I recently watched a video put out by Patagonia. They are a "builder" of fine outdoor gear and their video is their response to the "everything is disposable" mentality. I encourage you to watch the 27 minute video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z20CjCim8DM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
So this got me thinking. I recall a new found friend of mine talking about replacing his "old" car. I was astounded to find out his old car was newer than anything I'd ever owned! It was only four years old! I couldn't fathom that mentality. He never wanted to own a car that had over 100,000 miles on it. Geez! That's the minimum mileage on any car I'd ever owned.
I buy things to last. I don't have deep pockets to buy expensive things but I've heard it said "Buy once,cry once" and found it to be true.
I think of the gear that I've been fortunate enough to buy or trade or have gifted to me. I've cut down on some of what I have since we've condensed our lives and possessions into condo living. There is a saying in the firearms community "Beware of the man with one gun". Basically, its saying that if you have one tool, one gun, you know it and are the master of it. I've tried to take that approach with some of my gear while considering another saying: "One is none and two is one". Essentially, have a backup.
I have a few high end flashlights. All made by Surefire. The cheapest one (about $40) I bought. The other two were gifts. They've been dropped, run over, stolen and found, lit up the bottom of a lake,helped flag down police, and they still keep helping me find addresses, blind angry dogs and find my way through dark basements at work. I've had these lights for as long as 7-8 years. My son will be using these lights.
I have a sleeping bag that I can't even recall the maker of right now. I've used it for over 12 years in mountains locally and in temps down into the single digits to the high Sierra's in the summer time. It just started losing some of the thread near the Velcro cover for the zipper. A little duct tape will stave off any more thread loss.
There are three North Face items in my closet that are around 8-10 years old. A rain\ cold weather jacket with a removable liner that can be worn separately and a fleece vest. Oh, and a slightly newer fleece jacket. All work as good as they did on the day that I bought them.
There are three camp stoves that have made the finest meals known to man. The standard Coleman two burner for family camping. An MSR Pocket Rocket that Carin has used primarily and an MSR Dragonflyt that is my precious. I found it in a garbage can. Apparently the previous owner didn't know that occasionally you had to maintain the thing and tossed it. Five minutes of work and this $130+ stove has cooked many meals in the nastiest weather the PNW has to offer.
Carin introduced Ingenious wool socks to me years ago. I still have my first pair. And you can't tell the difference between them and my newest pair that are a year old. One pair costs as much as a Costco pack of regular cotton socks but I found that one pair lasts at least seven times as long. And stay just as comfortable.
Stuff. That's all it is. And in my case its very specific stuff. If you aren't into camping you don't really care about my stove or my flashlight. Maybe you are into Mac's or PC's. Or $100 muck boots (God forbid!). Or solid sewing machines. Or woodworking tools. The reader I aim to encourage is, like me, a Christian. We are called to be good stewards. We are called to be thankful.
Use wisdom in what you purchase. Don't deplete your savings or rack up debt to buy expensive things you don't need but also consider that later you may be able to bless your children or others with what you purchase now.
