"The gear is too much with me"

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Yes, it’s true, I have too much gear (too much gear?) and I need to sell and/or give away some if the unused stuff like my MSR Wind Pro. (I have the MSR Universal. See what I mean?)

So this summer I’ll likely post a few items here that are “redundant”. Preppers and gear hoarders should take note. ;o)

To some this may seem blasphemous but I am trying to pare back on “stuff” in general. Wanna buy a nice18 ft. kevlar Eddyline kayak? How about a neat .300 Win mag. Browning A-Bolt rifle?  An old Cannondale touring bike?

See, I need to make room for NEW gear I know I will inevitably buy. If only I had a 3 car garage…

 

[Edward John M]

Convert the 300 to 35 and go bear hunting in Alaska

[Five Star]

@Eric

I have a 3 car garage, but 2 bays hold cars, and my wife has already claimed the 3rd bay long ago for all of her clutter.  I am relegated to one wall only :(

 

[Ken Thompson]

Getting rid of the excess makes packing so much easier. No analysis paralysis.

 

[MJ H]

Living in a city places limits on things like that. I only have a one car garage and need to park one car in it as there’s only enough space in the driveway for the other car. That said, I still have seven backpacks.

[Jerry Adams]

I just gave my Kelty pack to the Goodwill.  1970s.  Did many great trips with it.  Too heavy.

I feel bad today.  Sort of like “You can’t go home again” by Thomas Wolf.

I have more reducing to do.

[Ken Thompson]

Can’t take it with you anyway

[Edward John M]

You can take it with you if the crematorium is big enough. I too am going to be having a huge destash now that my big Canada and Alaska winter trip has been cancelled, selling some and I will give away lots

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Do I detect some here in need of a 12 step “gear reduction program”?  Jus’ sayin’…

MJH, only 7 backpacks? Well, I have 4 but I’m selling my iconic Dana Terraplane boat anchor. I see they get good prices and mine has every option Dana Designs sold back in the day.

Ken, You can’t take it with you? CRAP! What willI use in the Heavenly Nevada?

Jer, Yeah, “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

Seriously, REI needs to hold a yearly “GEAR SWAP MEET”. Sell yer old gear in their parking lot and walk right back into REI and buy new stuff. BRILLIANT!

[brent driggers]

I love those kevlar Eddylines.

[David C. Menges]

Yes! re parking lot swap meets at REI. Mountain Miser in metro Denver used to do this twice? a year, very popular, much more interesting than REI garage sales. A friend and I considered swap meets on our own after Mountain Miser closed, but of course we never got around to it. VeloSwap? for cyclists is popular. I doubt REI will ever do it, though.

[Matthew / BPL]

Currently purging. Packing for my last trip took a ridiculous amount of time. I don’t need this many choices. Also, living in a. 800 sq/ft home means I don’t have a ton of storage. My current Tetris-style gear storage is a pain.

[Mark Verber]

Over the last 10 years the amount of gear I have has dropped significantly.  Part of it is I am no longer doing some “types” of trips, my wife didn’t enjoy dead of winter snowshoe backpacking so I sold off / gave away my “middle of winter / heavy snow” gear.

I also pruned away much of the variance which has given me a real sense of freedom.  I don’t have to “think” about what I am bring. Pretty much the only question is solo or with my wife.  This changes stove/pot, single or double quilt, and solo or shared shelter. Everything else is pretty much the same. Makes it really easy to get out and means more time thinking / enjoying the trip and less messing with gear.

–mark

 

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