Overland specific pricing

[raundhaus]

Just be glad you don't have to buy medical a specific stuff. I just paid $250 apiece for two small print rollers for a cardiac monitor. I'm talking a 4 inch by 1/2 inch metal cylinder coated in rubber, for $250!!!
That said, in my personal life I'm as cheap as they come.
As for "overlanding" looking online really makes you think you can't take another trip w/o ARB bumpers, air lockers, skottle and RTT, but I have yet to encounter a real life person who would give a rip what you drive, sleep in, or cook on as long as you are having fun! And I think the comparison and materialism that gets into any hobby or lifestyle can really sap the fun.

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[MOAK]

Pretty common for all hobbies. I ran in to this for bicycle specific cold weather gear. $300 for a pair of boots? Nope, $40 walmart pair of hikers was just as good. $300 for a merino wool sweater? nope. $8 at the thrift store. $150 gloves? Nope! ,y Wife's old snowboard mittens!

But, I agree. I do get sad at times, I see a really neat item, Google it and see the $$. While many times it is a quality built product, it's not for me. I'd love me a skottle, but, the price makes my $40 two burner Coleman look pretty nice.

I'll agree on all that except hiking boots. $40 for walmart hikers might last 50 miles or so, cause blisters, bad backs, sore knees etc etc etc. A lifetime ago I was in construction work. To be more specific, asphalt paving in Southern California. I was going through 2 and 3 pairs of $25 boots every year. A sales guy came out to our jobsite one day and asked about my boots. He gave me his card and guaranteed I'd get at least a year out of the brand he was selling. I spent $50 on my first pair of Redwings in 1978, Not only did they last a year, they lasted year and a half. I saved $50 in boots the first year and a half. I'll buy only Redwing work boots.

I've had only 3 pair of hikng boots in the past 20 years. I purchase good ones that can be repaired and re-soled. Expensive? Yes, but how much is good health for our feet worth? Do my boots last longer than cheap boots? Hell ya, 20 times longer, so in the long run, I've paid less for footwear, over the course of my life, than folks that purchase cheap foot wear.

There are three areas that I do not scrimp on, feet, shelter, vehicle maintenance. I've been over the feet thing. And yup, we have a $1200 tent, only after going through 3 inexpensive tents that just didn't hold up to rain, we got really tired of being wet all the time, wind, we had two of those discount Coleman tents crumble in high winds, & cold, the Kingdom 6 tent was great, but alas, it's basically a one season tent.

Saying all of this, I just bought a new extraction strap at Tractor Supply. For about $40 dollars less than the equivalent Warn 30' strap, and more than likely made by the same manufacturer. They have 3/4" shackles at bargain prices as well. I also buy a lot of overlanding gear from our local hardware store. So yes, there are many products out there where one is spending a lot more money for an "overlanding" or "4 wheelin" label.

 

[The other Sean]

I'll agree on all that except hiking boots. $40 for walmart hikers might last 50 miles or so, cause blisters, bad backs, sore knees etc etc etc. A lifetime ago I was in construction work. To be more specific, asphalt paving in Southern California. I was going through 2 and 3 pairs of $25 boots every year. A sales guy came out to our jobsite one day and asked about my boots. He gave me his card and guaranteed I'd get at least a year out of the brand he was selling. I spent $50 on my first pair of Redwings in 1978, Not only did they last a year, they lasted year and a half. I saved $50 in boots the first year and a half. I'll buy only Redwing work boots.

I've had only 3 pair of hikng boots in the past 20 years. I purchase good ones that can be repaired and re-soled. Expensive? Yes, but how much is good health for our feet worth? Do my boots last longer than cheap boots? Hell ya, 20 times longer, so in the long run, I've paid less for footwear, over the course of my life, than folks that purchase cheap foot wear.

There are three areas that I do not scrimp on, feet, shelter, vehicle maintenance. I've been over the feet thing. And yup, we have a $1200 tent, only after going through 3 inexpensive tents that just didn't hold up to rain, we got really tired of being wet all the time, wind, we had two of those discount Coleman tents crumble in high winds, & cold, the Kingdom 6 tent was great, but alas, it's basically a one season tent.

Saying all of this, I just bought a new extraction strap at Tractor Supply. For about $40 dollars less than the equivalent Warn 30' strap, and more than likely made by the same manufacturer. They have 3/4" shackles at bargain prices as well. I also buy a lot of overlanding gear from our local hardware store. So yes, there are many products out there where one is spending a lot more money for an "overlanding" or "4 wheelin" label.

I agree 100%. My comment about the Walmart boots was in comparison to a pair of winter bicycling boots. All they needed to do was keep my feet warm as I mashed on the pedals for 10+ miles. NOT worth $200+ dollars. The boots I wear on my feet for hiking? yea, NOT $40 walmart hikers.

 

[Billy "Poserlander" Badly]

https://www.outsideonline.com/2141871/worlds-best-tuque

Here's hoping the folks collecting the raw materials are getting a big chunk of that $200. Sheesh.

 

[Longshot270]

I agree 100%. My comment about the Walmart boots was in comparison to a pair of winter bicycling boots. All they needed to do was keep my feet warm as I mashed on the pedals for 10+ miles. NOT worth $200+ dollars. The boots I wear on my feet for hiking? yea, NOT $40 walmart hikers.

This is a perfect reason such discussions need context. Some products have reached price equilibrium while others have not. Same can be said of the quality equilibrium.

 

[rpw110]

I think that with key items that you need, depending on what your doing, e.g. Bull bar, winch, underbody protection etc it is worth paying the extra for the better quality, reliability and customer service. A good example is with WARN winches, they are expensive but they are very reliable and if you have problem with the winch there customer service is amazing, the same with ARB, there's loads of cheaper bumpers available especially for defenders but the ARB bulbar is the only one I trust, at the end of the day it's your own money that your spending on equipment that you rely on so choose wisely


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[Ganja_Overland]

I rant about both sides of this topic. I've gotten tired of the Walmart model teaching people that you can pay 60% of the original price for 50% of the quality. Stores like that began an arms race, not for better products but for lower prices at the expense of quality. What good does the saved money do you when the item breaks or rusts out in a month?

Of course, as discussed already, some people do try leveraging novelty or quality a little too hard. There are many examples of good designs that never price corrected and competitors made quality knock offs that could be marketed at half the price.

Granted, I'm a major DIYer so if there is a concept I like, I can usually build it myself for a fraction of the cost and typically modify the design to suit my needs better than the original.

I'm with this guy. There is a fine line between over priced and too cheap to bother. I have learned though that with a lot of things like tent, cooking supplies, cold/wet weather gear. (pnw guy here) you generally get what you pay for. I've used cheap stuff and I can attest that there are just some things you don't buy cheap. Although Overlanding is "outfit and explore" stick with the spirit of adventure and get out there with what you got!

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