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.

I would prefer to make things simply because I enjoy it. There are the items I cannot make that a normal person would not normally make. But I learn to make something new or different now and then on my own. Then there are little odds and ends here and there that are too pesky to even worry about creating on my own.

Gee, I guess that makes alot of sense.

Making those things that you are capable of constitutes a learning and growing experience. Based on what you have made, you will get the inspirational ideas that will save your life when it matters and the skills to be able to do it to it !!!

I do both, I enjoy makeing the things from scrach, I try to learn 'from the ground up' when I can (flint knap, grind, forge.. spin, weave, sew), but usually, for expediency, I just modify what I have bought to be closer to what I want (eg. recently sewed zippers (or velcro the first time I did it in the car-camping tent) around the mesh in a tent, resealed, make mesh-shaped inserts of waterproofed nylon with the other half of the zipper (velcro), to turn a normal 3 season backpacking tent into a four season backpacking tent when its needed (adds a bit of weight to the tent when used without the inserts but makes it a lot warmer when needed).. things of that nature.. I'm thinking of trying to add another 12 to 18 inches to the vestibule which should add another 5 or so square feet and better allow my pack and gear to be as in the way when I have to use it to cook... thoughI don't see myself being able to do any real backpack camping like I used to for several years now... such is life..

If you make it, you can probably also repair it, or make another if needed.

That is a very good point.

the only things I make are kits. But shopping for the parts is half the fun!

TRO

Make what you can - modify what you want - buy what you need and relish in the glow of your knowledge to do all of the above.

I like to make and modify - mainly because I'm convinced that most of the stuff I could buy the designer never had to use! My best example is a magnesium block for fire starting! Come to think of it, most of the valuable bought stuff wasn't made for the purpose anyway. My best example is the gigantic plastic bags!