When you start talking gear, the desired list of "wants" is definitely never-ending. Even after years of investing in pieces here or there over time, something else is always on the horizon that I'm saying I "need." And herein lies the problem. Most of what I say I need isn't really needed at all. It would just be better than what I already have. (Which is why it really is, after all, a "want." See the problem?)
When it comes to wants vs. needs, I think I've set up a list of "best practices" which keeps it pretty simple. It is too easy to become obsessed with things you convince yourself you need for the sake of convenience or comfort. But you can make a good adventure happen without anything fancy. And you don't need an array of fancy items right away to get your foot out the door and into the wilderness.
1. When you aren't sure of exactly what you need, borrow it until you know exactly what you want.
The first time I went camping the only thing I invested in was a pair of boots. It was 17 degrees one week before Christmas and my brother and I drove through the night in the snow to Yosemite. Pretty much everything else I wore or used was borrowed, even to the point of looking (and feeling) pretty ridiculous. My brother and I still laugh at just how ridiculous I looked on that trip, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. So many things in my life changed on that trip. Suddenly I gained some perspective about things in my life, I grew so much closer to my brother, and I fell in love with discovering National Parks in a tent. Why would you ever wait for that to happen until you could amass the right tent, and the right jacket, and the right headlamp? I had none of that stuff. And it is still one of the best memories of my life. Believe me, you'll eventually buy your own tent. You'll have to because you'll fall in love with being in the outdoors so much. And when you do, you'll know exactly what you want after trying it out with someone else stuff so many times.
2. Buying generic is nothing to be ashamed of. Respect your own budgetary constraints.
My first base layer was an REI mid-weight in the $40 range, and probably on clearance because they were last year's colors. I already knew that Patagonia base layers were higher quality and that SmartWool was really ideal, but I just couldn't justify the price. There is no one on the trail inspecting whether or not your shirt is of "wicking" material or made of "anti-microbial" properties, anyway. Those expensive items are things I've collected one at a time as gifts from my husband or family for special occasions, over years. My REI long underwear did me just fine for a long time. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise. My $100 Merrell hiking boots are just fine, too. No need for $200+ Soloman's.
3. Don't upgrade just for the sake of upgrading.
I am still using my bulky aluminum mess kit from my girl scout days. That was almost 20 years ago. Believe me, this mess kit is NOT ideal. Never mind the fact that it's so old, the mug gets too hot to touch when I prepare my coffee in the mornings, and I realized recently that a big part of the kit is left completely unused every time. It's really not very efficient, but I'm still not convinced it is a real "need" at this time. This kit still works, and good, quality pieces are pricey. I already know I'm going to be forking out $80 for a water filter pretty soon, so this just isn't at the top of the list. I'm OK with that. So it's a few extra ounces and I have to use a sock to hold my cup... It's not a deal breaker. Use what you have for as long as you can and invest when the time is right after you've done your research about exactly what you want, how you'll use it, and how often.
4. Buy on sale or with a coupon.
Anytime you are looking to add something new to your stash, do whatever you can to hold out for a sale, or a coupon. There isn't much rhyme or reason to my overall shopping philosophies, but being a member of the REI co-op is a no-brainer. 20% off coupons come around a few times a year, and that's the time to buy your new tent or your rain jacket. Their sales are also usually pretty decent. End of the season, just like anything else in retail, is when you can score the best discounts. And if you just can't hold out, we get a dividend back every spring on full-price purchases we made throughout the year, so even that isn't a total loss. I always feel good about what I buy there, even if it's more than I would have liked to have spent. Also I like what they do to support environmental causes, community outreach, and youth education. So I prefer them over any other "sporting goods" store.
5. Splurge only when you absolutely know that something is - without a doubt - "the one."
After I returned home from a trip to the Black River with legs torn up from thorns, I decided it was time to get some decent hiking pants. Determined not to spend a lot, I tried on every single pair of pants my size (plus AND minus 1) on the sales rack, and eventually exhausted all reasonably priced options in the store. Like any woman who has ever shopped for jeans knows, finding pants that fit just right is like finding a needle in a haystack. Just before giving up completely I found a pair of PrAna converters that I figured I'd try on "just to see." Of course I knew immediately that they were perfect. And they were $80. But you don't understand, I had to have these pants. I swore to my husband that I would never take them off for as long as I LIVED because I loved them so much, and it was true. I do literally everything in them. He actually suggested I get a pair in another color because they are all I ever wear. When something is exactly right, you can't replicate it. It will pay for itself over and over again and you will never regret it. So splurging on something here or there isn't something you have to feel bad about. There are times and places when it's what you gotta do. And I get that.
Enjoy your time in the wild, and don't ruin it with thoughts about what you "need" to make it happen. It's amazing what you can go without and still change your life for the better. Just don't hike the canyon without something to carry a gallon of water that doesn't include a jug. Because that is most definitely a "need!"
