Can you put a price tag on your life? Depends. Would you spend every spare penny on non-essential items? Do you trust that $5 discount knife to chop your firewood or skin an animal? Do you really need to spend $25 on a signal mirror? What good is a $600 GPS when the batteries go dead?
Ever hear the expression, "you get what you pay for"? But what if you don't need a top of the line, most expensive piece of equipment? What if going cheap will get you killed? What if you spent hundreds of dollars just to lug around a bunch of dead weight? There is always an argument here, because, like I said in my last post, take with you what makes you comfortable. But at the same time, don't go bankrupt trying to buy the best of everything.
For example, I will carry an extra 2 ounces of weight to save $20. But I won't save $20 to buy an inferior knife. I was at my local sporting goods store the other day and noticed that "signal mirrors" were running in the range of $14 to $22. What makes these so expensive? Is it the hole in the center to aim it, or is it the durability? I bought a compact (make-up) mirror at the Dollar Tree and can "aim" it just as good as if I had a hole in the center. Is it as thick or durable, no. But I also have other means to signal a plane, boat or person if the need arises. What if its a cloudy day. I just lugged around $22 for nothing. I've spent literally hundreds if not thousands of dollars trying to find that "perfect" knife. Have I found it? NO. I have found one that I'm happy with so far. It's sharp, stays sharp, sturdy, and big enough to handle most camp chores. Will it be the last knife I ever own? NO. I own a GPS, but about 90% of the times I go out, it just sits in it's neat little pouch and adds weight to my shoulder straps. Why don't I use it? Most of the times that I go out, I have either been there before and know the area, or I have done things the old fashion way and looked at maps and brought them with me. The knowledge of knowing how to read a map and terrain features is worth WAY more than any price tag on a battery operated machine that can malfunction. In short, the best money I have ever spent on survival items, is my computer (to search the web on techniques and to buy items) books on survival and how-to's, and the gas for my Jeep to get me out and conduct practical exercises.
Spend what you want, or skimp where you want, but remember this; Prepare now, and Live To See Tomorrow. That is whats important.
Ever hear the expression, "you get what you pay for"? But what if you don't need a top of the line, most expensive piece of equipment? What if going cheap will get you killed? What if you spent hundreds of dollars just to lug around a bunch of dead weight? There is always an argument here, because, like I said in my last post, take with you what makes you comfortable. But at the same time, don't go bankrupt trying to buy the best of everything.
For example, I will carry an extra 2 ounces of weight to save $20. But I won't save $20 to buy an inferior knife. I was at my local sporting goods store the other day and noticed that "signal mirrors" were running in the range of $14 to $22. What makes these so expensive? Is it the hole in the center to aim it, or is it the durability? I bought a compact (make-up) mirror at the Dollar Tree and can "aim" it just as good as if I had a hole in the center. Is it as thick or durable, no. But I also have other means to signal a plane, boat or person if the need arises. What if its a cloudy day. I just lugged around $22 for nothing. I've spent literally hundreds if not thousands of dollars trying to find that "perfect" knife. Have I found it? NO. I have found one that I'm happy with so far. It's sharp, stays sharp, sturdy, and big enough to handle most camp chores. Will it be the last knife I ever own? NO. I own a GPS, but about 90% of the times I go out, it just sits in it's neat little pouch and adds weight to my shoulder straps. Why don't I use it? Most of the times that I go out, I have either been there before and know the area, or I have done things the old fashion way and looked at maps and brought them with me. The knowledge of knowing how to read a map and terrain features is worth WAY more than any price tag on a battery operated machine that can malfunction. In short, the best money I have ever spent on survival items, is my computer (to search the web on techniques and to buy items) books on survival and how-to's, and the gas for my Jeep to get me out and conduct practical exercises.
Spend what you want, or skimp where you want, but remember this; Prepare now, and Live To See Tomorrow. That is whats important.
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