Man, I did the exact same thing and kicked myself for waiting so long. What finally made you cave, was it just the sore hip or did your uncle throw in some other argument that got to you? Curious if the setup at Lake Mary was rocky ground or if it was the cold that pushed you over the edge.

Oh sure, and next you'll tell me his gnomes also do his taxes and walk the dog. Your neighbor's six year old plastic success story is great and all, but one guy getting lucky doesn't mean those molds hold up for everyone. Your mileage may vary, just saying.

Learned this same lesson with power tools a few years back. Bought a $300 DeWalt hammer drill and my neighbour's $60 no name brand from Canadian Tire drilled through concrete just as fast. Turns out half these fancy brands use the same guts inside, you're just paying for the sticker and the warranty. Same thing with heated gear now I bet, one factory in China pumps out the same heating elements and slaps different logos on them. Makes you wonder what else we're overpaying for just because the box looks nicer.