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Re: [pct-l] Talking WW III Backcountry Blues

>Regarding costs of backpacking and fees:
>Personally I think the multinationals are having a blast selling consumers
>tons of crap they really don't need.  $300 dollar tents, "Proper Outdoor
>Fashion", $100.00 walking sticks, (or my favorite) the nipple cover for your
>biking water bottle...so it doesn't get muddy.  They shove it down your
>throat, and people buy it up.  You need hiking boots for ANY hiking.  Going
>backpacking, then you NEED a backpacking shirt.  Keep in mind that in 1992
>when the whole Seattle music scene exploded, and people in Seattle wore
>flannel because it was cold!  Then all of the sudden Nordstrom came out with
>their "Grunge" line.  Selling $50 clothes that were "the fashion", when the
>same thing was sitting at your local thrift store.  I just wish the outdoors
>would quit becoming trendy.  I'm sick of seeing ads of jeeps in big serene
>mountain meadows.
>
>I had a person get pissed at me because I wouldn't tell them the brand name
>of my tent.
>
>"What kind of tent do you have?"
>"Just a solo tent"
>"Brand name, it has to have a brand name, who made it, what model is it!"
>"It dunno, and really don't care" (knowing full well I had a Walrus Swift)
>
>
>CG
>
Response by Hobbit:
Halleluah! I couldn't have said that any better CG.  I am also sick and
tired of the high prices on backpacking products today.  I am also tired
of hearing that the only so called "good gear" has a well known name and
thus costs a lot.  It seems obvious to me that people are too caught up
in this brand name business and are not using there heads. In my college
town of, oh about 20,000, we have a thrift shop.  I make a pt. to go to
the thrift shop once a month.  Just from the thrift shop I have gotten a
down jacket for six bucks.  I have used this down jacket for over two ye
ars now on cold backpacking trips (30 degrees or less).  This jacket has
held up and is light weight.  Now what does it really matter the name br
and of the jacket.  The point is that it does the job.  Also at this thr
ift shop I have gotten fleece pullovers and various other useful article
s of clothing for the trail.  If only people opened there eyes and looke
d past there multi million dollar corporation catalogs which include goo
d gear in it for an almost unbearable price and looked around they would
find the same quality gear for much less.  Certainly their are going to
be some items that one will need from a well known company (tent,etc..)
I think people want to spend this kind of money just so they can say
"Well I have this brand".  I'm sorry, but for me this is not what backpa
packing is all about.david (The Hobbit)




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