Gear Upgrade Frequency

It varies. If it had not been stolen, my 1960 Kelty packframe would still be in service when appropriate (albeit with new bag and hip belt). I still use my 1951 mil surp Mountain cook set for large groups, but I went to LED lights long ago, along with canister and alcohol stoves. I still have my first fleece jacket, although I no longer pick it for front line duty

Utility matters, not age.

I try to sell whatever i'm replacing to offset some of the cost. ie. i sold my Contrail when i bought a Lightheart Solo tent. same with my sleeping pads when i decided i liked the neoair best.

i do have some things for spare/sharing.. extra canister stove, Ti pot etc.

I, unfortunately, have suffered through a very bad case of GAS (gear-acquisition-syndrome). Mostly trying to find what I like and what works for me, but I have this awful pull to experiment with new stuff all the time.

Thankfully I've pretty much dialed in my kit – I even sold the Solplex that I lusted after for months because after using it on the JMT it never felt like "home," and I found I really missed my Duomid. And thanks to gear swap and GearTrade I've been able to unload stuff that I can't justify keeping…and to help replace some funds in my bank account.

I'm hopeful that my GAS is gone now, for the most part, soon to be replaced by a MYOG bug now that I'm experimenting with sewing a quilt (turned out perfectly usable!) and -gasp- a pack.

I used to do it a lot after I first came to this site. Like Jennifer, I just liked trying out different things. I've had a number of things that I never took out of the house – bought it, after receiving it didn't think it would work for me – got rid of it. A bunch of other stuff that I used once, maybe twice, and then got rid of. Sold most of the stuff, gave some of it away. I'm pretty happy with what I have now – of course, I rarely get out these days so I don't really have the desire to buy a bunch of stuff anymore.

It's a bit like listening to the radio in the car when out in the boonies, it take a bit of dialing in and fine tuning, and then you find something that works ;-)

Unfortunately, there is gear better suited to certain areas and seasons.If you do all your hiking in one season and locale, you can dial it in.

But if you like east and west, and 4 seasons in some form, you will accumulate a fair bit of gear for various conditions.

Short trips vs longer will dictate different choices too sometimes.

It can take years of accumulating. That's actually different from "upgrading" replacing one quilt with another would be a replacement or upgrade. Replacing a bag with a quilt, isn't necessarilly if the reason was different functionality.

"It's a bit like listening to the radio in the car when out in the boonies, it take a bit of dialing in and fine tuning, and then you find something that works"

Maybe time to upgrade to satellite radio?

I'm pretty picky about my gear so when I find something that I really like I tend to use it as long as possible. But if I don't really like it, I tend to sell it and try something else. The other issue is that I go out in lots of different places at different times of year, so I find that the gear that worked on the last trip won't always be what I need on the next trip. So I try to go for gear that is as versatile as possible. I had accumulated a number of things that weren't getting much use, so I sold them and found several things that have worked out well for me.

I was bitten so hard by gear acquisition syndrome that for 2014 I put myself on a strict "no gear over $100 unless something breaks". And that helped a lot, because the things I end up lusting after are the newest, lightest tents or the newest, lightest sleeping bags. Instead, I forced myself to use the gear I had this year and I think because of that I will continue to stick with what I have.

That said, if something came out that would save me significant weight, significantly increase my comfort, etc. I'd strongly consider it if it meant I could hike longer, faster and enjoy it more.

I'm either satisfied with something, or not, and all my changes are based on that. It's well past need at this point, and purely personal preference. I already can't tell I've got a pack on a lot of the time, and don't care about getting my gear any lighter, so that helps.

This thread is timely. Coming after the latest marketing survey.

I have a few things that I would like to replace

I have a few things that I would hate to replace

Sometimes things are replaced because there worn out or broken. Technology has made some thing increasingly better, like headlamps

Sometimes that shiny new thing just catches your eye.

When I buy gear now I think it will be around for the next 15 years.

My gear is pretty light now, so I generally am not looking to spend money to lighten up. There are places on my 3-season list where I could go lighter by spending some more money, but not to the point where it would enable me to do trips I can't do now. The price per ounce saved just isn't there.

I'd rather spend the money on gear that will let me do things that I can't do with what I have—climbing gear or winter gear, at this point.

So I bought a bunch of traditional gear around 2000. Never really used it because getting out and coordinating a group was a chore.

Last year I discovered UL/SUL and changed the big three and a few odds and ends.

Now I go out solo. My kit is light.

I upgrade all the time. The Gear Swap Forum is vital to my upgrading. If stuff comes in, stuff must go out. I just sold 3 items this week and the money is burning a hole in my Paypal account. The recycling keeps the gear money "off budget" and "off shore" and out of reach of the family Finace Minister.

"Upgrage" :)

I wouldn't call it upgrades having bought nice stuff since 1999, so just changes – most of mine due to too short of sleeping bags/quilts, "too short torso" packs, and too short shelters where my feet reach the walls or are outside of a tarp. I'm no giant but wish the gear makers would've realized most are not Hobbit-sized either.

Hope not that much changes left! With sizing resolved, I'm settling down to 20°F and 40°F sets of UL gear with overlap plus the ability to add together to make a 0°F kit with some minor additions. Compared to my old lightweight kits for 45°F, 30°F, 15°F, and (about to start) a seperate 0°F kit, all this should simplify gear selection with one look at the weather forecast, fronts, and jetsteam.

Just to add, everything packed as insulation is down or fleece, so not expecting to change it for quite some time (~2 decades?) unless some really revolutionary tech comes along and it had better be good. Not about to spend $200 to save on 0.225 oz of dow

Ed: add

Back in the 80's and early 90's when I was young and single (read: disposable income) I used to upgrade my gear pretty much every time something new and better/lighter came along, and I always bought the most premium quality gear I could afford. Back then everything was built pretty much bomb-proof and I don't think I ever wore anything out except a pair of very lightweight nylon windpants. I still have virtually all of that gear (now consigned to duty for family car-camping and the like).

Once the kids came along it was close to 20 years (2012) until I bought a bunch of new gear. By that time UL/SUL technology had come a long way, so it was a significant upgrade of virtually my entire kit (pack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, shelter, ground sheet, clothing layers and outerwear, stove & cook kit, headlamp, knife, shoes, stuff sacks, water sterilization, water carriers). I still bought the best quality I could afford, and at my age I don't see many future upgrades as I expect this gear will last me another 20 years.

If they ever develop a cheap and easy process to make hollow, continuous filament microfiber high loft insulation out of UHMWPE (think something like Apex, but made out of UHMWPE fiber instead), it may give high quality down a run for it's money in creating light weight, compressible, and durable warmth. But with the added benefit of great moisture management properties. Or what about these same hollow fibers with aerogel in the middle :O Or what about loose UHMWPE fibers with closed pockets of CO2 gas in same?

Would i be tempted to switch over, if this was created and was affordable? Most likely.

Until then, think i will try to mostly stay with what i have minus some MYOG type stuff.

After 5 years of using REI's Cruise UL 60 pack I've "upgraded" to the more comfortable Osprey EXOS 58 pack.

(I think I may sell the REI pack for about $50. Is that too low a price?)

And yeah, I buy for durability as well as weight savings. My WM Megalite bag will be around for another 5 to 8 years at least, as well as my new Moment DW solo tent.

I may replace my 3 cup pot (matching my CC Sidewinder stove) when the anodizing wears off. I use that pot on several stoves.

Will "science" come up with a UL wonder fabric for tents soon? Doubtful.

Will better hiking poles come along that are UL and moderately priced? Probably. And I'll get them.

Basically, as I am into my 70s, I'll be a sucker for lighter gear – and renting Llamas. ;o)

Edward: "The recycling keeps the gear money "off budget" and "off shore" and out of reach of the family Finace Minister." -awesome!

I soooo had this approach with the ex-wife. Now, I have a shuga mama and problem solved.