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Re: [at-l] ultralight morons

At 06:39 PM 7/26/97 PDT, Gammara1@aol.com wrote:
>I have been following the ultra- light thread , so I called a local
>backpacker shop, to see what he would recommend re bags and packs. THis
>fellow kept telling me that the only thing that mattered was whether it was
>comfortable and that the weight was irrelevant. When I tried to discuss the
>concept of ultra light, he was adamant thatthe conventional wisdom was....
> obviouslt he spends much time in his store and nothing out on the trail.
>have u folks had a similar problem? Jim

I've seen several replies to this already... it must have hit a nerve...
and I want to take a different tack.  First, I told someone I know at EMS
(not exactly an ultralight haven) about going out with my somewhat
ultralight pack, and his only response was "wow... that's light!".

But more importantly, why assume that the folks at the stores are "morons"
or "selling heavy stuff just to make more money"?  If you were working at a
store, and someone came in to buy a pair of blue jeans and a cotton T-shirt
for an AT thru-hike, would you keep your mouth shut or try to educate them?
 I have to give any retailer willing to LOSE A SALE on a point of principle
a lot of credit!

There really is a "conventional wisdom" out there about packs and hiking
boots, lots of people follow it (far more than go ultralight, I'm sure),
and you can hardly fault folks for believing that something they have read
and practiced for years has a lot of validity!  Most "conventional wisdoms"
get that way because they are self reinforcing (e.g. if you carry a heavy
pack, you need heavy boots... Jardine's "pyramid", etc.).

Most of the folks I have seen at outfitter shops (both national and locally
owned) seem to get out more than I do.  I seem them on ADK trips and they
go out with people I know.  I suspect that most of them are doing what they
do because they love outdoor stuff... I doubt they are working retail for
the high pay!

And, finally, I'd rather buy stuff from someone who disagreed with me than
someone who smiled and said "sure", then shook his or her head after I left
the store.  I'll take honest and wrong over dishonest any day!

Off soapbox!

-- Jim Mayer
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