[pct-l] REI Past by for Future Wilderness Gear, Wizards,and Prophets

[losthiker at sisqtel.net (Deems)]

REI is a very important member of the wilderness exploration experience from the 1940's thru the late 1970's. They supported the passion of human wilderness exploration on all corners of the globe. The old-timers with low numbers remember the pure fact that REI was the only supplier of the wilderness gear that paved our passion of exploring the long trails, mountain ranges, the glacial cirques, and remote mountain summits; and REI's singular focus then was to make our wilderness dreams succeed. Thirty years ago was a simpler time for wilderness gear and clothing; you wore and used it in the wilderness because it meant survival and success.  Today, it gives anyone the wilderness image on Concrete Avenue. I have a half million membership number, but rarely can I get a dividend. I rarely buy at REI now, only on sale and for usual staples only. -- There is a new and growing wilderness gear industry that is paving our passion for exploration that deserves our interest,  and their focus is purely making our wilderness dreams succeed; just like reipast. We are driven into the wilderness by our human need to be there.  The store is irrelevant; the mentor, the prophet, the inventor, the experience shared and gained and the gear acquired wherever that provides each of us the ability to reach our wilderness goal is what matters.  I learned how to make a 2 ounce stove from TrailDad which made all my 30 years of white gas stoves obsolete. Glen showed me that a 12 ounce pack can help Brian's dream of the Triple Crown come true. Incredible!  Henry built a better tent to shelter us in the sun, storm and winds. Ray challenged all of us to lose weight and think out of the box, and showed us how the long trails can be easily hiked. BrianF's P packs have bridged the gap between ultra2light and way2heavy.  Golite appeased the ultralight masses. Ursack gave something lighter than a bear can, though not as legal. Monte helps us all remember the old days, and laugh at ourselves.  I find the 2 month wait easy for cutting edge lighter gear that simplifies my wilderness treks. I take my wilderness experience seriously, it is my life. I approach all my gear with a 3 step priority formula: 1weight 2function. 3cost. This keeps the weight down, all needs met, and costs usually down.  The only place I have found today to meet this formula are the cottage industry, garage inventors, mentors, wizards and prophets that are purely focused on our wilderness dreams succeeding.  If you can make your own gear, go forth. I choose to support the wilderness wizards sewing, teaching, and cobbling up today's cutting edge equipment; and I will listen to the prophets and their message from the mountaintops.  At my age, it is a wise choice as I have many wilderness adventures unfulfilled and many miles to travel before I sleep.  We will romance about rei and it's squeaky oak floors because we remember a time when it was the only apothecary that provided the prescriptions for our wilderness itch, and made us feel alive. It was a simpler time thirty years ago.  Today when I go into the wilderness it's not with rei's gear, it's with the wizard's spells, the prophet's ramblings, and the garage inventor's cobbled cans and gear that make my wilderness adventures succeed.