Overrated Gear

[Marbles]

Sleeping bag ratings. Why don’t the manufacturers rate them for comfort rather than survival. I have to buy one that’s rated almost 20 degrees colder than I think it’s going to get at night.

Standardized ratings would also be nice, as it is, ratings are not really comparable between manufacturers.

 

[flinginarrows]

Expensive multi tools. Got a Leatherman Skeletool for ~$80 that I never use.
A cheap walmart multi tool is ~$6, has more tools, weighs only half an ounce more and i don't care if I lose it. Probably not as durable but whatever... I'll replace it if needed without second thought. I'm much more likely to lose it than to break it any way.

 

[IBen]

I run Stone Glacier products, from clothes to packs and they have been what I've been looking for for sometime. Less is more when you are deep in the backcountry and I have yet to find a weakness or an annoyance about anything I have ran from them. I'm a minimalist and they cater to the ultralight backcountry folks.

Their clothing is heavy. 19 oz pants and 15+oz rain gear pieces is not ultralight.

 

[TradArcher]

Mystery Ranch Popup - uncomfortable and noisey pos. Got mad enough at it to mod it and now it's decent but that pack really pissed me off that first season with it. I know I could have sold it but I liked the concept so just modded that heck out of it until I got what I wanted out of it. I'd never buy another one though (I have the first version) and just generally steer away from their products for the most part.

 

[WMDM]

Thermal optics, king turd of overrated island.

 

[IBen]

Standardized ratings would also be nice, as it is, ratings are not really comparable between manufacturers.

They are all ISO rated.

 

[Grassymike]

A domestic cow decoy for archery antelope hunting. Antelope maybe curious, but they sure aren’t dumb.

Me and a buddy built a cow decoy with bicycle wheels about 30 years ago. First day we used it ,it almost worked got within about 60 yards of a small buck. T he very next try we ended up surrounded by about 50 range cows....

 

[Marbles]

They are all ISO rated.

Well I stand corrected, there is a decent rating system for bags.

However, I'm not sure all of them are. It does not look like Western Mountaineering gives ISO ratings, nor does Feathered Friends, Marmot does. Those are the first three that came to mind.

 

[WyoKid]

What is the cheap alternative you’d compare it to?

I agree. Bought one off Amazon. Here is one but I bought a different brand.

Xplorer Lifestyle Ultralight Backpacking Chair - Wide Heavy Duty Comfortable Folding Camping Chairs for Adults - Easy to Carry Hiking Chair with Storage Pocket, Water Bottle Holder & Carrying Case https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4N69N9M?psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_ct_CMVRCDBK220K9ZTQA4M0

 

[Gunnersdad49]

Expensive multi tools. Got a Leatherman Skeletool for ~$80 that I never use.
A cheap walmart multi tool is ~$6, has more tools, weighs only half an ounce more and i don't care if I lose it. Probably not as durable but whatever... I'll replace it if needed without second thought. I'm much more likely to lose it than to break it any way.

I thought the same until I busted a cheap fake leather man and gave myself blood blisters along the inside of all 4 fingers on that hand. Now I try really hard to have the right tool for the job instead of trying to turn rusted nuts and bolts with crappy pliers.

 

[WyoKid]

6.5 Creedmoor

Definitely overrated. There are a bunch of existing calibers that are just as good or better in either long or short cases.

 

[Thinkingman]

Definitely overrated. There are a bunch of existing calibers that are just as good or better in either long or short cases.

It's true, there are but are those cartridges supported by long bullets and rifles with appropriate twist to stabilize the bullets?
I'm not a 6.5 Creed fanboy but it does seem the industry has supported this cartridge for long range ballistics better than others.
See 243Win and 6mmRem for example.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

Anything from vortex

That’s no joke! The kings of overrated.

 

[Pdzoller]

That’s no joke! The kings of overrated.

Just missed the biggest blacktail I’ve ever put my scope on due to a malfunction in the elevation turret of a viper hs. Obviously not the top of the line option but still shouldn’t have happened. I have lost all confidence in it and it will be sent in and then sold.

 

[AkRyan]

My biggest disappointment gear wise that I can recall is the kryptek takur rain gear… complete waste of money, lots of annoying design flaws, and didn’t serve it’s one purpose… keeping me dry

After a few days wearing it, I was getting soaked, they pinhole out with very little exposure to brush… tie for the worst rain gear I have owned which was Sitka downpour.. stormfront lite wasn’t much better, but better than the downpour or takur.

I’m sure there are others, but the takur is fresh on my mind and very disappointing reading a lot of positive reviews on it… I don’t trust any rain gear reviews unless it’s from someone who hunts a lot on the Oregon/Washington coast or SE AK, there aren’t many who beat up rain gear applicable to me

Interesting I've ran mine in the alaskan brush for 2 seasons now. Did you contact them?

 

[roosiebull]

Interesting I've ran mine in the alaskan brush for 2 seasons now. Did you contact them?

I didn’t, I didn’t want another set of that gear.

I know many have had good luck with it, but it’s not the right rain gear for me… a little bit of salmonberry and it was all pinholed out.

When it was new, both side zips leaked pretty bad, and the big loud metal zipper pulls were poorly chosen for hunting gear, and other zipper pulls too small to grab with cold or gloved hands… I could get by those annoyances, I cut the loud ones off right away, and could live with the rest, but it was obvious they weren’t designed by someone who hunts in wet weather much… if it wasn’t for the durability, I would have been content with them, but durability is where the rubber meets the road for me, and very few types of rain gear last a season for me… kuiu is the only rain gear I have bought more than once, and by far the most durable out of the bunch I have tried…

I listened to the owner talk about the takur on a podcast and he said it’s not made for wearing all the time in really wet weather or busting brush… I agree with him

I know some value breathability, I don’t, give me bomb proof gear with side zips and pit zips and I’m happy… the kuiu Yukon and kutana are that perfect line for me for comfort walking in it all day and long term durability.

If they are holding up for you where you are hunting, that’s all that matters, my experience is probably not applicable to most, but there just isn’t much that holds up to salmonberry and briars.

The original kuiu chugach was my favorite of all time, since it went to NX it lost durability for me, I think it’s stretch made it more self healing for pinholes… I’m hoping the first lite omen is another good option for me, because I’m not a kuiu fan, but so far, their rain gear and gaiters have been the best option for me

I hope your rain gear keeps impressing you, I know many love it, I had high hopes, it just didn’t hold up and I didn’t care to contact them because I didn’t want them replaced, it would just happen again, and I don’t feel right about making a warranty claim then selling it, so like most things that don’t work for me, I eat the expense and buy something else

 

[Lukeduke13]

Their clothing is heavy. 19 oz pants and 15+oz rain gear pieces is not ultralight.

Have you worn there m7 jacket?

 

[Kyle Wheeler]

This was a great read. As silly as it sounds mine would be Black Diamond Storm and Spot headlamps. I’ve had them a few years and still can’t figure out the button sequences.. Maybe it’s just me

 

[dingle]

This was a great read. As silly as it sounds mine would be Black Diamond Storm and Spot headlamps. I’ve had them a few years and still can’t figure out the button sequences.. Maybe it’s just me

It's not. Getting spooked by grouse in the dark is the only thing that gets me cussing faster than Black Diamond headlamp buttons

 

[Kyle Wheeler]

It's not. Getting spooked by grouse in the dark is the only thing that gets me cussing faster than Black Diamond headlamp buttons

This gave me a good laugh. Glad I’m not the only one!!