of surplus Austrian boots, marked the same as another pair pf a differing style. About 3/4" smaller than the 1st pair I bought. Rubbed toes are a nightmare on a hike. Good quality just not consistant in sizing. I would guess they are 11 American. I wear 12s. What can I say for mail order surplus??? Win some and you lose some.

[Hathor]

I can resist no longer...

For those of us not living in the UK< what is a shewee?

[Matt]

This might explain ;) http://www.shewee.com/newstore/

Matt.

[Hathor]

I wish I'd never asked.....

[Bambii]

Haha, in an outdoors store i work in its unbelievable how many of these things people buy!!

I think all of them are sold via the web (amazon,ebay and there website).

We had about 250 in stock yesterday morning and then it went down to about 130.

[scorpian]

webtex basha, cos I think its a waste of space, I purchased two of them thinking I could join them together as a larger basha when I bivi with my son, so that we could carry a sheet each, only to find that the poppers are totally useless, then when using the basha in wet weather i discovered that the extra roping points sewn on to the middle of each half either side of the centre line, do not have any waterproof taping :confused2: over the stitching on the inside and so it leaks water in four places.
verdict- total crap!
I am so glad i kept my mililtary issue basha, and have gone back to that

Steve

[chris grace]

Blacks pot lifter,it doesn't.

[Ashley Cawley]

Blacks pot lifter,it doesn't.
lmao - it's got one single purpose in life and your telling me it failed?

[chris grace]

OH YES!!
it was advertised as a pot lifter to lift any pot off your stove and save you from burning your fingers.It couldn't lift a pot without coming apart and dropping the pot.

[Metal mug]

Anything made by Jack Pike.

To be fair their gaiters are quite good.

[Metal mug]

webtex basha, cos I think its a waste of space, I purchased two of them thinking I could join them together as a larger basha when I bivi with my son, so that we could carry a sheet each, only to find that the poppers are totally useless, then when using the basha in wet weather i discovered that the extra roping points sewn on to the middle of each half either side of the centre line, do not have any waterproof taping :confused2: over the stitching on the inside and so it leaks water in four places.
verdict- total crap!
I am so glad i kept my mililtary issue basha, and have gone back to that

Steve

Thanks steve I was thinking of buying one of those.

[Metal mug]

A Shewee!!! sorry, girly item I know... Oh no I was gonna buy one of those!

[geordienemisis]

self heating beans n sausage, you had to put in a steel prong down the side of the tin. Ideal or so I thought, whilst in a recce pos'n me and my oppo were really cold so to this I added "Oh I have some self heating Beans" so I get real low in the hide and ignite the tin as you would say. As I am sorting these out I have my black leather gloves on tin just feels warm. as I dived in to this cullinary delight I was not impressed. Tin continued to make a gurrgling noise so i pass them to my mate WHOA! he screams at the top of his voice flinging the now white hot tin of beans n stuff shouting and swearing at the top of his voice. I nearly pissed myself with laughter, as you can imagine recce was compromised so we had to bug out. Being of senior rank I was able to come up with an excuse for my mates outburst. but yes self heating beans n sausage were the worst thing I have ever bought.

[Bambii]

Brilliant story! Haha!!!

[bootneckboy 527]

a chinese copy of a 9mm browning brought it in nz for finishing off wild pig when out hunting put a double tap in the pigs chest from about 75 yds pig looked at me really pxxxxd biggest piece of crap ever!

[bootneckboy 527]

Oh no I was gonna buy one of those!

metal mug do you suffer from shiny kit syndrome? i do i think all ex-services do.

[Fletching]

Maybe we could have a ''Shewee Award' for the consistently voted worst piece of kit?

Steve

[Tony1948]

Steve your not trying to take the P;ss are you

[Fletching]

Fortunately, u r in a nation that allows it! ;)

[comanighttrain]

turboflame.

[Bambii]

Maybe we could have a ''Shewee Award' for the consistently voted worst piece of kit?

Steve

They can't be that bad, we sell LOADS AND LOADS of them where i work. Even blokes are buying them.

[Fletching]

I'm only kidding Bambii. Then again, it's not the kind of thing you want to return is it? ;)

Steve

[comanighttrain]

a chinese copy of a 9mm browning brought it in nz for finishing off wild pig when out hunting put a double tap in the pigs chest from about 75 yds pig looked at me really pissed biggest piece of crap ever!

LOL oh man that poor pig!

[bootneckboy 527]

take the xxxx about what?

[Marvell]

Thermarest Fast and Light Repair Kit - It was fast, light but did not repair.

[Martin]

Thermarest Fast and Light Repair Kit - It was fast, light but did not repair.

What about your Maya Dust?? The flameproof tinder!!! :D

Martin

[Marvell]

What about your Maya Dust?? The flameproof tinder!!!

You do get a nice waterproof pot once you've chucked it away :D

[JEEP]

Tatonka lockable pot gripper...

...it did lock - in open position, making me spill my hot milk (for chai-tea) in the fire :mad2:

Shortly thereafter; the locking piece (which was made of plastic) broke and fell off.

It still works as a pot gripper though.

[Fletching]

Tatonka lockable pot gripper...

...it did lock - in open position, making me spill my hot milk (for chai-tea) in the fire :mad2:

Shortly thereafter; the locking piece (which was made of plastic) broke and fell off.

It still works as a pot gripper though.

Bit of elastic cord and a cord grip makes a good grabber mod: http://blogpackinglight.wordpress.com/2008/08/23/pot-grabber-mod/

[Tony1948]

How's you'r back steve

[JEEP]

Neat trick :happy-clapping:

[Mang]

One of those tins of gel that are supposed to heat food and drink. The one I got was filled with gorilla snot and couldn't even warm through cooked chipolata sausages.

[bigzee]

Vango Spirit 300 tent. Took it up in the hills, flattened first night by a stiff blow. End of trip….. But that was nothing compared to the after sales service :-(

Closely followed by…

A light that replaces the cap on a Nalgene bottle, creating a lantern. Nice concept but a couple of small issues
- what if I want to use my water bottle ?
- battery compartment can only be opened by microscopic philips-head screw-driver !


Richard
Last year I was on the vango website looking at tents, and noticed that all the weights quoted were in grams, rather than kilograms. I emailed them to query whether they actually made 3-man tents weighing about the same as a housefly or whether the decimal point needed shifting?. The didn't reply, but the next week all the weights on the website were right. "I did that...I did!" So no surprises about your customer service experience!

[GwersyllaCnau]

O Dear I just bought a Vango Tornado 200. Not used it yet, hope it performs better than your spirit.

[Realbark]

A Crusader cookset - not happy and rarely use it. Will be for sale shortly. Even had an aluminium lid with "D" ring made and still cant get on with it.

[klause]

I ordered some insect repellant and when it came the bottle was no bigger than my thumb nail !!!

[Ben Casey]

I ordered some insect repellant and when it came the bottle was no bigger than my thumb nail !!!

When I use insect repellant I always seem to get attacked by them more :(

[Martin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g7JaZysST8

Check out this video at about 2:25. On this day, Matt was using some special insect repellant which had the exact opposite effect. :D

Martin

[Ben Casey]

Cool vid the bees where good :)

[Roadkillphil]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g7JaZysST8

Check out this video at about 2:25. On this day, Matt was using some special insect repellant which had the exact opposite effect. :D

Martin

Wow, great vid. What I enjoyed was the mixture of kit and camping styles. Go's to show that hard and set rules of kit and methods is not the way to make good friends. Looks like a great trip :D

[Martin]

Wow, great vid. What I enjoyed was the mixture of kit and camping styles. Go's to show that hard and set rules of kit and methods is not the way to make good friends. Looks like a great trip :D

T'was brilliant Phil, maybe the best ever, but that music got on your nerves after the first 18 hours. You'll have to come along on the next one. :)

Martin

[bigstan]

Brilliant vid guys. I used to live on Dartmoor and still miss the feeling of openness you can get out there.Due to diabetes and heart problems i cant walk 10 yards without a rest now, never mind 10 miles. Stan.