Conclusion Reached
The water bladder, making hands free drinking a reality sense whenever the water bottle became 'obsolete'. Each has its advantages, but upon further consideration I find myself leaning toward the bottle. On my NOLS trip I brought a 3 liter bladder, it worked well and I didn't have to fish a water bottle out of my pack when I wanted a drink. I got home and noticed some nicks on the surface, which turned out to be holes. A little duck tape took care of the issue, but the thought stayed with me. Had something punctured the bladder, I would not have had any back up. I would have been hung out to dry. It is my opinion that where sharp objects reside, my hydration system will not.
Case closed.
Z
Mountain Gear, a collection of thoughts about the gear I own. A sister blog to The Bird, The Bauer, The Bum.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
The Right to Vote
The Price to Play
I have found it takes about $2,000 - $3,000 to purchase enough equipment for one to be comfortable in most mountaineering situations. Once you have acquired the gear to make a complete set - in theory - it means no more expenses for gear. As time passes, you refine things and create the 'perfect' system for YOU. Then along comes sweet temptation offering up the latest models and styles with enhanced features, complete with that "new car smell", so to speak.
Staggering back inside from a long day hike you notice that your old rain jacket has a huge tear. So many miles and stories in that coat. But alas, it is time to retire the old gal. Now what do you do? The answer is up to you. It's your system, not mine.
Our world is flooded with products that claim to be "the last one you will ever need". Don't be fooled by the illusion that we as consumers play no part. The SOLE reason companies exist is to meet our demands. Want an ultra-light rain jacket? Check out OR's Helium II. Want a technical climbing shell? There's Arc'teryx's Alpha SV.
Companies go out of their way to make products that we tell them we need. Cash is king. We vote by buying their products and supporting their mission statement. While the price to play may seem high, remember that every dollar - no, every cent - that we send to a company in exchange for a product is a vote cast in that company's favor. One of the reasons I write this blog is to advertise for the products I love. One day I hope to be paid well to write for a companies while advertising their goods. For now, I write because I love it. Since freedom of speech is still around, I shall continue to write, and vote in my own way.
Z
I have found it takes about $2,000 - $3,000 to purchase enough equipment for one to be comfortable in most mountaineering situations. Once you have acquired the gear to make a complete set - in theory - it means no more expenses for gear. As time passes, you refine things and create the 'perfect' system for YOU. Then along comes sweet temptation offering up the latest models and styles with enhanced features, complete with that "new car smell", so to speak.
Staggering back inside from a long day hike you notice that your old rain jacket has a huge tear. So many miles and stories in that coat. But alas, it is time to retire the old gal. Now what do you do? The answer is up to you. It's your system, not mine.
Our world is flooded with products that claim to be "the last one you will ever need". Don't be fooled by the illusion that we as consumers play no part. The SOLE reason companies exist is to meet our demands. Want an ultra-light rain jacket? Check out OR's Helium II. Want a technical climbing shell? There's Arc'teryx's Alpha SV.
Companies go out of their way to make products that we tell them we need. Cash is king. We vote by buying their products and supporting their mission statement. While the price to play may seem high, remember that every dollar - no, every cent - that we send to a company in exchange for a product is a vote cast in that company's favor. One of the reasons I write this blog is to advertise for the products I love. One day I hope to be paid well to write for a companies while advertising their goods. For now, I write because I love it. Since freedom of speech is still around, I shall continue to write, and vote in my own way.
Z
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)