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Drop Pine Down Blanket

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Drop Pine Down Blanket

Msilverhammer

327

Jan 3, 2020

Oh well, Massdrop/Drop just made my choice easier! Though I had some hesitation, I was willing to give the Massdrop products a try at the reduced sale prices being offered. I thought that I could at least perform a fair test, and then if the products did not measure up, or were substandard, I could always return them in accordance with the Massdrop return policy. Another reason why I purchase from Amazon, Campsaver, and many other sites with reasonable, and accommodating return policies. Anyway, I'm getting ready for an overnight adventure, so I made today laundry day, so I had some time set aside today, and was planning on pulling the trigger and purchasing the Massdrop x Granite Gear Crown X60, the Pine Down Blanket, and the Dan Durston Tent today at the sale prices that were still in effect this morning when I checked, which were $100.00/$80.00/$160.00 respectively. I was about to start the process when I noticed that Drop suddenly raised the price 20% on all the products I wanted without any notice. Oh well, I guess it was an omen, so I instead will keep my hard earned money and look elsewhere! I guess I am meant to have the Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 after all, so I just need to be patient, and wait for those Black Friday prices again. I notice that Drop has deviated from their usual policy of setting a start and end date on a drop for these products, and I might have acted sooner if they had been more transparent. Their loss! My motto is to purchase the highest quality products at the lowest possible price! Never put yourself in a position where you must have something at any cost, too many people do that. Set a buy price, and just walk away if it does not happen! I'm walking!

Aotearoan

190

Jan 6, 2020

MsilverhammerI was exactly the same: Deciding to buy the quilt, backpack and dithering over whether to get the tent as well.... then the prices went back up! I haven’t bothered much with the site for months because they seem to have shifted from good deals to just another online retailer maximising profits, but with below average service. There’s no reward for accepting the poor shipping times and no returns policy. Own label products have just the same mark ups as big name products. Not sure why anyone shops here anymore.

Msilverhammer

327

Jan 6, 2020

AotearoanWell, you probably did not see it, because it was on the Dan Durston tent discussion, but here is the discussion that Dan and I had after the prices increased by 20% the other day...

Dan's reply to me...

dandurston
2387
Dan Durston Jan 3, 2020 Msilverhammer The 20% discounts on the X-Mid and these outdoor products were part of Drop's larger "end of the decade" sale. There wasn't a specific end time on each page but there was a banner at the top of every page saying "sale ending soon" and on the Drop home page it announced the sale ran until January 2nd. They give it a few extra hours beyond the announced deadline but did end the sale early this morning. Perhaps their practices have changed, but seemingly they only post end dates on individual listings if the availability of that product is actually ending, rather than just the price changing. For their black friday sale they also didn't post the sale end date on every product page. More generally, I don't think it's normal for companies to list the end date of their sales on every product page (e.g. I don't think Gossamer Gear listed the end date of their Black Friday sale on the Mariposa page). Even at $200 I doubt you'll find higher quality than the X-Mid at a lower price (check out the user reviews and search for "quality"). Other tents around $200 don't have nearly the high quality because they have higher markups so they need to save money through a cheaper to produce tent. For example, the SMD Lunar Solo is also $200 but that's the retail price, where SMD would be selling it to dealer for much less ($100 - $120) and thus producing it for even less (perhaps $50 - $70). With the X-Mid Drop is selling it directly so the cost to produce can be twice as high even while the price isn't. Thus you get quality production (e.g. same factory as MSR), and quality materials (e.g. YKK AquaGuard zips, ITW buckles) which you don't alway see even in $350 - $400 tents. (Edited) My Reply to Dan...

Msilverhammer
297
Core Outdoors/Ultralight Member Jan 3, 2020 dandurston I looked closely, but never saw any sale ending dates, and when I checked earlier today the prices were still 20% off. After I started my laundry chores, I sat down ready to purchase, and to my surprise the prices had been changed! Oh well, like I stated previously, not my loss, the money is still in my pocket, I have lots of gear, and I don't have any problem walking away from a deal that does not meet my parameters, and looking elsewhere, or just waiting until a better deal comes along. I don't get emotionally attached to "things" as lots of places sell gear, tools, gadgets, widgets, implements, contraptions, gizmos, and thingamajigs! I have found in the past that when a deal does not materialize, another better one usually comes along. Just off the top of my head...The market is saturated with gear sold at places like Amazon, REI, Campsaver, Campmor, Backcountry, Left Lane Sports, Backcountry Edge, Enwild, Orvis, Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, Granite Gear, Walmart, Midway, LA Police Gear, Moosejaw, Optics Planet, Sunny Sports, Paragon Sports, Sportsman's Guide, Teton Sports, DD Hammocks, and Varusteleka of Finland; and at too many manufacturer's sites to count like Big Agnes, Kelty, Marmot, Nemo, Pattagucci, North Face, Arcteryx, Outdoor Vitals, Hyke and Bike, Tarp Tent, and so called cottage manufacturers like Zpacks, Gossamer Gear, The Hidden Woodsman, ULA, and many more whose names I have forgotten! I have picked up some great deals like my lightweight Helinox Chair One large with a 320 pound capacity, and a recent purchase of a telescoping fishing rod at Woot.com, (owned by Amazon), all for half price. You just have to perform a little research, and be patient. Anyway...The tent you designed looked good, with great reviews, and I thought why not pick it up to have on hand, but I have not used a tent, and a sleeping pad since 2012 when I worked in Alaska, as I prefer hammocks and a tarp, as I find that system much more comfortable, and adaptable. If I lived in a treeless environment, perhaps I would have more use for a tent. So, no offense to you, again it looks like you designed what looks like a great tent, but I won't lose any sleep not having the tent, the pack, or the top quilt. As the song goes, Que Sera Sera! So, anyway, I think that Dan is a good guy, and the tent is definitely a good design, and high quality! The Pine Down blanket, and the Massdrop X Granite Gear Crown X60 backpack also seem to be very good based upon what I have seen, heard, and read.

I don't want to get too negative about Massdrop/Drop, as I have not had any problems with them so far, and I have only made a few orders.

I think that they are in a tough situation competitively speaking with companies like Amazon, Walmart, and all the many other sellers of Outdoor Gear that I mentioned above in my comment to Dan Durston.

I was not floored by the Drop Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Holiday Sales, but like you I was willing to pull the trigger on the few items that were discounted an additional 20%.

However, when they bumped the prices back up the day that I was going to purchase, I just took a step back, and decided to just pass, and will just wait until my target prices are hit again. If not, no big deal!

I'm frugal, and a bargain hunter, and I want to purchase the best gear at fire sale prices, when there is blood running in the streets! Business is Business, not personal!

I have purchased tons of gear at half price or below, so why should I purchase anything at Pattaguccii, Fjallraven, or Arcteryx pricing levels?!

To be fair, I did check, and Drop has a Thirty (30) Day return policy, and I know a guy who purchased the pack, and returned it because he did not like what he stated was a lack of ventilation on the back panel.

He told me that the Drop Customer Service was excellent.

Finally, yes, their delivery times can be slow, but supposedly the three products that we are discussing were in stock, and going to be shipped right away.

If I see something I want, at the price I like, I might be willing to wait a month for Drop to deliver it to me, but many times I can find the same product on Amazon for the same price or less, (when you consider the shipping costs, and any applicable sales tax), and I can get it delivered within one or two days.

Happy Shopping and Good Luck!