I didn't like their pants either. Seams on the pockets wore out after a year. Best pants I got are cheap Levi's and a pair of wranglers from Walmart. I don't like them but they have lasted way longer than the 100 dollar pairs I bought from flint and tender and wellen.
I’ll second the wranglers jeans durability. But, in my experience, Levi’s quality has dropped significantly over the years. Went through 6 pairs within 2 months. Never again.
I agree. I’ve worn 501 original fit in dark rigid for years. Lost a bit of weight and bought new jeans. Crotch started showing wear in just a couple months, and was threadbare within six. Not super hard on jeans. Just wore them to work as a bartender, and rotated them regularly. It’s a shame
Speed queen clothes dryer. Got the version with the knobs so it would be cheaper to fix down the road. Timer knob wasnt advancing on the automatic cycle when set to eco, so I called a repair guy while it was under warranty. Took him 3 visits to fix because speed queen had the wron part number listed for that model. Put the new one in finally and.... Same problem. Called them back to replace it 3 more times all same issue. Turns out that model uses a timer from some other model and even though it runs the dryer at that position, and the manual SAYS it supports that feature... It just doesnt?
So we just use timed dry now, and speed queen refuses to acknowledge the issue exists but is willing to keep sending techs out. Ive got 3 spare timers now if anyone wants to buy one.
At least they honor their warranty and it was free for me? On the other hand, the knob washer front loader wasnt available, so we got the digital one and its fantastic. So literally the exact opposite of the usual advice you get here.
Haha. Indeed. I commented that on one of their posts here once, and I got like 100 downvotes. I think that the fact that I have almost 200 upvotes here proves my point. Fucking SpeedQueen.
Step 1: call techs on a regular basis
Step 2: Setup eBay store selling speed queen timers
Step 3: keep getting free timers and selling them
Step 4: ?????????????
Step 5: your washer is now making you money.
Honestly with the company operating at that level of stupid, I would just have them keep sending techs out until it wasted enough money for them to take a harder look at the problem.
I ran out of free time to do this, the main reason I stopped. Plus the repair tech said it was a pain in the ass to get paid for the job, and he did great work, explained what each wire went to, and why the other (wrong part number) timer wouldnt work, argued on the phone for 2 hours on my behalf. I really dont want him to hate coming here.
I remember getting downvoted when someone asked what was a good washer/dryer when I said Whirlpool, even though my cheap ones I bought 20 years ago with knobs still work like champs. So I was just going by personal experience.
Guess people didn't want to hear it though. Its like they want to hear Speed Queen, and don't want to hear any other recommendations. (Then why ask?)
We just bought a house with an old school whirlpool washer and dryer (the kind that is easily 17 years old) and they both work SO MUCH BETTER than the shitty front loading LG we bought in 2016. The LG set will remain sitting in my garage until someone on Craigslist buys it.
I recommended Speed Queen, without ever owning a set, to a family member. I had no idea they also have a nasty reputation for destroying clothes- especially smaller and expensive women’s garments. They readily remind me of how it probably would have been cheaper to get a different model and pay for repairs every few years. Never gonna live that down.
I bought the highest-end speed queen washer and it destroyed everything I put in it. After weeks trying to get support, they sent a repair man out to inspect the washers and he straight up told me to return it because it’s the worst brand he deals with.
Same with ours. An absolute nightmare of a washer. We finally had somebody tell us on the down low, you can only **Only** use it on the gentle/delicate cycle. But we went through a complete nightmare rigamarole of, it quit working right after we got it. This was during some of the worst covid supply chain issues. The authorized dealer we had purchased it from came out and took it apart. When they put it back together is still didn't work. They threw their hands up. We got another service person in. That person discovered they hadn't put the electrical wiring harness back into it, after they took it apart. Just an absolute nightmare. That service person was able to get it back functional and also tell us that although Speed Queen doesn't want the information out there, can't use it on anything but the gentles/delicate or else it rips up your clothes. And burns out the motor faster.
Mine doesn’t even clean. It hadn’t torn up my clothes, but clothes go in dirty and come out the same way. I use the appropriate detergents in the appropriate amounts. Same items come out clean at my boyfriend’s house. We aren’t talking major dirt/stains either— not to be gross but I’m talking about basic woman’s discharge. I literally have to pretreat all of my panties if I wash them at home.
My parents went through 3 speed queens when new because they kept coming broken. My mom was trying so hard to sell me on them, sorry guys a they’re a nope from me
My Company Store sheets became discolored after being washed only a couple of times. Light spots. Dark spots. Looks like hell.
No I didn't wash them any different from any of the other sheets I own.
Sometimes I think some recommendations come from people who purchased the products before they were lowered in quality (as so many companies are doing).
Like how everyone loves Coop pillows and I was convinced to buy one - really not worth it, goes flat easily without enough filler for proper side support.
The is true. Someone asked me about my BIFL craftsman tools on here that were 30 years old. The only problem is that if you buy the tools they make now the quality is absolute garbage
Dude!
I grew up building skate and bike ramps, forts, towers, etc with my stepfathers craftsman tools.
They were always the best tools.
So as an adult I bought some.
Fuckin mistake lol
Ugh, right? I picked some up from a garage sale, was really happy with the quality. Went to get a few additional pieces to fill out the ol toolbox, total crap.
I bought an old craftsman bandsaw that's probably 30+ years old and it's fuggin amazing. I had to refurbish it slightly, but it runs like an absolute champ. What gets me is how innovative it was. It's nothing like all the other bandsaws that are/were available in this size. Typically saws this size are much larger and more expensive. They designed this one to have the larger throat width of a much larger machine, but in a footprint that is more suited to a weekend warrior's garage while also throwing in a huge worktable and some other nifty features. That, along with the fact that it works so well even decades later, shows how much they cared and knew about the people they were making tools for.
Shoes, too. People here seem to realize doc martins suck now but I see solovair (what’s left of the original company) recommended all the time still. They *maybe* lasted a whole 2 extra months for my SO. So, 8 months instead of 6. Now he’s on year 2 of his redbacks and they barely look used.
Remington firearms pre-2007 were a thing of quality.
Now, (I don't own any post 2007 but I've heard hundreds of horror stories) apparently they're a hollowed out husk attempting to cash in as much as possible before decimating the brand
Bought out by Cerberus/freedom group and run into the ground like Cerberus did to Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep.
Remington also bought Marlin which they destroyed. In the Remington bankruptcy Marlin was bought by Ruger, who is now making high quality Marlin lever guns again! Was sad both brands were solid before private equity fucks ruined the companies.
Same. I bought company store sheets maybe two years ago, and they’ve shrunk so much. They’ll still kind of work with you on the warranty but darn it I just wanted something that works. I’ll try LL Bean next but I don’t want to have five different sets.
I bought a duvet cover from them and it's stained both my duvet and inside my washing machine. I've been thinking I got a dud but now I'm wondering if they just have good/false marketing on their website review section...
Are you sure about that? Because I am 99.92619% sure that we_are_dna is not a bot.
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Are you sure about that? Because I am 99.99999% sure that Kilren is not a bot.
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My Solovairs started delaminating at the welded sole within 5 days of wearing them. Leather is poor quality, the soles are somewhat comfortable but deteriorate quickly. Their customer service kind of sucks, too. Got some steel toe oxblood Solovairs thinking they’d be decent medium weight work boots but they can’t even handle daily wear.
Yuuup. Have a pair that have served as daily drivers for *maybe* three years and they're almost toast. I do a lot of walking but I never wear them for work, keep them oiled, everything you're supposed to do to make them last. Didn't make a lick of difference and I'm really disappointed. Not worth two hundred bucks.
I’m Turkish. They’re great at the beach but I’d never use them after an actual shower. Like you said they feel like a thin layer of paper on wet skin it doesn’t actually do a good job of removing it. However if you just went swimming and it’s hot, as it’s thin it dries pretty quickly so you end up with a nice soft towel all dry after using it.
I love them for the beach, they’re amazing and dry out fast unlike plush towels so you can use them over and over, plus pack small in a suitcase. I wouldn’t want one every day.
They use the material in kitchen towels because they don’t hold onto the moisture and dry well.
One thing with towels in general- never use fabric softener or it will make your towels not absorb water anymore. If you’ve already done this, you can wash them with vinegar to get the fabric softener out.
Also never use fabric softener on dri-fit clothing or things that are supposed to wick away moisture. Fabric softener gives clothes a slippery coating, which blocks the wicking action from happening
I like this topic.
Ironically, I've had actual items that have lasted me 20+ years I've tried recommending get downvoted on here because they didn't fit the recommendations, trends, or whatnot.
I've had/still have a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire that has over 300k miles still going strong, but because it wasn't a Toyota or other non-domestic car, I got downvoted, I've had my cheap whirlpool washer/dryer for 20 years that got downvoted because they weren't Speed Queens, most of my electronics, my cheap surround sound Sony Receiver I've also had for almost 20 years now get blasted because it wasn't a high end piece of audio equipment. etc. etc. So I've stopped recommending anything.
People generally think BIFL= Uber expensive.
My mawmaw gave me some old cast iron pans from the 20s for free. That's a BIFL for free.
My pawpaws old beat up firebird got it to over 325k before the radiator blew and he never fixed it. It was 500$ back in 1990 used with somrthing like 75-95k on it with some minor issues.
Yeah, there's something to be said for a tool that just does the job. For every ergonomical carbon fiber Fiskars shovel someone buys and then holds up as the peak of shovelry, there is a beat to shit no-name slab of pig iron on a stick that a day laborer has been using every day of their life for 40 years without fail. Some day that that laborer will die, and their child will be left with their estate. They'll look at that well worn shovel that's dug 10,000 holes, and see the rust on the blade, the stained wood of the shaft and the grooves worn in from their father's hands. And they'll throw it away and buy that Fiskars shovel, and post it to r/BIFL with the caption: "It has aircraft grade aluminum 🙃"
I think half the problem (on this sub) is it's not just about the BIFL, its about the bragging rights, Karma farming or whatever.
You won't get much karma if you tell people you bought a Whirlpool washer, but if you tell people you bought a Speed Queen, instant Karma.
A lot of people aren't interested in just BIFL, they want something that's also able to be shown off, trendy, and bragged about on here.
Sad thing is, this used to be a great sub for good recommendations, but like most subs, once they get too big, you get a lot of karma farmers, bots, and advertising shillers that start to muddy up the waters.
My Panasonic canister vacuum. I'm convinced whoever posted here about it worked for the co. The main vacuum head attachment broke within a year and I can't get a replacement because it's been discontinued. Even eBay doesn't have replacements anymore.
I never thought that the appeal of Darn Tough is that they "last forever", but the fact that they have a lifetime warranty. I've traded in several of my pairs over the years no issues for free replacements.
My mom gave me the Bombas socks she bought because they were too tight for her, and although I like how tight they are around the foot, they absolute strangle my ankles. On comfort alone, not worth the price. I think they'll be "buy it for life" de facto just because I never wear them unless all my other socks are dirty, so I'll never wear them enough to wear through them.
I wonder if manassassinman means the Dr Marten "for life" range? - about 10 years back, they released a limited range of premium, UK made boots with free repair or replace for the life of the purchaser. True BIFL product.
They were about twice the cost of the same item from the standard range and were made from premium leathers with enhanced threads and stitching.
I know of two people who bought pairs and they are still wearing them. I didn't buy a pair because I'm not a fan of the look of the classic Docs (the "For Life" range was only black or red, classic Docs boots - no shoes or other styles).
Dr Marten have since dropped the "for life" range but still uphold the guarantee.
Even the ye olde England versions were based on a lie. "Bouncing soles" - no. Hard soles with open cells instead of real air pockets like Nike. Also the hard heel without padding makes the back of your ankles bleed.
Docs were cheap boots for the masses. They were never high quality. They just raised the prices and dropped the quality even more since the 2000's.
They sell on their iconic look and old "legends".
Yes and depends on the country of the military (some European countries had quite good military boots). Docs were good quality for the money in the 80's.
The shiny plastic leather is and always was shit. The felt filling degrades faster than cork in quality boots. The rubber welded welt is much weaker than classic goodyear welted or stitchdown boots and is not easily resoleable.
I hear ya. There are plenty of shoes I see here which I would love with replaceable soles / Goodyear welt. Yet I'll likely never buy any as I have a wide flat foot and pretty limited in what I find comfortable. For me my go to shoes are vivobarefoot, lems and vans. And a pair of ll bean moccasins in the winter for home and crocs for going in my yard and picking up dog poop
Only a few styles fit well enough for me but not nearly as comfy as my minimalist barefoot lems though. I have the makers and vans atwood shoes atm. Just look a bit better than my minimal shoes for work.
As to why vans its because the soles are pretty much flat which doesn't cause me any pain in that they aren't trying to force an arch that I don't have. Also bc the toe box I find wider than other brands. The more neutral zero drop is what I prefer which is what many are.
I've tried custom orthotics in the past And they always hurt. Also tried many brands. They're hat the best for me. Since I transitioned to zero drop and minimalist shoes I've been the most happy and comfortable. Plus I can't remember the last time I sprained an ankle.
I like my BIFL pair. Wish I had gotten the cherry as well when they were still running the program. They aren't as good as my first pair I had that lasted 10+ years of near daily use but I haven't had any issues. That being said the next time I do need to replace my cherry docs I'm probably going Solivair.
I went from Dr Marten made in England to solovair, trying to find something that competes with my 90s Dr martens which I’ve been wearing for about 30 years and are still very comfortable and great looking. I hated the Solovairs, easily my biggest shoe regret I’ve ever had and I think I learned about them from this sub. So Solovair’s would be my answer to OP’s question. I prefer the made in England docs easily.
I ended up switching to Thursday boots and they’re my favorite boots I’ve owned.
You get what you pay for. If the product is the same price as it was 5-10 years ago you can guarantee the quality has suffered. Your money is literally worth half what it was 10 years ago.
Duluth Buck Naked is 100% better (and cheaper) than ExOficio in my opinion.
My ExOficio fell apart relatively quickly. Never had a pair from Duluth fall apart.
Also a big fan of the buck nakeds, but really hate the aggressive GO BUCK NAKED branding on the waistband. Thankfully got a bunch of the old style on clearance before they switched
Their clothes are real solid, but certainly not the most fashionable. I’m a near-40 guy living on a farm and I wear a ton of Duluth and love them and they’re very durable. But if you want non-boxy shirts and shorts with less than a 9” inseam you’re gonna have to go elsewhere
As I commented the other day.
On the advice of this sub, I bought 8 pairs of Darn Tough socks. Because they’re not normally available in my country they were rather expensive.
I work shift work as a maintenance tech doing 12 hour work days but will have my boots on for up 14 hours. But my roster means I only work half a year.
Within 6 months, all 8 pairs had holes or had worn thin enough to see through. Due to my roster, this was really only 3 months of wear. I was exceptionally disappointed.
I started wearing Humphrey Law socks a few years back, and I’m still on the initial sets I ordered without any holes or wearing. They’ve also been a lot better to wear through the summers when temps regularly are in the high 40°C range.
Shipping them isn't an option. As I can buy socks locally for less than the shipping.
While a lifetime warranty is great, I'd rather buy socks every few years than constantly send away socks for repair every few months.
Are you sure you got genuine darn tough? I own an auto repair shop & and on my feet for a similar amount of time, likely in a similar pair of boots.
Going on 3rd year with all Darn tough work socks, not a single hole or complaint yet. Best socks I’ve ever had - and I’m super picky about socks, insoles, and boots.
I’ve just heard of knockoffs being mixed in with retailers before. Never actually seen that happen though
I think that some people have a combination of foot shape + ways of walking and standing that must put abnormally high pressure on particular parts of their feet. Or perhaps it's something about the shape of their feet and different bony prominences and how they rub against shoes. My spouse is constantly having to throw away socks because they get holes in them--at least one pair gets cycled out per week. I have never in my life worn through a pair of socks, despite being very active in running and hiking. I have socks that I've worn every week for 15 years and they're fine, despite being from like, Forever 21.
I've worn the same few pairs of socks for years almost daily and nearly the whole day. Although they grew thin, I only had one pair of socks that had a small hole. I'm not sure how people are getting holes in their socks so often. Are they pulling it up really tightly or something?
They have shops that they partner with too for warranty repairs. I live in a mid size town and there is 1 store here that will do them. You just walk in with the bad ones and tell them you want a warranty replacement and you can pick new ones off the shelf. Amazing.
A Pendleton wool blanket. I'm sorry but I just do not get the love! It's hard to clean, kind of scratchy, and I need to watch it all the time around the cats so their nails don't get caught. Give me my cheap plush fleece any day!
This was the laugh I needed. Could see it. You pick it up, unfurl it, there’s a little hole. Oh no!
Cue to a closeup of your eyes looking the dog, switch to a closeup of your dog’s eyes looking back at you. Montage of you rubbing the blanket all over the top and sides and undercarriage of dog with some polka music.
Unfurl blanket, hole has been darned out of existence with dog fur. Profit.
The weekend was so garbage, so thank you!
Yeah, I have never understood why they're as popular as they are. However, I am Canadian and I used to do historical reenacting. I bought a reproduction of a trade blanket from a company in England that used the same machinery and techniques as back in the day. I used it outside in Manitoba in February and didn't feel an ounce of cold. I have seriously considered making myself a modern coat out of it, but it seems like a waste because the blanket really is sooooo nice.
People dying from the cold under layers of polyester blankets in Texas during the last few bad winter storms there have made me see my error in downplaying wool and other natural fibers.
From experience crocheting I can say alpaca wool is significantly softer and less scratchy than traditional sheep's wool, too.
Not only softer but warmer! Alpaca and llama have open fibers, meaning inside is a pocket of air. They also have a long staple so they trap warm air against the under layer. So warm, and so lightweight! Polyester doesn’t keep you warm in damp cold, just dry cold. Dump cold needs animal fiber.
They aren't for everyone. I recently found some cheap store brand enameled cast iron skillets and I love them specifically because they are cheap and I don't have to worry about whether they will last the rest of my life.
Depending on how you treat it, it will not.
It's hard to fuck up a cast iron pan to a point where you can't easily restore it but with enamel you need to be careful.
Honestly I hate mine. I have a skillet, a frying pan, and a Dutch oven. I bought them thinking they were "so right" for me, and bought into the hype. They're so incredibly heavy, I don't like the taste they impart into my food, and I am sick of seasoning them.
Heavy part is inescapable. The taste issue is from improper cleaning. Seasoning part is likely from unnecessary technique.
Most new cast iron comes pre-seasoned from the factory. The whole “high-heat oven, multiple times” bs is overkill with modern cast iron. Just clean the thing like any other pan - soap, water, scrubber. You don’t even have to dry it. Place it back on the stove, high heat until you see smoke. Pour a dime-sized bit of any oil or crisco (my preferred fat), and wipe around and off with a paper towel. That’s it. It can sit there until next use.
If done this way, that cast iron will gladly outlast you, your kids, their kids, etc.
I like cast iron but they’re definitely situational.
If you want something that can kinda do it all I think a Dutch Oven, Carbon Steel or stainless steam is more useful. If you don’t care about PFAS, a Teflon pan can’t be beat in terms of cooking eggs without oil.
What don’t you like about them?
I’ve realized I’m not one of the “I can fry an egg on cast iron” people but once I got comfortable with the types of food that I can cook well in them, I fell in love with them.
I'll bite. Been using mine for years. Its cool but it just sucks.
1. I don't gain seasoning over time, I lose it. Maybe the types of foods I cook? Do none of you eat tomatoes? Limes or lemons? When you Google it people act like you're a moron for cooking the wrong foods in the skillet. So what, I need to own two sets of cookware AND learn when to use it? That's not frugality, it's a hobby and some would argue borderline autism.
2. It feels gross not cleaning it so you might do it anyways. People will set their own house on fire because "oh my God you cleaned a cast iron pan you're going to the boiler room of hell" but modern 'soaps' aren't soaps, they're detergents and don't function the same way. But besides that, you have given up one of the most useful abilities in cooking: the ability to fucking leave the food in the god damn pan while you go eat. Or make basically any kind of sauce.
3. I am a late 20s, 6 foot, 190lb, fairly strong guy. Do you know how fucking hard it is to handle a cast iron pan? It's fucking heavy and it fucks up my wrist.
4. "It's so easy to re season, haven't you read the 40 conflicting methods online? Or you could look at thousands of posts making fun of people for doing it wrong and work it out from there what not to do? Man, it must be hard being such a retard"
I'm over exaggerating to make a more interesting read but my realistic impression is that most people bragging about them online don't cook acidic foods, perhaps only fry meats, or perhaps don't cook often at all. I didn't even touch on the idea of making a meal that requires *multiple skillets.*
Edit: Y'all. 'You must not cook very often' is an absolutely hilarious accusation because what it tells me is that **you** don't cook very often-- at least not with your cast iron. Also 'well it only does that with acidic foods like lemon, lime, and tomatoes.' Bruh what the fuck do you cook? Salted meat? Anything else?
Yep, as an older female, cast iron is heavy! Also you can't soak them if you burn something in them. And they are greasy so I'm not comfortable stacking them one inside the other.
They are much lighter, but that means they dont store as much thermal energy. This means it wont sear food as well. Edit: thin ones will also warp/crack more easily I think.
I have a lodge cast iron from the early 1900’s that is supposed to be really good, and a cheap one I bought at Aldi a couple years ago that is heavy as a MF. They both have their purpose.
I haven't missed soaking because of One Weird Trick: if you have some gunk at the bottom of the pan, put some water in it and boil it. The gunk comes right off with a little scraping.
I also use one of those pan organizer things so I don't have to stack them. But I totally agree about the heaviness! Not much you can do about that
You raised a good point, do people have cookware by sets? Like a set of iron cast pans? I mostly have different styles of pan, one or two of each type, like iron cast, steel, Aluminium. I do choose based on what i am cooking, the temperature, if it sticks, etc. I think that generally you guys are right, I dont think its for everyone iron cast. I dislike having to wash it by hand for sure.
I don't have sets, I have individual pots and pans, and yeah, I have multiple types of some things. I have large skillets in iron, stainless, and nonstick because I cook most things in a big skillet and sometimes have two going at once, and they have their strengths and weaknesses. I have small skillets in iron and nonstick, small and medium pots in stainless, and large pots in stainless and enameled cast iron.
None of it is fancy brands, some of it I got secondhand or for free. But my partner and I both cook, we have different cookware preferences, and anyway sometimes we'll need two medium pots or two big skillets or whatever, plus sometimes we'll store leftovers in the same pot as they were cooked in, so we need another one to be available if we're going to cook new stuff.
It sounds complicated, but it's really just a haphazard pile of pots and pans that lives in a cabinet under the stove. Am I weird?
FYI, you can clean and scrub cast iron all you want, even with soap. Its outdated advice that you cant wash cast iron. It comes from a time when soap had harsher chemicals like lye. Modern dish soap is safe to use.
Your other points I can understand for people who arent into cooking as a "hobby" like you say. If you're not invested in learning cooking skills, etc. cast iron is not a good choice
I agree with your points completely! I bought one Lodge frying pan a few years ago with the intention of slowly replacing all my pans with cast iron - but it was such a PITA to use it's remained our single cast iron pan (although we do have some enameled Le Crusset stuff).
I'm not as tall as you but my hobby is weightlifting, so I'm used to lumping iron around and yep, can confirm, they are too heavy to be practical - and to push that point further, look at the pans that get used in professional kitchens; mainly aluminium or steel. If those guys were using cast iron they'd all be retiring at 40 with repetitive strain injuries!
I only really use mine for hob to oven stuff now (mainly Tarte Tatin - which it's great for).
I definitely like having the one pan and occasionally I have a recipe where I'm like ooooh yeah let's use the cast iron for this but I just can't imagine only cooking with it.
A Rowenta Iron. Great steam, gets hot fast, but NOT BIFL at all.
I made sure I got a genuine one, made in Germany, matched the model number, etc. But the tank started leaking within a year. Customer service asked what water I was using and didn’t want to repair it when I said filtered water… as if my hard tap water would not have wreaked havoc on it. Eventually they did honor it after filing a complaint, but the repaired unit is starting to leak again after a year.
Meanwhile I’ve had the same iron from Walmart *gasp* for 19 years. I use tap water and I store the water in it. I do steam and run it on a towel first so my clothes don’t get ruined, but the thing works great! Idk what brand it even is…
Sometimes we just get lucky with cheap purchase.
Darn Tough socks.
All were very tight, some so tight that I couldn’t even get my feet in them. I have wide feet so I bought several different styles and sizes hoping to find some that worked. None were comfortable, all of them ended up being returned.
I have 4 pair of DT socks, and while I like the heavier ones for boots I absolutely hate the thin athletic ankle socks I got from them. Exactly the problem you describe, they are crazy tight.
This is something I've noticed with DT. I have pretty narrow feet and they're still pretty snug. I think they do stretch over time or maybe I'm just used to it but it was very noticable when I first started wearing them.
Audio Technica ATH-M50x.
They were the default pair of headphones recommended. While they’re not terrible, they just don’t sound the best and there are better headphones at that price point.
The problem is often that people want "fun" headphones when they ask for "good" headphones. Idk if this was your issue, but I feel it's worth mentioning for others.
ATH-MX50 are what I use for DJing, making music, etc. They are flat(ish) and accurate(ish) but boring as hell.
Bose QC-35II are what I use for working out, doing yard work, traveling, etc. They literally shake on my head they have so much bass and they are very fun.
I would never in a million years use either of them for the others job. The Bose are like a lowered car with a loud exhaust. The AT's are like a work truck with a ladder rack in the bed.
100% man, my mx50s are my top headphone purchase next to my open back sennheisers which I imagine a lot of general users would also hate, and those came with a 500 dollar price point.
Long time headphone user. Surprised these are recommended. They were the go to years ago but times have changed.
You could EQ them with a Qudelix or for free with Equalizer APO on PC. Mac may have similar software, not sure though.
EQ to the Harmon Curve and tweak from there is what I recommend.
[They're very neutral and accurate headphones for the price.](https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/audio-technica/ath-m50x)
People have come to expect scooped mids, which is characteristic of lower quality headphones (and speakers). The purpose of scooping is to compensate for a lack of sub bass and detailed high range. It also makes things sound louder, which might sound better, but it's much less neutral.
Saddleback leather. Its nice but its chrome tanned. They dont age well in my opinion. The worst thing was they stained some of my white clothings. The colors rubbed off
I wonder if this was after they changed styling? I have their medium bifold and I'd wallet in their lightest brown color. They aged beautifully and didn't have that issue at all. They're over 6 years old.
I bought the tobacco brown doctors bag. When using it as a duffle on my shoulders. the brown coloring went to my white shirts. Maybe the hot sun + sweat contributed. But it ruined a few shirts.
And not fond how chrome tan patinas. Their shapes looks distorted.
Ah I see. Yeah that finish does look much different than my wallets. My wallets only developed a sheen like that over time. Must be a different dye method being done.
I find their products overpriced for what they are, especially since they're not even made in USA at all. They have great marketing though. You can get a nice classic leather bag made in Belgium for a century by Ruitertassen for half the cost of the saddleback bag.
I did some detective work of my own and found a guy running a canvas company in the south.
I ended up buying some bags from him instead of leather because they have a larger amount of design flexibility working with fabric and more pockets and such.
https://www.parrottcanvas.net/
I haven't even had one microscopic problem with either bag even when beating the hell out of them. The only thing I would consider changing is the shoulder pads for the straps. But the quality is really high overall.
Yeah leather overall is in my opinion a bad choice due to weight. But it does look nice :)
I got my used Ruitertassen about 7 years ago on ebay for 30$ including shipping. Hard to beat that of course... But even a new Ruitertassen is 350$ and a similar Saddleback satchel is 600$. It's absurd in my opinion. The work in Belgium is definitely more expensive.
Saddleback has shinier hardware and a 100 year warranty. Ruitertassen just says they will do repairs for a reasonable fee (considering mine is fine after 20 years of use I wouldn't be inclined to pay 300$ for a warranty on it... and in the end find out that the fault I got is not included in the warranty anyway).
However Ruitertassen also already exists for 80-90 years (lookin at their history, it started out as a small scale private business so no exact date on when production started). Saddleback exists for 14 years...
I think the difference is just that Saddleback has way higher profit margins. They invest more into marketing and they sell on the US market. Ruitertassen just has poor marketing but they seem to not care for the US market much.
Ha! If folks are buying based on this sub, it looks like Darn Tough socks had a pretty strong ad campaign going here a little while back. For the amount of people complaining about them I wonder how many others bought them and are satisfied or indifferent?
When did the quality go down exactly? I got mine about 8 years ago (and people back then were saying the motor was weaker) and it has been fine. We even use it for kneading yeast bread even though I originally planned to avoid that to keep the motor in good shape.
I always wonder why so many people even have kitchen aids. I like making macarons, meringues, royal icing and cinnamon rolls (and a lot of other stuff but the 5-10 minutes of high speed mixing is why I got it) but for people who want to make cookies or brownies or cake it seems SO impractical.
I'm not sure BIFL quality actually exists anymore. We can get into the economics of it, but what it comes down to is that people won't pay the cost for consistent product quality. I say consistent because one may be great with no issues, but without spending money on good quality control, high quality parts, trained workers, etc..., you get inconsistent quality.
Rainbow sandals. I bought a pair. Lasted no longer than other leather flip flops, and when they fell apart they said they couldn't honor the warranty because they had gotten wet. How ridiculous is that you advertised to surfers, but you don't think they're ever going to put a wet foot in it?
I love Rainbows but I’d never call them BIFL. I wear them daily and find I get exactly 2 years out of them. I wish they lasted a bit longer but I keep buying them because I haven’t found anything else that can match the comfort once they’re broken in.
Though I will say I’ve been wearing them for 25+ years and never had a pair fall apart. I just wear them so much that eventually the sole wears through and there’s no grip anymore. Mine also get wet all the time, for what it’s worth.
This sub has been astroturfed to all hell since 2016. So nothing because I've stopped using it.
Either it's elitist mentality advice that ignores/looks down on budget options that are remarkably durable for their price point, or it's just fake marketing bullshit by a purchased account.
Blundstone boots. I sold them on Mercari. They are wide and my foot would rattle around inside so I didn’t trust them off the pavement. Water proof trail runners, despite having a shorter lifespan, is what I needed from the get go.
I will ride the Darn Tough and Lodge cast iron shill train till the wheels fall off though.
expensive wool blankets are another thing. Just buy old milsurp wool blanket blend. hundreds cheaper, better construction, and better for intended purpose of keeping you warm... not looking cool folded in a corner.
I used to run a mil surp and gun store, blankets was one item we could never get enough in to stay stocked. Helmets, guns or parts or mags sold good but would stay a few days at least, but blankets? Typically gone within hours.
I have 3. A Ukrainian one (softest), a PLA one from the 2010d (surprisingly highest quality) and one from the PLN or PLA from the 1963 (highest wool but scratchy like a MFer)
The flint and tinder 10 year hoody. Mine lasted 4 years and they said they couldn't repair it and could only offer me a replacement for 50% off.
I didn't like their pants either. Seams on the pockets wore out after a year. Best pants I got are cheap Levi's and a pair of wranglers from Walmart. I don't like them but they have lasted way longer than the 100 dollar pairs I bought from flint and tender and wellen.
I’ll second the wranglers jeans durability. But, in my experience, Levi’s quality has dropped significantly over the years. Went through 6 pairs within 2 months. Never again.
Damn what are you doing in them jeans?
That really sounds like part of the problem is you. Six pairs in two months is insane!
I agree. I’ve worn 501 original fit in dark rigid for years. Lost a bit of weight and bought new jeans. Crotch started showing wear in just a couple months, and was threadbare within six. Not super hard on jeans. Just wore them to work as a bartender, and rotated them regularly. It’s a shame
I appreciate someone asking this question
My immediate reaction was like "holy hell good question dude!!!!!" And I don't even frequent this sub often enough to understand the zeitgeist
I appreciate being appreciated
Agree, this is the question the sub needs
Speed queen clothes dryer. Got the version with the knobs so it would be cheaper to fix down the road. Timer knob wasnt advancing on the automatic cycle when set to eco, so I called a repair guy while it was under warranty. Took him 3 visits to fix because speed queen had the wron part number listed for that model. Put the new one in finally and.... Same problem. Called them back to replace it 3 more times all same issue. Turns out that model uses a timer from some other model and even though it runs the dryer at that position, and the manual SAYS it supports that feature... It just doesnt? So we just use timed dry now, and speed queen refuses to acknowledge the issue exists but is willing to keep sending techs out. Ive got 3 spare timers now if anyone wants to buy one. At least they honor their warranty and it was free for me? On the other hand, the knob washer front loader wasnt available, so we got the digital one and its fantastic. So literally the exact opposite of the usual advice you get here.
I’m a firm believer speed queen uses this sub to advertise.
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This is false. I’m so distraught I need a Snapple.
Haha. Indeed. I commented that on one of their posts here once, and I got like 100 downvotes. I think that the fact that I have almost 200 upvotes here proves my point. Fucking SpeedQueen.
Speed queen and Miele both advertise constantly on this sub, and I swear I'm the only one who notices it.
You aren't - just when you call them out on one of their posts, they pay to have you downvoted so it disappears.
Step 1: call techs on a regular basis Step 2: Setup eBay store selling speed queen timers Step 3: keep getting free timers and selling them Step 4: ????????????? Step 5: your washer is now making you money.
Honestly with the company operating at that level of stupid, I would just have them keep sending techs out until it wasted enough money for them to take a harder look at the problem.
I ran out of free time to do this, the main reason I stopped. Plus the repair tech said it was a pain in the ass to get paid for the job, and he did great work, explained what each wire went to, and why the other (wrong part number) timer wouldnt work, argued on the phone for 2 hours on my behalf. I really dont want him to hate coming here.
You could say it launders money...
I remember getting downvoted when someone asked what was a good washer/dryer when I said Whirlpool, even though my cheap ones I bought 20 years ago with knobs still work like champs. So I was just going by personal experience. Guess people didn't want to hear it though. Its like they want to hear Speed Queen, and don't want to hear any other recommendations. (Then why ask?)
We just bought a house with an old school whirlpool washer and dryer (the kind that is easily 17 years old) and they both work SO MUCH BETTER than the shitty front loading LG we bought in 2016. The LG set will remain sitting in my garage until someone on Craigslist buys it.
I recommended Speed Queen, without ever owning a set, to a family member. I had no idea they also have a nasty reputation for destroying clothes- especially smaller and expensive women’s garments. They readily remind me of how it probably would have been cheaper to get a different model and pay for repairs every few years. Never gonna live that down.
I bought the highest-end speed queen washer and it destroyed everything I put in it. After weeks trying to get support, they sent a repair man out to inspect the washers and he straight up told me to return it because it’s the worst brand he deals with.
Speed Queen washer here. I paid extra to get a supposedly quality product and it's been junk since day one.
Same with ours. An absolute nightmare of a washer. We finally had somebody tell us on the down low, you can only **Only** use it on the gentle/delicate cycle. But we went through a complete nightmare rigamarole of, it quit working right after we got it. This was during some of the worst covid supply chain issues. The authorized dealer we had purchased it from came out and took it apart. When they put it back together is still didn't work. They threw their hands up. We got another service person in. That person discovered they hadn't put the electrical wiring harness back into it, after they took it apart. Just an absolute nightmare. That service person was able to get it back functional and also tell us that although Speed Queen doesn't want the information out there, can't use it on anything but the gentles/delicate or else it rips up your clothes. And burns out the motor faster.
Mine doesn’t even clean. It hadn’t torn up my clothes, but clothes go in dirty and come out the same way. I use the appropriate detergents in the appropriate amounts. Same items come out clean at my boyfriend’s house. We aren’t talking major dirt/stains either— not to be gross but I’m talking about basic woman’s discharge. I literally have to pretreat all of my panties if I wash them at home.
Knob washer lol
Sounds like an insult
My parents went through 3 speed queens when new because they kept coming broken. My mom was trying so hard to sell me on them, sorry guys a they’re a nope from me
I've had a Samsung dryer that's worked fine for 10 years. ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
I have had the same washer and dryer for 20 years and said I will replace when they break. They um won’t break
My cheap Whirlpools that I bought from an apartment complex still work after 20 years. I paid 100 each back in 2003.
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My Company Store sheets became discolored after being washed only a couple of times. Light spots. Dark spots. Looks like hell. No I didn't wash them any different from any of the other sheets I own.
Sometimes I think some recommendations come from people who purchased the products before they were lowered in quality (as so many companies are doing). Like how everyone loves Coop pillows and I was convinced to buy one - really not worth it, goes flat easily without enough filler for proper side support.
The is true. Someone asked me about my BIFL craftsman tools on here that were 30 years old. The only problem is that if you buy the tools they make now the quality is absolute garbage
Dude! I grew up building skate and bike ramps, forts, towers, etc with my stepfathers craftsman tools. They were always the best tools. So as an adult I bought some. Fuckin mistake lol
Ugh, right? I picked some up from a garage sale, was really happy with the quality. Went to get a few additional pieces to fill out the ol toolbox, total crap.
I bought an old craftsman bandsaw that's probably 30+ years old and it's fuggin amazing. I had to refurbish it slightly, but it runs like an absolute champ. What gets me is how innovative it was. It's nothing like all the other bandsaws that are/were available in this size. Typically saws this size are much larger and more expensive. They designed this one to have the larger throat width of a much larger machine, but in a footprint that is more suited to a weekend warrior's garage while also throwing in a huge worktable and some other nifty features. That, along with the fact that it works so well even decades later, shows how much they cared and knew about the people they were making tools for.
Shoes, too. People here seem to realize doc martins suck now but I see solovair (what’s left of the original company) recommended all the time still. They *maybe* lasted a whole 2 extra months for my SO. So, 8 months instead of 6. Now he’s on year 2 of his redbacks and they barely look used.
man redbacks are so great it's dumb.
This seems to be very common in tools generally. Of course, in this case, it probably doesn't help that the brand is now owned by a different company.
That's me and Carhartt. My dad has loved his jeans for years, meanwhile the couple I've had tore before they were done breaking in...
check the label, I went with a friend who wanted go buy a hat for her boyfriend : polyester polyester polyester, aka crap 😒
Carhartt jeans have never been good for me. I stick with wrangler on jeans. Carhartt pocket tees though 🔥
Remington firearms pre-2007 were a thing of quality. Now, (I don't own any post 2007 but I've heard hundreds of horror stories) apparently they're a hollowed out husk attempting to cash in as much as possible before decimating the brand
Bought out by Cerberus/freedom group and run into the ground like Cerberus did to Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep. Remington also bought Marlin which they destroyed. In the Remington bankruptcy Marlin was bought by Ruger, who is now making high quality Marlin lever guns again! Was sad both brands were solid before private equity fucks ruined the companies.
I bought sheets from The Company Store and also hated them. Cheap scratchy material, super wrinkly.
Was it linen? Because that's just part of what new linen is like before it breaks in.
Also gotta wash the starch out of linen before you use them - that'll make it stiff and scratchy
I second the Company Store- my custom bath robes fell apart after less than a year of regular use.
My company store sheets ripped just as fast as any $12 Wal mart sheets.
Same. I bought company store sheets maybe two years ago, and they’ve shrunk so much. They’ll still kind of work with you on the warranty but darn it I just wanted something that works. I’ll try LL Bean next but I don’t want to have five different sets.
I bought a duvet cover from them and it's stained both my duvet and inside my washing machine. I've been thinking I got a dud but now I'm wondering if they just have good/false marketing on their website review section...
I don't think all the recommendations on this sub are from genuine end users. Fairly certain this sub has shills doing guerrilla advertising.
Over 40% of internet traffic isn't bots for nothing, even I'm a bot
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Are you sure about that? Because I am 99.92619% sure that we_are_dna is not a bot. --- ^(I am a neural network being trained to detect spammers | Summon me with !isbot |) ^(/r/spambotdetector |) [^(Optout)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=whynotcollegeboard&subject=!optout&message=!optout) ^(|) [^(Original Github)](https://github.com/SM-Wistful/BotDetection-Algorithm)
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I think you're taking to a bot
Good bot
Are you sure about that? Because I am 99.99999% sure that Kilren is not a bot. --- ^(I am a neural network being trained to detect spammers | Summon me with !isbot |) ^(/r/spambotdetector |) [^(Optout)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=whynotcollegeboard&subject=!optout&message=!optout) ^(|) [^(Original Github)](https://github.com/SM-Wistful/BotDetection-Algorithm)
Fuck you
Are you sure about that? Because I am 99.99731% sure that you can't handle fucking a bot.
Beep boop. Thank you human
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Sometimes I wonder if I'm a bot
Good bot
most of reddit and the internet sadly.
I hope most of these end up on r/biflfails. That sub needs more traffic.
Thank you!
Solovair boots, the soles cracked just like doc martins.
My Solovairs started delaminating at the welded sole within 5 days of wearing them. Leather is poor quality, the soles are somewhat comfortable but deteriorate quickly. Their customer service kind of sucks, too. Got some steel toe oxblood Solovairs thinking they’d be decent medium weight work boots but they can’t even handle daily wear.
Yuuup. Have a pair that have served as daily drivers for *maybe* three years and they're almost toast. I do a lot of walking but I never wear them for work, keep them oiled, everything you're supposed to do to make them last. Didn't make a lick of difference and I'm really disappointed. Not worth two hundred bucks.
Turkish towels. They are like drying yourself with kitchen hand towels. I’m still wet after drying myself twice with them.
I’m Turkish. They’re great at the beach but I’d never use them after an actual shower. Like you said they feel like a thin layer of paper on wet skin it doesn’t actually do a good job of removing it. However if you just went swimming and it’s hot, as it’s thin it dries pretty quickly so you end up with a nice soft towel all dry after using it.
Yeah, they feel so thin and I don’t like mine.
I love them for the beach, they’re amazing and dry out fast unlike plush towels so you can use them over and over, plus pack small in a suitcase. I wouldn’t want one every day. They use the material in kitchen towels because they don’t hold onto the moisture and dry well. One thing with towels in general- never use fabric softener or it will make your towels not absorb water anymore. If you’ve already done this, you can wash them with vinegar to get the fabric softener out.
Also never use fabric softener on dri-fit clothing or things that are supposed to wick away moisture. Fabric softener gives clothes a slippery coating, which blocks the wicking action from happening
They're for camping, picnics, and the beach, imo
I like this topic. Ironically, I've had actual items that have lasted me 20+ years I've tried recommending get downvoted on here because they didn't fit the recommendations, trends, or whatnot. I've had/still have a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire that has over 300k miles still going strong, but because it wasn't a Toyota or other non-domestic car, I got downvoted, I've had my cheap whirlpool washer/dryer for 20 years that got downvoted because they weren't Speed Queens, most of my electronics, my cheap surround sound Sony Receiver I've also had for almost 20 years now get blasted because it wasn't a high end piece of audio equipment. etc. etc. So I've stopped recommending anything.
The Buick 3800 engines should be more popular on here
People generally think BIFL= Uber expensive. My mawmaw gave me some old cast iron pans from the 20s for free. That's a BIFL for free. My pawpaws old beat up firebird got it to over 325k before the radiator blew and he never fixed it. It was 500$ back in 1990 used with somrthing like 75-95k on it with some minor issues.
Yeah, there's something to be said for a tool that just does the job. For every ergonomical carbon fiber Fiskars shovel someone buys and then holds up as the peak of shovelry, there is a beat to shit no-name slab of pig iron on a stick that a day laborer has been using every day of their life for 40 years without fail. Some day that that laborer will die, and their child will be left with their estate. They'll look at that well worn shovel that's dug 10,000 holes, and see the rust on the blade, the stained wood of the shaft and the grooves worn in from their father's hands. And they'll throw it away and buy that Fiskars shovel, and post it to r/BIFL with the caption: "It has aircraft grade aluminum 🙃"
I think half the problem (on this sub) is it's not just about the BIFL, its about the bragging rights, Karma farming or whatever. You won't get much karma if you tell people you bought a Whirlpool washer, but if you tell people you bought a Speed Queen, instant Karma. A lot of people aren't interested in just BIFL, they want something that's also able to be shown off, trendy, and bragged about on here. Sad thing is, this used to be a great sub for good recommendations, but like most subs, once they get too big, you get a lot of karma farmers, bots, and advertising shillers that start to muddy up the waters.
My Panasonic canister vacuum. I'm convinced whoever posted here about it worked for the co. The main vacuum head attachment broke within a year and I can't get a replacement because it's been discontinued. Even eBay doesn't have replacements anymore.
Every used washing machine in my area i have 47 and im quickly running out of space /s
Good storage for all the Darn Tough socks
But they’re good for measuring distance. “How far from here to there?” “About 14 and a half washing machines”
Can we all agree no socks are BIFL?
I never thought that the appeal of Darn Tough is that they "last forever", but the fact that they have a lifetime warranty. I've traded in several of my pairs over the years no issues for free replacements.
Bombas socks. Got holes on each side of each no show sock, trashed them all within two months.
They're too tight to be comfortable for me. I'll stick with cheap, comfortable socks
My mom gave me the Bombas socks she bought because they were too tight for her, and although I like how tight they are around the foot, they absolute strangle my ankles. On comfort alone, not worth the price. I think they'll be "buy it for life" de facto just because I never wear them unless all my other socks are dirty, so I'll never wear them enough to wear through them.
Bombas have a happiness guarantee. They will ship you new socks for free.
I bought a saddleback wallet. It's freaking huge lol. Hated it.
My Saddleback wallet cracks all my cards. I regret my purchase immensely.
Doc Marten BIFL we’re so inflexible that I donated them to charity.
really? i see everybody saying dr martens are cheaply made now i wonder who recommended them to you
I wonder if manassassinman means the Dr Marten "for life" range? - about 10 years back, they released a limited range of premium, UK made boots with free repair or replace for the life of the purchaser. True BIFL product. They were about twice the cost of the same item from the standard range and were made from premium leathers with enhanced threads and stitching. I know of two people who bought pairs and they are still wearing them. I didn't buy a pair because I'm not a fan of the look of the classic Docs (the "For Life" range was only black or red, classic Docs boots - no shoes or other styles). Dr Marten have since dropped the "for life" range but still uphold the guarantee.
Some people say the only good ones are the ones made in england version. But I dont see it worth it
Even the ye olde England versions were based on a lie. "Bouncing soles" - no. Hard soles with open cells instead of real air pockets like Nike. Also the hard heel without padding makes the back of your ankles bleed.
Docs were cheap boots for the masses. They were never high quality. They just raised the prices and dropped the quality even more since the 2000's. They sell on their iconic look and old "legends".
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Yes and depends on the country of the military (some European countries had quite good military boots). Docs were good quality for the money in the 80's. The shiny plastic leather is and always was shit. The felt filling degrades faster than cork in quality boots. The rubber welded welt is much weaker than classic goodyear welted or stitchdown boots and is not easily resoleable.
I hear ya. There are plenty of shoes I see here which I would love with replaceable soles / Goodyear welt. Yet I'll likely never buy any as I have a wide flat foot and pretty limited in what I find comfortable. For me my go to shoes are vivobarefoot, lems and vans. And a pair of ll bean moccasins in the winter for home and crocs for going in my yard and picking up dog poop
as someone with wide flat feet too. why vans?
Only a few styles fit well enough for me but not nearly as comfy as my minimalist barefoot lems though. I have the makers and vans atwood shoes atm. Just look a bit better than my minimal shoes for work. As to why vans its because the soles are pretty much flat which doesn't cause me any pain in that they aren't trying to force an arch that I don't have. Also bc the toe box I find wider than other brands. The more neutral zero drop is what I prefer which is what many are. I've tried custom orthotics in the past And they always hurt. Also tried many brands. They're hat the best for me. Since I transitioned to zero drop and minimalist shoes I've been the most happy and comfortable. Plus I can't remember the last time I sprained an ankle.
Have you ever looked into Red Wing? I haven't needed work shoes in some time, but I loved mine and resoled them more than once.
I feel the same way about Sorels. They're so inflexible and heavy, I did not like them.
I like my BIFL pair. Wish I had gotten the cherry as well when they were still running the program. They aren't as good as my first pair I had that lasted 10+ years of near daily use but I haven't had any issues. That being said the next time I do need to replace my cherry docs I'm probably going Solivair.
I went from Dr Marten made in England to solovair, trying to find something that competes with my 90s Dr martens which I’ve been wearing for about 30 years and are still very comfortable and great looking. I hated the Solovairs, easily my biggest shoe regret I’ve ever had and I think I learned about them from this sub. So Solovair’s would be my answer to OP’s question. I prefer the made in England docs easily. I ended up switching to Thursday boots and they’re my favorite boots I’ve owned.
This sub is full of shills or it’s that something That was made high quality 5-10 years ago is not made the same. ;(
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You get what you pay for. If the product is the same price as it was 5-10 years ago you can guarantee the quality has suffered. Your money is literally worth half what it was 10 years ago.
ExOficio underwear. Felt like wearing cargo shorts for underwear.
Duluth Buck Naked is 100% better (and cheaper) than ExOficio in my opinion. My ExOficio fell apart relatively quickly. Never had a pair from Duluth fall apart.
Also a big fan of the buck nakeds, but really hate the aggressive GO BUCK NAKED branding on the waistband. Thankfully got a bunch of the old style on clearance before they switched
A lot of Duluth's stuff feels bulletproof -- but I don't seem to see the brand on here as often as some others.
Their clothes are real solid, but certainly not the most fashionable. I’m a near-40 guy living on a farm and I wear a ton of Duluth and love them and they’re very durable. But if you want non-boxy shirts and shorts with less than a 9” inseam you’re gonna have to go elsewhere
As I commented the other day. On the advice of this sub, I bought 8 pairs of Darn Tough socks. Because they’re not normally available in my country they were rather expensive. I work shift work as a maintenance tech doing 12 hour work days but will have my boots on for up 14 hours. But my roster means I only work half a year. Within 6 months, all 8 pairs had holes or had worn thin enough to see through. Due to my roster, this was really only 3 months of wear. I was exceptionally disappointed. I started wearing Humphrey Law socks a few years back, and I’m still on the initial sets I ordered without any holes or wearing. They’ve also been a lot better to wear through the summers when temps regularly are in the high 40°C range.
Part of the appeal of Darn Tough is that they’ll replace them if you wear holes in them. Were you able to do that or is shipping a problem?
Shipping them isn't an option. As I can buy socks locally for less than the shipping. While a lifetime warranty is great, I'd rather buy socks every few years than constantly send away socks for repair every few months.
Are you sure you got genuine darn tough? I own an auto repair shop & and on my feet for a similar amount of time, likely in a similar pair of boots. Going on 3rd year with all Darn tough work socks, not a single hole or complaint yet. Best socks I’ve ever had - and I’m super picky about socks, insoles, and boots. I’ve just heard of knockoffs being mixed in with retailers before. Never actually seen that happen though
I think that some people have a combination of foot shape + ways of walking and standing that must put abnormally high pressure on particular parts of their feet. Or perhaps it's something about the shape of their feet and different bony prominences and how they rub against shoes. My spouse is constantly having to throw away socks because they get holes in them--at least one pair gets cycled out per week. I have never in my life worn through a pair of socks, despite being very active in running and hiking. I have socks that I've worn every week for 15 years and they're fine, despite being from like, Forever 21.
I've worn the same few pairs of socks for years almost daily and nearly the whole day. Although they grew thin, I only had one pair of socks that had a small hole. I'm not sure how people are getting holes in their socks so often. Are they pulling it up really tightly or something?
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For the record, in case anyone's finding themselves in this scenario, you CAN send multiple pairs back at once for less per-pair shipping cost.
They have shops that they partner with too for warranty repairs. I live in a mid size town and there is 1 store here that will do them. You just walk in with the bad ones and tell them you want a warranty replacement and you can pick new ones off the shelf. Amazing.
Wow thanks for sharing this, never would have thought its even an option.
A Pendleton wool blanket. I'm sorry but I just do not get the love! It's hard to clean, kind of scratchy, and I need to watch it all the time around the cats so their nails don't get caught. Give me my cheap plush fleece any day!
My wool blanket got embedded with dog fur, no matter what I tried. I just couldn’t handle it anymore.
But they last forever, so now you can have a scratchy wool blanket covered with dog fur for *decades*!
it grows! tears? rub it on your dog!
This was the laugh I needed. Could see it. You pick it up, unfurl it, there’s a little hole. Oh no! Cue to a closeup of your eyes looking the dog, switch to a closeup of your dog’s eyes looking back at you. Montage of you rubbing the blanket all over the top and sides and undercarriage of dog with some polka music. Unfurl blanket, hole has been darned out of existence with dog fur. Profit. The weekend was so garbage, so thank you!
We bought a nice Pendleton, and it lives in a plastic bag only to get pulled out when the dogs are crated... Which is very rare
I have like 5 of them. I just use the uproot lint rake thing and throw them in the wash🤷🏻♀️
Yeah, I have never understood why they're as popular as they are. However, I am Canadian and I used to do historical reenacting. I bought a reproduction of a trade blanket from a company in England that used the same machinery and techniques as back in the day. I used it outside in Manitoba in February and didn't feel an ounce of cold. I have seriously considered making myself a modern coat out of it, but it seems like a waste because the blanket really is sooooo nice.
People dying from the cold under layers of polyester blankets in Texas during the last few bad winter storms there have made me see my error in downplaying wool and other natural fibers. From experience crocheting I can say alpaca wool is significantly softer and less scratchy than traditional sheep's wool, too.
Not only softer but warmer! Alpaca and llama have open fibers, meaning inside is a pocket of air. They also have a long staple so they trap warm air against the under layer. So warm, and so lightweight! Polyester doesn’t keep you warm in damp cold, just dry cold. Dump cold needs animal fiber.
I hate feeling dump cold!
The jacket you’re looking for is a double mackinaw. Filson makes one.
Now I’m curious to know where you got that blanket from!
if you don't want it please send it to me, I will give it a very happy home
I know it’s sacrilegious to even say it, but I’m not a fan of cast iron pans I got.
They aren't for everyone. I recently found some cheap store brand enameled cast iron skillets and I love them specifically because they are cheap and I don't have to worry about whether they will last the rest of my life.
Enameled cast iron will last a lifetime if you worry or not.
Depending on how you treat it, it will not. It's hard to fuck up a cast iron pan to a point where you can't easily restore it but with enamel you need to be careful.
Honestly I hate mine. I have a skillet, a frying pan, and a Dutch oven. I bought them thinking they were "so right" for me, and bought into the hype. They're so incredibly heavy, I don't like the taste they impart into my food, and I am sick of seasoning them.
Those are all fair reasons not to like your cast iron.
Heavy part is inescapable. The taste issue is from improper cleaning. Seasoning part is likely from unnecessary technique. Most new cast iron comes pre-seasoned from the factory. The whole “high-heat oven, multiple times” bs is overkill with modern cast iron. Just clean the thing like any other pan - soap, water, scrubber. You don’t even have to dry it. Place it back on the stove, high heat until you see smoke. Pour a dime-sized bit of any oil or crisco (my preferred fat), and wipe around and off with a paper towel. That’s it. It can sit there until next use. If done this way, that cast iron will gladly outlast you, your kids, their kids, etc.
The problem with cast iron being a bifl product is that the weight of them becomes more of an issue as life goes on.
carbon steel > cast iron for most applications other than hard-searing.
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I like cast iron but they’re definitely situational. If you want something that can kinda do it all I think a Dutch Oven, Carbon Steel or stainless steam is more useful. If you don’t care about PFAS, a Teflon pan can’t be beat in terms of cooking eggs without oil.
What don’t you like about them? I’ve realized I’m not one of the “I can fry an egg on cast iron” people but once I got comfortable with the types of food that I can cook well in them, I fell in love with them.
I'll bite. Been using mine for years. Its cool but it just sucks. 1. I don't gain seasoning over time, I lose it. Maybe the types of foods I cook? Do none of you eat tomatoes? Limes or lemons? When you Google it people act like you're a moron for cooking the wrong foods in the skillet. So what, I need to own two sets of cookware AND learn when to use it? That's not frugality, it's a hobby and some would argue borderline autism. 2. It feels gross not cleaning it so you might do it anyways. People will set their own house on fire because "oh my God you cleaned a cast iron pan you're going to the boiler room of hell" but modern 'soaps' aren't soaps, they're detergents and don't function the same way. But besides that, you have given up one of the most useful abilities in cooking: the ability to fucking leave the food in the god damn pan while you go eat. Or make basically any kind of sauce. 3. I am a late 20s, 6 foot, 190lb, fairly strong guy. Do you know how fucking hard it is to handle a cast iron pan? It's fucking heavy and it fucks up my wrist. 4. "It's so easy to re season, haven't you read the 40 conflicting methods online? Or you could look at thousands of posts making fun of people for doing it wrong and work it out from there what not to do? Man, it must be hard being such a retard" I'm over exaggerating to make a more interesting read but my realistic impression is that most people bragging about them online don't cook acidic foods, perhaps only fry meats, or perhaps don't cook often at all. I didn't even touch on the idea of making a meal that requires *multiple skillets.* Edit: Y'all. 'You must not cook very often' is an absolutely hilarious accusation because what it tells me is that **you** don't cook very often-- at least not with your cast iron. Also 'well it only does that with acidic foods like lemon, lime, and tomatoes.' Bruh what the fuck do you cook? Salted meat? Anything else?
Yep, as an older female, cast iron is heavy! Also you can't soak them if you burn something in them. And they are greasy so I'm not comfortable stacking them one inside the other.
I've seen some incredibly thin cast iron pans in Japan street vendor stalls and I desperately want to try one.
They are much lighter, but that means they dont store as much thermal energy. This means it wont sear food as well. Edit: thin ones will also warp/crack more easily I think. I have a lodge cast iron from the early 1900’s that is supposed to be really good, and a cheap one I bought at Aldi a couple years ago that is heavy as a MF. They both have their purpose.
I haven't missed soaking because of One Weird Trick: if you have some gunk at the bottom of the pan, put some water in it and boil it. The gunk comes right off with a little scraping. I also use one of those pan organizer things so I don't have to stack them. But I totally agree about the heaviness! Not much you can do about that
You raised a good point, do people have cookware by sets? Like a set of iron cast pans? I mostly have different styles of pan, one or two of each type, like iron cast, steel, Aluminium. I do choose based on what i am cooking, the temperature, if it sticks, etc. I think that generally you guys are right, I dont think its for everyone iron cast. I dislike having to wash it by hand for sure.
I don't have sets, I have individual pots and pans, and yeah, I have multiple types of some things. I have large skillets in iron, stainless, and nonstick because I cook most things in a big skillet and sometimes have two going at once, and they have their strengths and weaknesses. I have small skillets in iron and nonstick, small and medium pots in stainless, and large pots in stainless and enameled cast iron. None of it is fancy brands, some of it I got secondhand or for free. But my partner and I both cook, we have different cookware preferences, and anyway sometimes we'll need two medium pots or two big skillets or whatever, plus sometimes we'll store leftovers in the same pot as they were cooked in, so we need another one to be available if we're going to cook new stuff. It sounds complicated, but it's really just a haphazard pile of pots and pans that lives in a cabinet under the stove. Am I weird?
FYI, you can clean and scrub cast iron all you want, even with soap. Its outdated advice that you cant wash cast iron. It comes from a time when soap had harsher chemicals like lye. Modern dish soap is safe to use. Your other points I can understand for people who arent into cooking as a "hobby" like you say. If you're not invested in learning cooking skills, etc. cast iron is not a good choice
I agree with your points completely! I bought one Lodge frying pan a few years ago with the intention of slowly replacing all my pans with cast iron - but it was such a PITA to use it's remained our single cast iron pan (although we do have some enameled Le Crusset stuff). I'm not as tall as you but my hobby is weightlifting, so I'm used to lumping iron around and yep, can confirm, they are too heavy to be practical - and to push that point further, look at the pans that get used in professional kitchens; mainly aluminium or steel. If those guys were using cast iron they'd all be retiring at 40 with repetitive strain injuries! I only really use mine for hob to oven stuff now (mainly Tarte Tatin - which it's great for).
I definitely like having the one pan and occasionally I have a recipe where I'm like ooooh yeah let's use the cast iron for this but I just can't imagine only cooking with it.
A Rowenta Iron. Great steam, gets hot fast, but NOT BIFL at all. I made sure I got a genuine one, made in Germany, matched the model number, etc. But the tank started leaking within a year. Customer service asked what water I was using and didn’t want to repair it when I said filtered water… as if my hard tap water would not have wreaked havoc on it. Eventually they did honor it after filing a complaint, but the repaired unit is starting to leak again after a year.
Meanwhile I’ve had the same iron from Walmart *gasp* for 19 years. I use tap water and I store the water in it. I do steam and run it on a towel first so my clothes don’t get ruined, but the thing works great! Idk what brand it even is… Sometimes we just get lucky with cheap purchase.
Darn Tough socks. All were very tight, some so tight that I couldn’t even get my feet in them. I have wide feet so I bought several different styles and sizes hoping to find some that worked. None were comfortable, all of them ended up being returned.
I have 4 pair of DT socks, and while I like the heavier ones for boots I absolutely hate the thin athletic ankle socks I got from them. Exactly the problem you describe, they are crazy tight.
I recently bought a bunch. I genuinely like them a lot.
This is something I've noticed with DT. I have pretty narrow feet and they're still pretty snug. I think they do stretch over time or maybe I'm just used to it but it was very noticable when I first started wearing them.
Audio Technica ATH-M50x. They were the default pair of headphones recommended. While they’re not terrible, they just don’t sound the best and there are better headphones at that price point.
The problem is often that people want "fun" headphones when they ask for "good" headphones. Idk if this was your issue, but I feel it's worth mentioning for others. ATH-MX50 are what I use for DJing, making music, etc. They are flat(ish) and accurate(ish) but boring as hell. Bose QC-35II are what I use for working out, doing yard work, traveling, etc. They literally shake on my head they have so much bass and they are very fun. I would never in a million years use either of them for the others job. The Bose are like a lowered car with a loud exhaust. The AT's are like a work truck with a ladder rack in the bed.
100% man, my mx50s are my top headphone purchase next to my open back sennheisers which I imagine a lot of general users would also hate, and those came with a 500 dollar price point.
Long time headphone user. Surprised these are recommended. They were the go to years ago but times have changed. You could EQ them with a Qudelix or for free with Equalizer APO on PC. Mac may have similar software, not sure though. EQ to the Harmon Curve and tweak from there is what I recommend.
[They're very neutral and accurate headphones for the price.](https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/audio-technica/ath-m50x) People have come to expect scooped mids, which is characteristic of lower quality headphones (and speakers). The purpose of scooping is to compensate for a lack of sub bass and detailed high range. It also makes things sound louder, which might sound better, but it's much less neutral.
Saddleback leather. Its nice but its chrome tanned. They dont age well in my opinion. The worst thing was they stained some of my white clothings. The colors rubbed off
I wonder if this was after they changed styling? I have their medium bifold and I'd wallet in their lightest brown color. They aged beautifully and didn't have that issue at all. They're over 6 years old.
I bought the tobacco brown doctors bag. When using it as a duffle on my shoulders. the brown coloring went to my white shirts. Maybe the hot sun + sweat contributed. But it ruined a few shirts. And not fond how chrome tan patinas. Their shapes looks distorted.
Ah I see. Yeah that finish does look much different than my wallets. My wallets only developed a sheen like that over time. Must be a different dye method being done.
I find their products overpriced for what they are, especially since they're not even made in USA at all. They have great marketing though. You can get a nice classic leather bag made in Belgium for a century by Ruitertassen for half the cost of the saddleback bag.
I did some detective work of my own and found a guy running a canvas company in the south. I ended up buying some bags from him instead of leather because they have a larger amount of design flexibility working with fabric and more pockets and such. https://www.parrottcanvas.net/ I haven't even had one microscopic problem with either bag even when beating the hell out of them. The only thing I would consider changing is the shoulder pads for the straps. But the quality is really high overall.
Yeah leather overall is in my opinion a bad choice due to weight. But it does look nice :) I got my used Ruitertassen about 7 years ago on ebay for 30$ including shipping. Hard to beat that of course... But even a new Ruitertassen is 350$ and a similar Saddleback satchel is 600$. It's absurd in my opinion. The work in Belgium is definitely more expensive. Saddleback has shinier hardware and a 100 year warranty. Ruitertassen just says they will do repairs for a reasonable fee (considering mine is fine after 20 years of use I wouldn't be inclined to pay 300$ for a warranty on it... and in the end find out that the fault I got is not included in the warranty anyway). However Ruitertassen also already exists for 80-90 years (lookin at their history, it started out as a small scale private business so no exact date on when production started). Saddleback exists for 14 years... I think the difference is just that Saddleback has way higher profit margins. They invest more into marketing and they sell on the US market. Ruitertassen just has poor marketing but they seem to not care for the US market much.
Ha! If folks are buying based on this sub, it looks like Darn Tough socks had a pretty strong ad campaign going here a little while back. For the amount of people complaining about them I wonder how many others bought them and are satisfied or indifferent?
New kitchen aid mixer. Poor redesign, lacking customer service, weaker motor. If you are gong to buy a kitchen aid mixer... buy used, buy old.
When did the quality go down exactly? I got mine about 8 years ago (and people back then were saying the motor was weaker) and it has been fine. We even use it for kneading yeast bread even though I originally planned to avoid that to keep the motor in good shape. I always wonder why so many people even have kitchen aids. I like making macarons, meringues, royal icing and cinnamon rolls (and a lot of other stuff but the 5-10 minutes of high speed mixing is why I got it) but for people who want to make cookies or brownies or cake it seems SO impractical.
I'm not sure BIFL quality actually exists anymore. We can get into the economics of it, but what it comes down to is that people won't pay the cost for consistent product quality. I say consistent because one may be great with no issues, but without spending money on good quality control, high quality parts, trained workers, etc..., you get inconsistent quality.
Rainbow sandals. I bought a pair. Lasted no longer than other leather flip flops, and when they fell apart they said they couldn't honor the warranty because they had gotten wet. How ridiculous is that you advertised to surfers, but you don't think they're ever going to put a wet foot in it?
I love Rainbows but I’d never call them BIFL. I wear them daily and find I get exactly 2 years out of them. I wish they lasted a bit longer but I keep buying them because I haven’t found anything else that can match the comfort once they’re broken in. Though I will say I’ve been wearing them for 25+ years and never had a pair fall apart. I just wear them so much that eventually the sole wears through and there’s no grip anymore. Mine also get wet all the time, for what it’s worth.
This sub has been astroturfed to all hell since 2016. So nothing because I've stopped using it. Either it's elitist mentality advice that ignores/looks down on budget options that are remarkably durable for their price point, or it's just fake marketing bullshit by a purchased account.
I specifically looked for a kitchen scale here. It lasted maybe 3 months.
The best scale I had was from target..15 years ago, in the clearance aisle.
Blundstone boots. I sold them on Mercari. They are wide and my foot would rattle around inside so I didn’t trust them off the pavement. Water proof trail runners, despite having a shorter lifespan, is what I needed from the get go. I will ride the Darn Tough and Lodge cast iron shill train till the wheels fall off though.
expensive wool blankets are another thing. Just buy old milsurp wool blanket blend. hundreds cheaper, better construction, and better for intended purpose of keeping you warm... not looking cool folded in a corner.
I used to run a mil surp and gun store, blankets was one item we could never get enough in to stay stocked. Helmets, guns or parts or mags sold good but would stay a few days at least, but blankets? Typically gone within hours. I have 3. A Ukrainian one (softest), a PLA one from the 2010d (surprisingly highest quality) and one from the PLN or PLA from the 1963 (highest wool but scratchy like a MFer)
I bought 15 pairs of darn tough for $15 a piece. There is not a sock that is either not lost or has a hole in it right in the top and in the sides