Share your “Buy once cried once” lesson

[MAndrews]

Too many times to count. This has become my number one decision making process. I can either afford and get what I want or I can't.

 

[the rick snyder]

waders.
I've tried cabelas, Orvis and Redington and they were all garbage. Simms is the only way to go.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

There is a reason Vortex pushes that warranty more than any other company...its cause they know you will need it with their stuff.

I found this to be true and honestly after my experience with Vortex, would not take a free Vortex item. Not worth the pain and stress.

 

[JeffRaines]

I found this to be true and honestly after my experience with Vortex, would not take a free Vortex item. Not worth the pain and stress.

It should be a red flag when a companies advertisement is mostly how great their warranty is.

Snap on has a great warranty, but you don’t see it plastered all over their ads. They tell you how good the tool is(and most of the time it’s pretty damn good if not the best) and the features of it.

It reminds me of old school Kia. I’m not sure how the newer ones are, but I remember most of the radio advertisement was about how long the warranty is... like what are you guys selling here? Sounds like a warranty instead of the car. Wonder why?

The one that gets me is the binoculars burnt up in a house fire... pretty sure most sane people have homeowners.

 

[Timeless61]

I had some semi custom rifles by mediocre smiths. This last time around I went with a good smith with good parts. Everything has gone very smoothly. After putting a bunch of rounds down the barrel when in tune I haven’t shot a group over .3 moa. I should have bought the Kahles K525i from the start but bought and sold an NXS prior.

 

[Vaultman]

I waited for years (a decade +) to get a spotter. Last year went straight to the swaro ATX 65mm. I was at the range at 9:00 pm this week with lit target at 200 yds. I saw a bobcat back at the 340 yd mark, IN THE DARK. That was proof enough for me!
I cried once (actually twice cause I bought the lens for a good deal on here and waited for the eye piece), but man is it amazing what alpha glass does!

 

[as.ks.ak]

Pack,stove,bag/quilt, binos, spotter, rangefinder.

These are all thing I wish I had just bought high end right out of the gate instead of spending almost a stupid amount of money the first time, to then spending a ridiculously stupid amount of money the second time.

Seriously. Buy once, cry once.


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[SWOHTR]

Mostly fits the bill here - socks. I only wear darn tough merino wool socks (every day). But, Navy issued steel toe boots don’t breathe and aren’t very comfortable. So the socks are well worth it.

 

[Groot]

Rifles, when I first turned 18 I started picking up various rifles 3-4 to be exact within a couple years. While all of these rifles would have been acceptable to most if not all of my buddies the fit, finish, and nitty gritty details were not up to par with my expectations. Lesson to be learned is to be more picky when buying guns. And also you can only customize a gun with aftermarket parts if there’s parts available! Most of these issues are pretty much common sense but being younger and dumber I didn’t know any better

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

It should be a red flag when a companies advertisement is mostly how great their warranty is.

Snap on has a great warranty, but you don’t see it plastered all over their ads. They tell you how good the tool is(and most of the time it’s pretty damn good if not the best) and the features of it.

It reminds me of old school Kia. I’m not sure how the newer ones are, but I remember most of the radio advertisement was about how long the warranty is... like what are you guys selling here? Sounds like a warranty instead of the car. Wonder why?

The one that gets me is the binoculars burnt up in a house fire... pretty sure most sane people have homeowners.

Yea.... My experience was so bad wirh Vortex, the scope almost didn't even make it home with me, I was just too tired to stop and find a trash can on the way home from elk camp.

Another huge regret I've had is boots. Cheap boots are a waste of life. Buy the very best boots you can possibly afford, that's probably rhe hardest lesson I ever learned. Except Crispi, F Crispi boots.

 

[carsonkeys]

Tripod for me. Haven’t been able to make a decision on one yet as I’m a little gun shy after blowing through several over the past few years.

 

[noelemahc]

Mostly fits the bill here - socks. I only wear darn tough merino wool socks (every day). But, Navy issued steel toe boots don’t breathe and aren’t very comfortable. So the socks are well worth it.

Very much agree. I have slowly been stocking up on them personally. The comfort is unreal.

 

[Boarmaster]

I not only learned from my mistakes but from what I did do right. Around 15 years ago I ponied up for a Leica rangefinder and some Swaro ELs. Those have been the two purchases I never regretted in any way. If they hold up another 5-10 years I will figure that was a pretty cheap annual cost for premium stuff. after I bought those items only bought the best stuff I could find even if I had to save up a while.

 

[sahunter06]

Rain gear until I became a little smarter. Tried so many that were “ so called” waterproof. Wasted a good amount of coin until trying kuiu. The pattern might not work for all terrain but I stay dry. Still looking for that performance with a pattern that blends well with foliage for early elk/whitetail. Any suggestions please let me know.

 

[Tourguide]

Saw a topic about spotters and I started thinking about gear I wish I would’ve spent good money on in the first place.

My #1 is that I should’ve started with a custom action. I started building on a rem 700 AAC 308, then traded it off in the end at a significant loss. I now have a few purpose built rifles that initially cost more, but will maintain their value (though they’ll probably never be sold).

My #2 is a heavy stainless 556 suppressor. My first NFA buy I was trying to save money and went cheap. Dumb thing to do on a lifetime purchase.

Though these are expensive life lessons, I would’ve saved $ in the long run.

So what’s your biggest woulda shoulda coulda?

Zeiss binos, spent a grand on them the week before I got married in 02, was sweatin for a few days about spending that much on hunting g gear, but all these years later they have proven a wise investment.

 

[Beendare]

Though these are expensive life lessons, I would’ve saved $ in the long run.

So what’s your biggest woulda shoulda coulda?

A buddy bought one of those cheap Chinese tents That came a part on him on a hunt. My USA made Tarptent is as good as the day I bought it about 18 years ago.

oh man I have 1 million of these. I am a contractor and we don’t do it unless we can do it right.

we recently did a project where we had A client with a large yard and pool and the pool was shocking people, and electrical short somewhere. $150k Later we found the problem. Cheap galvanized Chinese conduit was completely gone underneath the pool deck. The wires were literally laying in the rusted dirt, The conduit was completely gone after nine years.

The pool contractor probably saved 100 bucks which cost this this guy the project of removing his entire pool deck and it was huge.

—

 

[wind gypsy]

I have custom rifles built off a tikka, a PTG r700, and a seekins Havak PH1. In all cases I wish I would have just ponied up for a custom action and exactly what I wanted rather than getting close and saving a few bucks.

 

[VernAK]

Back in the early 70s, I was frustrated with Bushnell binos as they were always fogged up when hunting Kodiak and other other weather holes. I bought a Zeiss armored bino in 8x30 I think......$600.....big bucks. I used em for 30 years until trying a buddy's new Swaro.......I realized my glass was outdated and sold em on-line for $600.....after 30 years of use.......I called Doug and got some Leicas......

About 17 years ago, I read about a newer tent called the Kifaru Tipi......promptly ordered a 4 man......and sold it....way too small ....My next order was for a 12 man which has been used extensively all these years and withstood some of Alaska's worst storms.......she's looking a bit sad now and needs some repairs or even replacement. It even withstood all the BS involved in Bone Collector and Realtree TV programs.....now that's a tough tent!

The above Tipi required a better wood stove than some of the home built, heavy ones we used so I bought a name brand collapsible stove......I have no idea where that POS lies now........I called 4 Dog and ordered their large titanium stove and pipe.....what a difference that made.......after 15 years it's still in perfect condition with no repairs required......

 

[EastHumboldt]

Yea.... My experience was so bad wirh Vortex, the scope almost didn't even make it home with me, I was just too tired to stop and find a trash can on the way home from elk camp.

Another huge regret I've had is boots. Cheap boots are a waste of life. Buy the very best boots you can possibly afford, that's probably rhe hardest lesson I ever learned. Except Crispi, F Crispi boots.

“Too tired to find a trash can” made me laugh pretty hard. I’m gonna stow that for future use with your permission.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

“Too tired to find a trash can” made me laugh pretty hard. I’m gonna stow that for future use with your permission.

By all means. You could even go buy a Vortex scope, binos, anything really, and live the tragedy yourself if you really need some depression and regret in life.