Should ultralighters embrace the cheapest stuff that works or “buy once, cry once”?
3F UL Lanshan is the go-to cheap tent, AONIJIE offers a compelling vest-style frameless pack for $75 and cheap Aegismax and Naturehike sleeping bags and quilts have hundreds of positive reviews on Amazon. Even DeputySean is bullish on the Aricxi patrol tarp.
I dunno, I have the Lanshan 2 Pro and I have found it to be every bit as durable and capable as my brand name tents. I’ve been using it for about three years now.
What you have to remember is that outside of the cottage industry, the majority of your “real” brand gear is made in China just the same as the knockoff stuff. What you are paying for with a lot of name brand gear is the brand name, and also theoretically some level of warranty and after-sale support. (I am 100% positive I will receive none on my Lanshan if I ever need it, but I haven’t needed it.)
Even most of the word-salad-brand-name, all-copies-of-each-other Chinese tents on Amazon and Alibaba are at least to the level a decent department store tent would have been ten or fifteen years ago.
I’m still less sold on the usefulness of knockoff sleeping bags and so forth. A tent is a tent, and as long as it stays up and can be made not to leak is pretty tough to screw up. I guess what I’m getting at is that there are really no specifications to lie about regarding a tent, and all the Chinese non-brands just seem to love to lie about any specification they can. So I would not, for instance, trust the temperature rating on a yum-cha sleeping bag without some outside data to back it up. But if you know what you’re getting into in advance (or maybe buy a “20 degree” bag when you’re only expecting 40) they are probably serviceable.
Seconding this, my 3F backpack is great and very durable (6 countries as checked baggage, 4+ months of carry with no sign of any usage).
Does it have all the bells and whistles of a pack thats 3-4x the price? No, but you know what features you get when buying.
I’d never purchase a knock off sleeping bag, way to risky.
Cheap, light, durable. You can pick two.
Cheap, light = online gear from China, best for occasional or light use.
Cheap, durable = Surplus army gear, heavy but unbreakable no matter what you throw at it.
Light, durable = Very expensive ultralight gear for frequent use. Best for those who’ve tried all the other gear and know what they want.
I’m mostly in category 2, so I don’t feel guilty if I don’t take my gear out as often :P Some non-essential convenience accessories from category 1.
I buy cheap Chinese gear knowing full well that if I use it consistently, I’d want a better version of it. Mostly useful for test runs.
I’ve made the mistake of buying something expensive (light & durable on your scale) only to realize it didn’t fit well and leave it at home.
When it comes to anything potentially survival related…don’t cheap out but don’t necessarily buy flashy heavily marketed stuff either. Check stitching and material quality.
I would never buy survival related gear without seeing it in person.
do you consider your entire kit to be survival-related or just certain pieces? have you never bought anything online without inspecting it in person?
I used to buy stuff online before seeing it, then my things started breaking at alarming rates within 1-6 months after buying. I have cancelled all my online accounts for purchasing beginning of '22 specifically because I can’t see the items.
I’ve even gone so far as to ‘accidently’ break things in store that are on display because of how cheap they are. I’m done with subpar quality items, especially anything survival related. Heck it’s been 5 years minimum since I’ve even stepped foot in a Walmart just to show how much I avoid garbage.
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Majority of my kit is considered survival yes. If I get lost or turned around, I don’t want to rely on scamazon or Walmart. To keep me safe.l with their products. They do not care if I live or die.
Wow good for you, that sounds like a good system for ensuring quality results if you have enough stores in your vicinity. It’s true that they’ll gladly sell you stuff that doesn’t work. I’ve had decent luck so far, but it does take a lot of research and I do tend to be more conservative in purchases. What’s the last great item you bought after seeing it in person?
Hard to say. On the one hand extra cheap things are usually bad. On the other hand many things which are sold with slogan “you deserve it” etc is the exactly the same AliExpress stuff but labeled differently. So, higher price guarantees nothing either.
This is my general observation, not hiking gear specific.
how do you approach it then? have you had any good experience with cheap stuff, or a bad experience with pricier stuff? do you do a ton of research or just go with your gut feeling?
I generally find that “you get what you pay for” and you don’t want to find out something isn’t well made when you’re in the backcountry, but everyone’s got to start somewhere. Over the years I’ve replaced my cheap stuff with better ultralight gear. I’m pretty happy with my setup now, most of it has lasted several seasons and is easier to carry. Bonus, most cottage-industry makers are hikers too and I like supporting them.
that is true, and i have found myself taking a similar path. i’ve tried to figure out where i can go cheap and where it is good value to spend more on a longer-lasting, higher-quality item. it sounds like you know your cottage companies, do you have a favorite?
That’s a good strategy. Some things drastically improved my time outdoors while others were just marginal.
As far as big 3 goes, I’ve had good experiences with TarpTent, Enlightened Equipment, and ULA. I’ve heard good things about others, but haven’t had a chance to try them personally.
Not sure how current/comprehensive it is, but here’s a list of companies
https://sectionhiker.com/cottage-gear-manufacturer-directory/
I adore my aonijie multicolored aluminum poles. Best pole design I think I’ve ever used, and it’s an original design.
My next tent will probably be a langshan. But I don’t go out so often so don’t need the best, and im short
where’d you get the poles? haven’t heard of them and I’m curious.
im short
haha this definitely helps on tent fitting! 😀
I only found thos new Zealand link but these ones: https://www.outdoorescape.co.za/product-page/aonijie-3-piece-aluminum-pole
I got them on Ali express I think, so search there maybe
ooh, z-style poles. i absolutely adore that style, they pack down small and i find them reliable. i found 2 z-style poles on trail years ago, lost one in a hitch in Colorado and now use 1 pole 😋
Yeah, these ones are so useful in their simplicity. The handles are round, not ergo, which means I can change .y hand position easily and often. The non adjustable strap I thought would be a problem but it’s the opposite. I can dangle them straightdown to go low on the pole (ha), or wrap them around my wrist to go higher. And they are a nice thin breathable fabric. They are lighter than carbon poles and look cooler and pack tiny. Love them
I tend to buy a cheap version to try it out, then invest in the good version. Sometimes things don’t work out as expected, and I’d rather not learn that with the costly item.
I did get a Lanshan 2p this year after years of self-supporting tents. It is a good foray into learning trekking pole tents without too much cost. I suspect a Durston XMid 2p is in my future next year-ish so that the dog will fit with us in the tent.
