The snobification of outdoor sports.

finally we are moving again we waited over an hour because the road was closed for construction but now we are moving again and thank God because we have a long journey ahead we will travel during the morning and evening we will drive through sacred lands of the natives Americans and we will capture it all along the way, but why surely a trip of such scale that costs so much time and money must be of utmost importance? So who are we and what are we doing right? I tell them that we are middle-class nature-loving people and that we are going to spend thousands of borrowed dollars to do things we already do at home in a slightly different place.

The truth is that it won't be an easy journey, but we are great. and the content we make on this journey will inspire, challenge, and motivate other people to do things they will do in their lives. We are heroes, rock stars of our own generation. We live proof that the good life really still exists. out there, but then again, are we really there? I'm trying to hold on to it, oh, that's a good idea, or are we just consumers of the world's newest, most sincere luxury item? The adrenaline? Are these ridiculously expensive toys really tickets to a vivid, free life? life or are they just another example of big companies praying for your hopes, dreams and your self-image to sell you products.

Where I went? The shoes. Oh, we are good to explore this dilemma further. I think a good place to start is this 2011. Patagonia's Black Friday ad, the now famous "don't buy this jacket" blurb, was so successful that to this day Patagonia has a page on its website rationalizing this anouncement; In essence, the ad encourages buyers to think twice before purchasing anything and states that in the case of a Patagonia jacket, it costs many times its own weight and resources to produce it. All in all, it's a nice sentiment, but I tend to think Patagonia wasn't all that surprised when this announcement, among others, led to a 30% increase in the total. sales and tens of millions of dollars in the bank, in short, they made a Black Friday ad that didn't read much different than I'm Not Like The Others and they sold a lot of products and they sold those products to a Las Vegas demographic. people who knew literally would accept the idea of ​​being above consumerism.

A common counterpoint is that you should buy expensive

outdoor

items because they are so durable that they will last you forever and you won't have to replace them as often, and that brings us to it. beautifully in the second part most of this shit is not that durable there must be a rivet that came off yes, it's always the last thing you suspect a break how many trips have we taken Andrew two how many things have you broken one how much money? Have you spent $120 on bikes so far, every time we go mountain biking, someone breaks something or several things?

Those are the two options, someone breaks something or several things and we will continue to buy and break all these things that have been and will be marketed to us using dword, so at the end of the day what is the point of all this? There are probably easier ways to find Joy, like things that don't involve a 7-hour drive and a $10,000 bike, like why you know. Why is something so specifically difficult? I guess just because it's something I love to do. I think there is a simple answer. I don't think there has to be too much.

I don't know. It's not a big question for me. just because it's something that I love and it brings me joy and it's a great hobby and it's a way to get away from real life for a minute why would you do anything but I don't know if it brings you joy and it's? Fun that's pretty simple, it's like an easy reason to pursue something if it always leaves you with a smile. I mean, I think this weekend specifically has made it seemingly true that just the activity of mountain biking is not necessarily what we came here for. it's like you get the views, you get the exercise, you have wonderful times with close friends, you get really scared, you get really excited, I feel like it takes you everywhere, wherever you want to go. with him you can accept it.

I'm like a spoiled brat because I spend all my money on trips and fancy food and mountain bikes and all this stuff like maybe yeah, I'm going to stop, no, absolutely not, it's too much fun. Mountain biking along with all my other unnecessary hobbies makes me feel rejuvenated, yeah I don't know, I think it's just joy. I think

outdoor

sports

, specifically focused on adrenaline, are in orbit with this type of luxury market, for better or worse. I'm not convinced either would exist in their current form without the other. I've been working to find a responsible balance between the two in my own life.

I've been trying to buy used whenever possible as well as repair a lot of stuff I already have lying around at Patagonia, in fact they have an amazing repair program that will even work on non-Patagonia stuff. I've been learning to preserve my gear a little better, but when you use it every day like I do, that's harder than anything. I remind myself that all this adrenaline chasing is about the pursuit of joy and that is worth something but it also costs something and what I have discovered is that the more aware I am of that cost, the better I feel when I finally move.

Again, the mechanic, you're smart, you're very smart, yeah, yeah, look at that engineer. Wow, I might need to invest in some needle nose pliers for my bike bag. I think every time I'm in this situation and then go to the bike shop like you need something. No no.