As I've aged I've found ...

My sleeping pads are getting thicker (and more expensive) and my tents are getting taller (and more expensive)

My sleeping bags are getting wider (but not too much more expensive)

My flashlights and stoves are getting smaller and more reliable(and more expensive)

My knives are getting much nicer, thanks to Doug (and more expensive). I tend to justify the cost of Doug's knives by convincing myself that most of that money goes to equipped.org. "See [wife's name] I'm helping Doug save lives!!"

The one place that things are still very reasonable, as billym says, is my plastic (lexan) eating gear. I did try the Countycom.com spork once - just once. Now I bring both a lexan fork and spoon. Try eating spaghetti with a spork

[I never could spell "spaghetti" - I had to look it up in a dictionary.]