Gear

Not for the first time, I've been asked why I don't do more gear reviews or such on the blog. There's a couple of reasons for this:

- As Tam and others have noted, once you start reviewing stuff (particularly when it's provided for you) then there is a tendency to flavor your work towards the provider - take the King's coin, do the King's bidding as it were. There are enough magazines, websites and other professionals that can handle that, so no need for me to throw my 1/2 cent in.

- Gear is constantly evolving, and what was yesterday's cutting edge is tomorrow's antique. With few exceptions the things I coveted or used ten years ago aren't even in my inventory anymore, much less the "go-to" item.

- I buy things based upon my needs, mission profile and skill set. I work in a specialized field in law enforcement, and what I expect and need my equipment to do is different than what a guy in Afghanistan, or a citizen carrying concealed on the street in Dallas might need. So, what I may view as a "feature" in an item might be a liability to someone else, or what I might view as a critical issue might not even surface on someone else's radar.

- Tools in a toolbox. A lot of stuff at certain levels is interchangeable, particularly if you have trained well. You do train, right? So if you learn how to do whatever it is right with the basics, then you don't rely on your gear to carry you through - instead you use it to enhance or simplify things when the time comes. Elegance in the basics (a lesson I still need a lot of work on).

- A couple of the companies/brands I deal with are very low profile, and like it that way. Who am I to boost their presence if they don't want it?

So, rather than specific brands or items, I'll just take a few moments to discuss some things I think are vital in choices for gear, no matter what your end-use:

- Consistency and reliability. You should be able to know what the item will do from the first use to the last, and to expect the same level of performance throughout. If you can't trust it to do the job time to find a replacement.

- Durability. Within the limits of the item in question, it should last for a decent period. This is where the "buy once, cry once" theory comes into play - you're better off spending more for the best product you can afford, knowing it will last. Buying cheap usually leads to regrets and replacement.

- Company integrity. No matter what you buy, occasionally things fail. Or other issues develop. Companies that stand behind their products and take care of these issues are worth their weight in gold. Poor customer service will lose my business no matter what the level of quality you provide.

- Form follows function. As I get older, and (hopefully) wiser, I'm drawn less by the "this does and has everything" and more by the appreciation of a simple, elegant solution to a problem in a straightforward manner.

- While I'm not fully into the "ultralight/minimalist" camp of things, I've found frequently over the past few years that the products manufactured for the alpine/minimalist side do tend to be better constructed and thought out than the more mass-market versions.

So, those are my thoughts in general. Perhaps I might dabble more in discussing certain lines or product categories as a whole if there is interest, or I'll stick with what I know and be quiet. :D