People pay too much for...

[Sylvaneous]

I thought this might be a fun thread, until it 'trolls-out' which, given how the internet behaves, should be in only a few posts.
So here's the origin: NYTimes has a section called Wirecutter. They test products and tell you their assessments. I happened across a cooler review feature. They stated or noted people buying very expensive roto-molded coolers that are also very heavy. Not only did they note that these coolers were more expensive than thier reccomendations, but they were WAY over-priced for what they are, even being already expensive. So this is my idea: What do people pay too much for? Like what costs WAY more than it should, not something that is gold-plated, or elaborate, bespoke or whatever. There's no way to make a Porche 911 that will yeild a much less expensive car. Not that: stuff that you get for $30 that you see something else similar for, for $90.
I think our hobby is ripe territory for such critiques.

 

[Sylvaneous]

Let me start: People pay way too much for expensive coolers. First, they are ridiculously over-built for their use AND, as the NYTimes Wirecutter found, more expensive than they SHOULD be, as in profit margin.

 

[wildtrout2]

Fly line.

 

[mdamm318]

Weddings.

 

[Sylvaneous]

The second idea that occured to me was thermal underwear. I've seen companies like Pategonia (well, natch, right?) and SIMMS , for example, that sell stuff that is WAY more expensive than other companies like Terramar, a go to for me. Companies put gadgetry on their clothes as a way to up-sell or better, up-price the same essential item. Like add a $5 feature but up the price $50, as an example. But you really can't do this with base layers. Not much has come along, in many years besides merino wool, that changes base layers.

 

[Sylvaneous]

Fly line.

Yes. They kind of invent problems that they fix or maybe better, solutions to problems that really weren't there. Like a type of line for each type of technique of each species of fish. For sure. The Mastery line I first liked in 2000, I'll like in 2020.

 

[Bamboozle]

Based on the longevity reports and DYI repair info I see on PAFF:

Waders & wading shoes.​

And something more important to me:

Local craft beer, local wine and local spirits. Ridiculous prices for mediocre products from companies who barely spend a dime on marketing...​

 

[stephenb]

Craft beer IPA's

 

[dudemanspecial]

Based on the longevity reports and DYI repair info I see on PAFF:

Waders & wading shoes.​

And something more important to me:

Local craft beer, local wine and local spirits. Ridiculous prices for mediocre products from companies who barely spend a dime on marketing...​

I have been using the same set of Orvis silver sonic waders and Orvis wading boots (forgot the model name) for 10 years. Granted, I don't wear them in the brush much. I dry them real good before storing them. I have never even fixed a leak in them.

As far as the beer goes I totally agree. I also think the quality of local beer has gone way down hill over the last 5 years or so as well.

 

[hooker-of-men]

Pretty much everything. I'm cheap.

Firm disagree about the beer being mediocre. The best beer in this country is clearly being made by small operations right now. I don't see how this could even be arguable. However, small operation wine and distilling - in my area at least - Yikes.

As for the price of craft beer, see my first sentence.

 

[dudemanspecial]

I'm going to say vests / chest packs / sling packs. I couldn't believe what a new Simms vest cost. And it seems even has one or 2 of each variety. I use a William Joseph chest pack I bought 8 years ago, and a 35 dollar vest I bought at Gander Mountain probably 8-10 years ago.

 

[dudemanspecial]

Pretty much everything. I'm cheap.

Firm disagree about the beer being mediocre. The best beer in this country is clearly being made by small operations right now. I don't see how this could even be arguable. However, small operation wine and distilling - in my area at least - Yikes.

As for the price of craft beer, see my first sentence.

I would have agreed with your beer statement 10 years ago. I think the massive amount of competition now has actually made it worse. It seems like all the local breweries are now making beer to appeal to the masses and trying to pinch a penny in the process. I get it, business is business. I am really basing my opinion on IPA's as that is what I like.

 

[Sylvaneous]

I have been using the same set of Orvis silver sonic waders and Orvis wading boots (forgot the model name) for 10 years. Granted, I don't wear them in the brush much. I dry them real good before storing them. I have never even fixed a leak in them.

As far as the beer goes I totally agree. I also think the quality of local beer has gone way down hill over the last 5 years or so as we

Craft beer IPA's

I don't know what the expenses are like in local micro-brew production. Inflation, especially in grain, has been extreme in the past few years. (My brother, a 'retired' dairy farmer, and a tougher man you'll never meet, says he'd raise chickens but if he sold eggs, he'd have to charge $5/dozen. ) If you know something else, please share. I don't know and can't say. However, a few years ago, a $4 beer was my top limit. Now a frikkin glass of beer is over $5. I only ever get 1. Why I've started going back to Euro-Pils.
It's a good proposition.

 

[sixfootfenwick]

Weddings
College

 

[Skook]

Let me start: People pay way too much for expensive coolers. First, they are ridiculously over-built for their use AND, as the NYTimes Wirecutter found, more expensive than they SHOULD be, as in profit margin.

My guess is that none of the writers at the NY Times' Wirecutter ever saved up their vacation days for years, got lucky enough to draw a permit to hunt Elk or Moose 2,000 or miles from their home, spent a year planning a trip, and spent $10,000 to make it all happen, only to have spoiled meat when arriving home because they decided to save a few hundred bucks by buying a cheap cooler.

 

[Bamboozle]

My beef about wine, beer & spirits is based on what I like and the lack of justification for the high prices for the local products with no importing, distribution or advertising costs when compared to other products of the same quality.

For example, there is barely a winery in PA, VA or NY that charges less than $20 a bottle for wine AT THE WINERY with most over that threshold. I've had a few that were barely OK, however I can buy bottles of wine that are 100 times better from California or Washington State all day long for $12 - $15. Therefore I'm calling BS on $20 - $40 bottles of local stuff...

...it's also why you will probably never see me at an east coast winery doing a tasting. 🍷

I could live a long & happy life if I never drank another super hoppy IPA. They all taste the same after two gulps and it is almost all that is out there locally. For that reason I choose my brews for their variety and I still drink a lot of imported product. With that in mind, I can buy a case of Weihenstephan which is IMPORTED and the same goes for many Belgian beers I drink for less than most local craft breweries get for their swill AT THE BREWERY!

If all you like is super hoppy hazy IPA's I guess you are stuck but I'm calling BS on the high prices local breweries charge for German or Belgian style beers...

...it's also why you probably won't see me at one of the 15 or more breweries near me. 🍺

Spirits; most local distilleries are too young to have any aged product available where you could possibly justify a high(er) price but any I've drunk don't even come close to what I can get from established distilleries for the same price. Their gin & vodka prices AT THE DISTILLERY are right up there with products imported from Europe so I'm calling BS on $40 bottles of local hooch...

...it's also why you probably won't ever see me at one of the local distilleries near me. 🥃

However, you may spot me in an Orvis store checking out waders and snickering at the folks looking at Yeti coolers...

 

[JeffP]

Bottled water no matter how cheap. Birthday cards. Insulated cups. Cable

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Board,

Lots of good choices so far, but I will argue the cooler being a bad investment.

I bought the not so prestigious brand roto-molded cooler a couple of years ago. I think I paid about $ 175.00. Two trips to the Delaware shore for a week's duration with the cooler in the back of my truck all the time and I used 40 to 50#'s of ice for two weeks. If you know me you know I like to drink beer! With my old Igloo I would have used double that much and probably even more. The savings on ice alone covered the cost of the cooler.

Now, $ 5.00 a bag for ice is freaking ridiculous. I wish it was easier to find block ice like the old days. Two ten pound blocks bought at the shore lasted 4 days in my new cooler, and they were still about the size of a brick and the beer was plenty cold!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[JeffP]

Dear Board,

Lots of good choices so far, but I will argue the cooler being a bad investment.

I bought the not so prestigious brand roto-molded cooler a couple of years ago. I think I paid about $ 175.00. Two trips to the Delaware shore for a week's duration with the cooler in the back of my truck all the time and I used 40 to 50#'s of ice for two weeks. If you know me you know I like to drink beer! With my old Igloo I would have used double that much and probably even more. The savings on ice alone covered the cost of the cooler.

Now, $ 5.00 a bag for ice is freaking ridiculous. I wish it was easier to find block ice like the old days. Two ten pound blocks bought at the shore lasted 4 days in my new cooler, and they were still about the size of a brick and the beer was plenty cold!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Maybe I hate coolers because we have 26 of them cluttering up the garage.

 

[JackM]

Cars, houses, vacations, restaurant food, jewelry, tattoos. I pay too much for internet, cell phone service, and cigarettes.