I went hiking this weekend, a 10 mile roundtrip at a fairly well traveled trail, nothing real difficult or too out of the ordinary. But after watching the hordes of hikers out there, I realize, man, I think I have way too much fancy equipment. What got me thinking was watching a couple of guys behind us hauling canvas duffelbags on their backs, and carrying wal-mart type sleeping bags in their arms. Yup, just carrying them in their arms for 10+ miles.

I started totaling up everything I was carrying, and realized I'm probably carrying well over $1000-$1500 (in retail prices) in clothes and gear, and probably more because I stopped adding after that. This is just on a dayhike, a backpacking trip might easily double that amount. To be honest, I didn't actually pay anywhere near retail for any of it (I'm not that rich), almost everything I buy is either second hand or on huge discounts from outlets, and I've been slowly accumulating everything for the past 20 years or so.

But when I look at it, I'm thinking I need to cut down on what I buy. I know when I first started going outdoors as a kid, I think everything I owned for camping probably totalled less than $100, that includes tent, backpack, boots, stove, basically everything. As I got more money, and discovered REI, I bought even more stuff. Now I'm at the point I'm could probably open a small sporting goods store in my closet. Granted, I'm probably a lot more comfortable than those other people, but I just don't know if it's worth the price.

I did start to realize this a little while ago. Now, I'm trying to be a lot more frugal with my spending. And I stopped browsing through the Annual Backpacker Gear issue, that was just like a drug for me. Has anyone else ever stopped to think about how much we are carrying, and how ironic it is? One of the reasons I liked the hiking and the outdoors was because it was simple and free. All you needed was two feet and a will to move. But so far, it's been one of the most expensive free hobbies I've ever had.

Amen! Including this site. My PSK probably cost me around $100 once I got all the little widgets crammed in (this includes my first, slightly larger version)

But, yeah, I've given up on Backpacker magazine, and I'm trying to wean myself off the knife magazines (it's a bad hobby).... Fortunately I have't bought any big ticket items in a few years (new backpack, tent, and sleeping bag). Part of the reason, though, is I've had no time, and no one, to use them with

Yes, it is.

-Blast, who finally has a little extra green to pay for stuff...

As with everything, when the kit gets better, lighter and more functional the prices go up. Just imagine what the poor cyclist has to go through if he/she wants some of the best kit to peddle along on. $8,899.00 and that is just for the bicycle frame.

http://www.wrenchscience.com/Colnago/CF4/Road_Bikes/Frames.html

You can easily spend the same amount again for all the other parts.

I think there is a line that gets crossed at times.

It is not wrong to have good gear but sometimes the magazines, websites and retailers try to load you down with all the latest greatest and expensive goodies.

My best example is the titanium spork. I know some folks like sporks but I think the make a both a poor spoon and a poor fork.
Now make one out of titanium and charge $25+ and you have IMO the most rediculous investment in gear. Lexan utensils cost $1 and are just as light and almost as durable. None the less I am sure hundreds of thousands titanium sporks have been sold.

On the other hand a well made pair of shoes / boots, a quality sleeping bag and other items are definitely worth spending money on.

The only piece of advice I can offer is what I try to adhere to myself in my decisions regarding purchases and other types of decisions in life and that is to always consider where the law of diminishing returns kicks in. I always ask myself is the increase in cost or discomfort from one item to the next really representative of the increase in value? If the answer is no then I don't go with the more expensive option.

For example, yes I could afford to go buy a $300 - $400 fixed blade knife but is it worth it? Knife guys will say yes but for me the answer is no. I have my $50 USMC Ka-Bar and it has never let me down regardless of how much abuse I have subjected it to.

Now granted there are certain areas where I personally will not compromise such as my carry pistol and my brand of toilet paper - a gun I rely on to protect my family is not a place for me to risk reliability and with toilet paper, anything designed to come into direct contact with that part of my body is not something to bargain shop for.

There can be a tendency to get caught up in brand names and keeping up with the next guy, etc even with survival gear but survival is not about bragging rights or a fashion contest.

Ouch, this is all too real for me...

A couple of weeks ago, when we had the topic going of how you'd outfit a friends daypack for $25 was a real eye opener. I started to realize that my keychain stuff costs more than that, let alone filling a daypack with appropriate items!

I think now my ridiculous cache of flashlights are probably worth more than ALL of the gear I had as a boy, and I was going on 10-14 day treks back then! (My flashlight back then was a right angle 2 D cell thing, but, it did have the BSA logo on it, which made it the envy of the other guys in my patrol.)

At least decades later I still get out there every month and get to sleep under the stars. Maybe all the extra gear is just a bonus for sticking with this stuff long enough for my son to get interested. Now my wife doesn't blame me as much, it's for my son you see

My wife graciously helped me to see the wisdom of being more frugal about the gear that I buy.

I guess it started when I went out to buy a backpack, and came home with an RV instead...

Duck? I am worse than you an I am "Sportsmans Guide" best customer, if they make it I'd probably have it.

The way I see it WTSHTF any excess that I have I can always trade it for something else...... is better to have more than not enough.

"TO BE READY IS NOT"...Ponce

I have purchased 3 photon freedom lights. $60
One is in my PSK, One for my Wifes, and now one as my EDC.


I could have been frugal and stuck with the batterys and LEDs.
$10

The dimming function sold me on the freedom.

I don't even want to add up all the other stuff.

I am going the cheap rout on the 55 gallon drums for water storage.
$60-80 bucks new, used from local coke bottler $5.