Most useless' impulse buy'

"simplesimon" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Confession time.... I used to be a real gear freak. There,
I said it. I feel better now thats off my chest :-) I'm
getting better with middle age but I do still suffer from
the occasional 'impuse buy' when in gear shops. Once an
addict, always an addict I suppose! So I was wondering,
whats the most useless bit of kit that you ever bought on
an impulse. My own worst buy was a cheapo self-inflating
mattress that magically deflated at about 1 am leaving me
cold and very uncomfortable for the rest of the night. £20
wasted that could have gone toward my thermarest. Anyone
else bought any horrors?

simon

Take it back to the shop for a refund as being not fit for
the purpose?

--
Brian

The groundsheet I "converted" to make a bivvy bag or
bivouac.

Anyone want to buy a 10 year old waterproof sheet with holes
in - never used ;-)

"simplesimon" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:S9EEc.715$TK1.238@newsfe3-
win.server.ntli.net...

Quoted message said:

Confession time.... I used to be a real gear freak. There,
I said it. I

feel

Quoted message said:

better now thats off my chest :-) I'm getting better with
middle age but I do still suffer from the occasional
'impuse buy' when in gear shops. Once an addict, always an

addict

Quoted message said:

I suppose! So I was wondering, whats the most useless bit
of kit that you ever bought on an impulse. My own worst
buy was a cheapo self-inflating mattress that magically
deflated at about 1 am leaving me cold and very
uncomfortable

for

Quoted message said:

the rest of the night. £20 wasted that could have gone
toward my

thermarest.

Quoted message said:

Anyone else bought any horrors?

simon

simplesimon <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Confession time.... I used to be a real gear freak. There,
I said it. I feel better now thats off my chest :-) I'm
getting better with middle age but I do still suffer from
the occasional 'impuse buy' when in gear shops. Once an
addict, always an addict I suppose! So I was wondering,
whats the most useless bit of kit that you ever bought on
an impulse. My own worst buy was a cheapo self-inflating
mattress that magically deflated at about 1 am leaving me
cold and very uncomfortable for the rest of the night. £20
wasted that could have gone toward my thermarest. Anyone
else bought any horrors?

simon

A couple of pedometers. One was mechanical and hopeless, the
other had an LCD display which had the habit of resetting
itself to zero during a walk.
--
Gordon

simplesimon said:

So I was wondering, whats the most useless bit of kit that
you ever bought on an impulse.

I once bought a very useful little plastic thingy designed
to fit the top of a soft drinks can after opening. Great for
taking a can of coke on a walk, opening it, drinking a
little, then sealing it with this plastic item, just place
it over the hole and twist to secure it.

Then they changed the design of the cans.

Now it's completely useless!

Paul
--
wilderness-wales.co.ukwilderness-wales.co.ukOpen ↗
wildwales.fsnet.co.ukwildwales.fsnet.co.ukOpen ↗
photosig.comuserphotosOpen ↗

"simplesimon" <[email hidden]> wrote in >
Anyone else bought any horrors?

Quoted message said:

simon

All money spent on pedometers is wasted.

I bought an expensive fleece, one of whose features was no
fleece in the back--just a stretchy panel. The idea was that
the pack insulated sufficiently. And it did, but wearing the
pack to the pub and everywhere else, after humping it all
day just didn't appeal, so my kidneys near froze. You didn't
think I was going to carry two fleeces, did you?

I bought a Suunto Vector, but I've never used it because I
can't get the balance between the altimeter and the
barometer to work right. I'll set them both correctly, but
they wander, and if I want to be unsure I don't need a
pieplate on my wrist--I can be unsure of height and weather
all on my very own, without help.

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from
the wonderful person Gordon <[email hidden]>
said <snip>

Quoted message said:

A couple of pedometers. One was mechanical and hopeless,
the other had an LCD display which had the habit of
resetting itself to zero during a walk.

I've got one of those too .. at first I thought it was the
batteries (it had been in a cupboard for a while) but nope,
it must have a dodgy contact someplace (but now I have lots
of batteries). Never did try a mechanical one. Really
annoying when you've walked several miles to be told that
your overall trip distance is 112 meters. 8<,

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and
indistinguishable from human typing.

john goldfine <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I bought a Suunto Vector, but I've never used it because I
can't get the balance between the altimeter and the
barometer to work right. I'll set them both correctly, but
they wander, and if I want to be unsure I don't need a
pieplate on my wrist--I can be unsure of height and weather
all on my very own, without help.

Yeaah, sorry - forget the two pedometers, I have a £150
Casio watch which measures altitude and barometric pressure
but not both at the same time - Ha ha!
--
Gordon

"simplesimon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Confession time.... I used to be a real gear freak. There,
I said it. I

feel

Quoted message said:

better now thats off my chest :-) I'm getting better with
middle age but I do still suffer from the occasional
'impuse buy' when in gear shops. Once an addict, always an

addict

Quoted message said:

I suppose! So I was wondering, whats the most useless bit
of kit that you ever bought on an impulse?

I spent £8 on a Gelert mapcase in Ashbourne before a 2-
day hike between Ilam Hall YH and Elton YH (and now
closed). I remember a very interesting old-fashioned pub
in Elton, it looked like someones house! It rained on the
way back and the map got soaked, the OS map needed
special folding to fit it in, the velcro is bloody noisy
and the fabric case just feels so heavy (yes, I still
have it 3 years later!). I now use large ziplock pouches
from Stationery Box, 2 for £4 IIRC.

Nick

"simplesimon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Confession time.... I used to be a real gear freak. There,
I said it. I

feel

Quoted message said:

better now thats off my chest :-) I'm getting better with
middle age but I do still suffer from the occasional
'impuse buy' when in gear shops. Once an addict, always an

addict

Quoted message said:

I suppose! So I was wondering, whats the most useless bit
of kit that you ever bought on an impulse. My own worst
buy was a cheapo self-inflating mattress that magically
deflated at about 1 am leaving me cold and very
uncomfortable

for

Quoted message said:

the rest of the night. £20 wasted that could have gone
toward my

thermarest.

Quoted message said:

Anyone else bought any horrors?

simon

I must have purchased about 8 umbrellas for about £10 each.
Long experience has taught me that a £10 umbrella cannot
withstand adverse weather conditions. A £10 umbrella when
you are out walking is about as useful as putting a sieve
over your head.

I invested £28 in a quality brolly and it's still going
strong after a couple of years use.

Cheap umbrellas are worse than useless..

GSV Three Minds in a Can <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from
the wonderful person Gordon <[email hidden]>
said <snip>

Quoted message said:

A couple of pedometers. One was mechanical and hopeless,
the other had an LCD display which had the habit of
resetting itself to zero during a walk.

I've got one of those too .. at first I thought it was the
batteries (it had been in a cupboard for a while) but nope,
it must have a dodgy contact someplace (but now I have lots
of batteries). Never did try a mechanical one. Really
annoying when you've walked several miles to be told that
your overall trip distance is 112 meters. 8<,

A GPS is the answer, GSV. 🙂
--
Gordon

jim <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I must have purchased about 8 umbrellas for about £10 each.
Long experience has taught me that a £10 umbrella cannot
withstand adverse weather conditions. A £10 umbrella when
you are out walking is about as useful as putting a sieve
over your head.

I invested £28 in a quality brolly and it's still going
strong after a couple of years use.

Cheap umbrellas are worse than useless..

£4.99 from Sainsburys, would easily fit in a side pocket of
my daysack, and useful for shelter whilst eating your
sandwiches at lunch break.

I keep thinking I'll get one some time......
--
Gordon

* The air of uk.rec.walking was filled with the
delicate perfume
* of violets, as simplesimon
<[email hidden]> descended
* on a shaft of golden sunlight, and announced:

Quoted message said:

So I was wondering, whats the most useless bit of kit that
you ever bought on an impulse. My own worst buy was a
cheapo self-inflating mattress that

<snip>

I bought one of those Nescafe self-heating cans of coffee,
from a garage a couple of years back (all the garages seemed
to have them for a while). I got about an eggcup of tepid
'coffee' from it!

Regards: Jim Ford

a Titanium candle holder, waste of money, i went back to a couple of tea
candles on top of a tin of beans, covered with a cut down pop bottle
"simplesimon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Confession time.... I used to be a real gear freak. There,
I said it. I

feel

Quoted message said:

better now thats off my chest :-) I'm getting better with
middle age but I do still suffer from the occasional
'impuse buy' when in gear shops. Once an addict, always an

addict

Quoted message said:

I suppose! So I was wondering, whats the most useless bit
of kit that you ever bought on an impulse. My own worst
buy was a cheapo self-inflating mattress that magically
deflated at about 1 am leaving me cold and very
uncomfortable

for

Quoted message said:

the rest of the night. £20 wasted that could have gone
toward my

thermarest.

Quoted message said:

Anyone else bought any horrors?

simon

Craven <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

"Gordon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

john goldfine <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I bought a Suunto Vector, but I've never used it because
I can't get the balance between the altimeter and the
barometer to work right. I'll set them both correctly,
but they wander, and if I want to be unsure I don't need
a pieplate on my wrist--I can be unsure of height and
weather all on

my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

very own, without help.

Yeaah, sorry - forget the two pedometers, I have a £150
Casio watch which measures altitude and barometric
pressure but not both at the same time - Ha ha!

Altidude and barometric pressure! Just a play on
words. <grin>

Definitely a watch for dudes. I wouldn't mind if it
projected a grappling line like one of James Bond's
watches did..
--
Gordon

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the
wonderful person Gordon <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

GSV Three Minds in a Can <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from
the wonderful person Gordon <[email hidden]>
said <snip>

Quoted message said:

A couple of pedometers. One was mechanical and hopeless,
the other had an LCD display which had the habit of
resetting itself to zero during a walk.

I've got one of those too .. at first I thought it was the
batteries (it had been in a cupboard for a while) but
nope, it must have a dodgy contact someplace (but now I
have lots of batteries). Never did try a mechanical one.
Really annoying when you've walked several miles to be
told that your overall trip distance is 112 meters. 8<,

A GPS is the answer, GSV. 🙂

I've got one (recently). Bit of overkill for knowing how
far/fast you went, but definitely worth it when arguing with
farmer as to why you are in the middle of his corn field

("LOOK, IT'S A FOOTPATH. MY GPS SAYS SO.

OK, YOU REMOVED THE FOOTBRIDGE, ELECTRIFIED THE FENCES,
PLOUGHED THE FIELD, AND LOCKED THE GATE, BUT IT'S STILL A
DAMN FOOTPATH"😉.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and
indistinguishable from human typing.

"simplesimon" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

So I was wondering, whats the most useless bit of kit that
you ever bought on an impulse. My own worst buy was a
cheapo self-inflating mattress that magically deflated at
about 1 am leaving me cold and very uncomfortable for the
rest of the night. £20 wasted that could have gone toward
my thermarest. Anyone else bought any horrors?

I bought an inflatable pillow years ago from a bargain bin
when I got a new sleeping bag. Used it twice then reverted
to clothes stuffed into stuffsack. Much comfier.

john goldfine said:

I bought a Suunto Vector, but I've never used it because I
can't get the balance between the altimeter and the
barometer to work right. I'll set them both correctly, but
they wander, and if I want to be unsure I don't need a
pieplate on my wrist--I can be unsure of height and
weather all on my very own, without help.

Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

Paul
--
wilderness-wales.co.ukwilderness-wales.co.ukOpen ↗
wildwales.fsnet.co.ukwildwales.fsnet.co.ukOpen ↗
photosig.comuserphotosOpen ↗

jim said:

I must have purchased about 8 umbrellas for about =A310
each. Long expe=

rience

Quoted message said:

has taught me that a =A310 umbrella cannot withstand
adverse weather conditions. A =A310 umbrella when you are
out walking is about as usefu=

l as

Quoted message said:

putting a sieve over your head.

I was looking at the lightweight Lifeventure ones in
Blacks last year.=20 There were 3 in the shop. First one
wouldn't open, because it was=20 already broken. Second
broke when I opened it, and wouldn't close. I=20 reported
this to the staff who assured me not to worry as I
wouldn't be=20 held liable. I declined to try the third!
Unsurprisingly, I also declined to buy one, and bought a
rather more=20 expensive but battle-worthy one in the gun
and tackle shop up the road.

Candidate for Most Useless Buy for me was a Sigg insulated
case for=20 their aluminium bottles. "Keeps drinks hot for
up to 8 hours", it said. =

Actually kept them luke warm for up to 4, and also gave
you a=20 frightening burn risk in a metal inner bottle
you'd filled with boiling=20 water. More bulky than a
thermos, more expensive and not nearly as=20 good. It's
reputation recovered a bit when I discovered a beer
bottle=20 fit inside very well, ideal for keeping it cool
for summer picnics.

Pete. --=20 Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44
1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net
[email hidden] dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

A GPS

I am even more of a bagging anorak than before, and spend
far too time looking for buried O$ artifacts and degree
confluences in impenetratable bush.

Richard Webb