I "retire" my ST290s every 6 months or so. They'll give good service that long, and at $20 a pop, why not?
I know it is a cheap stick, but I am used to and like very much the arrangement of the buttons. In particular, the center button is right under the hat switch, I press that for my "look up" button with the heel of my thumb and then can use the tip of my thumb to work the hat switch easily. Very fluid and natural, no fuss, no messing with the keyboard, and I like the method better using the trigger for "look up"
I'd buy a better stick if I knew of a good one out there that has a button configuration and dimensions more or less idential to the ST290.