I've been intrigued by the ultra-lightweight, thru-hiking community for many years. The thru-hiking interest was sparked by reading about the Pacific Crest adventures of Eric Ryback in National Geographic in the early 1970s. The ultra-lightweight angle was inspired much later by the books of RAY JARDINE and GoLite's attempts to commercialise his philosophy 25 years ago.
Most recently, I've been disappearing down the rabbit hole that is YouTube. Thousands of long distance hiking trips can be explored and it's been more than interesting to learn how many of the experience themes converge. What's most interesting, though, was the discovery of GARAGE GROWN GEAR and the dozens, hundreds just, of small-scale 'cottage' manufacturers pushing material, technology and concept boundaries.
What they're doing is fascinating and really only made possible by the global reach and direct access of the internet. It's been absorbing to see how quickly novices learn and adapt their practices and gear choices. One of the most striking aspects is the focus on performance. Not only of clothing and equipment but of the hikers themselves.
In the quest for speed and distance, it often appears that enjoying the experience becomes marginal. I've enjoyed many outdoor adventures around the world. Often challenging, they've all been rewarding – even if only in retrospect! In all of them, 'comfort' has been an integral element in the experience. Of course, that is subject to many interpretations and spans a huge spectrum of expectations.
It's in my mind this month as the trade shows OUTDOOR BY ISPO in Munich and the OUTDOOR TRADE SHOW in Liverpool open their doors. Hundreds of brands will bandy about 'performance', 'comfort' 'durability' and 'sustainability' as though they are absolute terms. How can they be? They can only ever have relative meanings, dependent on countless factors.
What I do find of positive value is the personal opinion of people whose experience, judgement and independence I trust. Happily, there are a number of them about.
However, what I'll never be able to come to terms with is the contemporary 'stoveless cooking revolution' as advocated by gram savers. Using only a plastic bag or wide mouth water bottle and cold water to prepare a meal strikes me as deeply depressing.
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