I have always loved the outdoors but my backpacking & hiking days have been infrequent. Then one day I was looking at outdoor gear when my 10-year-old daughter said, "but Dad, you never go hiking". And so I decided to make getting outside a priority for myself and my family.

I bought my first backpack in years, based on what little I knew at the time. Big backpack so I could carry a ton of gear. But the pack weighed a ton by itself, and I realized I wasn't willing or able, nor did I have the need to carry all that I did in the past. I'm not going into the woods to chop down firewood (green trees don't burn well). I don't need to prepare for every contingency.

I've spent a ton of time online listening and reading to gear advice. There are so many articles and videos and reviews about "quality" comfortable gear that will last a lifetime, or "ultralight" gear that is expensive but will make your hike easier, or "budget" gear that doesn't cost too much. But what if price, weight, comfort, and life are all taken into consideration on an equal footing?