[at-l] Helping a newbie

[shane@theplacewithnoname.com (Shane Steinkamp)]

> Shane, why bother asking advice when you already
> put it together terribly well?

I've gotten this question a few times, so I'll answer it:

Simple fear.

After reading the list for a few months, I have come to a
conclusion: The honest truth is that I'm not a very good
backpacker.  I really have no clue about most modern
equipment.  I'm probably in the top 100 of best hobos ever
to walk the planet, but I'm really not a good backpacker.  I
use equipment that is way too obsolete, and too heavy, and
... well you get the idea.

I've got all the wilderness skills a body could want.  You
can drop me naked into all kinds of terrain and I'll be
quite at home.  I can teach Bob lots of these skills, but he
is also relying on me to help him make appropriate gear
choices.  Of course, even after laying out all the research
neatly, I still don't have any experience with it - which is
where you guys come in.

Sure, I've got 26 years of 'outdoor experience', and
something over 10,000 wilderness trail miles, but combined
on this list there have got to be hundreds of years of
experience and millions of miles.  The list is like the guru
you climb the mountain to question.  "What is the meaning of
life, O guru?", and the guru says, "Go ask the list..."

My fear is to have Bob buy something that won't suit him in
the terrain he will experience.

Besides... I'm looking to upgrade my stuff too...  I'll be a
REAL backpacker someday, and not just a hobo!

Shane