One of the problems with being a section hiker is that I have a lot more time to think about hiking than I do to actually hike. This results in a lot of time questioning gear choices and rethinking strategy. Combine this with a lack of will-power and a credit card and it creates a problem.
I have backpacked a few hundred miles over the last four years and my girlfriend and my German Wire-haired Pointer have tagged along on a lot of the trips. In doing so I had purchased several packs for the three of us, trying to find the right fit. It wasn't until we got back from my first trip to Mountain Crossings, that I dug out all of the packs we've gone through in the the last few years and realized that maybe, just maybe I have a problem with compulsively buying gear.
Normally I wouldn't admit to making a mistake, but I live in an 850 square foot cottage and the gear has taken over!
With that said, I thought I'd ask my fellow WBers. How much gear have you bought, and how much of it was out of boredom vs. necessity?