For some folks part of the motivation for getting outdoors is to escape the ills of modern life, and one of those ills is consumerism. As outdoor sports/recreat

For some folks part of the motivation for getting outdoors is to escape the ills of modern life, and one of those ills is consumerism. As outdoor sports/recreation has turned into a fairly large and profitable industry, for those of us who are not a fan of the commercialization side of things, it has become increasingly difficult to ignore/escape. Trails are packed with folks in shiny new gear, outdoor media is filled with ads, etc... I by no means begrudge someone who enjoys geeking out about gear. I occasionally indulge. But for the most part I like to get my equipment as hand me downs or on craigslist. And I try to keep that equipment running as long as possible. I find that repairing stuff scratches my engineering itch and that going minimalist with gear helps me focus on the experience more.