Re: Stepping outside the box

Good points all. 

Glen (again, at one of his A16 clinics this month) commented that
changes in the way you think about gear were afoot when you move
toward ultralight. One change is your attitude toward durability (and
no, he wasn't referring to his packs <G>). 

His groundcloth is half an emergency space blanket; one of those
crinkly mylar things that are gold on one side and silver on the
other. I don't remember how long he said they last -- seems to me I
recall something like ten days or so. About a dime a night in cost. 

david


--- In BackpackingLight-F5Bj5G+ccuY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "amytys" <amytys@xxxx> 
wrote:

> They havn't for various reasons such as:
> 
> 1 - Their target audience is outdoor "families".  When you start 
> hiking with your kids, you quickly find out that you need that big 
> pack
> 
> 2 - Experience levels of the majority of clients... they're afraid to 
> sell someone something that they'll get into trouble with
> 
> 3 - LW gear is prone to wear - vendors like lifetime guarantees and 
> no return/warrantee issues
> 
> 4 - Volume - sadly, even companies like Granite Gear don't make 
> enough packs for a MEC/REI to do business with them.  They have to 
> supply their internet sales, and stores.  A lot of these companies 
> just aren't set up to deal in volume... they can't expand to meet the 
> demand of one large vendor... let alone supporting small and large 
> vendors