Rant: That $350 'heavy duty' welding jacket I bought was a total scam

I picked up a so-called industrial grade leather welding jacket from a booth at the Chicago trade show last spring. It started cracking at the elbows after just three weeks of pipe work on a 40 foot tank. I should have stuck with my old Carhartt and a leather apron, cost me way less and lasted longer. Has anyone else gotten burned by fancy gear that just doesn't hold up?

2 comments

2 Comments

webb.christopher3d ago

...and what did the guy at the booth say when you tried to get a refund? Cause that's usually where the real scam comes out, when they have a no questions asked policy that suddenly has a lot of questions. Seems like the whole "trade show special" markup is just paying for a nicer looking box.

viola_cooper623d ago

Oh man, I used to be one of those people who thought spending more meant better quality. I'd see a price tag and just assume it was worth it, you know? But then I bought a $400 "waterproof" welding hood from a fancy online shop, and it leaked on me during an outdoor job in the rain after two weeks. That changed my mind real fast. Now I just look for the stuff that's been around forever, like your old Carhartt. Sometimes the simple gear is all you really need.