Things that dont realy work

S

sasha

Joined
Feb 28, 2006
Messages
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Siguy has mentioned that the chemical hand warmers did work for him. Which others agreed on. Another thing i found that didnt work as i expected were the chemical lights. I took one with me for the over night just to see how well it works. The light output was very low. It would work o.k to mark your camp site if you walk away but it realy dont light much at the camp site. I found its not worth to carry. I did use the white 8 hours light.
What did you guy found that didnt work as you expected???

Sasha
 
Frankly, most non-DEET mosquito repellants. I have no idea where some of these products were tested; the mosquitos around here are vicious and undaunted... and they don't come close to the mosquitos in most other locations... I can only think a good Canadian mosquito would swipe bottle from your hands and drink the stuff straight, pausing only to laugh a little at you.

I was especially disappointed with the kid-friendly mosquito wipes. Basically, little cloths you slather over your kids' skin so they don't have to spray around their eyes or mouths. Yeesh, mosquitos were able to find my kids MUCH easier with this stuff on! I give them an "F."
 
Echo Watchful's comment on non-deet repellant

Carbide knife sharpeners.

Yellow nylon rope - the government needs to pass legislation banning the stuff, or at least make it more than $3/50' and having it placed in the check out lane.

Waterproof matches.....come on - they don't really work (I'm talking the ones you buy)

Blue jeans as outdoors pants (be honest now)
 
Agree on the non-DEET.

"Waterproof" boots that are only ankle-high (otherwise known as water carriers).

Survival books that claim you can start a flint-and-steel fire with any piece of steel.

Commercial hand held GPS in heavy canopy.

A lot of tools and knives labeled "survival"

Bic lighters when you really need them.

Aerial "pen" flares.
 
1/2 my students around finals time.

Most bargain match cases - I would only trust one I made or K&M as waterfproof and having a decent compass.

The "saw" that is made of wire - that is WORTHLESS - even and snare wire.

TF
 
Survival saws. How many generic kits carried those infernal little things, and how many times did they snap apart if you tried using one? The bigger chainsaw version is another matter entirely, but those little wire models make me worry how popular absolute junk can get.

Condoms for water storage. You end up with this fragile water balloon that requires quite a bit of practice to get good at filling...and then what? Re-tying it every time you drink will break it, bracing it in a sock still leaves you with a floppy delicate mass, and unlubricrated models are difficult to find nowadays.

Electrical tape. I see it wrapped around so many old kits...It gums up within a day of pocket carry, it's a very weak adhesive, sweat makes it roll off. It's just not duct tape, can't see why it ends up in some kits.

Leather knife handles. It's stylish, it's comfortable, it's classy...then, it rains, your water bottle or bladder ruptures, you fall into a creek, and your once butter-soft handle is now rough, stained, and molding. Wood handles are still classy, no need to go tactical, but I can't bring myself to trust Ka-Bar handles.
 
Gore-tex clothing after the third backpacking trip: Gore tex works best brand new from the store. It is somewhat waterproof and breathes. However, once it gets dirty, it does not breathe as the pores are plugged. So you have to wash it and that causes the chemical coating that aids in waterproofing to come off. And the price dictates that I cannot afford one every year!

Rubber or plastic rainwear. Sure, it keeps the rain off but if you are backpacking, the rain will come from the inside - your sweat that is!

Multi-tool Pliers for turning rusted nuts - only strips the nut, get a real wrench.
 
I like Gore-tex less and less the more I use it. Works okay with light water on the outside, but when the item inevitably becomes wet on the inside it just keeps you wet longer.

I really appreciate Jeff's comment about low-topped waterproof shoes... They do make great water storage devices in a pinch.
 
Trust me, that's from experience and almost having my feet rot of :D

As far as wire saws go, I find the good ones useful in some situations. I know of one time we used one to salvage some wreckage ;) I guess it all depends on the user's personal experience on whether something is good or not, eh?
 
:thumbup: On the BIC lighter and the waterproof matches comments. I have a hard time getting a BIC to work if my hands are cold and here in Minnesota, that's half the dang year! :D. And the waterproof matches' heads break off easily. :mad:

I have a little flamethrower of a lighter that I take everywhere and it has yet to fail. I just make sure I keep it dry as possible. Failing that, the good ol' reliable firesteel works well too.
 
Zippo lighters when you need them. Seems like the second you need one to light is the same second the last drop of fuel has evaporated from the damn thing.
 
Wire Saws are an interesting topic. BCB, who makes one of, if not the best wire saw is guilty of goofy marketing. They have this kid or a baby-faced man cutting through a tree limb or log or whatever with the saw basically in a horseshoe shape. You combine that with the natural heating that will occur when cutting with one of them and you are going to have a broken wire saw. Another problem is, not all wire saws are created equal. Les Stroud had an obvious cheap wire saw in one segment, broke it straight away and condemned all of them as a result. If the wire saw is attached to some sort of swivel (like fishing gear) via a small terminal clamp for wiring harnesses, etc., it's going to break.

The BCB is braided wire, folded over and then crimped with a steel or some other alloy, miniature cable fitting-sleeve. So are the Vietnam-era Varcos and the newer Varcos I have. (The Varco is not the same braided steel design but the attachment, how the loop is formed is steel cable sleeve.)

The M2 wire saw, like the Varco, has a National Stock Number and has been issued. It's quite interesting as well. If it breaks, you can still use it because it has a set screw you can loosen and then take the broken piece out and just set the wire back into it, etc.

Going back to Vietnam or right after Vietnam with the M2 and some other wire saws, the user is always reminded to make a bow saw type of device out of it using a section of sapling. I mean, they have a nice little drawing on the package. But so many people ignore that. These types of saws, assuming the higher quality versions, can really come in quite handy in certain situations but they're not for people who are going to put them through extreme angles or heat them up, you have to use them like a bow saw and go slow. It's not a chainsaw, after all.

I remember months ago, one guy in here just flatly stated that Doan Magnesium/Ferro firestarters were no good because he couldn't start a fire with one of them. I have almost a half dozen of them now and still have the original one from back in the early-to-mid 1980s when I bought it. I was a hardhead as well, I thought a little bit of magnesium dust and POOF! I will have fire. When I extracted my head from an unpleasant place and actually took the time to learn how to use the thing, VOILA! It works well.
 
Hollow,

I am not trying to sell this - but have you ever put any pin striping under the o-rings as shims?

I would write Keith at K&M or call him (he is very nice) and explain your situation.

TF
 
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