Gear Head Advice: Your Budget

Eric Bonin

Let me begin with a little background about my expertise… I am a self proclaimed “Gear Head.” I love to geek out on gear and critique gear. I once got reprimanded by a manager while working retail because I told a customer what I thought about a tent design (not positive). I have also spent 13 years working outside and have used a ton of different gear. Therefore, I have seen the gambit of gear choices. Here’s the caveat: I am opinionated and have my biases. 

The seasons are changing and therefore so is the gear we use to recreate. Part of enjoying the outdoors is having the right gear to make our experiences more comfortable.  

In the office, I am regularly consulted on new gear purchases. After many discussions, I felt it appropriate to write about what it takes to make an educated decision when purchasing new gear. You don’t need to know a lot about gear to be educated because you can search the internet. You do need to know the right questions to ask of both yourself and the sales person.

Question 1: What is your budget?

There are a ton of options out there for any piece of gear. I like to start by limiting the choices with a budget. What can you afford and what you are willing to spend. These are different. Having that higher limit allows for more options and a perspective of what is available at different price points.

 

(Stay tuned for questions 2-5!)