Random thoughts on outdoor gear, knives etc.

tknife

tknife

Joined
Mar 18, 1999
Messages
9,966
I'm planning for my first big trip of the summer, five days in the Sierras next month. I'm going through my gear and knives and stuff, deciding on what I want to take. I'm also hitting up the stores like REI getting a few new things.

A funny thought keeps running through my mind, I have spent TONS of money on knives, no question about that. But I am a cheap bastid when it comes to most other gear! :o Seems like the 100%, complete opposite of all the gear heads buying all the hi tech backpacking gear.

Others will not blink at buying a $200 sleeping bag, a $300 tent etc, but carry either NO KNIFE (gasp!) or a complete cheapie :confused:

I do like nice gear, but buy it much less frequently than knives. I'm sure it's mind set, if I wasn't a knife nut I would never have found BF in the first place. But I just couldn't ever see going to the woods with at least ONE, but usually three good knives.

I can't even count how many times I've been stopped on the trail, or approached at a camp site by someone asking if they can borrow a knife. I ask, you don't have a knife? They reply, no, I didn't figure I'd need one. Huh?! Do you not need a knife at home? Why would you not need one in the woods?

Just some Friday ramblings I guess, my mind is already out in the woods today :D
 
My cousin spent about a month to two months in Alaska on a trip in the bush, he only took his ever present SAK, and a good amt of expensive gear. My gear is from Wally World and Target, but I would take my Barkies, Spydercos etc, stuff a lot more expensive than a SAK.
 
The only other gear I've spent any kinda money on is flashlights. Man I love me a good flashlight.
 
Fiddleback said:
The only other gear I've spent any kinda money on is flashlights. Man I love me a good flashlight.
Click to expand...

Me too, I've had some nice Surfires. But even those I have traded for knives, it's a disease I tell ya! Now I have to stick with Princeton Tec's and less expensive lights like that. ;)
 
I'm cheap on that sort of equipment, too. When my friend and I first started backpacking, almost all our stuff came from Meijer! But we had a great time and were rarely without what we needed/wanted. I'm the same now, and am patient to find cheap gear that performs the tasks I need well. I'm pretty dang poor, but have spent tons of money on guns and knives, to a lesser extent. However, I'd never think about putting $300 into a tent or almost $100 into a sleeping pada. Not without winning the lottery.

I like cheap things, I like basic things. These are what I like to use and what I'm comfortable relying on. I'd rather develop some skill sets that have to spend the green on that sort of thing.

But then, I find (even after buying more expensive blades) I love my Moras most of all. They're cheap but still of high quality, which is more than I can say for many knives that cost 5 times as much.

Cheap quality is worth hunting for. Basic is good.
 
tknife said:
Me too, I've had some nice Surfires. But even those I have traded for knives, it's a disease I tell ya! Now I have to stick with Princeton Tec's and less expensive lights like that. ;)
Click to expand...

It's easier to justify flashlight purchases... there is a 100% chance of darkness every single night of your life. (Or that is what I tell the wife everytime I bring home a new flashlight).

Always have my SAK and HDS on me and that's about all I need.
 
Different strokes...although I couldn't imagine going camping without a knife.

Sure I've got some quality knives and a few Mr. Bulk LionCubs and a few other lights but my whole backpacking setup cost me about $200. It might not be the lightest or smallest stuff you can buy but It works fine for me. My gear weighs a bit under 28 pounds without food or water but with knives and a pistol. Of course I could spend another $1k to save 8lbs but I can't justify that for a 3 day trip. Maybe a month would be different, but then I couldn't pack steaks or eggs...

I think the big issue with backpacking gear is the price/performance curve is very steep. Is that $200 Kelty pack 400% better than my $50 Outdoor products pack? Nope, maybe 20%. Its all about priorities. My feet are covered in $150 lowa boots though. Gotta take care of your feet.

A random thought of my own: Some of my friends harass me about about going backpacking, saying its strange to go off into the woods just to have to spend a whole day walking back out. I laugh at them when they go "camping" they load the jeeps up with beer, a chainsaw, a blender! (with inverter), etc. Different strokes....
 
You know you're a knife nut when the blade in your pocket is worth more than the vehicle you are driving :D

I've collected some good hiking gear, but through cheapskate means like garage sales, thrift stores, Ebay and trades. Good knives are hard to come by cheap that way. I have way too many knives, but all are moderate tools. My whole collection of moras wouldn't equal one Randall sheath!
 
Hi Tknife, where abouts are you going backpacking??? The last time i dicided that i would try and cut down on what i carry. I found that a Mora does for me everything i ever needed. Sometimes i would carry another Mora just in case i lose one. Never worried that it would break on me. Dont forget a pair of walking poles or stick or what ever else some people want to call them. One of those things that if you try you got no idea how you done it before with out.

Sasha
 
Most likely Golden Trout Wilderness, unless it's crowded there. Since we're arriving on a Sunday, hopefully won't be too bad.
 
What camera are you using ???? I want to make sure you take good pics for us all lol. Any particular trail are you going to take??? If you go over the cottomwood pass they always have permits open.... I dont know why but i would guess most people hate the steep trail. If you do make sure you stop at chicken lake its just sooo pretty of a lake.

Sasha
 
I used to spend a fortune on Hiking clothes and Camping gear !
My friends used to yank my chain saying that I had a different jacket for every day of the year....truth be told they weren't far off !!!!
I am glad I got over that compulsion now and can just blow my money on knives instead !!!LOL !!!!!
 
We probably will take Cottonwood pass. I usually like to meander and not really stay on a trail, but my wife is going and she's not the trail breaker type :D
 
sputnick said:
A random thought of my own: Some of my friends harass me about about going backpacking, saying its strange to go off into the woods just to have to spend a whole day walking back out. I laugh at them when they go "camping" they load the jeeps up with beer, a chainsaw, a blender! (with inverter), etc. Different strokes....
Click to expand...

Seems even more strange to me to go camping and then bring all the conveniences of home. Why not just stay home:confused:

I love great gear of all kinds. One of the things that puzzles me are the pure backpacker types who are oblivious to all the quality gear available in the military supply/surplus/tactical world and their converse, the tactically oriented crowd who refuse to avail themselve of all the wonderful (and weight-saving gear) used by the backpacking/mountaineering types. I select the very best of what I can afford from both worlds.
 
Man, I spend a pile on gear. The knives are an extension of that. I always think of Aron Ralston with his $5 multitool being pinned under that boulder and think, "he did at least TWO dumb things that day..."(the other being alone) The great thing about good gear is that you don't need to keep on looking for upgrades each season for most stuff, so that leaves you plenty left over for a few (or more:D ) good knives each year. I think much of it depends on where you do your outdoor activities. If you're not likely to encounter serious conditions, you can afford to spend less. If you happen to live in areas where weather can change for the worse in the summer(like where I live), those extra $$$ spent on better, high performance kit can be the difference between "challenging" and "suffering". YMMV
 
I did a search on yahoo for homemade backpacking gear and found some real interesting stuff. Framed packs that weighed in at a pound, and some other neat things. In the long run I deiced to stay with my surplus alice pack. The day I cant lift it is the day I need to be put out to pasture. 30 years with the same patched and worn pack but a new knife every time.
 
Mostly from Target, Wal-mart or the local surplus store. My wife's bad back has ruled out our deep desert camping and camp ground camping isn't life or death so it doesn't have to be pro quality. The tent is too big to take on a hike but the Mrs. doesn't have to hunch over to change. Same goes for the air mattress. Food and drinks in coolers. We play 31 by the light of a Coleman propane lantern and listen to CDs on a little boom box. I guess to some guys it's not real camping. We're mainly city boys with our girls in tow, BBQing, drinking and playing cards for quarters. Even still, just from what I've learned by reading here has earned me the titles of Boyscout and Survivalist. If they only knew.

Frank
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top