Which are the best budget whatevers?

[MoodySabre]

So this month it is "Which are the best budget oilies" - previously its been liferafts, radios etc etc.

I do realise that people have budgets and not everybody can or would buy the best regardless, but isn't the real issue with important gear "Are budget whatevers really worth buying at all and do you get better because you buy a more expensive product?"

Too late I saw a review of my budget liferaft (which was part of px deal and not a considered purchase). Seeing that report I would now spend more money because quality counts for that item. Similarly my cheap at the time Silva handheld VHF was unreliable junk and discarded after 2 years.

Worthwhile comparisons are hard to find. Or am I looking in the wrong mags?

 

[Koeketiene]

[ QUOTE ]

"Are budget whatevers really worth buying at all and do you get better because you buy a more expensive product?"


[/ QUOTE ]

These budget products certainly have their place in the market.
When we started boating we always went for the budget this or that (short of money - no change there). However, quite often we had to replace the item after one or two years. (Silva HH VHF, Compass oilies & life jackets, some cheapo binoculars, etc...). Those were false economies - with hindsight.
I've now changed tack: bought Musto MPX oilies, Steiner binos, etc...
The approach now is - if I can't have the very best, I'd rather go without.
Instead of buying whatever is cheapest, I now figure out whatever is best and then search high and low for the best price (eBay, stock clearance, boat jumbles, ... )

 

[MoodySabre]

False economies - exactly my point. Most people buy a boat with a long term view and are perhaps careful not to buy a false economy. But then fall for them with the gear because in a comparison of lower priced/quality items XYZ appears to be best value but on the overall scale it is not.

 

[dunedin]

Been really happy with our budget inflatable. Only used occasionally, and rows and outboards excellently. An Avon might last a little longer due to Hypalon etc, but calculated could buy 4 of these for the price of one AVon. And it is great not worrying about it getting mistreated. So yes budget stuff is sometimes good.
However, other stuff tend to agree - best sails you can afford, best oilies you can afford

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Best budget oillies come from Decathlon. £25 for a first rate fleece lined jacket for winter. £20 for non lined summer jacket. The only one I have replaced was because I lost it.

 

[PhilipH]

By and large you get what you pay for, IMHO. If you want something that is going tp last a long time, it has to be robust and well-engineered (Windpilot), but if you are content for limited use and then dispose of it, you can go for something cheap (Primark). Having said that I got some binos for £50 from Gaelforce Marine and they have very good optical quality - we will see how long they last though.

 

[FullCircle]

Bought the most boat I could for the money available, and made do with budget (but carefully researched choices) until the budget recovers to be able to upgrade.

Surprise great purchase: Standard Horizon Handheld.

Surprise crap purchase: Navman 3100 instruments.

Expected crap supply: Elvstrom standard Jeanneau sails.

Non Expected crap supply: 3YM30 Yanmar heat exchangers and starter motors. Harken traveller.

Unexpected crap outcome of good idea: Waterproofing life is diminished with super duper heated hanging locker drying ad warming the oilies.


Meets budgetted expectations award: JRC1800 Radar/Chartplotter

 

[PhilipH]

Why does your heated hanging locker reduce waterproof effectiveness? Seems like a load of hot air to me.

 

[FullCircle]

Seems to dry out the waterprrofing. Neither my jacket or salopettees repel water anymore, even after reproofing.
Same with SWMBOs, so I kind of pinpoint it to the toasty warm oilies that I normally wear....

 

[alec]

My best budget choice ?

Good old NASA and Barton . Fine British wares that last at a very fair price.

Bit off topic, but how about a hail for for Parker yachts . Fine craft indeed , well engineered and hasty. My choice for a quality and (British) buy.

 

[Seanick]

Expected crap supply: Elvstrom standard Jeanneau sails.


Made in China?

 

[FullCircle]

[ QUOTE ]
Expected crap supply: Elvstrom standard Jeanneau sails.


Made in China?

[/ QUOTE ]

Who knows?
Made by Kleenex is my guess.

 

[bobgoode]

Technique Violoe sails on my Jenny were pretty naff. Replaced with some Hyde and the difference is amazing and they didn't break the bank or upset SWIMBO too much.

 

[Twister_Ken]

ASAP for engine consumables, etc.

 

[Sans Bateau]

Buy cheap buy twice, thats all the reaserch you need.

 

[MoodySabre]

Exactly. Buy quality and only cry once.

This thread was intended to be about the usefullness or otherwise of these best budget buy articles in the mags. To my mind they serve as much to obscure as to reveal.

 

[David_Jersey]

[ QUOTE ]
An Avon might last a little longer due to Hypalon etc, but calculated could buy 4 of these for the price of one AVon.

[/ QUOTE ]

Funilly enuf I have 4 Avons in my garage, stretching back over 30 years....selling a boat? "keep the Avon" seems to have been the m.o. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Having said that I am quite happy to mix up "budget" items with "quality"....it all depends on the intended use.

My big frustration (and not just Marine) is trying to understand if I am paying good money for quality or simply paying for a marketing budget based on the past (if at all)...........so in some respects the Budget tests are useful to both choose AND exclude gear.

 

[matelot]

we all operate on a budget - someone once calculated that the richness threshold was £10million. Below that you always had to bear cost in mind - above it you finally didnt have to ask what something, anything, cost. Few year ago so its now probably £50 million.

You have a Moody 31 - I have a 336. Both are small budget boats and certainly chosen in my case with an eye to the cost. Contrary to most people's comments on here, I've often found that you dont get what you pay for. At the expensive end of the market (Musto, Steiner, Henry Lloyd, Sikaflex etc) you are usually paying considerably for branding. Thats what I always tried to achieve as a businessman - the ability to price higher by adding no cost intangibles like brand name. The Americans are particularly good at this - look at Harley for example. And the French arent bad either - look at mineral water for heavens sake.

So the trick I reckon is to buy the budget items that are good quality. They are around if you look. Oilies are a good example with the large majority made in the same third world countries to the same quality standards and just sold at different prices. I've used some XM oilies, purchased when XM first appeared so thats got to be 10 years ago. Still going strong - no leaks at all. Quarter of the cost of Musto at the time. Same thing with electronics - using a handheld from Standard Horizon (ie Yaesu) at half the price of an Icom yet both companies are very large Jap electronics makers making similar quality kit

So I reckon you cant generalise and simply going for the most expensive might bring cheer to the heart of the marketing dept but not necessarily any better product.

 

[Blueboatman]

Well I am wearing a half price Musto ocean jacket which is pretty good-for skiing,cycling,wet n windy walking, and er sailing I suppose.
Not sure why it is an official 'reject', it has the Musto label neatly sliced through diagonally, but I reckon it will outlast any 'bargin bin' oilies for the same price...

 

[Twister_Ken]

"it has the Musto label neatly sliced through diagonally"

Sounds like a Bicester special