The Gear Trap | Part 2

Following on from the first blog post we wanted to talk about gear again. With Christmas on the way and the pressure to consume, consume, consume I just wanted to offer some thoughts.

I am super guilty myself for falling into the gear trap, for years I would try and exchange what lack of time I had for gear/equipment. But it doesn’t really work that way and actually it’s harming the places I want to go and enjoy.

What I have started to do when I go to buy anything, not just outdoor gear Is ask myself these 3 things;

Will this new item will do that something that an item I already own cannot.
Work out how many times I’ve thought ‘oh this piece of gear/clothing is needed’ and then think about those times and wonder if the whole experience would actually change hugely…
Can it be used for multiple things?

Most of the time I don’t need it. In all honesty, I don’t think I actually need anything new for a very very long time. What I am going to do is focus on truly looking after the gear I already own. Keeping it clean, patched up, and in good condition. I think within our culture we have gotten so used to replacing things way too soon, and not valuing it enough to look after it and get it repaired.

What I love about life up in Lapland is there are no shops there. There are just the basics, so if something breaks you have to repair it…I ripped the crotch of my salopettes 2 winters ago. I have sewn them up 8 times. Now some of you must think that I should just get a new pair, or really doubt my sewing skills (which it is partly that) but the truth is they’re not very old. They keep me warm (apart from when they split again) and they do the job. I also have a bad habit of melting my gloves on the fire, most pairs are shrunk in half because I’ve sewed them together after melting them repeatedly. But in a way because of this, I think I do it less because wearing super tight gloves is an annoying reminder to be more careful.

Some jobs are bigger than others, start with small repairs then build your confidence to fix bigger problems or seek out some pros. There are some great people doing exciting stuff with old gear, who repair and give a whole new life to your kit. Here are some of them to checkout;

What Happened - A creative studio based in Slovenia for gear repair and custom products. Neza has done some crazy cool repurposed jobs and is definitely #makingrepairscoolagain

Dirtbags - Based in the Lake District UK these guys make things out of retired rope and redirects textile and plastic waste created by the outdoor industry.

Greater Goods - Based in London they remake and rework kit, and like Neza are doing some super cool things with recycled kit.

Patagonia Worn Wear - They offer to repair your gear (any brand) for free in-store. Since lockdown, they’ve also been doing some great videos on how to repair yourself.

Other brands/companies are starting to launch similar initiatives, and I think as a collective group it is our responsibility to think more about our choices.

The throwaway culture we have developed is toxic, and we need to change. Next year I will once again be doing my ‘ no new gear all year’ resolution. Instead, my focus will be just on spending time outdoors, because that’s all that’s really important.