Bad spending decisions!

[ken]

+1 on the Rivers Wet...junk...Absolute worst waste of money to date.

Other than that I've been pretty lucky.

 

[cmeier117]

I have the Minox 62 ED W spotter coming thursday.... Hopefully I won't have to put it on this thread.

 

[Gman]

Mine was not the ED model if that settles the nerves a bit. Nothing worse than ordering something and seeing someone bash it on an internet forum while in transit! I've had that happen a lot and it keeps me awake at night.

 

[cmeier117]

Well to ease my nerves I just tell myself that those people must not know anything and their crazy... It's either that or the other way around.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Rivers West for me to. I bought the lite wt. set and first trip was on a Kodiak hunt. The crotch split out in the seam, and the shoulders leaked. They claim to be made in the USA (which, I guess, the material is) but they're actually assembled in China. I also think that for the higher priced, name brand gear, The NorthFace just doesn't live up to the hype. Unless I get a smoking deal, I try not to purchase Northface, because I'm usually not all that impressed with it.

 

[slim9300]

This is probably the most entertaining thread I have read in quite some time. Great idea Aron.

My vote is for the 1st gen. Kuiu Icon 6000. The lower carbon legs pressed through the hip belt and decimated my hip bones with anything over 50 lbs. I had giant welts on my hips from that thing digging in to me. I didn't like the flex with heavy loads either. I'm sure the new one will be a huge improvement. Since then I have been more than happy with my T1. And for the record Kuiu makes the best hunting clothing in the world in my opinion.

K&K Vindicator. The worst bow ever made and I sunk at least $1400 into that thing trying to find someone that could tune it. Eventually I literally gave it away. No big shocker the designer and owner went out of business soon after.

 

[slim9300]

Mine was not the ED model if that settles the nerves a bit. Nothing worse than ordering something and seeing someone bash it on an internet forum while in transit! I've had that happen a lot and it keeps me awake at night.

You are 100% correct. It keeps me awake at night too! And rarely do I have buyers remorse due to over-researching everything.

 

[trkyslr]

Covert camera (everyone I've purchased only last about one season)
Rocky boots (felt like cinder blocks on my feet)
G5 tether (kept falling out of holster clip when lightly touched)
..... All POS

 

[Ozz08]

I just asked my wife what she thought......"are you serious? How about all of that crap in your stupid storage thingy!"

 

[bbrown]

The badlands 2200 was my worst - went thru 3 of them in a single turkey season with nothing more than 20 lbs in it. First one - split the zipper and a broke couple zipper pulls, second one - the handle at the top ripped out and broke a buckle and the thrid was sold before I got it back from badlands. They do have a good warrenty but their stuff is junk.

Second worst was a pair of Cabelas brand boots - I was a broke college kid and the looked good. Well they lasted a whopping 2 hours into my elk hunt and the sole on my left foot literally fell off. Learned an important lesson on that one - no glued soles for me. To top it off, Cabelas wanted me to buy the replacement pair (not the same boot) and they would only refund for the first set once they had a chance to inspect it. It worked out ok but cost me a couple days of my elk hunt.

 

[hflier]

To me, any Badlands pack due to the zippers. I have had three different ones and I sold them because the zippers are crap. If they would just fix those, these packs would move up a step function in quality. Also, I guess they think no one has a waiste under 34".

 

[swat8888]

+99 on the Badlands 4500....POS. Plastic stays...really? Alps Mountaineering tent...leaked like a sieve. Forget the model, but it was a two man, non-freestanding. The zippers ran way too high near the top of the tent resulting in water spilling onto your sleeping bag/face everytime you opened the door.

 

[HellsCanyon]

K&K Vindicator. The worst bow ever made and I sunk at least $1400 into that thing trying to find someone that could tune it. Eventually I literally gave it away. No big shocker the designer and owner went out of business soon after.

Now THIS surprises me!! Kevin may be an odd duck from what I've heard, but the guy knows his bows. There are a ton of reasons why he left Strother and then started K&K with his wife. I shoot a 2011 Strother Infinity and it is a WICKED bow. Nothing but good reviews on it on AT.com.

I haven't had a chance to mess with and K&K bows but figured they would've been top notch. No good though huh?

Mike

 

[JG358]

I haven't had a chance to mess with and K&K bows but figured they would've been top notch. No good though huh?

Mike

They were a Tuning nightmare! I sold mine after about a week.

 

[Slim Jim]

Man I feel sorry for anyone who has a badlands pack on order right now and then reads this thread. Good luck with sleep, they are getting tore up on this thread. I'm sure glad I purchased an eberlestock a few years ago and not badlands.

 

[Gman]

Another thread on pillows reminded me I bought the mont-bel inflatable pillow. First trip, at bedtime, blew it up and laid on it and instantly said "*&^%!, there goes $30!" I gave it to my friend (on this site) and I think he still uses it today. So, this goes to show one man's bad spending decisions is another's windfall!

 

[Brock A]

I too bought the Badlands 2200, used it, sold it.

 

[Evan Williams]

K&K Vindicator. The worst bow ever made and I sunk at least $1400 into that thing trying to find someone that could tune it. Eventually I literally gave it away. No big shocker the designer and owner went out of business soon after.

Doesn't surprise me that K&K went out of business...when you order a bow and have to wait 7 months then you call to cancel your order and a MIRACLE...it shows up 3 days later!!!! That guy has jumped around so much in the industry I swear he is a trapeze artist. Bowtech--->Elite--->Strothers--->K&K--->______ fill in the blank with the next one.

 

[JG358]

Doesn't surprise me that K&K went out of business...when you order a bow and have to wait 7 months then you call to cancel your order and a MIRACLE...it shows up 3 days later!!!!

That story sounds awfully familiar.

 

[Evan Williams]

Where to start!!!

Fortunately, I know a lot of the sales reps and they have thrown me their samples from time to time to test for a few weeks before purchasing (thanks guys!!!).

Badlands: 2200, 2800, Sacrifice, Ox Nothing fit, heavy, mmmmmm +1 to Badlands thinking that no one is under a 34" Waist!!! Ordered on Ox with a custom waist belt and it showed up with a LARGE!!! I called customer service and they said that they didn't customize the waist on that pack just the 4500. My response: "you didn't think to tell me that when I dropped $400 on a pack that WOULDN'T FIT ME!!!". Found a buddy that it fit and he took it off my hands.

Sitka: They bivy 4500 (why don't we call it the Bivy 2800 b/c it sure as $#!+ isn't 4500!!!!). While the waist did actually fit me where are the load lifters?? The entire load road on my shoulders. Worst hunting trip I have been on.

Explorer Power Money: Solar Charger. The battery unit doesn't hold a charge from the solar unit and the solar unit takes 8 hours to charge 10% of battery life. First Trip out with it.