I was curious and thought I should ask. When it comes to our gear, do you prefer buying ready made stuff that is deployable right out of the box, or would you rather make your own, either from purchased materials or by making do with whatever you can find/scrounge up?

Personally, I prefer the more primitive route. I always considered that it was worth more if I could get by with things I was capable of creating on my own rather than relying on advanced technology too much or the labor of others. Ultimately, I am not gonna manufacture my own GPS or EPIRB, but I can't imagine too much else I would have to have that I couldn't either spend a little time on in the shop working up or construct in a field expedient manner. I guess I lean towards more minimalist tendencies, though as I get older I am willing to drop dime more for creature comforts. In justification of that remark, my skills have improved as I get older too, even if my durability wanes.