A few notes about this thread which we have temporarily moved out of the public eye, and which is very likely to be restored after we pruned up to remove personal confrontations, discussion that doesn't add to OP's topic, or opinions issued that could be construed as slander in anyway:
1. Anything that can be construed as a physical attack may be acted upon by the management of this board. This means if you post something, even in jest (let alone metaphorically) that threatens another user on this board you are in jeopardy for a lifetime ban. We examine these cases one by one.
2. Witch hunts against gear manufacturers are not what this board is for. If you have a problem with a piece of gear, then by all means report it here. Report the facts, share pictures, put some meat besides your opinion around the problem. This board is all about sharing this information so we all remain safe. However, the board is not the place for you to pronounce that "Gear Company X" has gone to shit and should be put out of business. These companies have done a lot of good for us as a community, lets give them a chance to respond. If they don't respond and the volume of defects is that great, that speaks on its own.
As a community we can do some things. We can get things changed. If there is an actual problem, there is nothing more powerful than presenting facts and hard evidence about the issue. Collectively we have connections with folks in this industry such that we can get responses to our concerns (in most cases at least).
At any rate, bear with us while we go over this. If you're here to watch a train wreck, then move along, it's gone. We will restore the pertinent pieces of the thread when we get to it. We believe that discussions about gear issues are a very important part of this community (or for anyone using that gear for that matter). We trust (or don't trust) our lives with this equipment.
We'll also develop some protocol for you to follow when reporting and discussing topics like these.