Kit Snob's

[sticks65]

I've noticed on some forums in the past there are a lot of kit snob's aspecialy on the Bushcraft forums,My take on this is if it works use it and a lot of folks are on a budgit.
I know some kit is of a better quality than others but you can get a second hand axe for example and put a new shaft on and it's as good as any.
IT gets my goat up when they are like i've got this and it's ten time's better than what you have got.
Get a life.
I've picked a lot of kit up off of markets and had some hand me downs what were great bits of kit.
so what is your take on this.:D THANKS Sticks

[Overgrown]

I totally understand, I have three kids so my gear budget is very small , I put together a decent kit over time and cut every corner I could.

Most important gear to have in your kit is between your ears.

[Josiah922]

I love to hear some people say that theirs is better than mine because it has an extra special so and so and then ask them to see it and they say well I haven't bought it yet. LOL

Well, then mine IS better because mine is in my pack and yours is at the store. A cigarette lighter in the hand is better than a flame thrower in the store. ROFL!

[sticks65]

Yeah i agree JOSIAH922,IF i go anyware i alway's have a knife,water bottle and my brain, I've always wondered what people would do if they had to bug out and could'nt get to there kit that they so readily rely on.

[421slicer]

I say... "Whatever works!"

[Beaterar]

Originally Posted by sticks65

I've noticed on some forums in the past there are a lot of kit snob's aspecialy on the Bushcraft forums,My take on this is if it works use it and a lot of folks are on a budgit.
I know some kit is of a better quality than others but you can get a second hand axe for example and put a new shaft on and it's as good as any.
IT gets my goat up when they are like i've got this and it's ten time's better than what you have got.
Get a life.
I've picked a lot of kit up off of markets and had some hand me downs what were great bits of kit.
so what is your take on this.:D THANKS Sticks

It sounds like your mad at someone for buying better gear? Man I got lots of gear that is not the best, I have lots of gear that is IMO the best, if I find something that works much better then the original or another variation of it you bet I'm going to tell ya. I understand budget as well as anyone, I also understand expenses of children and life, but sometimes a piece of gear comes out that is worth the added cost over a similar less useful piece of gear.

Lets compare a simple magnesium fire starter, it works, its simple , and its rugged. I have no problems with this piece of gear at all, its great.

Now the Gerber Blast match , something that dose the same thing as the Mag block , but it dose it better. How is it better it allows me to use it one handed, it puts out a Crap load more spark then anything else I have used, its very self contained needing no external object to scrap it.

Both work but one is superior, dose that automatically mean the Mag Block is junk? No it just means there is a product out there that works better, both still light a fire.

Now I'm not going to look down at anyone because they have a Mag Block and not a Blast Match, but I am going to explain the benefits of the blast match over the Mag Block. Now often times people will think that because I point out the benefits of the blast match and the weak points of the mag block that I am some how dogging there gear, but in fact I'm not, I'm trying to pass on what I learned.

[badkarma]

i spend a lot of my life on a sailboat, so everything has to have at least two uses to justify it's existance. I take great pleasure in finding functions for things that make people say " i had no idea you could use that in that way".

no matter how many functions your tools have....they're no good if they're not with you. so i also enjoy finding inventive ways to transport/camoflage survival items.

i prefer that my kits looks like an ordinary book-bag, or like something that might cause someone to think "don't touch that, you don't know where it's been".

i think kit snobs are just snobs in general, they're gun snobs on the range, car snobs on the road, fashion snobs on the street, and used to be bullys until they got beat up.


beat...you're a spark snob. :D

[ZigMund]

Pointing out that one item is of better quality is not what I think sticks was talking about. I believe he was referring to speaking of others gear in a condescending tone. The kind of attitude that's not helpful, and is more apt to turn someone off to the community.

Just like going to glocktalk, and saying that you found some great night sites that you really like... 100 people will post that you are stupid, and need to try the kiddie gun forums since you are into buying toys for your guy, and that you could be cool to if you only purchased what they recommend.

[groberts76]

im totally with you on this one sticks!!!!!!!!! in todays world, you absolutly do not always get what you pay for, sometimes you do, sometimes you dont. BUT because so many people think the more you spend the better it is companies are glad to sell expensive stuff. even if i have the money i like to look at anything and i almost always end up getting the cheaper one. yes some more expensive things are TECHNICALLY better, but usually not enough to warrant the huge price difference.

i have noticed on here that when someone asks opinions about any item. "what should i buy" it gets to be a contest of who can reccomend the most pricey thing.

for a lot of us on here, having a BOB full of mid grade equipment is better than having your bob 1/3 full of premium equipment.

viva las cheapas!!!!!!

[mongoose]

i am sure i dont have the best and latest stuff avaliable,matter of fact im sure i dont.a lot of folks might not even like my setup,but its mine and it suits me.the most important thing about your BOB is that it does what you need it to do when you need it.a BOB is like a suit on the rack it looks great on display but usually needs alteration,and then you wear it to make sure.
biuld it-test it-retest it-and when your satisfied with it its right. ti might not be for everyone but it was biult for u not them.

[cadethepagan]

I agree. I beleive whatever "works" for them is the best thing. By works I mean price, consitencey, and durability. No matter what there is always somthing better out there.

What really peeves me is when a person takes the time to post somthing with pictures of their gear or tools or weapons and there is that "individual" who breaks the post up saying this and that and showing pics of his better stuff, or telling you your holding your weapon or strapping your gear wrong.

If someone took the time to buy somthing and test it out they most likely found the best use for it and other people have no right to judge there decision on the function and use or even style of which they wear their gear.

On a happy note great post and Im done ranting. If you hate rants then HAHA I got you to read it!

-Cade

[Beaterar]

What really peeves me is when a person takes the time to post somthing with pictures of their gear or tools or weapons and there is that "individual" who breaks the post up saying this and that and showing pics of his better stuff, or telling you your holding your weapon or strapping your gear wrong.

So.....Constructive criticism ****es you off? Or do you believe that the way you do something is the best way for you?

If I believed that I would never learn anything, I would be closed off to the world of possibilities that come through Trial and error. I pay good money to have people explain to me just what im doing wrong and how to correct it, in fact I consider it money well spent.

[zameil]

My BOB took six months to put together, Not because I'm broke but because I wanted the right stuff for me on and in it.

For example, I'm using camera bags bought for $2.00 mounted on the straps to hold the medical kit and binoculars, The reason, the ex army surplus items were $10.00 - $45.00 and I figure that the savings can go towards camping fees and petrol to get me away.

My work hydration system has the same $2.00 pouch mounted on the shoulder strap, it holds my coms, my radio and phone next to my ear so I can hear them.

In total I have three versions of BOB's and if I went and put "Blackwater" or "Lightfighter" gear on all of them people would definately look sideways at me especially in this day and age. Instead when people see me out on my motorcycle they see a guy with a black backpack.
When I'm working, they see a road worker with a back pack.

The only exception to this is when I'm hunting. Deer don't see me till it's too late.:D

[Jericho]

Originally Posted by Josiah922

I love to hear some people say that theirs is better than mine because it has an extra special so and so and then ask them to see it and they say well I haven't bought it yet. LOL

Well, then mine IS better because mine is in my pack and yours is at the store. A cigarette lighter in the hand is better than a flame thrower in the store. ROFL!

LOL!! So true. I have lots in the works, but I have lots IN STOCK, too. Part of that whole DO IT NOW line of thought......

[cadethepagan]

Originally Posted by Beaterar

So.....Constructive criticism ****es you off? Or do you believe that the way you do something is the best way for you?

If I believed that I would never learn anything, I would be closed off to the world of possibilities that come through Trial and error. I pay good money to have people explain to me just what im doing wrong and how to correct it, in fact I consider it money well spent.

If the person is not "asking" for criticism then there is no need to follow up with your own brand.

If they say "check out this stuff" Then he is just asking for you to look not judge.

if they say "what do you think of this stuff"? Then you may comment however you like they are asking for it.

[Beaterar]

Originally Posted by cadethepagan

If the person is not "asking" for criticism then there is no need to follow up with your own brand.

If they say "check out this stuff" Then he is just asking for you to look not judge.

if they say "what do you think of this stuff"? Then you may comment however you like they are asking for it.

I don't know I personally feel that by posting it here they are asking for comments of any type, I mean it is a public forum where minds meet and opinions meld. If you want to simply post a picture then there are sights such as photo bucket that support this. You know some of the most useful information I have found on sights like this comes from a response to a question that was not asked.

So I think that by posting here and other forums you are asking for comments simply by where you choose to post your pictures , comments, thoughts and ideas. If you cant handle the comments made then maybe you shouldn't make yourself vulnerable to the free exchange of ideas, comments, thoughts and experiences that come with a forum. Their are several sights where people do just that , they post there comments and pictures for others to see and read Alpha Rubicon, and many others, but no matter how many I read, I never get as much out of them as I do here where people are so free to explain what they know or so open to explain to me any flaws or bad habits I may have or be practicing. Some times some comments are way off base or IMO don't contain anything useful or enjoyable for me, so I simply don't try what they recommend, often comments made about me or my gear may not help me but may help others.

I don't think a more free perfect system of information and idea exchange is available anywhere but on these forums, and I'm thankful for them even if they pick everything about my gear or comments apart.

[cadethepagan]

Post how you want its a free website and a free country. Which is why Sticks had the freedome to post his thoughts on the issue as well as me.

[Guerrilla]

HYOH

Hike your own hike. It's a valuable creed and a worthy response. When hiking, I have had weight weenies (light hikers) comment on the size of my pack or weight of my gear. When walking, I've had fellow tramps comment on the cleanliness and cost of my gear.

The best response in the world? Hike your own hike. I don't care what you carry, as long as you carry enough that you don't have to borrow my stuff, or crawl into my tent at 3am on a snowy night. My kit is the best in the world, for a long walkin', through hikin, hobo hitching, bush huntin kinda lifestyle. You could strap on my pack and it could be worthless to you. It's my kit, it works for me, and thats all I care about.

I do try to make it a point in most cases on forums, to say what I have, but not what it is. I don't care much for brands. I have a four season mountaineering tent. From me advising you to look into them, you will look at what is available, and pick something that suits you. Brands are for the fashion conscious, and for you to recognize quality of brands you have used before. I'm not here to be a billboard, so I leave brands out of it. Though I will mock coleman until they take that damn "All our tents are now waterproof!" notice off their boxes.

-g

[Maurepas]

The most important thing is to know how to use what you do have. You should be so totally familiar with your equipment that you can use it under any conditions without having to even think about it.

I am alway amused by people who want to show me all the wonderful, spare no expense equipment and it's still in the box, never been opened.
Buy what you can afford, use it under many conditions, know it like an old friend.

JMHO

[91g-dub]

I've been building my GHB ever since I figured out that I'd like to have one.

Some stuff I already had from camping equipment, some stuff I've bought just for the bag.

Like everyone I have budgetary issues so I can't always buy what I want when I want it. In some cases I've made do with what I either had or could afford until I saved enough for what I really wanted. I'm still doing that.

Mine may not be the prettiest, newest or most expensive but I know how to use everything I have. Mine is mine, yours is yours.

I always look at what others have with the thought that maybe they've figured out something that I never thought of or have found an item that I would like somewhere that I didn't know about for a better price than I knew about. I don't envy what they have, I don't criticize them for having the money to go out and buy all the stuff that I've spent a long time gathering you because I could only afford bits and pieces at a time.