Gear you wish you didn't buy

[Grand58742]

Let's face it, we've all bought something over the years that looked great in the package and you thought it would be outstanding, but ended up being more of a "meh" at the very end. Mine was the shake flashlight you see on the aisles in "survival gear" and whatnot. Bought mine at a Big 5 and thought "cool! I'll just toss this right in and no need for batteries!"

I was wrong lol

Never did quite put out a great amount of light, shaking it to attempt to charge wasn't easy and the capacitor really didn't hold a charge that long. Ended up replacing it and haven't looked back. Found it the other day while cleaning out some boxes and tried it once again. Capacitor doesn't hold a charge at all now. Good thing there's a lot of copper inside I can recycle.

So, what other items have you folks bought over the years that you looked back on and said "I should have saved my money."

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Oh man, I could buy a PVS14 with all that I have wasted or maybe 2 sets

lets see back in the day the coolio super duper SURVIVAL knife with compass that never did work right and handle encompassed fishing gear unsuitable to even sew a torn jean comes to mind. I was almost out of breath running up to the vendor to get me one in black and one in camo, wondered why he was smiling so big. Probably about 2 or 3 thousand other knives, some the wife even knew about, LOL.
About 4000 flashlights that all sucked. 147gr 9mm ammo of any kind. An insurmountable amount of web gear and pouches.mmm 3 or 4 camo patterns that couldn't hide you in a circus. oohh I know the SURVIVAL kits in a bottle/bag/tin/pack etc etc. They all stunk.
Bout 1/2 dozen lasers, never could find one to fit my sharks head. Enough holsters and ammo belts to fill a pickup bed. The peel n stick face camo that doesn't. A good 5 compass' as a teen before finally getting a real one from my uncle on an all expense paid overseas vacation. Metal G Lock mags got me for bout $100 during the last ban before .gov was kind enough to send me back to the motherland. Lets see the boots like the jump boots with no tread, the 1st jungle boot they made in sand color trying to pretend it was a desert boot, bout 1/2 dozen sets of so called insulated boots of all manufacturers even reputable ones. Battery operated socks. Most of my fishing equipment for a long time was better looking to me than most fish. Gloves, don't even get me started on tacticool gloves that someone should be punched in their groin for even making. The shotgun sling that holds a box of shells on the sling that swings with tremendous force from side to side allowing countless dove and rabbit to escape while i tried to figure out how Shwarzenhagger did it on "Commando". Damn near froze to death a time or 5 with the newest bestest thermals and coats they came out with. Few rolls of "survival" or camping TP that was John Wayne approved. There is much more but I'm crying right now, if I actually cried, so my memory is starting to block me out with that repressed memory PTSD thing.
Yep i'm a DA idiot when it comes to gear it seems.

[Karen]

I guess you guys weren't as blessed as I am. I have some awesome, knowledgable friends who answer my many questions which ends up saving me from wasting lots of $$ :D
Seriously, I really do appreciate all the info from you guys, Matt and Grand!

[WiseOwl]

Probably a ton of flashlights. Cheap wool socks. Crap gardening and survival books throughout the years.
Crappy tools. That same shotgun strap that holds a case...lol. A Smith and Wesson pocket knife my brother gave me (sorry bro) that dulls on 3 swipes on cardboard. Its now for stabbing Walkers in a last desperation.
Cheap Army Navy store camo pants. I have large legs and I bust out of those things like Bruce Banner.
Fiberglass handle axes. Hulk always breaks them on oak stumps.


Since money has always been tight I always research the crap out of gear before I buy it. I buy gear more for backpacking and hiking than the end of the world. With a few years strong I have quite the trail collection.
Matt helped steer me in my first rifle purchase and I appreciate that.

[610Alpha]

I have yet to break a fiberglass axe handle but those hickory ones don't last very long for me.