Tools offer such a big possibility of enabling us to charge forth in this world towards our mission, but they also can very easily become a thing that we treat ourselves with, a luxury gadget that satisfies the craving to consume. Realistically, the reason for having gear often lies somewhere in between. It looks cool and feels good to own it, but also has a major function, exemplified by a smartphone. Sure, it can store passwords in a secure vault and allow you to access emails while out in the garden, but it can also take hours of our time as we browse social media or watch a movie.

I believe in tools, and this is how I justify buying gear: am I going to use it? Is it utilitarian? No sense having a hand held cement mitre saw in my garage if I don’t really saw cement.. However, having a hammer on my bench.. that’s indispensable! A smartphone with a GPS offline map, compass, essential survival book, knot tying app, music player, and email access?! Indispensable!

My reviews and photographs are of gear and tools that I use, that I consider indispensable. Therefore, it shall feature me using the gear. My focus is on gear that allows me to be mobile, be handy, and always available to use, while remaining conscious about the carbon footprint those things occupy. I expect some gear to weigh a bit heavier on the luxury side of things, but I always heavily utilitarian.

Our environment is a major concern for me, and without measurement tools we would never have got to this point of understanding her. This will regularly be discussed in reviews. Can we be conscious about the environment without throwing everything away? If our gear is a utilitarian tool, it seems like we should appreciate it, not ban it to a landfill (or more ideally, not buy it). If our gear is just a luxury, then we should ask ourselves what the most reasonable purchasing choice is, keeping in mind the earth and those creatures who we share it with. It is our responsibility as humans of this earth to be conscious of the long term ramifications of our purchasing decisions.