I'm loving the "get er done" drift of this thread. High end gear is a luxury, not a necessity. Plenty of durable stuff out there for less. I saw a group of high school kids several miles in up near timberline in the Olympics one time outfitted with mostly mil surplus. They were in misery with their ALICE frames, but having the time of their lives. There's a lesson in that. Lots of guys who are brand snobs are that way to reinforce their own sense of efficacy.
Me too!
Many of us, myself included, reached the point of diminishing returns long ago. I like good gear and guns as much or more than most, but in the end, it's about time in the hills. Growing up, we had lots of great times and made memories with old surplus gear and wool handmedowns.
