A guy at REI in Denver asked to see my sleeping pad and changed how I think about reviews
I was at the REI in Denver last Saturday returning a headlamp when this older guy in line saw my sleeping pad strapped to my pack. He asked what I thought of it and I gave him the usual stuff, good reviews, 4.5 stars, decent price. Then he said the reviews never tell you if it lasts past a year, and asked how mine looked after 60 nights on it. I pulled it out and we both saw the baffles were already breaking down. So now I'm wondering how many of you actually trust star ratings over long term wear on your gear?
My track record with gear reviews is basically me giving five stars after one backyard campout where I mostly drank beer and passed out before it even got cold. Ask me again after a season of real use and I'm the guy writing "worked great for the first two trips, then the valve started leaking." That REI guy would probably take one look at my pad and just hand me a trash bag. Star ratings tell you how something feels on day one, not whether it'll still hold air by night 60.