Vent: That guy who grilled me over my tent choice at REI

I was at the REI in Denver last weekend just looking at sleeping pads, and this older dude walks up while I'm checking out a Big Agnes tent. He goes, "You know that fabric won't hold up in a hailstorm, right?" and then spent 10 minutes telling me about his 30 year old canvas tent. I get that he meant well, but I was just trying to compare weights for backpacking. Has anyone else had a random stranger give them unsolicited gear advice that totally missed the point?

3 comments

3 Comments

scott.alex14d ago

Why do you assume he missed the point when experience teaches you things a YouTube review never will?

margaret55114d ago

Oh, I completely understand what you're getting at. Nothing beats the lessons you learn by actually doing something yourself, good or bad. I've found that hands-on experience often reveals details and problems that no polished online review ever mentions.

sanchez.julia14d ago

Totally! Pro tip: keep a notebook handy when you try things yourself.