I have all this gear and I still NEED more!!

Why is it that I have so much gear (camping, edc, BOB, car kit etc. probably well over $1200) but I still need (want) more. I keep seeing things that I have to have. I am woefully unprepared. I think I have a problem. I'm addicted, a common gear junky. I need help. Please help? A Doug Ritter RSK MK1 might help…darn it there I go again.

Is there a Doctor in the house?

Call 1-800-BLAST

Welcome to equipped-aholics anonymous blitz.

I'm a gear-junkie as well and have never been in recovery.

Step 1: I have admitted to myself that I am powerless over my gear addiction.....ooooh check out that new leatherman on the home page......

O.K. I just called that # and it is a line for something that I'm not allowed to mention here.

I stayed on the it for about 20 minutes before I figured it out.

Yeah, but I made $3.99 per minute while we talked. Man, that thing you wanted with the two chickens and pickle? That was seriously weird. Luckily I was prepared for such a request.

-Blast

You promised you wouldn't tell!

$3.99 a minute?? That’s almost enough for the MK1. Enjoy it my friend.

Embarrassedly Yours,

Blitz

It's like you're reading my mind.

I'm pretty sure it was you that said:

"I hate it when the voices in my head confuse me with someone else"

One leatherman? One? that was such a long time ago....

teacher

But one Leatherman can do so much...

OK, I'm actually recalculating the total and it is much higher than I initially stated. BTW, this doesn't include firearms and ammo, new FJ (BOV), as well as Blast's new phoneline. Man, I'm in up the creek, damn, I didn't buy a paddle... need to get a paddle...

In need of some serious help,

and an MK1,

Blitz

I was going to say $1200 seemed low. Once my GPS gets here I'll be over $800 just in my BOB and I don't have any accessories for it yet and the bob isn't complete. Then several hundred more in longer term/camping gear in the garage, the food/water stocks, the hundreds of $ in gear in the truck.

I didn't come up with this, but:

He who dies with the most gear wins.

and

If you die first, we are splitting up your gear...

Yeah I estimated quite low. It's more like almost 3K excluding what I mentioned before, sorry. My bad.

Were are you now? You have a lot of gear I'm sure.

Big brother is watching...no really I have a big brother who is watching...you.

Needing (read wanting) more neat stuff is a problem I think common to all of us on this forum, I have a serious gear addiction.

I would hate to put a value on the rooms full of outdoor equipment that I have collected over the years, because if my DW ever knew the real amount I would be in serious trouble.

Mike

you guys forgot blast kitty.

"...You have a lot of gear I'm sure..."

Sorry, most of it is in storage (living in an RV makes you really cut down on the stuff you carry around). I could tell you where it is stored, but then I would have to kill you...

Yeah I hate to think what would happen if the GF found out how much money I have tied up in "all that stuff". Chances are you and OBG WOULD be splitting things up.

Sorry, most of it is in storage (living in an RV makes you really cut down on the stuff you carry around). I could tell you where it is stored, but then I would have to kill you...

But then who would by you the FJ cruiser in 2012?

OH in my original post I forgot to say

GO PATRIOTS!!! WOO HOOO

Eeewwwww!

Is there a way to explain this addition to friends/family? I'd be curious to see what you guys tell your people when they see that you own 20+ different knives that basically all... cut.

16 and 0 my friend. (fingers crossed, knock on wood)

I saw what Blast's kitty did, and I don't want it.....

i never carry more than five at a time and i don't keep all of mine in the same place. not so intimidating that way.

"...who would by you the FJ cruiser in 2012?..."

Heck, I'll probably be dead by 2012...

I can relate OBG. Seems like just when I got to the point where I have gotten everything basically together (still tweaking and swapping some items) to survive long term, I don't really have long-term left in me.

This is a classic problem with 'prepers'.

Often a result of a failure to define and make concrete the situation, plans and/or goals.

Leave any or all of those open ended and your setting yourself up to be always needing more and still always coming up short.

Reason is that if you define your needs and desires as prepared for 'anything' and the required duration as 'forever' you are sliding down a hole. Using that definition if you go to buy even something simple how much do you buy? With duration defined as from 'now to the end of time', there are always the kids and grand kids to think about, you could never have 'enough'.

Most people have at least something in every category but I have seen people who have huge amounts of money invested and they still have gaping holes in their kit. Guns and knives are pretty commonly waaay over invested. Lots of guns and knives aren't necessarily a bad thing. Not as long as you have something approximating equal depth across the line.

Your not going to get by effectively overly prepared in one area and light, or completely unprepared, in another. Survival is a package deal. Like a chain your limited by the weakest link.

I recommend people start small and work their way up. Start simple. Limited goals and objectives. A three day kit is a good start. Cover all of your bases for three days given a set situation. Aspirin to toilet paper. Leave no need unprepared for.

Once a three day kit is mastered multiply it to cover longer periods of time. Start to cover slightly more unusual and extreme situations. Go as far as you wish and stop when you feel satisfied. But always work to a plan and known scenario and toward known, well defined and limited goals.

When you reach a goal stop to savor the feeling. Celebrate. And stop buying. At least until you work out another complete plan and list of required supplies and materials. Never buy items piecemeal. Only buy as part of a plan working toward a known and well defined goal.

That's the ideal and IMHO the way to go. I don't too often reach this ideal in all particulars. It just isn't in the nature of humanity to do so very often. But that doesn't mean that I don't get close and, of course, I keep trying as time, disposition and resources allow.

Over time my ideal time horizon has shrunk. Age, experience, confidence that I can adapt and persevere, and some understanding that in the end survival is both not enough and always a temporary reprieve has mellowed my approach and allowed me to relax a bit more.

I've found the same, as I've sat down and wrote a disaster plan document I can't justify much more new gear because I really have everything that I can think of covered.

Gear "collecting" isn't that bad. If you're like my father and I and start collecting cars and heavy equipment.....then it gets bad, fast.

Well said.