Experiences with ALDI Outdoor Gear

PurchaseAnxiety on 05/07/2022 - 19:54

ALDI is having an outdoor gear sale this weekend and there's a few things that caught my attention. I've recently started getting into longer hikes and the wife is keen to give it a go as well, so seems like a good chance for both of us to pick some hiking gear.

Catalogue link is here: https://www.aldi.com.au/en/special-buys/all-special-buys/onl…

I'm looking at the merino clothing, camp chair and down sleeping bag. I'm also morbidly curious about the hiking shoes and backpack (for day hikes).

Anyone taken the plunge during previous sales willing to share some feedback?

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Comments

  • SF3 on 05/07/2022 - 20:07

    PurchaseAnxiety

    Username checks out?

  • jizmo on 05/07/2022 - 20:13

    Go look at Anaconda and BCF now before the sale and compare quality. Maybe they'll do the same sphincter wobble like Bunnings do every time Aldi do a tool sale and price match.
    Compare and buy Saturday.
    Aldi is easy to take back too so I've heard what could possibly go wrong.

    • USER DC on 05/07/2022 - 21:22

      Aldi do a tool sale and price match.

      ????

      Since when ?

      • jizmo on 05/07/2022 - 22:19

        Aldi do a tool sale and Bunnings price match..

        Maybe they'll do the same sphincter wobble like Bunnings do every time Aldi do a tool sale and price match..

        • USER DC on 05/07/2022 - 23:21

          Oh mean bunnings price matches aldi
          yeah that makes sense

          But dont make sense otherwise (aldi price matching someone)

        • Meconium on 06/07/2022 - 21:50
          +1

          I just want to know what a sphincter wobble is

          • FarKen on 08/07/2022 - 08:27
            +1

            @Meconium: Are you really sure you want to know!

  • FLICKIT on 05/07/2022 - 20:19

    I've had a couple chairs that look the same as those, cheap chinese Helinox copies, they sell for about $30 on ebay, they're not bad, good for the money… I use them for motorbike camping, I wouldn't carry them for hiking due to the weight. and bulk.. My first one had a heap of use but the poles ended up pushing through the pockets they go in after a couple of years, no surprise really, I wasn't particularly easy on it… Second one is still going strong…

    The feet sink into mud or sand pretty easy, some people use bits of PVC pipe to help with that:
    https://www.doityourselfrv.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/ch…
    https://sidetrack-one.smugmug.com/Other/Pictures/i-d5hVHG7/0…

    • PurchaseAnxiety on 06/07/2022 - 09:58

      Thanks. I was thinking the chair could be good for multi day hikes. Does add a bit of bulk and weight, but might be worth it to have something to lounge in at the end of the day? I guess I'll just need to try it and find out :)

      I had heard about the feet sinking in. I've seen some of them come with feet or a mat to stop that happening, though probably not with the ALDI one.

  • afoveht on 05/07/2022 - 21:32
    +1

    I received an aldi hand-me-down tent from a mate - was rubbish, poles broke, bad layout, etc.

    I bought a self inflating mat from them - valve fell off after a year.

    No more aldi for me unless it's something that is unbreakable.

    • USER DC on 05/07/2022 - 23:22

      Tried returning the rubbish ?

  • thetrain on 05/07/2022 - 21:41
    +3

    Here is what you want, a review of the Aldi gear in previous years

    https://weareexplorers.co/aldi-gear-test/

    Personally I buy quality for critical things eg. footwear, backpack. If they break or are uncomfortable you're in trouble. Merino base layers are probably ok

    • PurchaseAnxiety on 06/07/2022 - 10:04

      Thanks. Yeah sounds like boots and backpack are a miss, but merino layers are worth a shot.

  • dtc on 06/07/2022 - 00:01
    +4

    Because I live in Canberra I have a lot of this gear, really just to survive day to day, but I do wander around and so forth.

    The merino stuff is pretty good, its not as good as icebreaker but its fine, its made of merino, dries quickly, keeps you warmer than cotton. I wear my merino shirts all the time (in fact, am wearing an aldi merino tshirt and a long sleeve shirt at the moment) and take them with me travelling overseas. For the price, highly recommended

    the down jacket is fairly thin but a good choice if you are layering and its above zero. Or not layering and its around 5-10C. Its not one of those jackets where you can put on a T-shirt and a jacket and it keeps you warm, but if you put it over your merino Tshirt, long sleeve shirt and maybe a fleece then you will be plenty warm. I wear it during the day in Canberra winters if I'm walking around, but for standing around at footy or whatever then I pull out a thicker one

    The hiking socks are pretty comfortable; in cold weather I prefer socks that are a bit warmer but I'm talking zero degrees; unless you are also in Canberra or hiking in the mountains they will be fine (also, if you are hiking in the mountains, dont buy Aldi stuff!). You can always stuff another pair of sock in the pack the first time just in case they fail.

    The winter gloves are not very warm but are windproof, so make good cycling gloves. Again, judge the temperature level; there are better choices if its cold but if you just want them for an hour at night when sitting around they may be fine (although wool ones are still better). The hiking fleeces are quite ugly so I've never bought one.

    The hiking shoes I dont own but have checked them out a few times. Very plastically, dont feel particularly comfortable. However, I struggle to find even quality hiking boots that are comfortable. Dont think I would be too confident over just a regular pair of sneakers.

    I dont trust an aldi sleeping bag for winter hiking, but if you are sleeping in seasons that arent winter it has a comfort level of 0C, which probably means around 5C minimum for basic comfort and maybe you wear some extra clothes. If you are near the coast or up north and its 10C overnight then you should be pretty good. its probably a better choice than an equivalently priced kathmandu one that isnt on sale; but if you want an all seasons one then keep an eye on the kathmandu/macpac etc sales and you can often find a good deal for not much more money

    the backpack felt uncomfortable to me but everyone has a different back. Its probably fine for a day walk, certainly its not an overnight pack or one you would want to carry if it was heavy (need an internal frame, better belt etc). Given how exxy some day packs are, the 30L one is probably worth a chance.

    I also have a shell jacket. Not really sure I've found the conditions you would use it in when hiking (vs non shell gear plus a proper raincoat) but they are great for commuter cycling in the winter when its not raining because they are windproof and pretty warm.

    I dont have the duffel bag but a friend of mine uses his for sailing gear and says its just as good as the expensive ones.

    Havent used the chair, I guess you are car camping in which case you can take a chance on some of the gear, if everything falls apart you can just sleep in the car for the night.

    Noticed the link above https://weareexplorers.co/aldi-gear-test/ after I wrote this - pretty much agree with everything said in that

    • PurchaseAnxiety on 06/07/2022 - 10:05

      I used to live in CBR so I know the pain :)

      Thanks for the feedback.

  • voiletmay on 06/07/2022 - 07:18

    Heavens buy good quality hiking shoes (not Aldi). I would not take the risk of my feet being destroyed. I bought just plain rainboots once and went on a 2 hour walk in those and could not walk for three days afterwards.

    • samfisher5986 on 11/07/2022 - 10:57

      Thats why they have a return policy, try them out and return them if they don't suit your feet.

  • timmypete on 06/07/2022 - 09:30

    Merino layers are fairly good, especially for the price. But not as good or stylish as much more expensive brands

    • johninmelb on 06/07/2022 - 14:17

      Quality I understand, but "stylish"? Why do you need to be stylish when hiking in the mountains where you wouldn't meet too many people?

      Just curious, not criticising. My personal preference would to be warm and well protected from the elements rather than stylish.

      • timmypete on 06/07/2022 - 15:32

        Threw in as a tidbit as it might be relevant for some when doing the costbenefit comparisons. I'm in a similar boat - warmth and durability are my priority.

  • elease on 11/07/2022 - 08:14

    Has anyone bought their down sleeping bag? It seems the top layer has nothing in it… Is it just mine?

  • samfisher5986 on 11/07/2022 - 10:56

    I'm very impressed with the Merino gear from Aldi, better then most merino gear from most shops and way cheaper.

  • norkle on 13/07/2022 - 21:06

    Thanks to these comments, I picked up the Merino long sleeve and 1/4 zip. Both excellent. True to size, certainly no smaller than expected, possibly even a little generous. Very comfortable on the skin, decent weight, look decent.

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