Products that just won't DIE

[wesheltonj]

I've been using the same MSR Whisperlite stove since the Reagan Administration...

So have I. Not so sure that I would buy todays model. Most companies products goes to shit after being acquired. (Not saying that this product did).

 

[Longwalker]

These products are heavily skewed towards my outdoor activities at home in Canada :
Helly Hansen impertech rain wear, Baffin cold weather boots, Martinii filet knives, Grohmann hunting knives, Fjallraven clothing, Smartwool socks, Tilley hats, True North merino undershirts, Norma Oryx bullets, Swarovski optics, to name a few favourites.

 

[BonUm16]

Even though some stuff may me a bit too expensive (IMO), as far as I know, Orvis has one of the most solid companies for supporting hunting and fishing.

Some of their gear is absolutely fantastic.

(Some of their gear just have the name...)


But, this company has been mostly family-owned (by a couple of different families, for the most part) since 1856.

The owners for the last 60 years (the Perkins family), is, one of the most ardently pro-fishing and pro-conservation company out there.

They are also, very much pro-hunting. They lean towards upland bird hunting, but, if they would turn some attention towards big-game hunting, I would absolutely, be a customer.

They sold Orvis-branded shotguns for many years.


I've been to a couple of their "gun rooms," and was very impressed.

Orvis Gun Room Consignment Shotguns

Superior consignment and used shotgun services from Orvis.

www.orvis.com

They had some high-end rifles, the last time I visited.


I think Orvis, could capture much of the pre-1977 Abercrombie & Fitch market, if they wanted to shift a bit in that direction.


Orvis is really a unique company, in that they do business directly, have their own retail stores, as well as a large network of independent retailers who sell their products.



I know the fly-fishing retail community pretty well, and for several years during the 1990's, Orvis just rested on their reputation.

Now, they are, again, among the most innovative companies in the industry and put their name on some of the best products.

They also have a well-vetted outfitter service.

Depending where you fall on the abortion debate, you may or may not be ok supporting Orvis. As of 2022, I’m done with them.

 

[Scott CWO]

Here’s an old, but still awesome, binocular that just won’t die. If you ever run across one, buy it! Still crystal clear and very rugged. I did see a 7x model for sale on EBay.

Swarovski Tirol 10x40 IF RA porro-prism perma-focus binoculars. The IF stands for Individual Focus eyepieces and RA stands for rubber armored. Notice there is no center focus wheel. Just focus each eyepiece individually for each eye and then they are permanently focused and clear as a bell from 10 yards to infinity! I asked Swarovski why they quit making IF binoculars and was told that birders are their biggest market and birders like to look at birds very close up, which requires a center focus (CF) mechanism for close up focusing. The problem is though that this requires you to continue to have to focus them for focused viewing at ALL ranges. It’s a shame that Swarovski doesn’t make IF binoculars anymore for hunters because they are awesome for discerning animals from other objects, like rocks, before daylight and they are so nice to use because you don’t have to keep focusing them for longer distances. That elk or eland is clearly focused at all distances past 10 yards. This makes spotting animals much easier past 10 yards because the entire landscape and any animals in it are already in focus when glassing. I can’t tell you how many animals I have spotted with these old binoculars before other people with me spot the animal with the newer CF models. It’s countless.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Filson gear that's made in the USA. I have hats, pants, vests and even a briefcase from them...never gonna die. Here's me wearing a packer hat and game vest from the mid-1980's.
View attachment 696973

@BeeMaa
All the gear and no idea
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Sorry mate just couldn't resist it
Bob

 

[BeeMaa]

@BeeMaa
All the gear and no idea
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Sorry mate just couldn't resist it
Bob

That's about right!

 

[MS 9x56]

Filson gear that's made in the USA. I have hats, pants, vests and even a briefcase from them...never gonna die. Here's me wearing a packer hat and game vest from the mid-1980's.
View attachment 696973

Bought my tin cloth chaps and briar coat 35 years ago and still wear them when hunting in the briars and brambles. Have to treat them with Folsom’s oil finish wax every 5 years or so. Still haven’t found anything better. The only drawback is they cause you to sweat when pushing through the brush.

 

[BeeMaa]

Bought my tin cloth chaps and briar coat 35 years ago and still wear them when hunting in the briars and brambles. Have to treat them with Folsom’s oil finish wax every 5 years or so. Still haven’t found anything better. The only drawback is they cause you to sweat when pushing through the brush.

They do have a temperature range that they work best in, mostly below 50F. I also don't like to wear the tin cloth directly against my skin, instead opting for some lightweight thermals as a base layer.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Barbour Beaufort jacket. Older model LL Bean wooly pully. Anything made by Red Oxx. US Army compass. Buck Model 110.

Safe hunting

 

[Greffdog]

T & K Hunting Gear

Veteran owned company that specializes in manufacturing nylon hunting gear in the United States

tandkhunting.com

American made and everything I have purchased has been top quality.

Will be purchasing the rifle case before this coming hunting season.

 

[Sabre]

Sandpiper Bugout Bag

Cabela's wool socks (don't care for their brand any more, but the socks still look the same, so hopefully they don't/haven't change(d) them)

 

[MS 9x56]

Sandpiper Bugout Bag

Cabela's wool socks (don't care for their brand any more, but the socks still look the same, so hopefully they don't/haven't change(d) them)

I refuse to buy any wool socks that are not at least 80%wool.

 

[BonUm16]

Bought my tin cloth chaps and briar coat 35 years ago and still wear them when hunting in the briars and brambles. Have to treat them with Folsom’s oil finish wax every 5 years or so. Still haven’t found anything better. The only drawback is they cause you to sweat when pushing through the brush.

Another fan of older Filson gear. I haven’t really found a need for more than the single tin chaps I wear the majority of the time. That said, just in case I find myself needing to wade through sharpened 6in spikes, I have a pair of their long discontinued “Briar & Burr” chaps (single tin chaps with a thick layer of cordura) in the closet. The pair must weigh 10 pounds!

 

[MS 9x56]

Another fan of older Filson gear. I haven’t really found a need for more than the single tin chaps I wear the majority of the time. That said, just in case I find myself needing to wade through sharpened 6in spikes, I have a pair of their long discontinued “Briar & Burr” chaps (single tin chaps with a thick layer of cordura) in the closet. The pair must weigh 10 pounds!

View attachment 697727

I had a pair of those but stopped using them because of their weight. They really didn’t work any better then the tin cloth ones.

 

[bmphil]

Altama and Macrae jungle boots.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Belgium made BLR that thing just keeps on going right along side my BSA CF2…. Plus the Nikon scope… No battery caps to swallow

@Sideshow
I have something that has seen daily use/abuse since 1958. Abused more often than not, has a few cracks starting to show and is now at the stage it's falling apart quicker than I like. But it still goes reasonably well when motivated but could do with a major overhaul. Unfortunately the parts available for this model won't stand up to the same use/abuse as the original parts.
I have been told that if I jack the hair and toenails up and replaced everything in betwixt I may last a bit longer.
Yes that thing that was so well made in 1958 is me but it's nearing its end of use by date.
Bob

 

[PerH]

never buy Levi's they are a anti gun/hunting company

And bit strange to think of since their fortune was built on gold and what protected that was guns .

Decades later other guys combined Levi’s , tiger striper or Erdl in the rivers and swamps of SE Asia to protect the areas for bad guys but that’s another history

 

[Sideshow]

@Sideshow
I have something that has seen daily use/abuse since 1958. Abused more often than not, has a few cracks starting to show and is now at the stage it's falling apart quicker than I like. But it still goes reasonably well when motivated but could do with a major overhaul. Unfortunately the parts available for this model won't stand up to the same use/abuse as the original parts.
I have been told that if I jack the hair and toenails up and replaced everything in betwixt I may last a bit longer.
Yes that thing that was so well made in 1958 is me but it's nearing its end of use by date.
Bob

Like nothing more than disregarding the use by date…..I mean who here reads the small print wtf

 

[Nevada Mike]

My original Leatherman multi tool. After 35 or so years the sheath is starting to wear… still, it just keeps working. Found one at a local gun show exactly the same and bought it for a backup. I might live forever and wear the original out.

Extra large Folsom duffle bag ($90 back in the day) and my Filson chaps, which get hard use during bird season.

 

[Raven]

Excellent waist bag from Cabela's. I've been using it for many years now, and it hasn't worn out at all and doesn't look shabby. I used it for hunting, fishing, and just for nature walks. It is comfortable, holds well on the body, and has several pockets. A water bottle, a walkie-talkie, ammo, a mobile phone, and more easily fit in this bag. There are similar models from different manufacturers on the market, but this bag is the best.

But Cabela's hasn't made them for a long time. A few years ago, I wanted to give a gift to my friend who likes this bag. I've been looking for the same one for a very long time. I was lucky to find such a new one on some forum, after which I presented it to a friend. And it's sad that many great things that have proven themselves are no longer being produced, and they are being replaced by less convenient and less reliable products.