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Post by hikerjer on Apr 5, 2023 23:06:50 GMT -8
I like top quality gear as much as anyone and actually have few pieces of it. However, the cost of some of it, particularly clothing, is a bit hard for me to fathom. I mean $80.00 for a cotton shirt, nearly $500.00 for a down parka, $30.00 for a pair of socks, $29.00 for a synthetic watch cap (that doesn’t even cover my ears) and the list goes on. I tend to buy and use stuff that fits in the middle of the price range and, for the most part, it seems to work just fine. Even some of my lower end stuff is among my favorite and most practical pieces. So, what’s the deal? Is this high end stuff really that much better or is it all part of a vast, and apparently effective, marketing scheme to sell us far more than we really need? I know I’m a bit cheap, but really, is this high end stuff really worth it? I mean, $99.00 for a t-shirt. Seriously?
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FamilySherpa
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Post by FamilySherpa on Apr 6, 2023 4:45:16 GMT -8
I agree Jer. I pretty much only buy gear on clearance sales or with a coupon these days.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Apr 6, 2023 4:57:41 GMT -8
I don't wear Gucci clothing, or Italian leather shoes. My handbags are not made by Coach. If others want to buy that stuff, it is of no interest to me.
As for gear, I have purchased some high end gear and really enjoyed using it. When I sold it used, I got half of the purchase price back. Most of my gear is not high end. If I manage to sell any of it, I'll be happy with 25%. As for the wear and tear factor? Good gear lasts long enough to make me think it paid for itself. A down quilt, for example. Or my hammock. Having changed from buying things off the rack to buying from cottage industry folks has made me appreciate the gear more, and I think it works / fits better.
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driftwoody
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Post by driftwoody on Apr 6, 2023 5:25:20 GMT -8
It's worth spending more for certain categories of gear if it enhances safety or the durability pays for itself in the long run.
High end clothing is usually not worth it, except perhaps rain shells and footwear. You want performance from your shell, and you don't have to pay a high end price if you're willing to carry a few more ounces. With boots, comfort is paramount. Sore and/or blistered feet can ruin the entire experience, and even put you at risk. Durability also enters into that equation, so I'm willing to pay more for optimal footwear than any other piece of kit.
Insulation (on your body and during sleep) is also essential, and price is often proportional to weight.
You can be at risk if your shelter doesn't hold up to the worst weather you're likely to encounter, so storm protection & durability are essential. Tents can easily double in price with ultralight fabrics like dyneema.
If pack weight is critical to keep us backpacking as we age, then paying more for shaving ounces is worth it. When I was younger I couldn't afford the best gear, but weight didn't matter as much. Now I can, but soon I'll be retired on a fixed income.
I now have pretty much everything I need, though clothes and boots will have to be replaced if I'm fortunate enough to keep on trekkin for many years to come.
Is any t-shirt worth $99 dollars?
Not in my book, not even half that.
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Post by downriver on Apr 6, 2023 5:53:53 GMT -8
If you can afford it and it doesn’t take anything away from your children, why not spend more to get the best! I prefer top quality gear and don’t mind paying more for a quality product. As long as it has good quality control and lasts. I prefer buying from cottage industry companies (think Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends). My Western Mountaineering (WM) bag is the best piece of gear I own; it’s a beautiful product with superb workmanship and quality control. Well worth the price. Made in the USA, too.
I usually buy with a discount or some kind of a coupon. I bought and received a couple of Filson Merino wool shirts over 20 years ago. All cost over $100 dollars, and all still look new and have lasted well over time. Heck, the shirts look brand new. Well worth the price Great quality control.
I look forward to getting a Montbell down parka; it’s very expensive, but after having another of their jackets, I know its quality will be top notch, in addition to being featherweight. Super quality down, too. I’ll also get a discount on the purchase.
Over time it’s been my experience that higher end items usually last longer, out perform, and are worth the cost. Heck, I wish I had bought my WM bag years ago because it would have outlasted the three other bags I purchased before it.
Regards,
DR
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trinity
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Post by trinity on Apr 6, 2023 6:00:14 GMT -8
Good gear lasts long enough to make me think it paid for itself. I agree with this. My main rule in buying gear is "Don't buy crap". Most of my gear isn't that expensive, but the few pieces I've splurged on (WM and FF bags, a ZPacks Duplex) have been worth every cent, and will last me for many years. If pack weight is critical to keep us backpacking as we age, then paying more for shaving ounces is worth it. When I was younger I couldn't afford the best gear, but weight didn't matter as much. Now I can, but soon I'll be retired on a fixed income. This describes me as well. I just can't handle that much weight anymore. But there are often moderately priced items that don't cost a fortune, for example, I think my most frequently used shelter right now is a silnylon MLD Duomid. But I have to confess, I've been eyeing the Durston Designs X-mid 1 Pro lately....
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Post by cweston on Apr 6, 2023 6:25:37 GMT -8
If pack weight is critical to keep us backpacking as we age, then paying more for shaving ounces is worth it. When I was younger I couldn't afford the best gear, but weight didn't matter as much. Now I can, but soon I'll be retired on a fixed income. Yep. I mostly stay in the lower end of the price spectrum, but I do splurge on some things, because I (finally) can afford to occasionally, and because of the bit about weight mattering more as we get older. But I have to confess, I've been eyeing the Durston Designs X-mid 1 Pro lately.... I have the regular Durston Designs X-mid 1 and am very happy with it. I assume this is maybe a DCF version or something? I'm happy to answer any questions about the tent design if I can.
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driftwoody
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Post by driftwoody on Apr 6, 2023 7:16:09 GMT -8
Recently purchased the Durston X-Mid 1 Solid. Set it up in back yard but haven't used it yet, because I always camp in my hammock if practical.
Upgraded from the SMD Lunar Solo, which for me was very difficult to get a good pitch. I sold that and several other articles of quality gear I no longer use on GearTrade.
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trinity
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Post by trinity on Apr 6, 2023 8:15:20 GMT -8
I assume this is maybe a DCF version or something? Yes, DCF, but with a silnylon floor. Also, it's single-wall. Weighs only 1 lb.
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Post by georgeofthej on Apr 6, 2023 8:30:38 GMT -8
I bought an $800 dyneema tent a year and a half ago, and I've only used it 3 nights so far.
A problem for me with spending a lot of money on gear is that I don't use it enough to get my money's worth. I'm retired, so I should have more time for backpacking, but things keep coming up to thwart my plans. For example, I had planned to do a low-altitude overnight trip in March in northern Calif. (Yana Trail, which I learned about in a thread here on the forums), but it rained so much that I didn't go. The river was often near flood stage and I'm sure there would have been areas of deep mud.
That $800 tent was, by far, the most expensive piece of gear I've ever bought, but I have also bought some other new gear recently, and it adds up. I think I'm set now, and at the rate I use the gear, it should last the rest of my life.
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texasbb
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Post by texasbb on Apr 6, 2023 11:06:02 GMT -8
My main rule in buying gear is "Don't buy crap". It took me way too long to learn that lesson, and not just with backpacking gear. My pattern used to be to buy the "disposable" version of a tool and use it till it broke (i.e., use it once) then go back and buy the non-junk version. Shouldn't take long to recognize the folly, but for me it did.
Good gear lasts long enough to make me think it paid for itself. Definitely true for some stuff (e.g., down bag), though I confess my gear purchases are rarely economic decisions.
A fair bit of my gear is more expensive because I'm outside the height norm. I had sworn off ever buying another backpacking tent until Henry had to go and make that Dipole 1 Li. I'm poorer now, but this is the first one-man tent I've ever been in that didn't fit me like a sock. I can sit up without scooting, change shirts without stretching the tent fly, and sit cross-legged in a huge swath of the tent. I never knew it could be like this. Did I mention I'm poorer now?
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Post by cweston on Apr 6, 2023 11:53:37 GMT -8
We all have slightly different calculus on what we'll spend on and what we won't, and so on.
I asked this question on Facebook once some years ago: What are some items where you'll pay more for quality, and others where you see no reason to? I was surprised how many contradictions there were among responders.
In terms of gear, I will definitely spend for shoes/boots, socks, (because fit and wear are so critical to being happy in the BC on day 6 or whatever) packs, and sleeping bags/quilts (because these items can last years and years). I'm more skeptical with things like tents, pads--the pricier ones I've owned have been nicer, for sure, but zippers still fail, pads develop leaks, etc. Clothing, similarly: I think "you get what you pay for" applies less completely to clothing than just about any other workaday item. I do have some pricey merino pieces, but it practically kills me to spend that kind of money on clothing that I *know* will not be especially durable.
In other cases, the way I use gear dictates attitudes. I'd never spend a lot on rain pants, because I only wear them in camp 99.9999% of the time, anyway. So if they're not quite the most breathable model available, big deal.
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Post by leadbelly on Apr 6, 2023 13:11:37 GMT -8
it depends.
it helps to hunt for bargains, sales, clearance. the down jacket I wear for hiking/sleeping out in sub-zero weather cost around $300 on sale, retail is around $500. It's worth the retail price. I have spent a lot on good leather boots...which are 12-15 years old, each. I think they have earned their keep, and I still wear them (one pair was resoled a few years back). ditto for winter gloves - I value my fingertips.
Backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, I tend to spend less and not have the lightest, the custom-made, most features, etc. I did learn this year that spending on a good sleeping pad is money well spent.
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Post by hikinggods on Apr 6, 2023 19:46:32 GMT -8
Not generally worth it to me, but I DO like high quality stuff. And I'm a bargain hunter. I have bought MANY items on ebay in like new condition: Patagonia Cap.4, ExOfficio shirts, Altra trail runners, etc., generally for 1/4 to 1/3 of new price. So I can have my cake and eat it too. Also for items that I have liked that are discontinued: Ebay. I already know if it will fit, so no returns needed.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Apr 6, 2023 20:54:09 GMT -8
I can't complain. Backpacking is cheap compared to other hobbies, and gear cost is nothing compared to transportation for me. I spend almost twice the total value of my gear every year just getting to and from trailheads.
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