[pct-l] Gadgets <> "heavy trucking"

[Brian Lewis]

"Having gear that will help you survive an unexpected event is more
important that gadgets.(Sorry, Gadget!)"


"When hearing about all the ?heavy-haulers? and gadgeters with extra gear
to prevent bad things from happening, I?m again reminded that gear alone seldom
helps"



I'm starting to detect a theme here ...  :-)


In my defense, while not a true ultralighter (few I think really are), my
base weight is in the pretty sensible range, methinks --- ranging from
lower to upper teens on thru-hikes depending on conditions, including
dealing at times with quite a lot of snow.

I don't think that choosing a smartphone as a multi-function device
necessarily makes you a "heavy trucker", or in general a person who carries
too much stuff.


It's always about making conscious choices, of getting sufficient value for
weight carried.


I don't agree with the idea of "ditch all of the electronics" --- that's an
individual call with no universal right or wrong.  I definitely do agree
with Steel-Eye that gear alone isn't sufficient, and that too many
inexperienced backpackers haul along too much stuff and thereby derive a
false sense of security from all of their various gear, whether electronic
or otherwise.    Yes, carrying a raft of limited-use electronic gear can be
the mark of inexperience.  More typically what I find folks carry too much
of is clothing.      So cut us geeks some slack, eh?   ;-)




            Brian Lewis / Gadget