Shoutout to the guy who talked me into a $12 camp trowel instead of the $50 ultralight one

I spent three trips digging cat holes with a flimsy plastic thing because I thought I needed to save every gram, then a random hiker at the trailhead handed me his cheap steel trowel and told me to try it. How long did it take you to realize spending more on backpacking gear doesn't always mean you're getting something better?

2 comments

2 Comments

lisaf3818d ago

...and it's honestly the same thing with kitchen stuff, like how everyone buys those fancy $40 spatulas but a basic metal one from the dollar store works just as good. People get so caught up in the "buy once cry once" mindset that they forget sometimes cheaper stuff is actually better for the job, you know? I've seen dudes spend hundreds on a titanium pot but then their food burns because it's too thin, while my buddy's old greasy aluminum pot makes perfect rice every time. It's like we've been trained to think price equals quality when really it's more about what actually fits your style of doing things (and figuring that out usually takes some trial and error). The camping world is full of that kind of overthinking, I swear half the crap in my closet I bought because someone online told me I'd die without it.

blakem3718d ago

@lisaf38 saw this whole thing play out with fishing gear too. Guys dropping 500 on a rod but my grandpa's old fiberglass pole still catches more fish. The hype train is real with hobbies, people just want an excuse to buy new stuff.