Second chance for kit?

[potboiler]

The other week I was on Dartmoor and took an old tent I hadn't used in ages. I was reluctant to throw it away, and I thought I'd solved the problem that had led to it being sidelined.

In the event, the problems I rediscovered reminded me why I had stopped using it, and I gave it away to a friend in the hope that they'd have better luck.

It prompted me to ask: is there a golden rule about reviving kit? Should you just go with your decision once you've given it a fair try, or can it come good the second time around?

 

[Toddy]

Well, myself and Son1 went to Comriecroft last weekend for the Bushcraft first aid course that Sniper organised. J used a tent that I had only used once because it was just so blasted awkward.
J said the same thing and suggested we find a family who wanted a play tent for the garden..........so we carefully packed it away and left it there with a family with three young kids.

I reckon, give it a try, then let someone else have a shot. If it's still a no go, find a solution.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Lasse]

I'm still changing my style of camping (gear) quite a bit, so I wouldn't think about throwing away kit because I didn't like it at one point, it might be ideal for an other occasion... Or for that mate that just doesn't have any kit at all when he joins on a camping trip, he might love it

I'm sure those kids were thrilled about their new toy Toddy, I sure would've been a couple of years ago!

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

I never throw any kit out, it's put in the garage and then recycled or butchered into something else. For example I used a boken tent pole as a hoop for my bivvu bag.I keep old inner tubes as they are great for all sorts of stuff.

Nick

 

[potboiler]

I was pleased I had someone I could offer the tent to, so it wasn't wasted (and it left my garage clearer for the next bit of kit to come along) but perhaps I should have followed my instincts when I first decided it wasn't right for me and got rid of it then. Probably kept it longer than I needed because it was the first proper tent I'd bought - too much sentiment...

 

[harryhaller]

I never throw any kit out, it's put in the garage and then recycled or butchered into something else. For example I used a boken tent pole as a hoop for my bivvu bag.I keep old inner tubes as they are great for all sorts of stuff.

Nick

Me too. I even buy old tents, rucksacks etc. for butchering if the price is right.

 

[speedstar]

I only ever by kit that works for me. I spent about 3 hours looking at tents when I was 13 in the store putting them up and down to make sure I got on with it.

Still have the tent today 11 years on and it has seen some of the worst weather you can chuck at it. I don’t use it much anymore as my style has changed but I know when I go to it. It can be put up in the dark in less than 3 mins if the soil is good. The same taken down
I would suggest that you look for a new one but if the shop will not let you take it up and put it down inside they go to another one. That way you will get one you are happy with.
Speed

 

[potboiler]

Speed - thanks - already have another tent that does work well for me, but I just thought that maybe I'd been too harsh on my judgement of the old one - I bought it when I was much younger and some of my requirements have changed too.

 

[w00dsmoke]

I tend to give a lot of my gear that doesn't work for me anymore away. There's awlays folk out there who's genuine need is greater than mine so rather than magpie it all for a day that may never come I'd rather see it getting used and appreciated by someone else.

A buddy of mine is caught in the old mortgage trap, too ambitous when buying; so he's skint all the time. He loves the outdoors and it scared me to heck when he told me of his winter exploits doing some really serious climbs and walks in very remote country with what I saw as well below the minimal requirred with no safety margin at all. So he got a huge amount of my gear; a decent brand new tent that didn't work for me and loads of servicable outdoor gear that I just don't use anymore.

I just think sometimes that sure I could have sold it all on fleabay and maybe made enough to buy a pair of boots but that's nowhere the real value of the gear. The real value is with the person who is using it and I know their value of it is is far more that whatever I would have made from selling it and that makes me feel that it's green, it's making someones day and that makes me really happy. Someone did the same for me when I was a kid and I like to carry that on.