Most of the time, you get what you pay for.
For example, a $10,000 five-year-old used Toyota Corolla is probably going to be more capable, reliable, and safe than a $500 beater. That fresh halibut for $20 per pound is probably going to be healthier and tastier than the old halibut in the frozen food aisle. And that 2-ply toilet paper is almost always better than the single ply paper at the gas station.
However, you don’t always get what you pay for.
This last weekend, my wife and I embarked on a backpacking trip in Kachemak Bay State Park, on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula outside of Homer, AK.
Rain and bushwacking was in the forecast. In preparation, I purchased a $225 Gore-Tex North Face Jacket from REI (regularly $500, mind you). My wife bought a $30 Coleman rain suit from WalMart. I laughed at her choice.
Our backpacking route took us towards Emerald Lake in an epic soggy bushwacking expedition.
The foliage was thick. Think Kauai but 30 degrees colder.
It also involved trudging through a type of plant called “Devils Club”, which looks like this:
Needless to say, it wasn’t the most enjoyable trekking experience. You’ll notice in the second to last photo that my wife is smiling. That’s because her $30 Coleman rain suit survived the Devil’s club and kept her dry. I was soaked and scratched to pieces. Walmart Wins.
What’s The Point?
Although most of the time, a more expensive item means higher quality, this isn’t always the case. I’ve provided one example here to highlight our experience this 4th of July weekend, but I’m sure you can find many others. Do your research, don’t necessarily buy the cheapest and don’t necessarily buy the most expensive. The most expensive isn’t always the best.
Hoooooly crap, that Devil’s club looks like it could put the hurt on you for sure. Sorry you didn’t get what you paid for. 🙁 I hate that. We see bigger price points and automatically assume that it’s the best course of action since better things usually cost more. Sometimes you just get bad luck. We just bought a Vitamix, for example, and we were hesitant to spend so much on an appliance. But we really did research and found the extra money was worth it. A bit of research can help in some instances.
It’s actually a great jacket, just not made for bushwacking through Devils Club. The $30 Walmart special was not only cheaper but more effective for the job at hand.