Gail Binkly is one lucky girl to have
survived camping for nearly 20 years in a $19.95 tent (HCN, 8/4/03:
When did we become such gear-toting wimps?). She joins countless
others having copious amounts of good luck who climb to the summits
of the 14,000-foot mountains around us wearing shorts and a T-shirt
and without raingear, maps, compass or any emergency gear. I am
amazed after every summer season that the mountain trails are not
littered with the bodies of some people I see on the
trail.
But I have seen a few of the unlucky during my
over-28 years as a volunteer for the local search and rescue team:
people dressed in wet cotton suffering from hypothermia, people
suffering from frostbitten toes in cotton socks, people who have no
idea of where they are, victims who made the fatal mistake of
crossing a snow slope without proper equipment.
Yes, there
are gadgets on the market which are of little real benefit to
anyone. But there have been remarkable advances in technology which
have real benefits to consumers in and out of the outdoor specialty
market. The “moisture-wicking socks” that Gail
mentioned just might save some cold feet.
I doubt that
Gail’s “magical tent” has experienced many of the
unexpected snowstorms that frequent the Colorado high country where
I live. I’m sure she missed the point that self-propelled
outdoor recreation is popular in this country and makes a major
contribution to our national economy.
Dick Scar
Buena Vista, Colorado
The writer is co-owner of The Trailhead, an outdoor specialty shop.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Good gear or good luck.
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