[pct-l] Nothing to buy

[Sean Nordeen]

Another big sale weekend has past and my email box was full of the usual 20%-25% discount codes and offers from the various mainstream gear stores.  And, as what has happened with more frequency of late, I couldn't find anything to use them on.  There is no backpacking gear out there that can temp me to buy, even at discount.

Oh sure, I still lust after gear from the small cottage industries such as ULA, MLD, Zpacks, Gossemer Gear, etc.  And I'm waiting to see what the new packs Brian will be coming up with over the next few months and I'm excited about the new PCT Atlas maps.  But I have essentially all the gear from the big manufacturers that I'm willing to pay for.  I don't need another sleeping bag (I have 3 + 1 quilt), nor do I want another GPS unit since everything weighs more then my current one.  The only thing I that I wouldn't mind buying was a Western Mountaineering Flash Vest, but that was the one thing my discounts wouldn't work for or it wasn't offered for sale.

After the sales are over, I feel depressed that I didn't use my REI 20% code, etc as it seems like such a waste.  Am I the only one that feels this way?  I know people like switchback would never let them go to waste.  *sigh*  Maybe if I cleaned out my closet of all the gear I no longer use (or never used) and gave it away to some local Boy Scout troop, I'd feel more tempted to buy something and help the economy recover faster.

-Sean