Are you a Gearoholic?

[Woody]

On top of all my hiking and climbing gear I also have 4 sets of ice hockey goalie pads. The oldest pair date from the early 70's and newest pair I bought last summer for this past season. It doesn't matter what the sport is....I just need more gear! Between my son's climbing and hockey gear and mine, we take up half the basement.

 

[Jasonst]

I guess I qualify... I was sure I had enough gear - and then EMS started carrying Osprey packs... Then they went on sale... That's when I knew I desperately needed another pack. Ahhh...(release tourniquet)

Like Mike said, I felt like I was losing money if I didn't buy something at that sale... I need help...

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I don't think I am, but after decades, one tends to collect a lot. I might buy a new pack every 10 years, but I keep the old one. I have a bunch of old synthetic sleeping bags which I only use car-camping now. I've got things I needed when the kids were young, but don't really need now.... Yeah, I've got lots of stuff, but....

I don't think the amount of gear one has, necessarily indicates they are a gear-aholic. I think it's the attitude... interest in every new-fangled device that comes out.

 

[timmus]

I need to buy new gear all the time, not because it's an obsession, but because I always buy the wrong stuff... Last item I bought was a backpack for winter hiking, and I chose such a small one that I can't fit everything I need in (ask Frodo about it...)

I also bought 3 pairs of hiking poles within a month, because I didn't know what was right for me.

It's not a lack of experience, as some might think, it's just that I really hate shopping, and I pick whatever is in front of my eyes, and say : yeah, fine, that will do...Let's get the * out of here.

 

[KayakDan]

I'm in the "unfortunate" position of being maried to a woman who enjoys all the outdoorsy stuff I like to do. So if I buy a piece of gear-we buy 2 at a time-and of course there's nobody to restrain me from getting that cool piece of gear we gotta have-and we gotta have 2! I know I have a problem,and I take my Titanium Affliction in stride.
Recently we got to a point where we could stroll around REI,or thumb through the Campmor catalog and there was nothing left to buy-truly depressing
And then we did it -we bought "the big sailboat" We resisted for years,sailed on other peoples boats,rentals etc. but we had "a moment" while sailing in Exuma last year.

"QUICK! Hide my West Marine catalog and my credit card!"

 

[DougPaul]

And then we did it -we bought "the big sailboat" We resisted for years,sailed on other peoples boats,rentals etc. but we had "a moment" while sailing in Exuma last year.

At least you won't have to buy 2 of everything for the sailboat...

(And yes, I have an idea of what it costs to keep a sailboat going. Abandon all savings, ye who enter.)

Doug
Confirmed OBPer.

For the non-sailors: OPB="other people's boats"

 

[4000'er]

I need to buy new gear all the time, not because it's an obsession, but because I always buy the wrong stuff... Last item I bought was a backpack for winter hiking, and I chose such a small one that I can't fit everything I need in (ask Frodo about it...)

Good point Timmus,
After I buy something, I usually go into PPDAR (Post Purchase Decision and Regret)
Did I really get the right thing? Did I really get the right price? Even if I research the heck out of something, I still feel PPDAR. If I can just hold on I can enjoy what I bought, but more times than not I end up returning it. This most recently happened when I was shopping for a camp Dutch Oven for car camping with the family and scouts. I read, researched, and went to store after store. I ended up bringing home 3 of them and later returning 2. (I ended up keeping the 12” Lodge Logic which I am now thrilled about)
Great price at Sports Authority in Manchester, NH by the way.

 

[Jeff-B]

I don't think I am, but after decades, one tends to collect a lot. I might buy a new pack every 10 years, but I keep the old one. I have a bunch of old synthetic sleeping bags which I only use car-camping now. I've got things I needed when the kids were young, but don't really need now.... Yeah, I've got lots of stuff, but....

I don't think the amount of gear one has, necessarily indicates they are a gear-aholic. I think it's the attitude... interest in every new-fangled device that comes out.

Hey Pete!
Give us a rundown of your "axe and chainsaw quiver"!

And I agree, its not the amount of equipment you own...its the attitude!

Although I do tend to buy the latest, I wait for reviews, or better, closeouts.
I rarely purchase the "new fangled device" when it comes out at full price, but somehow I end up with it due to the sale price.
I am at the point with my gear now that I can say..."I need nothing"
I think....

But then you must separate "needs" from "wants" which help keep it all in check.

Jeff

 

[KayakDan]

At least you won't have to buy 2 of everything for the sailboat...

(And yes, I have an idea of what it costs to keep a sailboat going. Abandon all savings, ye who enter.)

Doug
Confirmed OBPer.

For the non-sailors: OPB="other people's boats"

BOAT=Break Out Another Thousand!

The 2 happiest days in a sailors life
The day he buys the boat
The day he sells the boat!

 

[dvbl]

BOAT=Break Out Another Thousand!

The 2 happiest days in a sailors life
The day he buys the boat
The day he sells the boat!

Definition of boat: A hole in the water that you pour money into.

 

[carole]

Reading the replies, I haven’t decided whether I am or not. I do have an assortment of packs, boots, etc. but all are used for different types of hikes (season, length, etc.) Some have been replaced by something better and I just haven’t gotten around to finding a good home for replaced item yet. I do have a ‘gear’ room. If I’m in a gear store I like looking around especially for bargains but I can reason on whether I ‘need’ it or not and can walk out empty handed. I do get the assortment of catalogs but often toss them without looking because I just don’t ‘need’ anything. And I, fortunately, don’t live near enough to any good stores so I don’t get inside them that often. I don’t want to drive to one if I don’t ‘need’ anything and when I’m near some when hiking they aren’t open yet on the way there and I stink too much on the way home to want to go in.

But I have had fun on some shopping trips. Example:

Last year in search of a soft-shell that might fit my needs (returned several that left me thinking I just didn’t like them) I found one that fit and felt pretty nice, was a great price – and they had a color I liked. Okay, I’ll give it a try but now I needed a hat to go with it. Found it. Then jokingly while looking at packs (which I didn’t need) I saw one that matched!! And again it was at an unbeatable price. As I examined it I found that it fit great and had just what I needed for a winter pack – better than the one I had. Now that winter is done I found that all three have become favorites.

Only thing is my snowshoes don’t match…But that is for a new thread

 

[David Metsky]

Give us a rundown of your "axe and chainsaw quiver"!

I have 3-4 trails axes, 1 speed axe, 2 cross-cut saws, 1 bow saw, 1 pole saw, 2 rock bars, and assorted pulaskis, grub hoes, and shovels. But no chainsaw; those I borrow.

-dave-

 

[sleeping bear]

A while ago Backpacker magazine had a "quiz" to see if you were a "gearaholic". I passed with flying colors.

I'll see if I can dig it up...

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Hey Pete!
Give us a rundown of your "axe and chainsaw quiver"!

Dunno. A few. Hey, the axe in my avatar isn't even mine. It's one of my son's toys.

http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/jr_pack.jpg

You can see it in his pack. I borrow gear from my kids, but he doesn't trust me with his good axe.

Also... In keeping wioth the thread.... I have NO titanium... except for the assorted screws, bolts, and bars that hold some of my bones together.

Did you know that titanium bonds to bones better than stainless steel?

Really!

 

[Gris]

Was just starting to slip into gear-aholism. then it suddenly dawned on me that a lot of the stuff wasn't really essential & that i could buy a heck of a lot of post hike beer & ice cream (essential) w/ what it was all worth. so i sold most of it on E-bay over the last two years. of course, now i have a very serious E-bay addiction which has cost me LOTS more than i made off the hiking stuff... (all true)

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I've enjoyed reading this thread. I own alot of gear, but during the past 3 years or so have managed to buy mostly what I needed to replace something that was worn out, damaged or lost. That's not to say I haven't made a few impulse buys, like buying a discontinued pair of new Tubbs 'shoes from their Stowe HQ a couple of days before they closed for good, or a spare pair of hiking poles 'just in case'. But, I only own one 30-degree bag, one -30 degree bag, etc.

What I've found it that when there's a huge urge to buy a piece it's often to meet some other need, and not related to hiking. So, sometimes I go thru this process of selecting the item, and then telling myself to sit on it for a week. If I still 'need' it after a week then I'll get it. But, mostly I save some $$.

If I have a weakness it's for jackets, and I probably have 3 or 4 redundant 2-ply shells which I could just as well donate. I also believe in the karmic principle that sometimes in order for sometime new to come into your life you have to let go of something old.

 

[DougPaul]

Did you know that titanium bonds to bones better than stainless steel?

Also very resistant to corrosion by body fluids.

Doug

 

[deanmacg]

12 pr of mounted tele skis
16 tents
20 packs
10 sleeping bags - 7 of them Feathered Friends
the list is long

 

[KayakDan]

Did you know that titanium bonds to bones better than stainless steel?

Really!

And it won't screw up your compass!

 

[Halite]

12 pr of mounted tele skis
16 tents
20 packs
10 sleeping bags - 7 of them Feathered Friends
the list is long

It's time to show this thread to my wife. I am now absolved of all gearaholic guilt! Thank you for making my gear fetish appear sane.