Low-hanging fruits: buying military surplus gear? I assume they go through extensive durability and quality testing before being approved, so piggybacking on top of that and buying e.g. surplus officer shoes to wear in the office with a suit or half-suit may be a good idea? Did anyone try stuff like these? Military gear is supposed to be durable, and as for officers in dress uniform, even elegant looking. I could never find a coat that would be look good with a suit, and be suitable for −10C and not cost an arm and leg, but perhaps I should be looking it what e.g. Norwegian officers are wearing? Is this a good idea?
Not a good idea. Military gear is typically chosen because it is cheap and the contractor can comply with government procurement rules. Military officers that are allowed to bend the rules (e.g. special forces) are known to procure their own equipment and accessory clothing (e.g. boots, vests, sunglasses) because the commercial stuff is better quality. Indeed the commercial stuff is often made or endorsed by retired special forces who built a better mouse trap because the existing ones sucks so bad.
Endorsement? I suppose it could be. In my case I actually know some ex-marines and Navy SEALs, so I always just asked them what brands they recommend. But looking back, endorsement by people with actual combat experience seem to correlate well with quality.
I find it surprising. Perhaps, we can say military gear is better than cheap knock-offs but worse than brand name designer stuff.
Since I am used to knock-offs, they look good to me—I used to use a Bundeswehr sleeping bag, the kind with arms, to sleep at friends couches after parties, it worked. I got some US Marine t-shirts as well, they were definitely made from a more a skin-friendly material than the Fruit of the Loom type knock-offs. Probably undies from the same material would be better than the ones from the China-Mart. Once I used a TESCO Value tent for camping, it leaked, I’ve put a kind of a truck tarp on it, which locked in the steam creating a cold sauna, then threw the whole thing into a bin afterward. I guess compared to these kinds of crap, military grade must be better.Once I bought a Russian bayonet, the kind that doubles as a wire cutter, that was a bad idea, not only lacking an edge but its casing itself was an edge-killer. However some friends endorsed Bundeswehr bayonets.
to sleep at friends couches after parties, it worked
That’s, um, is not a test of a sleeping bag X-) Random coats, blankets, and drapes would work as well.
more a skin-friendly material than the Fruit of the Loom type knock-offs.
There is no particular magic in textiles. The basic choice is between cotton and a variety of synthetics, each of which has its own advantages.
Generally speaking, “camping” military equipment is better than pure trash (like your Tesco Value tent) because, well, pretty much everything is better than pure trash. But it’s worse than actual, proper camping equipment. Probably cheaper, too, so you pick your price-quality trade-off, as always.
I have a Bundeswehr jacket. I got it for €6, it works well enough, and it hasn’t started falling apart yet even though I’ve had it for over a year—which is about as long as I expect cheap clothes to last.
I’ve heard that actual military gear is usually better than fake military gear. But it may be worse than commercial gear.
In the end, it’s just another type of product. Read the reviews.
If you want good dress shoes at a low price, buy some gently used Allen Edmonds or Loake 1880 off eBay. They’ll run you about $100. Just make sure you take them to a cobbler rather than throwing then out when the heel starts to wear to get your money’s worth.
My tentative advice is to allow for the possibility that military surplus gear is good quality, but check reviews of specific items, both to find out about whether those items are worth buying and to get a feel for whether military surplus (which country? which branch of the military? which sort of items?) are good value.
We may be talking about medium-hanging fruit here.
Low-hanging fruits: buying military surplus gear? I assume they go through extensive durability and quality testing before being approved, so piggybacking on top of that and buying e.g. surplus officer shoes to wear in the office with a suit or half-suit may be a good idea? Did anyone try stuff like these? Military gear is supposed to be durable, and as for officers in dress uniform, even elegant looking. I could never find a coat that would be look good with a suit, and be suitable for −10C and not cost an arm and leg, but perhaps I should be looking it what e.g. Norwegian officers are wearing? Is this a good idea?
Not a good idea. Military gear is typically chosen because it is cheap and the contractor can comply with government procurement rules. Military officers that are allowed to bend the rules (e.g. special forces) are known to procure their own equipment and accessory clothing (e.g. boots, vests, sunglasses) because the commercial stuff is better quality. Indeed the commercial stuff is often made or endorsed by retired special forces who built a better mouse trap because the existing ones sucks so bad.
http://lesswrong.com/lw/lxh/open_thread_mar_23_apr_05_2015/c6as
Is that useful way of finding good products?
Endorsement? I suppose it could be. In my case I actually know some ex-marines and Navy SEALs, so I always just asked them what brands they recommend. But looking back, endorsement by people with actual combat experience seem to correlate well with quality.
One of Murphy’s Laws of Combat Operations: “Remember, your weapon was made by the lowest bidder.”
I find it surprising. Perhaps, we can say military gear is better than cheap knock-offs but worse than brand name designer stuff.
Since I am used to knock-offs, they look good to me—I used to use a Bundeswehr sleeping bag, the kind with arms, to sleep at friends couches after parties, it worked. I got some US Marine t-shirts as well, they were definitely made from a more a skin-friendly material than the Fruit of the Loom type knock-offs. Probably undies from the same material would be better than the ones from the China-Mart. Once I used a TESCO Value tent for camping, it leaked, I’ve put a kind of a truck tarp on it, which locked in the steam creating a cold sauna, then threw the whole thing into a bin afterward. I guess compared to these kinds of crap, military grade must be better.Once I bought a Russian bayonet, the kind that doubles as a wire cutter, that was a bad idea, not only lacking an edge but its casing itself was an edge-killer. However some friends endorsed Bundeswehr bayonets.
That’s, um, is not a test of a sleeping bag X-) Random coats, blankets, and drapes would work as well.
There is no particular magic in textiles. The basic choice is between cotton and a variety of synthetics, each of which has its own advantages.
Generally speaking, “camping” military equipment is better than pure trash (like your Tesco Value tent) because, well, pretty much everything is better than pure trash. But it’s worse than actual, proper camping equipment. Probably cheaper, too, so you pick your price-quality trade-off, as always.
I have a Bundeswehr jacket. I got it for €6, it works well enough, and it hasn’t started falling apart yet even though I’ve had it for over a year—which is about as long as I expect cheap clothes to last.
I’ve heard that actual military gear is usually better than fake military gear. But it may be worse than commercial gear.
In the end, it’s just another type of product. Read the reviews.
If you want good dress shoes at a low price, buy some gently used Allen Edmonds or Loake 1880 off eBay. They’ll run you about $100. Just make sure you take them to a cobbler rather than throwing then out when the heel starts to wear to get your money’s worth.
My tentative advice is to allow for the possibility that military surplus gear is good quality, but check reviews of specific items, both to find out about whether those items are worth buying and to get a feel for whether military surplus (which country? which branch of the military? which sort of items?) are good value.
We may be talking about medium-hanging fruit here.