Backpacks got worse on purpose

Post by octagons » Wed, Apr 15, 2026, 5:21 PM UTC

ghighi7878 wrote: post #189

> A $35 JanSport that dies in eighteen months: $23 per year. Add the shipping cost when you try the warranty. Add the replacement cost when the claim gets denied. Add your time. > A $200 bag that lasts ten years: $20 per year. Already cheaper. At fifteen years, which the well-built ones consistently do, you're at $13 per year. This ignores the money you would earn by not giving money upfront. A 23$ expense every year…

Post by kstrauser » Wed, Apr 15, 2026, 5:22 PM UTC

lizardking wrote: post #230

kstrauser wrote: post #29

I gritted my teeth and bought a GoRuck GR1 a year ago. If it fell into a volcano, which is what it might take to destroy it, I’d buy another one. It’s still possible to find “buy it for life” backpacks but be prepared for eye-watering price tags.

I used my employer's fitness stipend to buy a GoRuck GR2, and I have no regrets. There is just a level of build quality that I desperately wish I could find in the other fitness and travel items I buy.

Post by hadlock » Wed, Apr 15, 2026, 5:24 PM UTC

convolvatron wrote: post #201

SoftTalker wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anecdotally my experience is the opposite. I bought an angle grinder from Harbor Freight for something like $10 on sale. It's not something a pro could use every day but it has absolutely been fine for what I do with it: cutting the occasional piece of metal stock, sharpening the lawn mower blade once a year, etc.

be careful in promoting that strategy. HF is pretty bad, I had a friend go through 3 them in a day because he didn't have one on the job site and HF wasn't too far away. the next step up is about 2x the price and will last a good year with professional use and maybe more if you can be bothered to replace the brushes. so I'm glad that's working out for you, but there is more bottom to be found. I bought an attachment…

Post by queenkjuul » Wed, Apr 15, 2026, 5:25 PM UTC

sophiabits wrote: post #200

drBonkers wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They also found that, if inflation adjusted, you get could, in most categories, the same or better quality for the same price. I argue you must evaluate against median purchasing power; it accounts for inflation and (lack of) wage increases. Comments from your linked video: > The problem with the “adjusted for inflation” argument is that it does not factor in buying power. The increase in wages has risen at out hal…

Purchasing power is probably a better metric in a vacuum, but it's hard to analyze accurately For example, the comment you're citing is claiming that because minimum wage has increased only 3x over the same period of time in which inflation has eroded the relative value of a dollar by 6x, that wages overall have increased at half the rate of inflation. But minimum wage is a measurement of a minimum, while inflation i…

Post by operatingthetan » Wed, Apr 15, 2026, 5:28 PM UTC

qup wrote: post #114

lan321 wrote: post #64

Since we're all shilling our favourite backpacks: I've been using an Ikea Varldens for the past 6-8 years. Very efficient for my use case (2 work laptops, groceries, travel luggage, documents and earbud case, tools). It has a couple of nice small compartments and a single large one so it's very light for the size and material. Until now the only thing that's annoyed me was the long straps when riding a motorcycle, so…

I'll jump in: I was stuck in layover many years ago and bought a Topo Designs backpack -- Google says it's a 30L Apex Global travel bag. I use it every week, it shows no signs of degradation over approximately a decade. Huge beefy zippers, tons of pockets and organization for those who are into that. I paid like $200, but seems like they're cheaper now. Hopefully not because of the reasons in the article. At the time…