are all you kids parents rich??

i never argue,, i just give my opinion.

As far as the green energy gos id just asoon it all go away..
barter an trade is my ideal world,, but wont never happen in babylon..

If you misenterpreted my statements from hundreds of miles away as bickerin and arguin,or tryin to start said shit , then perhaps ya aint enlightented as ya think..

 

I beleive thatpeople who beleive that they are enlightened are not enlightened, most enlightened people in my eyes do not realize their enlightenment.

 

Yes, good gear can run into big bucks.

But compare the cost to a one night stay in a hotel.
Or a one week stay in a motel at The Jersey Shore.
Or an airplane trip to Cancun Mexico ( boring )
Or an airplane trip anywhere! ( please don't search that particular piece of luggage )

That expensive Eureka tent can go 20/30 years with a little care.
With nice stuff, you are motivated to camp out more often. and motivated to
take good care and maintence of the gear.
Reluctant Campers ( the wife ) are more willing to go with a nice set-up.

 

if you shop around and take your time getting gear you can get good quality camping equipment cheap .
most of my camping equipment Ive bought in carboot sales lets see
british army bergan rucksack cost me £8 inferior version you would buy in a camping shop would cost £150 for the same size
tent cost me £5 lasted me so far 15- 20 years .I dont think its that great a idea getting a expensive tent generally you just need something with a inner and outer layer the inner should be breathable like cotton get one with a good sewn in ground sheet and take care of it
modern dome tents are wonderful .
therm-a-rest matress a luxury cost me £30 off ebay
down sleeping bag cost me £8, in a camping shop would be over a £100
camping stove cost £5
all my outdoor clothing is secondhand, gore-tex is a wonderful material most of mine cost me less than £10 a item .

I think hippiehillbilly has a good point

 

there's no reson why you can't get quality gear second-hand. usually, that's why i do, i check the second-hand stores, yard sales, etc first. (i was fortunate in that my ex wanted to buy me a quality new tent as a going-away present, so i was able to splurge a little, which was a real treat for me! i got a eureka aspen series 3, and it's a great little tent!) i got my pack at a yard sale for $2! it's seen better days, and i'll probably have to get another one soon, but in the meantime it's comfortable & gets the job done. i think it's better to get second-hand gear at yard sales, thrift shops or rummage sales rather than ebay, because you can actually handle & inspect the item first (usually)...& you don't have to pay for shipping!

 

I once spent a night burrowed under a fallen tree with leaves stuffed under my clothes (I was drunk and high though).


For the newbie camper many outfitters and college campuses offer rentals on about anything you need for very reasonable prices. This is a good way to try out stuff before you invest. You can also join clubs and borrow a lot of equipment as a guest.

As far as the old ways... I like to backpack as much as I can and mostly have lower end stuff, but every year I like to save up and buy something that would make the experience more enjoyable (less painful). Heck, who wants to torture themselves with a heavy load when you can slowly acquire some of the lighter weight (more expensive) items over the years. In addition, every now and then I find it fun and challenging getting back to the "old ways" and going out with nothing but a knife, maybe some string and pockets stuffed with a few morsels of food. It's fun and a neat learning experience. Last year I went up river by myself in a kayak with only the above plus a fishing pole and tarp. I camped along a tributary. I woke up half under the tarp as a large crane standing about two feet from me went "GRAAACK" and took off. Scared the poop out of me! But then I had one of the most beautiful sights: The reflection of the full moon on the mist that hung over the water and the shaddows of the trees overhanging the shores!!! Would have missed it if I was in a tent!!!

 

My point, groovy... my point. why hit the bush for a week bogged down with a pack and tent, sleeping bag, stove, etc. Take a fanny pack stuffed with carrots and power bars, a hydration vest, a change of socks, a book of matches and an army blanket. You see so much more when you have freedom of mobility and no weight on your back.

I've cooked cattails in a soda can, lived for days on berries and nuts. I actually prefer it to modern living.

 

last year, i lived in a $7 tent from sally-an and it was the best tent that i've ever used! it looked like crap but it was waterproof and super easy to setup and keep up.

 

Theres some nights in the forest I wish I had a tent. I had nothing but a small blue tarp to keep warm in, and my bike locked to my leg.

I think raven23 said it best:

If you have the money for new expensive stuff you don't exactly need, why not go spend money on it, you only live once, why not enjoy things, even if the money goes to greedy companys. It shouldnt limit you from sleeping in the bush comfortably for a few nights, rather then freezing in a tarp. But if money isnt your thing, then buy cheap.

 

I live in the Adirondacks. Every year a hiker or two dies out here because they didn't have the proper equipment.

Throw a blanket over your bag in winter and become a statistic.

And yes, My Mom is "Rich". She's a pediatrician but I have to buy most of my stuff with my own money and i get the best I can afford or save until I can.

I want to be safe and comfortable and enjoy the trip, not be miserable or get sick or die because I was too stupid to get the best I could.

Are you enlightened now??

 

wow its the nagigater,, diggin up dead threads for a ego boost...

 

another perspective:

I spent an arm and a leg attaining the well thaught out and totally self sustaining out rig I carry round on the road or anywhere life happens to find me and I know for a fact I coulnd't have done, nor morally would I like to have done it, with Wal-mart crap. Instead I dropped my cash, money I earned with back breaking labour, at Mountain Equipment Co-op(MEC), where profit is directly advantageous for the co-operative members (expedition sponsoring, workshops, instruction, certifications, etc) and more importantly the environment. Though it's not a completely sustainable industry MEC does everthing to promote environmentally sesnitive Industry inititives through it's sourcing and manufacturing. Workers at MEC certainly have it better then minimum wage slaves at Wall-mart, who as a result of it's mono-culture machine of destruction spend life in a state of dependance. So I payed way more than I should, so perhaps I could have done without the fancy gadgetry, but I trust my skills without them and in the end they DO bring a great level of convenience, needed convenience, not the bull-shit "buy this life and be happy with it's convenience" corporate bullshit they banter on about on television. I opened my wallet, I used my head, and I made a vote, a financial vote, with money I earned, to fuel a life I dare to vision for myself.

I own a good two or three grand worth of outdoors equipment and no, my parents arn't rich and what a rediculous thing that is to even bring up in the first place. Even if they were wealth its self is not inherently evil it is that choice between allowing it to manipulate you or manipulating it for the greater good of your lifes journey, your purpose, your reason for being here so you can be a good person to yourself, your family, your community, and this earth.

 

ah but aint you neglecting the part where the fools got all cocked up first n fell asleep out in the cold n froze??? not so much cuz of their lack of gear but by there own stupidity?

oh n i too grew up in upstate/ western NY and we camped year round in cheap ol tents,,,, the preperation aint in yer tent so much ,,,, more so in your bed covers and clothes....,,, again more stupidity on the fault of ppl,,,,

guess some of us are harder to enlighten than others

but not sayin that if i had oodles of money n a wild hair up my ass saying ineeded something totally fancy n frivolous i wouldnt go buy it tho

 

its about how, not what.

 

I'm not apologizing for being born into a family with money, and I have no reason to. Stop being a mean old dude.