Is there a Gear-a-holics support group?

BillyJoeBobJim said:
Okay. Never mind. I haven't taken any of the Schrades out of their boxes yet anyway. Maybe I'll look at them before my executor does...

:D :D
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:D

Enjoying being a collector is no shame. And it isn't like you dump them all in a swag bag to take with you every time you go outdoors. I get the military jokes and I have seen hunters and other outdoorsmen load themselves down with more than needed, suffering for carrying the extra bulk and weight. As for myself, the dross of rejected gear just gets stored until it is time to clean house. "Pay it forward" is a good opportunity for that. Pass unwanted gear on to others who are without.
 
Definitely a difference between being a collector and a hoarder! I have a small collection of WWII khukuri. Though I did sell some duplicates, as khukuri take up a lot of room and don't "match our home's décor" or so I'm told:D What drove me nuts was the pile of "users" not getting used. That said, variety is the spice of life and the line between just enough and too many is an individual one. I still have a number of "user" khukuri, modern and traditional, but not too many. Just enough...:)
 
Codger_64 said:
:D

Enjoying being a collector is no shame. And it isn't like you dump them all in a swag bag to take with you every time you go outdoors. I get the military jokes and I have seen hunters and other outdoorsmen load themselves down with more than needed, suffering for carrying the extra bulk and weight. As for myself, the dross of rejected gear just gets stored until it is time to clean house. "Pay it forward" is a good opportunity for that. Pass unwanted gear on to others who are without.
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I'm just joking around a little. This thread is great in that it has me wanting to review what I have and what I should sell or give to someone else. Many times I've seen some limited-production knives (or other gear) and bought several more than I will likely use. Then they just take up space waiting their turn, which never arrives because I keep using the first one or another that has become my favorite or most useful.

:)
 
My sense is that we are acquisitive by survival instinct, and then - in abundance - we are overburdened by stuff and more and more choices.

Sorting, sifting ... kicks in as we mature through experience. Impulse control is earned control.It is not easy or obvious. It is tough.

Simply - there are some purchases that make us happy. I try to drill down to those. I reserve the right to change my mind and regret buying something. A lesson learned.

Here on BF I love to window shop, learn big time ... and buy custom, quality sharp tools

Susan
 
jdk1 said:
Fixed it. Thats where much stress comes from, dealing with a$$holes. As an LEO, I've found it's not the people I deal with, but some of those I WORK with and FOR that cause the most stress:grumpy: Nature can be a nice place to escape. I'm finding more and more that's where I want to be. It's hard where I live. Public land is almost non-existent. It's mainly parks, which are filled with other people as well. My wife and I have been dreaming of moving out to New Mexico for years. I'm eligible to retire in six years and change. It's looking more tempting everyday:):):)
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I find that I need and seek out solace in nature. Whether metal detecting, peeling off dead Birch bark, or collecting wild Asparagus etc. The outdoors put my head back together when I pressure stress. On one hand I care about human suffering, and work in human service. On the other, I know for a fact that a large % of the human pop. is inherently self centered and doesn't give a flying frick about anything other than self. So my outdoor alone time is cathartic for me. I made a choice to move for a job opportunity and ended up on a prairie wasteland. It worked well career wise, but the lifestyle element has suffered. I now believe that I'd rather have a beautiful location with less career opportunity, than the opposite, which is what I sought. The grass is always greener I suppose...........................
 
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upnorth said:
The grass is always greener I suppose...........................
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You speak to a natural phenomenon shared by most people, whether or not it is acknowledged.

What's the connection between stress and time in nature?

There are two popular explanations for how green time soothes a stressed brain. The first suggests that humans have a finite capacity for sustained concentration. Busy urban environments make focusing more difficult, causing fatigue and irritability. But nature lets the conscious brain rest, replenishing your powers of attention and lowering anxiety.

Another theory argues that affinity for nature was an evolutionary advantage. Landscapes with vegetation and water were ideal for finding food and avoiding predators, so their inhabitants survived longer and were less stressed. Although today's humans roam cityscapes with blinking stoplights and shiny glass towers, it's unlikely our brains have fully adapted to them.

The above: From a Toronto family physician who works and hikes in rural and remote communities across Canada. She holds a faculty appointment with the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, guest blogs for Evergreen and regularly appears as a medical expert on CBC.

Deeply, I share the need for the challenges of nature in my everyday life. I have recognized this need since I was a small child. I have enough years (and many in excess!) in hand to recognize that those years of urban financial struggle were poison to me and those near to me.

Give me the water flowing, the granite, the evergreens, the sky above ... and I am able to deal with the rest in some proportion.

Susan
 
taldesta said:
You speak to a natural phenomenon shared by most people, whether or not it is acknowledged.

What's the connection between stress and time in nature?

There are two popular explanations for how green time soothes a stressed brain. The first suggests that humans have a finite capacity for sustained concentration. Busy urban environments make focusing more difficult, causing fatigue and irritability. But nature lets the conscious brain rest, replenishing your powers of attention and lowering anxiety.

Another theory argues that affinity for nature was an evolutionary advantage. Landscapes with vegetation and water were ideal for finding food and avoiding predators, so their inhabitants survived longer and were less stressed. Although today's humans roam cityscapes with blinking stoplights and shiny glass towers, it's unlikely our brains have fully adapted to them.

The above: From a Toronto family physician who works and hikes in rural and remote communities across Canada. She holds a faculty appointment with the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, guest blogs for Evergreen and regularly appears as a medical expert on CBC.

Deeply, I share the need for the challenges of nature in my everyday life. I have recognized this need since I was a small child. I have enough years (and many in excess!) in hand to recognize that those years of urban financial struggle were poison to me and those near to me.

Give me the water flowing, the granite, the evergreens, the sky above ... and I am able to deal with the rest in some proportion.

Susan
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Well said, and I agree with both hypotheses.
 
I've spent some hours these past three days perusing the usual suspect sites (Campmor, REI, Sportsman's Warehouse, etc.) looking at all the new froo-fraw that has come out for camp cookware etc. Many neat new gadgets I hadn't seen, and combination gadgets. Different pots and cups and utensils. Survival bags and blankets. I am only tempted by one or two items but won't pull the trigger on those until I have had time to reconsider. My current gear is fine but this spring and summer I am likely to have two new companions on my canoe day trips and overnighters, So I need to add a few pieces to accommodate them. Most likely just duplicates of what I already have and use. All of the titanium stuff is really neat but since my canoe is my packhorse, I can't see the additional expense over my usual plastic ware, GCI Cascadian. I am going to begin prebuying some Mountainhouse freeze dried meals. Those are easy to prepare and clean up after and pretty tasty to boot. I am going to have to do some research into the local bear situations though. I may have to buy a bear vault.

Nah, I don't have a gear buying problem. But activities and needs do change, amirite?
 
I'm with ya...however, I guess while I'm recovering in one 'gear type' I'm slipping in another. I used to have a lot more gear like knives, but many of those wound up going to new homes. But say packs, boots, clothing like pants, well, I'm accumulating more...probably because I'm learning that sometimes there's things better than blue jeans for hiking. Am also getting to the age where I can't think 'well, I've got another 50-60 years to find time to X,Y,Z." I have to remind myself I'm well into middle age, and I want to progress ALOT more from collecting/hording into USING. As such, I've been purging 'safe queens' and the like and trying to prep for another year or so out when I *hopefully* will be able to get back into outdoor adventures. Although I admit, I did see a couple recent and post-holiday too-good-to-pass-up deals that I just couldn't let slip by...dang Danner's 'Breakroom' and The Clymb...dangerous places...I need another pair of boots like I need a hole in the head, but nice brand new insulated Danners for $80, in my common (ie typically sells out fast) size? C'mon, I'm only human.

BOSS
 
Taldesta, great post:thumbup: I work in a very large city and often eat my lunch at my desk (Ya know, Dave Ramsey effect. My coworkers don't even realize they're spending $200 a month on lunches alone.) Anyway, I started going to a park near my office. I eat and listen to podcasts, outdoor related, and find it relaxing. I'll usually do a lap or two walking the track after my meal. Trees, deer, grass, it soothes the mind a bit. Unfortunately, it's also in the flight path of an airport. You can't win them all.

BOSS1, those sales hit me hard as well. It was especially bad to have to buy a few duplicates to hit the discount price. But a Mora Bushcraft Orange for $22 shipped, and LMF Mora for $20. The SAK deal wasn't as good (about $26 a piece), but I needed a Farmer and they weren't getting any cheaper. And I have an extra now! The Emberlit Fireant for $45 shipped was a luxury item, but what a perfect way to brew something on the trail;) Everything I bought has more or less at least been on the radar for a year+. So, maybe that's just smart shopping. On the other hand, I wear my shoes until the soles fall off... I guess it balances out.
 
I say so what? Provided that you are not causing your household any financial hardship by spending the money excessively. I enjoy reading reviews, watching videos, window shopping, etc. trying out new gear, and so forth. I tend to pick up relatively inexpensive items. If it turns out that I don't use a thing regularly, I trade it away. Trading is a fun way to try new stuff without spending more money.
 
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