[Maine1]

Anyone prefer thier own make of gear to that that is bought?

I for one, do. even the store bought stuff i have had required modification to work to my satisfaction.
My EDC holster is one i made, and its better than anything i have ever bought, and i even sell some.

The webgear i use for rifle mags is made from "obsolete" web gear. Ditton my bandoleers and chest pouches.

Lets not even talk knives and sheath systems!

I find that things that i make myself FAR outperform a generic manufactured item, even one of top quality. Somertimes not as pretty, not tacticool. Hobo tactical, i guess.

BUT, i also buy things that i know i can't outdo, or that are too much tooling for me to make.

For some reason, i can't post pics or you could see what i mean.

[Tim808]

No. No time. Usually easier to buy what I need.

If new is too expensive, I try to buy quality preowned equipment. That said, buying used is a crapshoot.

[TangoFoxtrot]

Maine1, I see why you do this. New gear prices can be off the wall sometimes.

[quake]

I do a few things, either out of necessity (left-handed items like knife sheaths) or sometimes just because I think I can do a better job of creating exactly what I want, rather than selecting 'pretty much' what I want from a list of things that someone else thinks will sell. Not a lot of things, but a few. With manufacturing being as efficient as it is nowadays and the economies of scale that are achieved, manufactured gear is usually a better option imo - not always, but usually.

My most-used home-made items are a left-handed knife sheath and an Askins Avenger-style holster for an old detonics 45. The knife sheath, because I'm left-handed with most things, and the holster because nobody offered exactly what I wanted, for exactly that gun size - smaller than an officer's model. (Right-handed holster; shooting is one of the things I do right handed)




The holster is actually an example of why manufactured is usually more practical. It took me probably 9-10 hours to make that little thing, as I went to the trouble to wet-fit & mold (bone, for any leatherworkers out there) it to the gun when making it. Thing fits so well that even at 12-13 years old now, you can shake it while holding it upside down and the gun still won't fall out. Just a lot of labor involved to try & get that exact a fit on a one-off item like that.

Another, much-less-detailed yaqui-slide type holster for any size 1911:


One home made thing I don't use anymore - a cobbled-up adapter that let my previous cell phone run off AAA batteries. Haven't made one up for my new phone, but worth considering for an alternate power source for your phone in long-term power outages, long hiking treks, etc. (They may be commercially available now for all I know - it was 6-8 years ago I made this one.)

[Bilbo Bagins]

I do. I want my stuff to be a certain way, and usually what is out there is not exactly what I want or needs modifications, so I do it myself.

For me its usually involving making things ultralight, like alcohol stoves, shelters, etc, or making storebought things that are good into almost perfect.

[Maine1]

For me this started when i was a kid. I'd see things that i thought weea good idea, but could not afford to buy them, so i'd make something like it and use that.

Once i got older and could afford to buy nearly anything i wanted, i was disappointed in the lack of thought in some items.