My experience with mil-spec gear is the opposite of what you imply by remarking that it is all Mfg'd by the lowest bidder. The cost of military gear is much higher than standard hiking gear to the taxpayer and the requirement that, say an entrenching tool, work correctly and durably is much more critical. My experience with Mil-spec surplus equippement is that it is the industrial equivalent of sporting goods. Where hiking equipment or wilderness equippment sold for recreation may break or need replacement the mil-spec stuff will never. OTOH the recreation equipment is certainly more hi-tech and often more comfortable and lighter to carry. EMS or REI can't require you to go through basic training and become a highly trained well muscled ox in order to sell you a steel frame pack that, though dreadfully uncomfortable, will outlive you and survive multiple wars. Instead EMS and REI need to sell light weight or ultra-light weight nylon with foam padding frame packs that will probably be a breeze for a weekend warrior to haul up and down a mountain once a year huffing and puffing all they because along with their minimalist 30 pounds of gear they are also carrying an extra 50 pounds of gut. I am not taking pock shots at weekend warriors ( I am one) I am just highlighting the differring requirments to which sporting goods and mil-spec goods are manufactured. Mil-spec goods don't wear out or break down. The specifications don't leave much room for poor workmanship and as a result we spend exorbitant tax dollars outfitting our military and then turn around and resell the surplus for pennies since it isn't canary yellow and marroon or made of the latest high-tec materials.

As for surplus clothing, the only outdoor clothing that come close to the surplus stuff I have is from Filson's. My Filson's vest cost me over $100. I have a pair of wool surplus trousers, field shirt, thermal underwear, balaclava, gloves and commando sweater ( all in military colours so I can't wear them to my high school reunion - aw-shucks) which cost me less than that one vest and are all of similar quality and wieght. In this outfit I can brave most any weather that the apalachains have to offer in New Hampshire (even though I am an overweight weekend warrior). In the wet weather I can add the surplus gortex parka and liner that I purchased for $50.00 and I am water and wind proof.

Yes, I own some high-tech stuff. My day-pack is one of the mid-sized hydration packs from camelback and it is well made. I have Vasque hiking boots with a goretex liner. I also have a medium alice pack for longer treks. It is somewhat uncomfortable but not worse than others that I have spent hundreds more on. After a while I learned how to load it correctly so that it rode comfortably.