Here’s To Stand Up Companies, Fixing Things, And Saving Money
As I mentioned in a previous post, I buy stuff deliberately and carefully. By that I mean that I put some analysis into it. I try not to over-analyze, but there are databases of reviews online and the ability to check if a company stands by their product.
I use them.
And when I can I try to fix things. When you fix things they last longer, you reduce waste, and you save money. Fixing things can speed up your road to financial independence.
This summer and fall I’ve had 4 pieces of gear fail me that have reinforced my rules of stuff.
Back in August, my beloved Nalgene Collapsable Canteen sprung a leak. Wow, you might say, big deal.
Well this thing was like 16 years old and had been to three of the Seven Summits – Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus in Russia, Vinson Massif in Antarctica. It had been to the summits of almost all 58 Colorado fourteeners. Countless backpacking and climbing trips. It had been to Machu Picchu and Mount Everest Base Camp.
Where Have You Been? 🙂
So to me, yes it was a big deal. Sounds silly but the darn thing meant something to me. It had faithfully hydrated me on all those adventures, while folding down to almost nothing for travel packing.
Anyhoo, I tweeted a memorial to Nalgene about my sadness with a pic.
What did they do? They shipped me a new one. It arrived in a week 🙂
Buy carefully. Nalgene are made in the USA and they have the reputation of backing up their stuff. Boo. Yah.
In October my Nite Ize SlapLit safety light stop working. I bike commute to work, and ride in total about five to six thousand miles a year. Much of that is in the dark, and being lit up really well is key to try to mitigate the danger from the careless and distracted drivers out there.
So this little $11 piece of gear, while cheap, is really really important. I simply emailed Nite Ize and they quickly sent me a new one, no questions asked.
There are cheaper versions of this product on Amazon from fly-by-night manufacturers in China, but I doubt they would back them up with a free replacement. Especially with more than a year of heavy use.
Nite Ize are noted for their innovative products for the outdoors, and are a great Colorado based company.
No, I’m not an affiliate of Nite Ize or Nalgene by the way but those are Amazon affiliate links above. I use these products heavily and highly recommend them.
Just Fix It Already
Next, like most serious cyclists (whatever that means…) I ride with a GPS-based bike computer. It not only tells me where I’m at and how fast I’m going, but if I wish it can monitor my heart rate, my power output, my calories burned, etc etc.
Heck, it might even have a blood glucose monitor built in, I’m not even sure. These things are sophisticated little tech toys for us cycling weirdos. I bought mine used from a buddy for $100. He’s a “constant upgrade” guy.
Garmin, like lots of electronic companies, issues like 20 new models every year, each with new-better-more functionality, with the sole purpose of getting you to part with more of your money and constantly upgrade.
Well the plastic mount that affixes the unit to my bike broke one day. It seemed unfixable, it’s part of the unit. I looked around on the web and found a guy with an obscure little company that makes a special part to glue on to the back of the unit to replace the mount. Twenty-five dollars later and some super glue, and it has new life.
Two Screws And Some Super Glue, MacGyver Baby!
Not today Garmin, I refuse to upgrade! And thanks DogEarsGPS.com for a great little product. Again not affiliated.
And lastly, I have lots of performance clothing for climbing a mountaineering. Much of it is made of Gore-Tex or other waterproof fabrics to keep me dry.
Well my fifteen year old Marmot Gore-Tex jacket was leaking in many places. It was no longer waterproof and the seams weren’t sealed. It’s been to almost all of the places my Nalgene bottle has!
My Now 15 Year Old Marmot Gore-Tex Jacket On The Summit Of Kilimanjaro In 2009, When She Was Young And Healthy
A slick product called Tenacious Tape to the rescue – this stuff is money! It sticks to fabrics amazingly and stays on, even through wash cycles.
My jacket is now back to being 100% waterproof, shower tested. And it’s fixed holes in my sleeping bag and a few other items as well. All for a $5 roll of tape and 15 minutes out of my day.
Let’s sum this up. Had I thrown these items out and bought new ones:
- Nalgene Bottle: $17
- Nite Ize Light: $11
- Garmin GPS: ~$225 depending on model
- Marmot Gore-Tex Jacket ~$200 depending on model
Cost of tape and repair for GPS: $30
Net Win: ~$423
All hail fixing things instead of tossing them out, all hail saving money by not just going out and buying new ones!
And thanks to great companies that stand by their product!
*This article contains affiliate links. Using those links throws some change in my pocket at no additional cost to you. Here’s my disclosure.
Sometimes the most frugal thing you can do is buy the most expensive thing. Seems counterintuitive but if that product has better quality (not always the case with more expensive items) and a reputable company backing it up, then in the long run you will get far more years of use out of it and in your case may even get free replacements.
I often buy stuff from Hammacher Schlemmer. Sometimes I pay more for the exact same merchandise I could get for less at other places like Amazon. Seems like a very stupid thing to do, right? Well Hammacher has a lifetime guarantee, no questions asked. When an expensive Toaster Oven I got (I believe over $300) went on the fritz I just had to mail it in and I got a brand spanking new on for free. Over the course of the years I have probably received replacement items totaling $1500 or so. Items that even had normal useful use life out of it but when it no longer functions I can get it back for free with a return (one such item was a very cool $90 stingray wallet that started tearing at the seams, replaced free of charge with a new one).
Had never heard of Hammacher Schlemmer, will have to check them out. It’s a delicate balance for sure. Some more expensive items will indeed last longer, but some won’t. That’s why it takes some research. However as you say if a company has a policy of fully replacing – like with my Nalgene bottle – then hell yeah, I’m in!
Great post! And wow, you’re quite an accomplished mountaineer – that’s an impressive list of summits. Now here’s a (probably dumb) question I’ve been afraid to ask: when you have a squishy little refillable water sack like yours, how do you keep it clean, from day to day? I imagine on some of these trips you’re drinking exclusively from one baggie for days on end. Do you put soap and hot water in it, and just, I don’t know, shake and rinse? Are you adding little tablets of something or other? When it’s on a shelf somewhere in-between trips, how do you get it dry enough on the inside to store it long-term? I bought a refillable water bottle for a trip, then when it hit me I didn’t really know what to do with it, I left it at home.
With my collapsible Nalgene I never put anything in it except water so the need to clean (the inside) is minimal. Problems come when you put in drink mixes or especially anything with sugar. That’s when bacteria can form and you have to clean. I just don’t do it. I would imagine soap or vinegar would suffice.
When it’s in between trips I store it with the lid on but very loose, just barely catching threads. That allows any remaining water droplets to evaporate but keeps bugs from getting in.
Thanks for the kudos!
Our outdoor brands we support may be expensive but they sure do last and they stand behind their products. I love that tenacious tape is awesome and I keep a small amount of it in my 10-essentials kit that I take on my overnighters and bigger day trips. It works on everything and anything
Yep, it’s in my repair kit as well. The stuff is gold!
Oh, tenacious tape to the rescue! We were on a group backpacking trip with the Backpacking Light forum people last February and my husband was at breakfast and his knife slipped through his down jacket making a big 3 inch gouge. It was a crack-up to see the avid outdoors people tripping over themselves for the best method of patching. I can imagine after years of use, your jacket just slowly morphs from Gortex to all tenacious tape 🙂
Love it Susan – a tenacious tape jacket. If I did that and tweeted it to them maybe they’d give me a free lifetime supply? Worth trying.
I sometimes lurk in the Backpacking Light forums too!
This is exactly why I’m trying to transition from my habit of buying the cheapest thing available to buying something more expensive that’s of a good quality and will last. And spending more per item helps me cut down on purchases of things I don’t actually need!
Yeah it’s a tough call on many items, that’s why research is so essential. But then again too much time spent analyzing is a waste as well. I’ve made some awesome calls buying cheap stuff that wound up lasting forever and being awesome. And also have been burned on more expensive stuff that was ‘supposed’ to be better. Amazon reviews are a tremendous resource!
When I was living in Manhattan, I gave up on umbrellas relatively quickly. The winds in the City can destroy umbrellas quickly and easily. Add to that, the jostling and bumping from other people, and you have a real problem. They break constantly, and there’s always the bumping into other people. I gave up, and bought a Gore-Tex rain coat that has lasted me 10 years or so. Granted, I only use it when it rains, but no more money wasted on broken umbrellas.
I have the idea of buying quality, treating it well, and keeping it a long time. My mountain bike is from 1999, and still looks new. A quick wipe down after each ride is all that’s needed. Admittedly, several sets of tires, brakes, and other consumables have been used.
The concept is best value over cheapest or most expensive. That’s what I look for in a product. Will it last as long as one more expensive, or will it not.
Cool, a 1999 mountain bike! My first ever mountain bike is fro 1992 and it’s now my hybrid grocery getter. The thing is built like a tank and should last forever!
Well said Dave
Often I have the impression that most of the middle-end products are supposed to last a limited time on purpose not only for the Companies making them to save on material and manufacturing quality but to ensure you will replace them on a regular basis (2-3 years) immediately after the expiration of the warranty.
Conversely, high quality products tend to last longer with some of Companies even offering Lifetime warranty because they are sure you will stick with their products forever if you love the quality and the service.
“You get you pay for” somebody says right…?
I’m sure many things are purposely designed to last a short time, but others are just designed at the lowest possible cost and if that means it lasts or doesn’t then whatever. But to me some high quality products aren’t worth it, such as Apple. My Toshiba laptop costs one-third of an Apple one, was WAY more powerful, and is now 8 years old and still kicking strong. Sorry Apple…
nalgen rules. i might have mentioned before, but they make the absolute best lab bottles too. when i was younger i dinged up my ’79 chevy monte carlo. i didn’t have much money but my old man cut up a reusable plastic milk container and made a signal light cover and installed it with some bond-o. it lasted until i got rid of the car and was cheaper than a junkyard lens cover!
Nice dude, that’s enough to get you a job at Pep Boys!
Thank you for introducing me to a company right in my backyard (Nite Ize). I wonder if you tried their car vent mount cell holder or the mountain bike handle bar mount. They latter looks handy especially if I’m on a new rail trying to follow MTB Project app. I’m also curious if you will be posting any solar charging gear for your electronics and such when you are camping.
I don’t have those items from Nite Ize but I do have lots of the S-Biners. Those are super handy for lots of things. As for solar, look in my “My Recommendations” page (menu link at top of blog). The X-Dragon is my main solar unit and the thing has worked flawlessly. I also have an older Solar Monkey portable but it’s nearing end of life. If I’m on shorter outings though it’s easier to bring a spare battery for the phone (only Android owners have this luxury :), or a small battery pack that can do one full charge.
Thanks. I’ll check it out.
There is often a way around spending money if you work on it.
Amen to that!
Legit my husband and I have been looking for bike lamps. We just moved biking distance to our respective places of employment, and want to start cycling more. I’m definitely going to look into that company!
They make great stuff. And if they’re gonna replace it if broken there’s not much to lose!