Gear Expense
What one person spends on their equipment shouldn’t matter in the least to the next person, not unless they live under the same roof and are responsible for the same household budget. Yet time after time, I see the same arguments and debates play out on social media.
On one side, we have people who feel very strongly that budget-priced items are just as good, if not better, than the higher-priced counterparts. Sometimes, they go so far as to ridicule or shame anyone who would spend money on a high-ticket item.
On the other side, we have people who believe just as strongly that many of the items that we might classify as budget-friendly are in some way inferior to the higher-end products. Sometimes, they are the ones doing the ridiculing.
Reality Check
Reality check – there are only two things that should matter when it comes to your gear selection.
1) Will it do what you need it to do?
2) Can you afford it?
If the answer to both of those questions is yes, go for it. No survival instructor worth their salt is going to insist a student go into substantial debt just to be able to afford the instructor’s preferred gear. I’ve said time and again that any instructor who would do that likely has their own financial reasons for doing so.
Inexpensive or cheap?
That said, no instructor wants to see their students struggle with gear that doesn’t work or that isn’t built for real world use. In some cases, the instructor may have direct, personal experience with the item and they know it is likely to fail. And this isn’t limited to budget-priced gear, either. I’ve seen some fairly high-end kits that are filled with mostly garbage.
If your budget is such that you are limited in your purchasing ability, it makes sense to me to want to ensure that you’re spending your money wisely. That means taking the time to read reviews, watch videos, and talk to people whose opinion you trust. I don’t care how inexpensive the product is, if it is likely to fail the first time you need it for real, what did you really accomplish with the purchase?
Buy the highest quality you can afford, with an eye toward upgrading later if that’s necessary. And really, that’s just a good rule for life, not just for survival gear.
About the author
Jim Cobb is a well known freelance author on survival and other topics, and he has graciously offered his material’s use on 3BY.
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It is interesting that you show the “Outdoor Products” item. I carry the 17 liter Day Pack every day as my EDC. It has some basic first aid, tailored to me with a CAT Tourniquet, stuff I need for work, glasses, Cell phone stuff, water bottle, swiss army knife, etc.
There is a 22 liter Outdoor Products pack in my truck that has all my GHB stuff in it and is considerably more versatile in its contents.
I have been dragging both around for a couple of years with only minor fraying.
I purchased the 22 liter for all my daughters and granddaughters that were interested. I think it is the best compromise between cost and durability.
The other side of the coin is that a pack with everything you need will do you no good if you can’t carry it.
The 22 liter is all I can carry, I tried a 40 liter and it just about killed me, so the smaller one was it and compromises were made to free up the weight.
Stay safe, Stay prepared.
Funkengrooven, out.