New boots (and trekking gear in general)

Got some new boots today. These are not as macho looking as my previous leather ones, but they are lighter and ventilate better. Most importantly there is room for the shock absorber insoles.

Saxophone players use an expression “Gear Acquisition Syndrome” or “GAS”. It’s very often associated with amateurs, but can quite easily spread up the food chain. Us hardened pros are usually happy with a beaten up old instrument and have no need to succumb to all the latest accessories (unless of course we are lucky enough to be sponsored), but I still occasionally feel the need to by the latest NASA designed waterproof neckstrap.

But when it comes to trekking gear, walking into the outdoor shop is almost on a par with waliking into a stationary shop. I become the ideal consumer and drool over all the lastest hitech equipment and accessories. Sometimes my inherent thriftyness wins out, and tells me that an £80 trekking pole is actually a stick so I end up walking with a stick I found by the river Itchen. Funny thing is when I was on a walk recently and left it somewhere, I actually went back (downhill) a mile or so to retrive it as if it was an £80 stick. I wonder if I’m going to need to bring my stick to Peru, how do you explain to customs why you are bringing a bit of a tree on a transatlantic flight and back?

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