Things that are made better than they have to be

[Jason Musgrave]

In December we loaded our 3 kids into our 23-year old FJ80 with 376,000 miles on it and spent 9 weeks driving around the country (put over 8000 miles on it)...so imho Toyota Land Cruisers qualify as "overbuilt!"

[dutchess]

I broke a Jackson replacing my 305 this morning because of this. For the same reasons I always lose the argument over owning nice things like a SRM or multiple well sorted bikes. With 3 months tops of good weather and clean roads what's the point. This ugly little squat piece of plastic has stood up to every abuse I could hand out but the final head on contact with the face of curb at speed. That includes fives years of multiple 50+ mile rides in -20 F or colder, getting ejected from the mount at 30+ mph at least once a season, blizzards, 1.5"/hour rain. All fully exposed sitting on the top of my bars without ever giving up.

If Garmin ever makes a unit this tough and reliable again someone at the top will have lost their love of money. This and tech derived from their marine units construction is what they should be basing their designs on. Shame they probably won't make the mistake of producing a device this good for the consumer fitness lines ever again. With a firmware update to add PM compatibility this would be brilliant for relentless training on and off the bike. I can replace the battery and put 100x bigger memory in it so why can't they?

[Matthew Strongin]

Way back quote...

Chris Reeve folding knifes

I held a friend's Chris Reeve folding knife yesterday. Without a doubt built better than it needs to be and now at the top of my birthday wish list.

[Too Tall]

Buy that C.Reeves knife. Zombie apocalypse blah blah blah

Next up is my 30'ish year old MSR whisperlite stove. I've never had to do a lick of maintenance. Hook up the bottle, lit the entire thing on fire and away it goes. Coffee done in three mins. That's a hot stove.

[Gattonero]

+1 for a proper Caffettiera!

But the noise that stove makes, it scares me

[Too Tall]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boilin...apor_explosion
Nahhhh. It's just a wee bit of vapor.

+1 for a proper Caffettiera!

But the noise that stove makes, it scares me

[Gattonero]

I'm a Trangia man!

[WMdeR]

Trangia, eh? It will never wear out, and you'll be a better person for the extended opportunity for silent meditation relative to listening to a puffer.

I do not know if it was built better than it must be, but I picked up a Jetboil shortly after they were introduced and have not felt any need to carry anything else since, noise, strange shape, and evil butane canisters and all.

Best,

Will
William M deRosset
Fort Collins CO

[WMdeR]

HP 15c calculator. It ran flawlessly over thirty years of near-continuous use, and I lost it last year from my luggage. It is one of only three or four objects I have owned that I really want back--a combination of complete utility, reliability, and emotional attachment. I only seem to lose these things during high-stress times in my life....

BiC lighters. Victorinox pocketknives. Both industrial mass-produced objects, but tools that work right and get used.

Gorham hairbrush set. Originally a wedding present to my maternal grandfather. Moving its third generation of hair....

[dhoff]

Next up is my 30'ish year old MSR whisperlite stove.

+1 ON THE WHISPERLIGHT. Mine's only 4 years old, but I have no doubt that if I live that long, it will be 30 years old too.

Just added this to my saddleback Leather collection. I have been traveling at 3 times a month with my other pieces and they keep looking better with age.
Hard Carry-On Suitcase Hard Leather Carry On | Saddleback Leather Co. I am clear that their 100 year guarantee is no joke and their slogan, "they will fight over it when you're dead"? Well my kids are already making claims.

kellynolte-01-60-0010-DCB-NP-20151029152744-01.jpg

[joosttx]

Buy that C.Reeves knife. Zombie apocalypse blah blah blah

Next up is my 30'ish year old MSR whisperlite stove. I've never had to do a lick of maintenance. Hook up the bottle, lit the entire thing on fire and away it goes. Coffee done in three mins. That's a hot stove.

TT - you are older than me but my 25ish old whisperlite still works like a charm. I cannot think of a better example for this thread.

[Jason Musgrave]

+1 on the Whisperlite, mine is 20 or 21 years old and works as new.

[t-hoe]

HP 15c calculator. It ran flawlessly over thirty years of near-continuous use, and I lost it last year from my luggage. It is one of only three or four objects I have owned that I really want back--a combination of complete utility, reliability, and emotional attachment. I only seem to lose these things during high-stress times in my life....
.

This... I miss my 16c sooo much. I still have a 41cv in a drawer, but the form factor of the 11-16cs is perfect.
I managed to score one of the re-issued 15cs a few years back and use it everyday.

penandpencil.JPG

[Blue Jays]

Now that winter is thankfully here:
Dehen 1920 sweaters and Hudson's Bay Company wool point blankets.

[Crashburn]

The Winchester Model 52 Sporter. Does a .22 need to be so nice, nope, but it's nice that someone thought one should.

[xjoex]

I finally replaced my MSR whisper lite with an MSR windburner. Do yourself a favor, the new ones are just insane. So easy to use, so quick to boil.

[AngryScientist]

since i'm doing some home maintenance work today...

estwing tools. made in USA, and made to last. my dad had one of these and i bought one shortly after graduating college. aside from losing it, there is no reason to ever suspect i would need to buy another. I've got the leather handle wrapped camp ax too that lives in the shed and has seen countless camp fires. Tools for life.

[Dave Thompson]

This Wegner was given to me at least 25 years ago by a customer and has traveled with me wherever I've gone. It's the most basic and least expensive model they offered. My only complaint is that I can't find a replacement for the little toothpick that it came with that I lost early on. A terrific and well made little tool.

[Too Tall]

It did not occur to me that one of the most utilitarian and enduring things I own are my Sorell boots. I got them in 1978 and still going strong. Just for drill I decided to google the company to see if they sell replacement felt liners...well derrrrr of course. They are so good, still waterproof and despite the linings being entirely worn out I'm able to go for a dog walk without socks in 20F weather.

Shop Women's, Men's & Kids Boots, Shoes and Footwear | SOREL
Mine are the origional versions. Here is a pic. of the current boot >>

canvas.jpg

[fmbp]

It did not occur to me that one of the most utilitarian and enduring things I own are my Sorell boots. I got them in 1978 and still going strong. Just for drill I decided to google the company to see if they sell replacement felt liners...well derrrrr of course. They are so good, still waterproof and despite the linings being entirely worn out I'm able to go for a dog walk without socks in 20F weather.

Shop Women's, Men's & Kids Boots, Shoes and Footwear | SOREL
Mine are the origional versions. Here is a pic. of the current boot >>

canvas.jpg

How appropriate that you post this . . . I was just about to order up a pair of Sorel boots today. I'm tired of my ill-fitting and beat-up winter boots that I got in high school. Time for an upgrade.