Kit you wouldn't recommend

East Coaster

Forager
Oct 21, 2008
177
0
Fife/Scotland
MSR Whisperlight Stove - awkward stiff legs, gets really filthy to handle even using coleman fuel and broke down several times before finally going to the great stove bin in the sky.
Karrimor 'err,,outdoorsy' type trainers - absolutely rubbish soles that wear out within a month, tried three pairs before finally learning my lesson. Don't know whats happened to Karrimor stuff in general. It seems to be bargain basement tat these days and it used to be a very well made equipment. My main backpack is still a 65lt Karrimor that I bought over 20 years ago and has been round the world and up and down more hills than I care to remember.
 

Andy BB

Full Member
Apr 19, 2010
3,290
3
Hampshire
Just to be awkward, I'd say the stainless steel army trangia set.

Don't get me wrong, I love the alu version - I've had it working fine down to -20C and always keep one in the boot of the car. But the s/s version doesn't cook as well, is slower to the boil, is even heavier, more expensive, and as the alu one is bullet-proof anyway, why would anyone want the s/s one?

ps - agree with Rik - the ultimate meths stove is the Trapper!

And if anyone has an Optimus 8 they don't want, pm me - i'll be more than happy to take it off your hands:)
 

armie

Life Member
Jul 10, 2009
267
8
61
The Netherlands
Not wanting to upset anyone here, but expensive knives.

I'm fortunate and got a custom made knife 2nd hand for £60 and nearly balked at that price. Even then I'm careful how I use it- unlike my "precision and finely tuned" :D sledgehammer with a blade (MOD survival knife)

I agree.
"unless he loves his tools it is highly improbable that he will create something of superior quality." (about craftsmen)
Also, "It s a joy to use" people say of their expensive kit, but I just want to cut things and scrape the mud off the soles of my boots, I'm not creating art.
And yes, I bought a Fällkniven F1/3G Limited Edition. Once.
 

dasy2k1

Nomad
May 26, 2009
299
0
Manchester
Woodland edge firebox.

Weighs a ton and could never get a fire going in it without it 1 smoking me out and 2 needing constant babysitting to prevent it going out.

Swapped it for a dd hammock.

Oh and nonsuch, I would happily take the 8r off your hands if you don't want it... Can use it for spares at least for the 2 the scouts have in the stores that run like jet engines

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
 
Mar 15, 2011
1,118
7
on the heather
The Kelly Kettle just way to big. The Vargo Titanium Hexagon Wood Stove a total waste of cash. Cheep knives or cheep bivi bags and I will never ever again by the Maya saw dust rubbish.
 
MSR Whisperlight Stove - awkward stiff legs, gets really filthy to handle even using coleman fuel and broke down several times before finally going to the great stove bin in the sky.
Karrimor 'err,,outdoorsy' type trainers - absolutely rubbish soles that wear out within a month, tried three pairs before finally learning my lesson. Don't know whats happened to Karrimor stuff in general. It seems to be bargain basement tat these days and it used to be a very well made equipment. My main backpack is still a 65lt Karrimor that I bought over 20 years ago and has been round the world and up and down more hills than I care to remember.

Yer the Whisperlite is abit rubbish, the fuel pipe is too small and wont connect to a canistor without falling over.
 

Nonsuch

Life Member
Sep 19, 2008
1,862
1
Scotland, looking at mountains
I believe there are plans to hold a "Bushcraft Car Boot Sale" at Comrie Croft in the next few months. I will be bringing the Optimus 8R and a mountain of other kit to sell that I don't like or simply don't use. All the proceeds will go to charity as I shouldn't have spent all that money on the stuff in the first place and therefore don't deserve to have it back!
 

Dreadhead

Bushcrafter through and through
I believe there are plans to hold a "Bushcraft Car Boot Sale" at Comrie Croft in the next few months. I will be bringing the Optimus 8R and a mountain of other kit to sell that I don't like or simply don't use. All the proceeds will go to charity as I shouldn't have spent all that money on the stuff in the first place and therefore don't deserve to have it back!


is there a thread kicking about somewhere relating to this? caught my attention immediatly ;)


as for kit i wouldnae recommend.....karrimor boots. fell apart in the shop whilst trying on several pairs. nevermind walking around in them.

also guitars in the bush...if you cannae play it properly im gonnae bloody break it!
 

BigMonster

Full Member
Sep 6, 2011
1,351
225
Manchester
CAMOUFLAGE TARPAULIN TARP 2.4m X 3.0m.
7 quid from stealBay.
Image

Eyelets are not symmetrically around the edge so you can't use it as a tarp (A frame for example).
No good as a tent floor either, after two weeks rolled in my pack (storing) all edges and corners where worn through...

Waste of money...
 

Biker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Karrimor boots and trainers. Bought a pair of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Karrimor-Safety-Boots-Mens-Honey-/250829773246

Not from that seller via ebay but the exact same boot from Sports Direct shop in Margate Kent. Got them for £24, reduced from £55 or something like that. Very comfy so no compalints about that but after wearing them for about 5 months in total doing light work, granted a lot of it was kneeling, the soles have split across their width, not only that but where they've worn through the sole appears to be a thin rubber sprayed coating over a foam mould, those big chunky grippy soles are not soild rubber at all.

Sadly the trainers I bought the same day have also split and worn through in normal day to day wear and tear. What annoys me is that I am extremely light on shoe wear and can make boots last years normally.

So in my opinion steer clear of this "bargain" I was hoping for so much more from Karrimor.
 

mountainm

Bushcrafter through and through
Jan 12, 2011
9,990
12
Selby
www.mikemountain.co.uk
Karrimor boots and trainers. Bought a pair of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Karrimor-Safety-Boots-Mens-Honey-/250829773246

Not from that seller via ebay but the exact same boot from Sports Direct shop in Margate Kent. Got them for £24, reduced from £55 or something like that. Very comfy so no compalints about that but after wearing them for about 5 months in total doing light work, granted a lot of it was kneeling, the soles have split across their width, not only that but where they've worn through the sole appears to be a thin rubber sprayed coating over a foam mould, those big chunky grippy soles are not soild rubber at all.

Sadly the trainers I bought the same day have also split and worn through in normal day to day wear and tear. What annoys me is that I am extremely light on shoe wear and can make boots last years normally.

So in my opinion steer clear of this "bargain" I was hoping for so much more from Karrimor.

I took a pair of Karrimor walking shoes back after about 6 months of light wear. They had split at the toe. I got a full refund from Mountain Warehouse who told me it eas a common fault in that model. They were very comfy though. I tend to buy discount timberland now and they last much longer.
 

Ronnie

Settler
Oct 7, 2010
588
0
Highland
Mrs R bought me some Karrimor boots for my birthday. Put it this way, I'd have never chosen them myself! Cheap Chinese carp with a big name label stuck on them :p
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,762
786
-------------
Mrs R bought me some Karrimor boots for my birthday. Put it this way, I'd have never chosen them myself! Cheap Chinese carp with a big name label stuck on them :p

I think that the Karrimor name has been bought out and its now nothing like the company it was.
 

comeonbabylightmyfire

Need to contact Admin...
Sep 3, 2010
192
0
London
Under-filled on the underside baffles. TBF they did replace it but it was just the same. I tend to turn around with the bag rather than turn inside it so my back was exposed at night and the lack of insulation made it very chilly and I had to cover my torso with my jacket. It seems sacrilegious to whine about a much lauded company and everything else I've bought there has been great but I just didn't get on with the bag. I gave it to my nephew for his trip to India and I've bought a Marmot Sawtooth which is great.
 

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