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This seems like a myopic view, like you fell in love with a backpack and built a worldview around it. Modern backpacking gear is extremely light, resilient, and

This seems like a myopic view, like you fell in love with a backpack and built a worldview around it. Modern backpacking gear is extremely light, resilient, and comfortable. You can get packs that ventilate your back. The canvas isn’t really any protection at all from being thrown off a cliff, but a pack filled with soft stuff is. And the external frame is totally unnecessary if your pack weighs 20 total pounds because you have modern gear. And then mix that in with a jab at disposable culture. You can take good care of a modern pack too, I’ve never had to replace a backpack because it broke. Sorry to be disagreeable, I just think this comment doesn’t reflect a common reality. I’m no gear head, someone else buys all my gear... but I appreciate modern gear.

ColanR 7y ago
Here's the difference I see: the gear the parent is carrying could last year in the wilderness, without reconnecting to civilization. Same goes for the Europeans colonizing the Americas. Your 20lbs of 'high end gear' lasts until it breaks, and then you're back to the store because you can't repair it. I grew up camping, and I know how awesome the modern tech is. I also know that most people who use it can't go without it. Can you repair your sleeping bag? When you drop your mosquito cooking stove 'off a cliff' and break the nozzle, can you fix it? Can you and your modern equipment thrive in the woods after your stove's fuel runs out?
- andrewljohnson 7y ago
  Yes, I can and have repaired my sleeping bags. My pocket rocket stove is very sturdy and has a sturdy plastic case, and we’ve had it for 14+ years. And I think I’d be fine in the forest without a stove, but honestly if I ran out of food I might not last long... I’m not a survivalist. FWIW, I’d also keep using a pack I liked. But the takeaway shouldn’t be people should buy old fashioned backpacks... they mostly suck compared to modern packs.

ColanR 7y ago

Here's the difference I see: the gear the parent is carrying could last year in the wilderness, without reconnecting to civilization. Same goes for the Europeans colonizing the Americas. Your 20lbs of 'high end gear' lasts until it breaks, and then you're back to the store because you can't repair it. I grew up camping, and I know how awesome the modern tech is. I also know that most people who use it can't go without it. Can you repair your sleeping bag? When you drop your mosquito cooking stove 'off a cliff' and break the nozzle, can you fix it? Can you and your modern equipment thrive in the woods after your stove's fuel runs out?

andrewljohnson 7y ago
Yes, I can and have repaired my sleeping bags. My pocket rocket stove is very sturdy and has a sturdy plastic case, and we’ve had it for 14+ years. And I think I’d be fine in the forest without a stove, but honestly if I ran out of food I might not last long... I’m not a survivalist. FWIW, I’d also keep using a pack I liked. But the takeaway shouldn’t be people should buy old fashioned backpacks... they mostly suck compared to modern packs.