I try as hard as I can to get the lightest best quality gear that I feel like paying for. I tend to look for good sales or budget priced gear that performs beyond it's price. I usually end up in the middle of the pack price wise. I tend not to buy the cheapest or the most expensive. There's a lot of good gear out there that's priced really sweet, you just gotta look.
Cheap Chic Gear Find:
I found a 2-person tent at Walmart that weighed only 3.5 pounds that I used successfully for two (fair weather) seasons of hiking all for $5! Really! I bought one for everyone! I've since retired it, before I got stuck in a torential rain.
Christopher Burk
Trail Name: "Magellan"
(I always carry the maps)
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 145 lb
Sleeping: Warm Sleeper
When looking for gear, I first think about all possible uses I would have for the gear. Next I decide what features I find more desirable then others. The last deciding factor is price. I am willing to pay more for a piece of gear that is better suited to all my needs then buy the less expensive item because I'll wind up buying another piece of gear because the first one didn't meet all my needs.
Worst Gear Mishap:
About a mile into a 12-mile, two-day hike, my waist belt buckle broke. I was able to thread both straps through one buckle because only half the buckle broke. We went on to finish the hike with no other problems but needless to say, I now carry an extra belt buckle.
Jeff Cobb
Trail Name: "OCD"
(Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 155 lb
Sleeping: Warm Sleeper
I'm usually the last one in the group to buy a particular piece of gear. I make sure I really need something before I buy it. The key is to separate necessities from superfluous equipment. The basics of backpacking gear will always remain the same: pack, bag, compass, pad, tent, stove, and a good pair of shoes. All other gear is nice to have, but you can really do without it.
Gear Lesson Learned:
On our very first backpacking trip,
I made the mistake of trying to secure my bag and tent to my pack with shoestrings. Of course, they kept coming undone and my stuff would slide to one side and hang awkwardly. We kept having to stop while Dana or Christopher would secure the gear. Needless to say, by the next hike I had bought some cinch staps.
Our Personal Hiking Gear Review
We're probably just like you when it comes to hiking gear. We start out slow, learn our lessons and gradually build a stash of better and better gear. Our testers (us) have different philosophies when it comes to buying gear. But we all have one thing in common, finding good equipment at a good price. Hey, we're not rich, we just like to get out into the woods! Our gear is just that, our gear. If a certain piece of gear is great, we'll praise it. If it sucks, we'll tell you why we think it does - completly free from manufacturer influence.
