Overpriced + Poor Design + No Instructions = Not A Great Value

Golf Putting Alignment Mirror Training Aid - Practice Your Putting Alignment Tool

by B&T Golf

Available on Amazon.com

Although small and lightweight enough to easily carry while traveling, $29+ for this product seems excessive. It is likely made in China and probably costs less than $5 to manufacture, so a 600% mark-up is pushing it based on its somewhat flimsy and flawed product. 

A reflective surface with red and black lines (and logo) mounted on a very thin plastic base, it comes with a protective cover but no instructions. There are four holes in the rear which I assume are used to anchor it on the green with tees and/or limit your backstroke based on distance required for a putt ... I assume ... and you know what happens when you "ASSUME": you make an ASS of U and ME. The holes are too big for golf tees, so even with two tees anchoring the mirror it moves if touched (nearly impossible based on its purpose), requiring frequent repositioning if you are aiming at a golf hole.

I find the product useful for alignment and ensuring that eyes are positioned over the ball, but the design flaws, lack of instructions (paper or web-based - there is no B&T Golf Products website that I could find), and excessive markup make it a poor value. In the $9.95 to $12.95 range, I would rate it in the 8-10 "Bomb" range (4-5 Stars), but at nearly $30 ...

CombatCritic Gives The B&T Putting Alignment Mirror 5 Bombs Out Of 10 (Rounded Up To "3 Stars")

Five Bombs Equates To:

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Title:  TravelTech: Overpriced + Poor Design + No Instructions = Not A Great Value

Key Words: Golf Putting Alignment Mirror, mirror, training, aid, practice, putting, alignment, tool, B&T Golf, B&T, golf, Amazon.com, amazon, China, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, product, review

Translation for Civilians: Charlie-Mike = "Continue Mission"

Inexpensive In-Home Putting Green Not BAd For The Price

Grassroots Par Three Putting Green

by B&T Golf

$32 on Amazon.com 

The Grassroots Par Three Putting Green is a portable putting green small and lightweight enough to take with you on your next trip, golf or otherwise.

Made of thin, green outdoor carpet with a tapered foam ramp leading up to the three holes at one end, the green is 9 feet long and about three feet wide at each end. It is tapered in the middle, why I am not sure, and around 2.5 feet wide, making it look something like an actual putting green which I assume was the reason for the design.

The "green" lies flat out of the box, but is thin enough to magnify any underlying imperfections in the floor you put it on. I placed it on an oriental rug and it rolls true until the thin, green outdoor carpet bunches up when the green is jarred or stepped on too abruptly.

The holes are deep enough to catch a golf ball with the center cup being about 1" deep and the two outer cups at about 1/2" in depth. There are also two deep bunkers (1" deep) behind the holes to catch errant shots, but some balls roll over, through or between them and off across the room.

For the price, it works well enough and as advertised. I do not imagine it lasting for several years due to the thinness of the carpet. If it were double the thickness, it would likely roll truer on diverse surfaces, last longer and not bunch up quite so easily. I believe a base with a material that clings to carpet and hard floors, possibly something like rubber, would enhance the product immensely as well as adding to durability, even in the $50-$60 range.

The only other thing missing is a storage or carry bag for when you want it out of the way or to take on trips. A simple, nylon bag with a handle and drawstring would cost next to nothing to manufacture and would enhance the product significantly.

CombatCritic Gives Grassroots Par Three Putting Green 6 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Six Bombs Equates To:

"Good To Go"

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Title: Inexpensive In-Home Putting Green Not BAd For The Price

Key Words: Grassroots Par Three Putting Green, grassroots, par, three, putting, green, putt, putter, B&T, Golf, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, product, review, Amazon.com, Amazon

Translation for Civilians: G2G = "Good To Go"

Mohu Leaf50 - Poor Product - Best Buy And Mohu Refuse To Honor Warranty

Mohu
2720 Discovery Drive, 
Raleigh, N.C. 27616
Phone: 1-855-446-6648
Email: support@gomohu.com

Mohu Leaf 50 Amplified Digital Indoor TV Antenna

Maybe you like to travel in your motor home, RV, 5th Wheel, or camper and watch TV along the way. A portable, amplified antenna with a range of 50 miles would come in handy in many locations around the U.S., eliminating the need for an expensive satellite dish. Enter the Mohu Leaf50, just the thing you need and only $70, what a bargain ... NOT!

The Mohu Leaf50 is advertised as a small, portable amplified multi-directional antenna that gets great reception with a range of 50 miles. I beg to differ.

After paying $70+tax for this piece of plastic the size of a laptop screen, 10 feet of coaxial cable and connectors, and a USB that plugs into your TV, I have had nothing but problems. Watch the video below.

We are less than 40 miles from all broadcast towers in Kansas City and Topeka, well within the "50 mile" radius of the Mohu Leaf50, but reception is poor, sporadic and frustrating,

Having bought the Leaf50 at Best Buy, Best Buy and Mohu refused to refund my money even though even though I am only 5 months into the one-year warranty. Mohu also requires me to pay shipping if the product is defective, which it is.

Leaf 50 Indoor HDTV Antenna by Mohu does not work as advertised. Ten feet of coaxial cable connects to a piece of plastic the size of a laptop computer screen and it is supposed to get "great" reception with a "50 mile range". We are not on the road, but live in Lawrence, Kansas and it is a straight shot (flat) to Kansas City and Topeka with transmission towers 35-40 miles away (see photos below) and the signals fade out constantly, a real irritation.

I bought the Leaf 50 at Best Buy in August because of the reviews and figured that being an amplified, multi-directional antenna with a 50 mile radius, 35-40 miles of flat Midwest terrain should be a breeze. Wrong!

It worked "OK" for a couple months with intermittent but tolerable cut-outs, but when winter started to set-in, the cut outs became more frequent and longer on all channels. We have a few trees around the house so you would think that with the leaves being gone reception would get better, but it got worse, a lot worse.

FCC Transmission Tower Locator Website

I took the Mohu Leaf 50 back to Best Buy in December, but they would not honor Mohu's 1-year warranty, telling me "it's outside our 15-day return policy". That is exactly why this was the first thing I had purchased at Best Buy in seven years, their lousy return policy, and it will be the last thing I ever buy at Best Buy!

TV Reception Maps - Transmission Tower Locator Website

$70 plus tax for this cheap piece of plastic and co-axial cable is absurd and I cannot recommend that you buy one unless you are very close to the transmitters. Even though the FCC online digital reception map indicates that Fox (WDAF - 35 miles), CBS (KCTV - 35.7 miles), and ABC (KMBC - 39.3 miles) are all in the "green" (strongest) signal category, the constant loss of signal and reception is an aggravation I can live without. What a waste of $75. My $10 rabbit ears get better reception than the Mohu Leaf 50.

I contacted Mohu on January 11th, asking for a refund.  Here was their response:

"Dear Combatcritic,

We would like to acknowledge that we have received your request and a ticket has been created with Ticket ID - xx360.  A representative will be reviewing your request on and will send you a personal response. This usually happens within 24 hours.   

Please remember should you need troubleshooting assistance or if you would like to know what channels you should receive at your location you will need to send us your complete address so we can provide you with the most accurate assistance on the first contact.  Should you need to provide us with any additional information such as your address, order number, etc. simply visit your inbox and reply to the email confirmation.  

You may also be able to find immediate help using the links below.

Sincerely, 

Mohu Sales and Service

Business Hours: Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm EST"

I sent them my address on January 11th as requested, but here it is ten days later later (January 21st) and I still have not been contacted by a Mohu Representative. So much for doing what they promise.

Here is the warranty and return verbiage from the Mohu website: 

"Mohu Warranty and Returns

Warranty Details
Mohu warrants our products against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of purchase. During this period, the products will be replaced or repaired at no charge. This warranty does not cover damage due to acts of nature, commercial use, accident, misuse, abuse, or negligence. This warranty is valid only in the USA and Canada.

There are no implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purchase except to the extent that implied warranties of either sort are required by applicable law, in such case, each warranty is limited in duration to the one year.

Return Procedure
If you cannot locate your packing slip, please contact us via our Contact Us page http://www.gomohu.com/contact/ or by phone at our toll-free number 1-855-4GOMOHU (919-896-7696, 8am-5pm EST, M-F) about items you would like to return. Include your name, order number and approximate date of purchase for faster service. 

Customer is responsible for all return shipping charges. 

Items should be returned to the following address: 

Mohu, Inc.Attn: Return Department2720 Discovery Drive,Raleigh, NC 27616 

Returns sent to any other address will not be accepted."

I sent Mohu Customer Support the following message on January 17th:

"I disconnected the amplifier as your website suggests, but reception only got worse. I have a strong signal on most channels, just like the FCC website (and yours) says I should based on our location and that of the towers. Here’s a video showing the problems: 

As you can see, the signal is strong, but the picture fades in and out. Please let me know how to troubleshoot because I am not paying shipping to return your defective product. If we cannot fix this quickly, I’ll take the $70 loss and publish my review for Moho and Best Buy based on my experience.

I have moved the antenna everywhere in the room based on the limitations of the cables provided and nothing helped. I also unplugged the amplifier from the TV because Mohu said the amplifier could be faulty, but I had zero reception with the amplifier disengaged. 

Mohu finally contacted me and they refuse to fix the problem or stand behind their product:

"I apologize the below reply was not received, unfortunately this antenna will not work for your needs. 

Unfortunately the reception at ground level is weaker than shown of the FCC due to hills between you and the broadcast towers.  

At ground level the signal strength for most of the transmitters are in the low 30 decibel range which is typically too weak for the antenna to receive. To improve reception or have signals similar to the FCC database the antenna needs to be elevated. You should try the Leaf 50 antenna on the second floor or in the attic, you can use an extension coax cable after the amplifier to the TV less than 20 feet. 

The Sky 60 antenna is the only Mohu antenna that can be mounted on the roof for the best signal reception as well as connect more than 1 TV through a splitter. This antenna is also the best option for customers interested in recording the TV shows. 

Please let me know if you have any additional questions. 

Sincerely, 

Michelle, Mohu Sales and Service, 855-446-6648"

Oddly enough, contrary to Michele's claim that my "antenna will not work", their very own website claims that the Mohu Leaf50 is in-fact recommended for my location (note zip code for Lawrence, Kansas and the date in the screenshots below), adding that it will receive "25 channels":

So why does Mohu now claim that I have the wrong antenna? Here was my response to Michelle:

"Then why does your website recommend the Leaf50 for Lawrence, Kansas residents (66044) like me, falsely advertising 25 channels received? 

Your company has some serious integrity problems, false advertising included, and I will report you to the FCC as well as the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office.   

I will eat the $75 I wasted on your product, take it with me to the firing range, and use it for target practice with my 9mm Beretta, posting the video on my popular YouTube channel with a link to my review of Mohu on my popular blog: http://www.combatcritic.com/2016/01/traveltech-mohu-leaf50-antenna-with-50.html. Can you say “viral” video? Sure you can! 

Good luck with your lousy products and deceptive business practices. What goes around, comes around!"

I have already lost $75 on this product and I am not about to waste another minute dealing with this unscrupulous company. Their product is defective, not my fault, so why should I pay for shipping or another antenna? Most reputable companies cover shipping and send pre-paid return labels when their products go "tits-up". I guess that tells us what kind of company we are dealing with at Mohu ... Excuse me while I go buy a real antenna from a reputable company ... and it WILL NOT be at Best Buy.

CombatCritic Gives Mohu, The Mohu Leaf50, and Best Buy 1 Bomb Out Of 10 And A Spot On My 'WALL OF SHAME" ... More Bombs Are Better!

One Bomb Equates To:

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Title: TravelTech: Mohu Leaf50 - Poor Product - Best Buy And Mohu Refuse To Honor Warranty

Key Words: Mohu Leaf50, Mohu, leaf, 50, amplified, HDTV, HD, multi-directional, antenna, TV, best, buy, false advertising, Best Buy, travel, value, product, technology, tech, review

Translation for Civilians: FUBAR = "Fucked-Up Beyond All Repair"

SwingTalk: Great Idea, Poor Execution Leaves This Traveling Golfer Wanting More For $149

SwingTalk Golf Swing Analyzer with Voice Feedback ($149.00)

 Image Courtesy of Amazon.comhttp://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81Hpsroi88L._SL1500_.jpg

If golf is an integral part of your travel plans like it is mine, a device that can help your game is worth its baggage weight in gold. Having played golf in Greenland, England (St. Andrews and Carnoustie), Germany, Italy (inside the crater of a semi-active volcano), Hawaii and Guam, I want to get the most out of my game when spending big-bucks to play abroad.

SwingTalk looked appealing and easy to use online, so I decided to buy one on Amazon and try it out for my readers. I received the device quickly enough, but the battery does not last long and the "automatic" voice feedback (swing ratio and speed) is intermittent, making the device a pain in the neck to use on the range.

There is no way to view the data online (on a computer) and the paltry amount of information provided about the product and how to use the data are not well explained on their website (which is almost strictly promotional). I used it once for 20 minutes and on the second attempt a few days later the device died before I made a single swing. Having to recharge the unit after every use is a pain I am not sure I want to endure,

 Image Courtesy of Amazon.com - http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61Azly2V7XL._SL1163_.jpg

If the battery lasted a longer (at least 2-3 sessions) and there were better online support (more information on what to do with the data), this could be a valuable tool. For now, it is not and I am sorry I bought it!

CombatCritic Gives SwingTalk Golf Analyzer 3 Bombs Out Of 10 ... Bombs Are Good In This Case!

PS - I was contacted by SwingTalk (GOLFZON) after posting my review on Amazon with the following comments:

Swingtalk Golfzon CS Team says: 

Hello, This is the Swingtalk Golfzon CS Team. 

Sorry for the battery issue caused!  

The SwingTalk consumes most battery while searching for the bluetooth connection. 

Please take this into consideration when using our device.  

Also, our website is still under development for support, so for any issues, you can reach us via Amazon message services. 

Viewing data on a computer (Excel export) feature is on its way!  

Please reach us for further comments. 

Thank you!

Here is my reply to them:

Considering that the device pairs quickly enough (seconds) by Bluetooth, that does not account for the paltry amount of time you can use the device between charges.
Downloading the data to a spreadsheet would be helpful, but more important would be a detailed analysis of the vast amount of data and how the average golfer can use it to improve our games. For example, "tempo" is displayed as a ratio (e.g. 3.8:1), but I could not find information on what the ratio means and how I go about moving toward the "goal" (e.g. 3.0:1). A web-based interface for our data would also be nice because viewing information on the small screen of our smartphones has severe limitations.
Additionally, some features are not explained at all. In "Swing Analysis" various parameters are displayed by forwarding through the swing, but there are comparisons (displayed in RED) in the App that are not mentioned anywhere in your literature and which I assume are the goal or "ideal" (pro golfer). I also found out, quite by accident, that there is an additional "top-down" view available in the App that is not mentioned in the YouTube demo or literature.
Your product has excellent potential, but it appears that it was released before there were adequate resources and support material available to explain the features or interpret the data. It would be extremely helpful if I could access the data and Swing Analysis on my computer and have links to video and/or articles that explain what the information means and how it translates into improving my game.
You can read more on my popular blog http://www.combatcritic.com which is averaging 45,000+ visitors a year.
Thanks for your comments!

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Title: SwingTalk: Great Idea, Poor Execution Leaves This Traveling Golfer Wanting More For $149

Key Words: Golf Swing Analyzer with Voice Feedback,  SwingTalk, Golf, Swing, Analyzer, Voice, Feedback, TravelValue, travel, value, review, Amazon, CombatCritic

U.S. Divers St. Tropez Snorkeling Kit Is Inexpensive, Durable, and A Great Value

For the price, the equipment is quite well made. We purchased the set (mask, snorkel, fins, and a mesh bag) for a trip to Puerto Rico and they held up quite well over three weeks. Sturdy, leak-proof, and cheap, the set worked quite well for basic, novice snorkeling, but if you are serious and plan to snorkel over a long period or SCUBA dive, you should definitely invest in a more expensive, durable set.

CombatCritic Gives the U.S. Divers St. Tropez LX Mask, Seabreeze II Snorkel, Trek Travel Fins & Mesh Bag Kit 7 Bombs Out Of 10 ... Bombs Are Good!

Title: U.S. Divers St. Tropez Snorkeling Kit Is Inexpensive, Durable, and A Great Value

Key Words: US Divers, St Tropez, mask, Seabreeze, snorkel, trek, travel, fins, kit, snorkeling, beach, ocean, fish, SCUBA, travel, value, Amazon.com, Amazon, CombatCritic, Puerto Rico, puerto, rico

DO NOT BUY! The WD My Cloud 6TB Personal Cloud Storage Device

Do you need cloud storage for all of your travel photos? I do! Do you not want to pay the ridiculous monthly or annual fees for years on end for Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, or Amazon Cloud?  I know I do not! The best and most cost-effective alternative is a "personal cloud", a wireless external hard drive (or drives) connected to your home wireless network with tons of storage space (up to several terabytes - TB - 1TB = 1,000 megabytes) that you can access either at home with your computer (or mobile device) or remotely anywhere in the world. 

After my old personal cloud failed, a 4 TB Western Digital (WD) MyBookLiveDuo, I had to find a replacement, so I decided to give WD one more chance only because of the decent price and good reviews on their new My Cloud products. I purchased a WD My Cloud 6TB Personal Cloud Storage device on Amazon for $269.99 plus tax, hoping that it would "connect effortlessly" to my network as advertised.

The WD MyCloud would not connect to my network when it arrived and after spending an additional 3 hours on the phone with tech support, 5 total, they could not help me and told me to return it to Amazon.  The only reason I chose Western Digital again after having two other products that failed, a 1TB MyPassport and a 4TB MyBookLive Duo, was because of the dearth of available products out there and the poor reviews on Seagate products. Never again WD!

CombatCritic Gives WD My Cloud 6TB Personal Cloud Storage 0 Bombs Out Of 10 ... Can't Get Any Lower Than That ... And A Spot On CombatCritic's Wall Of Shame 

Less Than .... 

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Title:  DO NOT BUY! The WD My Cloud 6TB Personal Cloud Storage Device

Key Words: WD My Cloud 6TB Personal Cloud Storage, WD, My Cloud, 6TB, Personal, Cloud, Storage, NAS, WDBCTL0060HWT-NESN, review, Western Digital, western, digital, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, tech, technology, photo

One Tough, Compact, Well-Priced Backpack ... "Highly Recommended"

High Sierra Classic Series 59201 Summit 45 Backpack

We bought this backpack on Amazon.com for a 4-month trip to India, knowing that we would frequently be moving from place to place and that the condition of roads and sidewalks would not be conducive to rolling suitcases. 

There was plenty of room for 2-3 days worth of clothing, accessories, toiletries, and even a laptop (and cord), having a large inner compartment, three exterior compartments, two mesh exterior sleeves, and numerous velcro loops, buckles, and other devices to attach things to.

The material is lightweight, but durable, holding-up well to the demands of multiple trips via train, bus, car, and plane and compact enough to fit into the smallest overhead compartments.  In-fact, we traveled by plane internationally and domestically, carrying-on our backpacks on even the smallest aircraft. The backpack is comfortable to wear with padded shoulder straps, an adjustable chest strap, and a padded waist buckle to keep the pack secure during the most arduous journeys. After four months, the backpack looks nearly as new as the day I bought it and everything functions as advertised.

For the price ($54.99), this is one tough, compact, well-made bag and definitely worth every penny. 

CombatCritic Gives The High Sierra Classic Series 59201 Summit 45 A Coveted "10 Bombs Out Of 10" ... More Bombs Are Better!

Title: One Tough, Compact, Well-Priced Backpack ... Highly Recommended by CombatCritic

Key Words: High Sierra, high, sierra, summit, 59201, 45, litre, backpack, nylon, zipper, tough, compact, Amazon, Amazon.com, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value