Skurka and Sierra Designs team up for gear

I started backpacking with a couple who are overplanners. They have a whole bunch of personal rules about backpacking, and feel like they know which things are "the best" in every situation.

It was great when i was just figuring things out, but it can wear on me now when we hike together. I like my "adventure" a bit looser.

Both ways are fine though, the challenge is making different people's priorities work together.

HYOH & Live and let live.

Harold, As nice as it is to throw crap in a bag and go. I don't think you can do a hike like his Yukon trips and some of the other long ones without a certain amount of planning. He sent A LOT of stuff to various points for resupply that had to be calculated. Also the timing for the seasons had to be taken in account and 95% off trail had to be routed. doing that on the fly probably would have made it very slow.

Not to mention that he seems to enjoy having things planned out. It isn't forcing anyone else to do it that way. Dozens will show up at springer every year without a clue.. some show up planned down to the day.. some of both will make it to Maine.

Oh yea.. and he doesn't care for Cuben *gasp*

David, questioning if someone is having fun doing something they like doing the way they do it is pretty lame. Who are you to judge what someones version of fun and experience is supposed to be?

"He doesn't seem to be having fun and seems more focused on the accomplishment (physical) than the experience (spiritual)"

Looks like he's having a terrible time.. yep.. look at how grumpy he is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtsI1DOlVow

not embracing the experience? nah, he's just going through the motions. video at 22:10 if it doesn't go automatically.
http://youtu.be/hMf7TypZwtc?t=22m10s

I'm guessing you haven't met the guy in person. The folks who have are pretty evident in this thread.

nm

"Oh yea.. and he doesn't care for Cuben *gasp*"

Well, I did like guy, but now he's dead to me. :)

Seriously though, I hope Skurka and SD put out some great products. Neither of them seem like corporate tyrants and are generally pretty likable people from what I can tell.

Most everyone else romanticizes about Andrew's lifestyle while he tries to remind folks its often different than they think. I know I wouldn't want to trade with him.

Ryan

Sounds like Law firm doesn't it?

Anyway, Skurka must not despise Cuben TOO much,

He included it in his fall hunting gear list(MLD Solomid) and that was even expecting snow loads…

I just wish he would get with the rest of the back packing world and call a Supercat stove by it's proper name. Its NOT a "Fancyfeast", damnit… :)

Maybe Andrew is screwing up writing serious,psuedo academic backpacking books and blogs..

Maybe , he should hook up with a Comic book illustrator and create a new Wilderness action adventure Comic Book series called "SKURKA WORLD"..Then ,he can call Mt Whitney " Mt Crumpet" for all I care..:)

Until then, its still Mount Whitney..And a Supercat is still the real name of the stove he actually uses..

Ah.. well it has been a few years since i talked to him at his slideshow. At the time his list did not include any cuben. I think durability and cost were the main factors, which for most people it isn't a great cost/weight benefit.

either way i was mostly being lightening the mood with that bit. ;)

"What has HE done that any of YOU can't do?"

Surely you speak in jest?

"Personally, I find his methods boring, overplanned, and lacking in true adventure, a word which is thrown around rather loosely these days. He doesn't seem to be having fun and seems more focused on the accomplishment (physical) than the experience (spiritual), but I guess when you're trying to turn a profit from your trips that's the name of the game."

Welcome to BPL, David. You're off to a stellar start. ;0)

B. G., yes, marketing was implied in the self promotion statement. Thanks for that crisp definition though.

Peter B., I believe you and everyone else here are capable of both of those feats. Would most people work hard enough to bring those two examples you gave to fruition? Probably not. But every person is capable.

Andrew, Jake, your interpretations of my statements are a shining example of a Straw Man Fallacy. Thank you.

The term 'adventure' has gotten a little loose in the britches. 'Adventure' used to be exciting, breathtaking, worthy of a book. People would beg to hear the stories. Nowadays the world's full of mostly white, mostly male 'Adventurers'. Dime a dozen. A book of Andrew Skurka stories would bore me tears. Too clean, too neat. Figures, calculations, deadlines, spreadsheets. Not enough oomph, ya know? No joie de vivre.

Does that make him a bad guy? Of course not; there is no doubt in my mind that he's nothing but a little sweety pants. But witnessing grown men behaving the way that's seen here is enough to warrant someone reminding them that,

A. He's just a person, doing things we're all very capable of.

B: What he wears, how he thinks, who he works for, and what gear he recommends is of no importance to how YOUR time in Nature should be experienced.

C: You'd better get busy living YOUR life cuz it ain't gettin' longer.

He must not take himself too seriously,,After all, he agreed to this pic…:)
(Which I think is one of the funnier pics I have seen in a while)

Tom,

I'm not on BPL to quibble with a bunch of A.S. fan boys, nor do I need advice on how to enjoy myself outside, so you can keep your sarcastic welcome. I am not a regular here. I know, I know, thank God, right?

I just come to restock my gear on the cheap between 'adventures'.

*cute little winky emoticon*

But I like how everybody keeps posting videos and pictures of him doin' his thang. When are y'all gonna post up his Petco news blurb on how to walk your dog and cat outside, or whatever.

Keep yer britches on gentlemen.

Just because you take exception to questioning a guy's integrity, it doesn't make you a fan boy. YOU seem to like belittling others. Maybe you are actually covering up for a bit of jealousy…

Perhaps you should have kept to your wheelhouse in the Gear swap… definitely not someone i'd hike with.

" nor do I need advice on how to enjoy myself outside, "

who's telling who how they should enjoy themselves outside?

Callous, cocksure, irreverent….I like it.

But even better, those seeking to characterize my posts as scandalous, character-defaming libel of the utmost degree now have an entirely new boogeyman to focus on. In a mere two posts I believe you've relieved my entire burden in this thread.

Well done sir, I raise my glass to you!

Now that would be an adventure. I dare you both!

nm

Removed.

Interesting responses.

If there were job opportunities to design hiking gear announced here, I'm sure the reaction would be something on the order of an early 19th Century buffalo stampede and ethical cosiderations would be farther down the list :)

I think SD's move was brilliant. I think it would be a blast to have all those materials and craftspersons at hand to develop new products, like a Renaissance studio workshop with silnylon :) All thry need to do is add Richard Nisley to the payroll—- the mind boggles!

I chuckled at the mention of "overplanners." Imagine such things with a rabid pack of ultralighters. Good cause for solo hiking, or at least solo shelters!

I'm only posting to add more meaningless drivel to this thread.

nm.

Memes. This thread is missing memes.

.

Move it to Chaff.

He didn't really PM me… i'm crying inside for reals…. :'(

"I'm sure the reaction would be something on the order of an early 19th Century buffalo stampede "
Just finished reading Billy Crystal's "Still fooli'em"
(for the ones that need a laugh and have a sense of humour..)
His version was "like my relatives stampede to the free buffet"
( I found his keys already !)

"so you can keep your sarcastic welcome. I am not a regular here. I know, I know, thank God, right?"

Sorry if I ruffled your feathers, David. It was a tongue in cheek attempt to get you to soften your posting style so as not to hurt people's feelings unnecessarily. I figured if I succeeded, you would be a tremendous benefit to the community. Anyone who functioned at Skurka's level as a Cub Scout, and has accumulated years of practical experience since, would have an enormous amount to teach folks here. Too bad you're not going to hang around. Best of luck with your adventures, wherever they may lead you.

" Anyone who functioned at Skurka's level as a Cub Scout, and has accumulated years of practical experience since, would have an enormous amount to teach folks here. "

He got me right at the point of doing something equivalent to Skurka's 4700 mile Alaskan trip and he did it as a Cub Scout.

–B.G.–