CelticCross
Tracker
You know, in most endeavors, people are sort of categorized by their gear, or at least become known because of it. Bushcraft and camping are no different.
My Philosophy Of Gear is simple: Use what YOU like. I often see arguments along the lines of "Well, so-and-so used such-and-such and never had any problems", usually countered by "Yeah, but that was the best available at the time, they would have used this-and-that if they were doing it today." Guys arguing over gear. My question is: Who cares? If you are reenacting, you'll use what they did, or a facsimile of it. If you're not reenacting, use what you want. If it's what a historical figure used, great. If it's what the hot chick at REI said to use, fine. If it's a combination, fine.
Expensive vs inexpensive:
I some false dichotomies here. Sure, some things like Mora knives really are inexpensive. However, a lot of guys like to use surplus items (myself included). However, t hey aren't as inexpensive as we may think, we just pay a divided price. See, first it's paid for by taxpayers, most likely, including you, if it's from your country of origin. Then, you pay the purchase price. So add the original cost, to what you paid for it, and it's up their with a lot of new gear. You just don't feel it as much because the cost of the first round was shared by a lot of people.
Then there's the modifiers and do-it-yourselfers. It may seem as if you are getting by on the cheap, but you're not. Figure out the cost of making it. If you aren't self-employed, figure it by using your current pay. By that, I mean everything: your salary, plus the entire cost of your insurance coverage (not just your portion), your 410(k) match, etc. Spend a few hours doing modifications to your surplus bag or pouch, and you, say $10 buttpack or gas mask bag is now $100+; especially considering that, unless you do this professionally, you will take longer than a pro to do it.
Let me give an example: I'm in a serious bit of lust with a Duluth Pack Wanderer. Ok, some say it's overpriced at $225 (for the waxed canvas version). But look at it this way: billing myself or my time, te time it takes to measure, cut, dye and punch the leather, plus the time to wax, cut and sew the canvas (taking for granted I have the patterns they do, which speeds things up), rivet the leather to the canvas, etc. In the end it'd probably be a $500-$600 pack, assuming I didn't have to scrap any along the way.
It it worth doing? Right now, no. At my skill level I can't honestly even think of doing it. I may fart around modifying some surplus packs, like the E. German ones that go for 3 for $20. However, if I buy the Wanderer say, next month, I'll get many years of service and memories out of it before I ever have the skill to make my own. Furthermore, by the time I'm ready to make my own to my own specifications on how I want to do things, I'll have adapted my methods around the Wanderer, and will no longer have the need to build one to my spec. Will I do it in the future? Maybe. There is some value in doing things just to do them. But this is why I say, as much as I want to become a do-it-yourselfer, there's just some things I don't see myself as being able to do better than what is already out there.
But this falls right into the same thinking as the guys that can't see buying more expensive knives than a Mora, because a Mora is all they've ever needed. Why is that? Well, because they learned to do what they need to do with a Mora, so they know how to make the Mora do what they want! Other will say that now they have the experience to know what they do and don't want in a knife (extends to any piece of gear), so a custom is now a good idea. Which one is right? Both! because they both are using what they like.
Life's too short for you to go around pleasing everyone else. Most of us do not live a bushcraft life, so when we get a chance, we should go out to have fun and do what we like, not what others think we should do.
In a way, seeing the pictures of outings, and especially the get-togethers with everyone using a hodge-podge of gear makes me think more of the old Mountain Man days. Those guys really did assemble their gear from what they had available, and modified or made their own when nothing suited them.
Guys in wool, canvas and leather or guys with nylon titanium and freeze-dried pouches? There's room around the fire for everyone (except the polypro guys, you just smell too bad
).
ETA: If the above is rambling and unintelligible, please keep in mind that I'm typing it as I drool on myself from muscle relaxers, and stare longingly at my new axes I don't dare use. . .:15:
My Philosophy Of Gear is simple: Use what YOU like. I often see arguments along the lines of "Well, so-and-so used such-and-such and never had any problems", usually countered by "Yeah, but that was the best available at the time, they would have used this-and-that if they were doing it today." Guys arguing over gear. My question is: Who cares? If you are reenacting, you'll use what they did, or a facsimile of it. If you're not reenacting, use what you want. If it's what a historical figure used, great. If it's what the hot chick at REI said to use, fine. If it's a combination, fine.
Expensive vs inexpensive:
I some false dichotomies here. Sure, some things like Mora knives really are inexpensive. However, a lot of guys like to use surplus items (myself included). However, t hey aren't as inexpensive as we may think, we just pay a divided price. See, first it's paid for by taxpayers, most likely, including you, if it's from your country of origin. Then, you pay the purchase price. So add the original cost, to what you paid for it, and it's up their with a lot of new gear. You just don't feel it as much because the cost of the first round was shared by a lot of people.
Then there's the modifiers and do-it-yourselfers. It may seem as if you are getting by on the cheap, but you're not. Figure out the cost of making it. If you aren't self-employed, figure it by using your current pay. By that, I mean everything: your salary, plus the entire cost of your insurance coverage (not just your portion), your 410(k) match, etc. Spend a few hours doing modifications to your surplus bag or pouch, and you, say $10 buttpack or gas mask bag is now $100+; especially considering that, unless you do this professionally, you will take longer than a pro to do it.
Let me give an example: I'm in a serious bit of lust with a Duluth Pack Wanderer. Ok, some say it's overpriced at $225 (for the waxed canvas version). But look at it this way: billing myself or my time, te time it takes to measure, cut, dye and punch the leather, plus the time to wax, cut and sew the canvas (taking for granted I have the patterns they do, which speeds things up), rivet the leather to the canvas, etc. In the end it'd probably be a $500-$600 pack, assuming I didn't have to scrap any along the way.
It it worth doing? Right now, no. At my skill level I can't honestly even think of doing it. I may fart around modifying some surplus packs, like the E. German ones that go for 3 for $20. However, if I buy the Wanderer say, next month, I'll get many years of service and memories out of it before I ever have the skill to make my own. Furthermore, by the time I'm ready to make my own to my own specifications on how I want to do things, I'll have adapted my methods around the Wanderer, and will no longer have the need to build one to my spec. Will I do it in the future? Maybe. There is some value in doing things just to do them. But this is why I say, as much as I want to become a do-it-yourselfer, there's just some things I don't see myself as being able to do better than what is already out there.
But this falls right into the same thinking as the guys that can't see buying more expensive knives than a Mora, because a Mora is all they've ever needed. Why is that? Well, because they learned to do what they need to do with a Mora, so they know how to make the Mora do what they want! Other will say that now they have the experience to know what they do and don't want in a knife (extends to any piece of gear), so a custom is now a good idea. Which one is right? Both! because they both are using what they like.
Life's too short for you to go around pleasing everyone else. Most of us do not live a bushcraft life, so when we get a chance, we should go out to have fun and do what we like, not what others think we should do.
In a way, seeing the pictures of outings, and especially the get-togethers with everyone using a hodge-podge of gear makes me think more of the old Mountain Man days. Those guys really did assemble their gear from what they had available, and modified or made their own when nothing suited them.
Guys in wool, canvas and leather or guys with nylon titanium and freeze-dried pouches? There's room around the fire for everyone (except the polypro guys, you just smell too bad
).ETA: If the above is rambling and unintelligible, please keep in mind that I'm typing it as I drool on myself from muscle relaxers, and stare longingly at my new axes I don't dare use. . .:15:
