I'll never lend my backpack again after what happened at the lake

Last summer, I let a friend borrow my old backpack for a weekend at the lake. We were with a bunch of people, setting up by the water. Suddenly, the shoulder strap snapped, and all his stuff flew out. Everyone saw it, and it was so awkward. He tried to play it off, but I felt like a jerk for giving him junk. That moment made me realize how important gear reviews are. Now, I never buy anything without reading what others say first. Cheap gear might save money, but it can ruin a good time fast.

3 comments

3 Comments

king.andrew1mo agoMost Upvoted

Hold up, relying only on reviews can still let you down. I had a highly rated bag fail on me during a basic walk in the park. Sometimes things just give out, and all the user comments in the world won't change that. Learning to make a field repair is often more useful than trusting every five star rating.

the_mark1mo ago

Used to think you just grabbed any old pack and went. Had a zipper blow out on a hike once, rained all over my extra clothes. That mess made me stop and really look at what I was buying. Now I check every seam and read a ton of user comments online. It takes more time but I haven't had a fail since. Saving a few bucks isn't worth being stuck with broken gear.

parkerp801mo ago

Ugh, did your friend at least help you pick everything up? I had a tent pole snap on me once right as it started to rain, and it was the worst feeling, like everyone was watching my cheap stuff fall apart. I mean, you trust your gear to just work, and when it doesn't, it totally wrecks the mood. That kind of stuff is why I now obsessively read reviews and check my own stuff before I go out.