Pushing gear beyond reality

[ChrisKavanaugh]

I've been out and about in our heavy rainstorms today. Theres something wrong with a society of people who refuse to recognise inclement weather because of a prestigous address. It's ironic, getting stared at in a upscale market for wearing a flectar poncho by people resembling drowned rats in faux fur. I did have an epiphany of sorts. My partner in the lion adventure is complaining bitterly about his heavy, waxed aussie drover coat failing to keep him 100% dry after just few days of almost continuous use. It struck me that we expect our gear to perform well beyond what our own bodies tell us 'enough is enough.' We sleep, take baths, eat, rest and pass on physical efforts beyond our individual capacities. Yet we expect, demand our gear to do just that, and woe any product that fails. There will be a new wunder steel that never needs sharpening, raingear that keeps us dry as a summer day in the desert and dehydrated food that reconstitutes into plum pudding complete with hidden coins and Dicken's Christmas goose. Sometimes it takes a mule or a leaky poncho to tell me enough is enough, lets rest and remember some discomfort is the price we pay for the joy being out in the real world. I do wish my poncho draped further down my 6'2" frame ack:

 

[arctic hobo]

That's very true Chris. I think part of it may be down to marketing - that is, companies advertise their products as all-singing all-dancing wondergear, and as such we naively expect them to be.
That said, it's sad how we simply expect to survive, if you know what I mean. There are people who might sue because they got wet through, and there are people who might be immensely happy to see half of their family survive the winter. In western culture survival doesn't seem to cross the minds of anybody - it's all about having spare time to use up with entertainment.

 

[Pict]

Chris,

I think there's a great deal to said for "good enough". I spent a week hunting Alaska this past fall and didn't have the right gloves for my rifle. Wool mittens on a pump action Rem 760 carbine, too slippery. My hunting partner loaned me his brand new neoprene gloves. They stuck to the pump like glue but my hands almost froze. The "almost" is the important part, they didn't freeze, they just got cold, that was good enough. Hey, I was in Alaska in the fall, time to get real. Mac

 

[Moine]

Chris, check out the Exped ponchos. They might be long enough for you

That being said, I like that post. While I AM looking for good quality gear, I don't expect anything (or anyone) to be perfect. It's all a matter of "shades of grey". That's why I beat the hell and demand a lot out of my gear all the time. Only when I've seen it fail can I know the limit... and yes, there is a limit to everything.

Now even though I don't expect my gear to be perfect, I still want it to be good enough to keep my big bottom alive. I like things like "safety margins" and "reliability" when I talk dynamic climbing rope... The same applies to knives, and sleeping bags, and firelighting equipment...

Cheers,

David

 

[bushbasher]

I love my kit as much as the next guy. I am particularly fond of my Swanni and my other Wooly Bushcrafty gear which makes an appearance whenever the weather is cold and DRY. This does not happen very much down here in Wales so I always seem to fall back on my trusty Buffalo Special six shirt. Yes they look horrible, but they work no matter what you throw at them. The sleeping bags are great as well, if a little bulky. :biggthump

 

[ronsos]

i recently read a quote who 'theres no such thing as bad weather ,just the wrong type of clothes'.fair enough ,but in our instant gratification society we have too high expectataions of just about everything ,including outdoor gearAs long as it works who cares,(apart from the gear industry and outdoor magazines which review waterproofs 3 times a year)I like some items of gear-buffalo shirt,scarpas,frosts mora etc because they work not because they are panacea to my own lack of knowledge or inner resources(think murphys law here folks). we have probably all met the gear buffs on the hill, who think £500 of goretex will protect them from mr murphy and his laws.Personally they add to my confidence but then ive got my buffalo shirt on.......