The dizzying array of gear choices

[Dogwood]

Pointing to a simplistic Utopian vision of Nature devoid of weather, need for sustenance, shelter, insects, etc was never espoused by Muir, Brown, or myself. We can esteem to re-connecting with Nature(going home as Muir said) with less or even no made in a factory gear by having awareness, skills, and techniques that are most useful most often. Without these, YES, LIFE with Nature is REALLY LIMITING. Even gear without these keys to compliment it is limiting. The most important part of - my kit - I bring into the Wilderness is between my ears. I'd always prefer to operate in knowledge and wisdom - with a wide skill set - rather than be solely dependent on the store bought doo-dads in my pack for survival and thriving. I'm alive today after experiencing many potentially fatal events NOT because of gear NOT because I was lucky but because of what I knew and the ability to apply that knowledge(wisdom), to not cede intellect and critical thinking and decision making ability to gear or electronics.


Store bought gear can actually interfere with connecting with Nature and oneself. That's what Tim Brown Jr taught. That's what Muir advocated.


Gear over reliance just as tech over reliance, which we can promote so loudly, as the U.S. sorely has learned from the 911 attacks, and the former Soviet Union learned in Afghanistan, can create a false sense of security, and be exploited as a weakness.


Because of the cultures you come it could very well be you see humanity separate from Nature, and likely above it. Nature is something which humanity owns to be constantly broken down into smaller and smaller parcels to which we vie for, not an integral part of Nature to which humanity belongs. As Muir said, "Most people are on the world, not in it -- have no conscious sympathy or relationship to anything about them -- undiffused, separate, and rigidly alone like marbles of polished stone, touching but separate."

[LIhikers]

Like Another Kevin I've got what I need and what works for me and my wife (and our dog) and am content with that.
I really don't need or desire the latest and greatest.
In fact, we've gotten to the point where we can wander through Campmor or REI and not buy anything, that's a nice feeling.

[Ethesis]

Not so dizzying when you realize that 99% of it is stuff you don't need.

And tea is nasty.

I’m caffeine immune so I endorse this post.

But that neo air is still going with me along with a pump sack.

[Odd Man Out]

Like Another Kevin I've got what I need and what works for me and my wife (and our dog) and am content with that.
I really don't need or desire the latest and greatest.
In fact, we've gotten to the point where we can wander through Campmor or REI and not buy anything, that's a nice feeling.

Dogs can be a great inspiration. When you live with one, you are reminded every day you don't need a bunch of stuff to be happy.

[Venchka]

Truth be known, Colin Fletcher and his gear would be doing just fine today.
Wayne

[TwoSpirits]

In fact, we've gotten to the point where we can wander through Campmor or REI and not buy anything, that's a nice feeling.

This.

With very few and rare exceptions, there really isn't anything I want or need from REI or similar places anymore, and it IS a great feeling!

But now my family sure gets frustrated when they ask what I'd like for my birthday....

First World Problems.

[Ethesis]

This.

With very few and rare exceptions, there really isn't anything I want or need from REI or similar places anymore, and it IS a great feeling!

But now my family sure gets frustrated when they ask what I'd like for my birthday....

First World Problems.

Or when they give you stuff that is heavier and not as good as your stuff. (Like the multitool much too short spoon someone just gave my poor wife. Heavy steel. ).

[Dogwood]

I cant start a backpacking trip unless I have my 10 oz UL camouflage Robic 210 850 fp Hungarian Goose Down neck pillow, electric 3 prong marshmallow roaster, and lighted spun carbon graphite and titanium tipped trekking poles that match my LED lit hiking sneakers. It's part of my stealthy but lets be safe and well rested while backpacking plan. When buying my REI 14 oz coffee press and signing up for the REI "How to Hike the AT" class the REI REP commended my approach.

[Burrhead]

I have an early 80's Kelty super Tioga backpack that I would be willing to trade for a Hyperlight or ZPacks backpack if that would make one of you feel better.

[Traveler]

Now, why would anyone having "everything they need" waste time walking through an outfitting store unless they wanted to see if there was lighter, tougher, or better gear available than what they had? While Colin Fletcher would do fine carrying the gear he had, I would suggest if it was gear from the first edition book he too would be walking through REI shouldering his "bloody great sack" to see what he can lighten his load with.

Suffice to say, looking at gear (even without intent to purchase) provides some education. Otherwise we would still be in blue jean shorts, leather boots, and carrying canvass packs attached to wood frames.

[TwoSpirits]

Very true and good points. These days, I find myself in REI shopping for my daughter & son-in-law (gently gently feeding their growing interest), and I suppose it's true I will see some Latest & Greatest...then the games will begin again.

[colorado_rob]

Now, why would anyone having "everything they need" waste time walking through an outfitting store...

We have everything we need for our #1 passion, backpacking, yet we thoroughly enjoy walking 2 miles to our local REI a couple nights a week. What can I say? It's a nice walk, we almost always run into someone we know there (including the store manager, who we've hiked a lot with), and I just plain like looking at gear. We have finally settled down our buying habits because we finally found the ideal gear setup for ourselves.

Sure, people probably over-think the gear thing, and get wound up in buying frenzies, and sure, this is a First World, white-person problem for the most part.

But: I do believe that backpacking is more thoroughly enjoyed with a decent kit of gear.

I've been doing this for 52 years (started when I was 10). Yep, I had a canvas tent, canvas pack, flannel sleeping bag and waffle stompers when I started out in the late 60's. Most people did. I remember being cold, soaked and miserable a lot. I was young and strong back then and I vividly remember the pain and suffering carrying a 40-50 pound pack. This continued well into the 70's. THEN, gear got better and eventually lighter. Wow! Now this Greatest of All Pastimes is the best ever. Light, fairly durable and very functional gear has made is easier to do, more comfortable and much more enjoyable.

All that said, there is some gear where getting good stuff is important, whereas other items, not so much.

In no particular order, getting a good tent, bag and pack is utterly important to a longer-term enjoyable backpacking experience. Someone on here mentioned a phrase that is very wise when buying an important piece of gear: It only hurts once buying a good piece of gear, but it hurts many times to buy a bad one. Something like that. If you really think you'll enjoy backpacking, don't buy cheap for important gear. Get good stuff. If you wind up not really using it, good gear has good resale value (especially on Whiteblaze; I cannot believe how much folks are willing to spend on used gear here!).

Clothes? Plenty of cheap but very functional stuff out there. Seems like retailers thrive on those people always wanting the most fashionable new piece of clothing, really no better than much older stuff. I buy cheap clothing, mostly, though I do think have an excellent rain jacket is sometimes worth it (though for an AT hike, not so much).

'Nuff said. I wax.

[nsherry61]

Now, why would anyone having "everything they need" waste time walking through an outfitting store . . .

Now Traveler, that just show's your stunning lack of understanding human nature! How the heck do we know we need something until we see it, and, how the heck do we know we have everything, or at least everything we want unless we keep checking back to make sure there isn't something new and necessary?

I'm sure I can come up with some good examples of things I would never have known I needed if I hadn't walking into an REI and seen it:
1) A titanium pot when my aluminum one that was the same size and weight worked just fine, but wasn't as durable and cool.
2) A titanium spoon, a folding spork, a long handled aluminum spoon, and a bamboo spoon all of which I needed in case they were lighter, or otherwise more effective than the cheap plastic spoon that always worked well for me before.
3) An MSR fuel canister because it has float marks on it for measuring content, unlike all my other fuel canisters.
4) BD Distance Z-poles because now I can pack my trekking poles in my smaller carry-on baggage even though TSA says trekking poles aren't allowed in carry-on baggage. And, they're a bit lighter than any of my other three sets of trekking poles.
5) Sea-to-summit inflatable pillow because, even though my cloths, and or my water bladder and/or shoes work as pretty effective pillows, it's really cute and really is a bit more comfortable.
6) GSI Infinity insulated mug. It's just so darn light, water tight lid and insulated. I talked my son and his girlfriend into buying them as the ultimate backpacking mug to take on their PCT thru hike this year. The mugs were two of the three things the shipped back home as soon as they arrived at Mt Laguna because they never use them because they have no desire for hot drinks in the desert!
7) . . . the list goes on.

All I can say is, thank goodness for all those brick and mortar outfitters, all those on-line outfitters, and all those backpacking forums (like WB) that keep informing me, teasing me, and reminding me about how much stuff I don't have that will make my life better once I get them. . . not to mention the shear joy and exuberance I get to feel as I spend hours of my life browsing for things I "need" instead of going out and doing!

[MtDoraDave]

THIS PLACE is worse than REI, for me... on this topic.
I already have a perfectly fine titanium pot that I got on sale, but because of this place, I bought a grease pot - and I'm probably going to buy an Imusa pot - to use with the Zelph Alcohol stove I bought because I saw it here (even though I already had a perfectly good canister stove).

I bought Frogg Toggs because I heard about them here, weighing half of what my Marmot Precips weigh - which I already owned and paid about 8 times as much for.

I'm probably going to buy some Hounds/ USA Dawgs even though my crocs work just fine for camp shoes... because I read about Hounds here, they weigh less AND can be worn on water crossings.

I bought that Olicamp XTS knockoff pot because I read about it here, even though I already ....

I could go on.

I went to REI today, didn't buy a thing.

I did, however try on multiple pairs of new hiking sandals and boots. I think I'm going to switch from my Targhee 2's to the new Vents. They feel considerably lighter, fit great, and won't stay wet for 2 days when they get wet.

[Five Tango]

I sometimes wonder if I am the only one who feels like they have a knack for buying the wrong thing first.I went round and round on stoves and pots until I am almost back to where I started.

[Ethesis]

I sometimes wonder if I am the only one who feels like they have a knack for buying the wrong thing first.I went round and round on stoves and pots until I am almost back to where I started.

And

I did, however try on multiple pairs of new hiking sandals and boots. I think I'm going to switch from my Targhee 2's to the new Vents. They feel considerably lighter, fit great, and won't stay wet for 2 days when they get wet.

Yeah. Trying out new shoes. That is a whole different thing.

[nsherry61]

. . . I did, however try on multiple pairs of new hiking sandals and boots. I think I'm going to switch from my Targhee 2's to the new Vents. They feel considerably lighter, fit great, and won't stay wet for 2 days when they get wet.

Oh man, you should try out the new Altra Timps. They're pretty fantastic.

[Time Zone]

IMO a case can be made for NOT going with buy once, cry once.

For one thing, as a beginner, you may not know if hiking or backpacking is for you. Buy once, cry once usu. involves high end, expensive gear - and in my experience, it's simply not the case that one can recover 90% of that purchase price if you end up finding it's not for you, and you want to sell it. I'm not sure where such marketplaces are, but I've found that lightly-used stuff needs to be discounted at least a third (plus the sales tax) or it'll never sell. Close to half if you want it to sell quickly.

Another thing is, you may not know what kind of gear you like best. Do you like hammock camping? Dome tents? Trekking-pole-supported tents? Do you need more space in your pack because you're a big guy, or can you go lighter? Do you sleep cold at night and can't get by with the same temp rated bags as most other people? Etc etc. It takes experience to dial-in what works for you, and that often means going through various types of gear before settling on one thing or another (if you can even narrow it, if you hike in varying conditions you may want some different gear choices).

Finally, you can keep older gear as loaner stuff, or give away or sell it to someone who wants to get started but lacks the funds to really gear up with brand new gear. And that's a good thing too.

So yeah, I'd say buy once, cry once is a nice ideal, if you know exactly what you need and want right from the start. But I've not found that to be the case with me, and it strikes me to be unlikely to hold for most people generally.

[nsherry61]

. . . So yeah, I'd say buy once, cry once is a nice ideal, if you know exactly what you need and want right from the start. But I've not found that to be the case with me, and it strikes me to be unlikely to hold for most people generally.

Love this post. Thanks Time Zone.

That being said, I think the buy once, cry once mantra is valid in the cases where people know they want a particular type of gear and are hesitant to put up the money because there is a cheaper option that may or may not do the job as well as the higher end option with a good reputation.

[QiWiz]

Many times I'll think to myself that I've "got it down" when it comes to my gear list, then all of a sudden something "better" comes along.

Been there, thought that, bought that. It's a hobby . . .