Survival Tip #239

New Technology

Every day hiking and camping equipment gets new overhauls. Electronic technology changes so fast I can’t even keep up with it anymore. So, should you replace your gear every month to keep up with the newest creations?

No.

And definitely not for a first generation of anything new.

When something first releases to the public it still has kinks to be worked out. Always wait til a second or later generation to make a new purchase. I also advocate keeping anything that runs on electricity out of your go-bag.  Don’t get me wrong some devices can be extremely helpful, but you never know what type of Primal Age you will be walking into, so learn how to exist without the lights on.

As far as gear goes, the better the tech gets the lighter things get. There are some really good articles on Ultralight Hikers if you are curious just to see how ridiculously light you can make your kit if you have the money.

When I choose if I am going to swap out old gear for new it comes down to a few categories: Condition of my current gear, price to replace it, how much weight will I save, will it be just as durable.

After 11 years I have decided to replace my 65 Mountainsmith hiking pack with a 70 Osprey Aether. This was a difficult choice since my Mountainsmith was still in excellent shape despite me beating the crap out of it. However in the last 11 years pack technology has changed drastically, and even though my old pack was in good shape I could replace it with a lighter pack that could carry more. My only worry is if it will be able to take the same amount of a beating. However not to worry, the Mountainsmith now lives in the trunk of my car as the go to go-bag when away from home.

The major thing that changed over the years is the frames of the backs. 11 years ago an internal frame back wasn’t worth its weight in crap, but now they are just as sturdy as my old external frame. Also my old pack sat flat on my back and the new one is built to allow ventilation to the back. I have more pockets than I did before, and finally a bladder reservoir. So, in this case I found the perks of upgrading worth replacing a well conditioned piece of my kit to make hiking easier on myself.

Osprey Men’s Aether 70 Backpack