Disappointment in high end gear?

J

jackknife

Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
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Looking back on some of the stuff I've bought and used over my life, I find myself surprised at how often something does not live up to its over inflated reputation. Guns, knives, clothing, cars...

Have any of you been disapointed at the preformance of some piece of gear that was highly hyped and expensive?
 
"Highly hyped" - yes.

"Expensive" - no.

I have never been disappointed buying the highest quality I can afford.
 
I bought a couple of preowned, high priced shortwave receivers designed for demanding government and commercial use. They were ultra expensive. A group of other owners on an elite mailing list used to rave about them. Lots of snob appeal.

Frankly, I was disappointed in their performance and lack of flexibility. Got a lot more fun using the less expensive radios I already had.

Moral: All that glitters is not gold.
 
Yes, sometimes you got what you pay for but other times, a cheaper alternative that is less well known may out-perform the more expensive and well-marketed product.
 
I've been very dissapointed with many expensive electric guitars, and very impressed with many lower priced models, but these are very subjective items I think. With outdoors gear and such, I have almost always gotten what I paid for.
 
I was quite disappointed in the Arc AAA that I bought. My Photon Freedom put out a whiter, longer throwing, more symmetric beam. I did give the light to a family member who has been getting great use out of it.
The entire higher price = better product is patently false. I'll shop around to get the best price on the identical item that others pay more for, and yet the quality is no different even though I paid less for it.
 
alephlex said:
Yes, sometimes you got what you pay for but other times, a cheaper alternative that is less well known may out-perform the more expensive and well-marketed product.
Click to expand...

I agree.

"I have never been disappointed buying the highest quality I can afford."

That's why I look for QUALITY first, regardless of price. As you said, I have found quite a few reasonably-priced products over the years that were of higher (or equal) quality than a more expensive, more aggressively marketed product.
 
cockroachfarm said:
"Highly hyped" - yes.

"Expensive" - no.

I have never been disappointed buying the highest quality I can afford.
Click to expand...

Same here. Most of my gadgets and toys are in the "unconditionally guaranteed for life" category. So far, everything is holding up just great. I've had tons of bad experiences with buying cheap.

Just the other day: I fell for a sturdy looking $5 leather belt. It lasted about 4 months. The quality $25 belt that I bought 6 years ago is still going strong.

Guy
 
My only regret from buying high quality gear is not getting out and using some of it(esp. camping/hiking stuff, some power tools) enough, and maybe a few things that were bought spontaneously that I didn't really have a use for.
 
Agreed - I don't mind buying the best as long as I can think it thru first. Impulse is the killer for me. Not thinking thru ahead of time for using something. You know - you go out and buy that toy, "figuring" you will use it and then it sits on the shelf. Learned that a long time ago about tools, especially, where hard use is involved. You know - you buy a cheaper one to "get you" by and it breaks before the job is done and you then DO go out and buy the better one. Now the better one is even more expensive:) When I started with revenue properties, I thought I had pretty good stuff but in a few areas, I had to go back out and get even better stuff. I have had times, though, where getting a less expensive equivalent has been a good choice. Again, it was because I thought thru everything first. Now, if I could get rid of the "impulse" thing, I would have more cash to "collect" things that I probably would use even less:D

- gord
 
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