What has been your biggest waste of money?

Highbinder

Full Member
Jul 11, 2010
1,257
2
Under a tree
Biggest waste of money? The axe I bought from b&q before I realised I didn't need one. Gave it to someone as a present.

Also,for me, the sak farmer I bought a few months ago. Good knife and handy but as soon as I got it I remembered why I don't like saks! Slipjoint paranoia, off centered blade, slippy when wet, useless lanyard, heavy.. Again I gifted it to a friend (in exchange for a tiny leather coin pouch)

My vango tent. Only cost me 35£, but it only saw maybe a weeks with of camping. Hated that thing. When someone threw up in it I used it as an excuse to bin the horrible thing.

My highlander thermarest self enflaming mat. Heavy, doesn't work well in a hammock, too long for me, crap valve, stuff sacks that are both too tight a fit to expect someone to be able to get it back in while out camping. It was pretty warm in the winter. I have it here and waiting for someone to give it to. If I haven't given it away before I move flat I'm going go take it down to a homeless dude I know.

It's all relative I guess, you need to accept some monetary loss as you develop a preference for what works for you. Some people would think spending x amount on a knife is a waste, but even I you trade out a few times and lose a little on you paid it was worth it in experience. Thanks to my tent and sleeping pad I found hammock camping, from my dislike of the sak I discovered spyderco, and pocket fixed blades.

Money 'wasted' in hobbies is not really wasted, not in the same sense as the cash you fritter away in day to day life. When I was self employed I kept all my receipts including personal items. When I looked back over then I was shocked.
 

Lordyosch

Forager
Aug 19, 2007
167
0
Bradford, UK
Vango Equinox 250 tent. Garbage. Poor quality, badly built. Full refund and the Terra Nova that replaced is going strong after 12 years and only cleaning as maintenance.
'Genuine Thai Army' tarp and hammock for a few quid on Ebay. I knew at the price it wasn't genuine but. The 'camo' tarp has all sorts of garbage/comedy writing and insignias in best 'engrish' all over it.


Jay
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,528
697
Knowhere
The all time champion has to be a series Landrover, nothing eats money like one of those, other than that it is hard to say. I have several rucksacks and more than one tent, but I wouldn't consider that a waste. I think clothes most probably, trousers and jackets, they never seem to live up to the promise of either durability or impermeability with me.
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
45
Britannia!
dr martens boots!

had several pairs over the years and the quality has dropped into the crapper!

my dm 14 eyelet steel toe 'work boots' had the tongue stitched in wrong and had no insoles.. £65 for poorly finished boots.

and my dm industrial work boots (or whatever they called them) were just terrible. got them in my exact size (as I normaly go for a size up for my fat hobbit feet) and the thick stitching that went over the top of the boot dug into my foot so badly I had to return them.. also the boots weren't equal in size.

I'm sick of buying boots, they are just over priced poorly made crap. (or atleast the dr m's are!)
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,528
697
Knowhere
dr martens boots!

had several pairs over the years and the quality has dropped into the crapper!

my dm 14 eyelet steel toe 'work boots' had the tongue stitched in wrong and had no insoles.. £65 for poorly finished boots.

and my dm industrial work boots (or whatever they called them) were just terrible. got them in my exact size (as I normaly go for a size up for my fat hobbit feet) and the thick stitching that went over the top of the boot dug into my foot so badly I had to return them.. also the boots weren't equal in size.

I'm sick of buying boots, they are just over priced poorly made crap. (or atleast the dr m's are!)

I had a pair of Doc Hawkins once, Hawkins upper Dr Martens Sole, they withstood at least one repair and they are still existent somewhere. I intend to recover them one of these days. I expect they don't make em like they used to.
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
45
Britannia!
I had a pair of Doc Hawkins once, Hawkins upper Dr Martens Sole, they withstood at least one repair and they are still existent somewhere. I intend to recover them one of these days. I expect they don't make em like they used to.

made in china.
 

Will Bowden

Tenderfoot
Jan 23, 2009
67
0
56
Exmoor
www.MuddyRedLandRover.co.uk
I bought some Rohan trousers once and was so enthusiastic to cut the parcel open with a ultra sharp opinel that I cut clean through the trousers as well, ruined whilst still in their plastic wrapping, Doh! Even worse I'd been ranting on to my mates at work about these new trousers before they arrived and they all watched me do it. The head shaking and bursts of laughter went on for weeks.

Will :)
 

outpost31

Tenderfoot
Jan 7, 2009
63
0
53
scotland
Lowa patrol boots. Well made waterproof,I just couldn't get along with them.They kept pinching my toes,tried for a year to break them in but they were for none of it.Gave up and resold them.
 

shogun

Need to contact Admin...
Mar 31, 2009
747
0
U.K
for me its been 2 knives...lol...both utter Sh+te..maybe it will be third time lucky...haha..
 

jackcbr

Native
Sep 25, 2008
1,561
0
51
Gatwick, UK
www.pickleimages.co.uk
A 5lt water carrier. I bought it so i could fill it with just the right amount of water and pack it into my bag without taking up too much room. Unfortunately the cap with a pouring valve wasn't threaded properly so it wouldn't say on, and to top it off there was a tiny tiny hole in the side which slowly dribbled water out. Biggest waste of £1 ever! Ahaha.
But seeing as all my other kit has never failed me (touch wood) i guess this is the "biggest" waste of money yet.

But i guess a wind up led torch, a knife spoon fork set, inflatable pillow, 2m bungy with carabina's and 15m of para cord bought from the same place also for a £1 each make up for my loss :p

Oh the allure of Poundland. Enamel cups, plates and bowls, rope, bungies, I really have to try hard to resist.
 

bojit

Native
Aug 7, 2010
1,173
1
56
Edinburgh
I made a 6ft long belt out of £20 notes.

That was my biggest waist of money.


​I'll just get my coat.....

I once bought some £20 pound notes from a guy in the pub for £5 each ! Turns out they were fake !!:confused:

Craig.......

I'm just in from work and my coat is still on !
 

BobvanVelzen

Tenderfoot
Jun 8, 2010
71
0
Netherlands
My worst are: smith ans wesson knife (young and stupid!) it did look cool!
And my glock knife, awitched to a good SAK the Swiss Onehand, far better and fits in me pocket!

Both will be great gifts sometime.
 

Everything Mac

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 30, 2009
3,131
96
37
Scotland
dr martens boots!

had several pairs over the years and the quality has dropped into the crapper!

my dm 14 eyelet steel toe 'work boots' had the tongue stitched in wrong and had no insoles.. £65 for poorly finished boots.

and my dm industrial work boots (or whatever they called them) were just terrible. got them in my exact size (as I normaly go for a size up for my fat hobbit feet) and the thick stitching that went over the top of the boot dug into my foot so badly I had to return them.. also the boots weren't equal in size.

I'm sick of buying boots, they are just over priced poorly made crap. (or atleast the dr m's are!)

Go have a look for lowa's on ebay ;) some of the best boots you can buy for silly cheap.


Biggest waste of money for me was the Brit Army sleeping bag - don't get me wrong it is a great bag. It was just too short for me :(

Andy
 
Jan 10, 2011
9
0
cornwall
i waisted lots off money on synthtic kit . a lot off money . i wish some one had told me about DULUTH PACK FILSON
HUDSON BAY BLANKET AND NORTH WEST www. WOODSMAN .com a long time ago
 

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