As I wind down my first season as a farmhand, I find myself taking stock of what I’ve learned, how it’s changed me, and mostly, all of the pieces of my gear that have failed simultaneously as I near the six-month mark.
- Waterproof pants (Sierra Designs): waistband cord exploded, zippers at ankles barely close, no longer waterproof at knees/thigh
- Fleece jacket/liner (REI): Zipper pull disintegrated
- Work boots (Ahnu): hole in left heel, but still remarkably viable
- Waterproof/windproof shell (REI): No longer waterproof beyond a light shower
- Knife (Kershaw): Lost when clip loosened and jettisoned knife off a moving golf cart (bought another).
- Nitro work gloves (Atlas): Tomato stringing decimated dipped coating on one pair, sharp rock removed tip of two fingers on another. Good thing I have four pairs.
- Work pants (Adventura): My favorite pants dammit! Mysterious rip in back of right thigh, huge gaping hole in left knee.
- Sunglasses (Target): Now scratched enough to be unusable while driving due to, well, being unable to see.
Inexplicable top performers: Old navy cargo pants, my brother’s Iron Maiden 1988 tour shirt.
I still have four more days. I’m sure the clock is ticking on more…
Advertisement
4 comments
Comments feed for this article
October 25, 2011 at 4:38 am
So & So
Hahaha this may almost be funnier than the potential (uninvited guests to my pants post). On another note, take that busted zipper to REI and I bet they will fix it for free.
October 26, 2011 at 5:52 pm
paisleyhouse
I still absolutely have to write that. And REI fixing that shizz would be awesome! It’s not just the metal pull but the thing that holds the pull ON. I was like SERIOUSLY?!
October 25, 2011 at 5:17 am
Blackstrom
I have this 6 year old Under Armour rain suit I got from my college football team when I worked for them, and that thing is gold. I have bit it so many times snowboarding and it has kept me dry everytime. I have been in hurricane and tornado force winds, a milliondeluges, and not to mention a couple blizzards and it not only keeps me dry, but it keeps my warm as well! The liners for the pockets are the only down side as they are like a satin-y silky useless material that ripped years ago. But that’s an easy fix.
I just briefly looked for it online, and I don’t think they make them anymore. I think ours was a prototype maybe It’s XXL and doesn’t even fit me anymore (I have to tape the waist when snowboarding sometimes) but i will NEVER throw that suit away. EVER. I suggest trying out an UA suit if you can afford em. They are like 3-400 bux for a good one!
Old Navy Cargos are surprisingly heavy duty!
Good stuff
October 26, 2011 at 5:53 pm
paisleyhouse
It’s funny how things that last years and years suddenly dramatically explode when you use them all day, every day. RAAR!