Taming the Gear Cycle

[Gigueand]

Hello group, my name is Gigueand, and I have a problem.

 

Over the last few years I've found myself falling into a pattern of buying gear, using it a few times (or not at all), selling it on and then buying new gear. Due to work obligations, family and other commitments, I'm only able to play 4-6 times per year, usually at big events.

 

Last year I decided that it didn't make much sense for me to own a ton of extra kit, so I sold nearly all my gear and "re-invested" in a single impression. The impression is one that I liked and that I felt was "good enough" in that while it was not especially high-speed or as comfortable as it could be, it worked for what I needed to do on the field. 

 

Until it didn't.

 

You see, like any addict, I'm back to my old habit of buying and selling kit. 

 

The new kit that I purchased is comfortable, very skirmish-able and I understand my rationale for buying it. Yet at the same time, I mildly regret stepping away from my "one impression" policy.

 

Ultimately, I would really like to have one rifle and one set of kit, but it seems difficult for me to "get there."

 

To be clear, I have the financial means to own pretty much whatever kit I want, so spending money isn't really the issue. The issue is more than I'm sort of an anti-hoarder in that I hate having too much stuff and also that it doesn't really make sense to me to have a bunch of kit sitting around that will only be used once a year.

 

Do any of you struggle with a binge/purge gear cycle of buying and selling?

What tips do you have for committing to one set of gear and sticking with it?

 

 

 

 

[Wingmann]

I just buy and sell, buy and sell. It's been gradually better and the cycle goes slower nowadays, but I'm already planning the next.

 

Sorry. I didn't help you at all

[DrAlexanderTobacco]

TBH I don't think you actually have a problem.

 

- Money isn't an issue (Because you have enough and re-selling recoups value)

- Space isn't an issue (Because you sell what you don't need)

- You don't necessarily mind buying new stuff (because new stuff is new stuff, it gets the dopamine flowing etc).

 

The problem to me, is a mental one - i.e. you don't like having lots of stuff because it "feels" wrong, totally an understandable feeling. However I don't think it's necessarily bad, if that makes sense.

 

Ultimately this happens with all hobbies I feel, if you're invested in something there's always something around the corner to buy. If you're happy with keeping it as a hobby, I don't think there's anything wrong with this. 

[blobface]

Hello group, my name is Blobface, and I have a problem.

 

The worst is every time I sell, it gives me a temporary high of "Oh look I've sold something, that's one guiltless purchase I can make now!" So I end up with more stuff than before I sold, one step forward two step back (or one step back, two step forward, depending on how you look at it   ) 

 

That said though, my airsoft collection is slowly shrinking, while my lights and optics collection is growing, they retain value a bit better than airsoft guns and are easier to sell.. but still, not healthy, but I suppose compared to other ways to spending disposable income, at least our hobby allows us to get some of that money back, where as plenty others aren't recoverable 

[Cannonfodder80]

As long as you're not spending money for rent, bills or food etc then what's the problem?

[Roland1014]

Just pick two three four kits you want and stick with them.

[Gigueand]

As long as you're not spending money for rent, bills or food etc then what's the problem?

 

The (1st World) Problem

 

Since I play so infrequently, it is hard for me to mentally justify keeping a bunch of gear around. 

As a result, I would like to eliminate as much gear/guns as possible. 

Despite this, I find myself falling into a cycle of buying and selling that I would like to escape.

 

Discussion:

 

I can see by the above comments that the buying/selling cycle isn't an uncommon one around here. It is definitely enjoyable to get that new, shiny piece of kit. That said, every time I get that new, fancy thing a little voice in the back of my head goes "when is enough, enough?" 

 

Do I just need to accept that the buy/sell cycle is a part of the hobby and learn to live with it?

 

For me, the buy/sell cycle seems to be fueled by three things:

 

1. Desire for better, more comfortable, lighter, more performance oriented kit.

2. Desire to do a particular impression.

3. As a substitute for actually playing - i.e. if I was playing every weekend, I wouldn't be spending time thinking about airsoft, investigating impressions, browsing forums/FB.

 

In turn, once I get kit, I often find it difficult to get rid of it because:

 

1. What if I regret selling it later?

2. What if I want to do that impression again?

 

 

Just pick two three four kits you want and stick with them.

 

 

Right? That pretty much describes me.

 

As a self-described anti-hoarder, I'm a huge fan of purging everything and getting a chance to start fresh. It was really refreshing to sell basically all my kit last year and start over with one set of gear. It was refreshing to go to multiple games and use the same gear. Before one major event, a teammate of mine recommended that I run a chest rig rather than the one piece of kit I owned (a PC). It was refreshing to say "yeah, well, I've only got a plate carrier." 

 

So on the one hand, I love the idea of settling on a specific, very limited selection of kit, but on the other hand, it feels inevitable that I'll get bored with it or spot that shiny new thing and on a third hand (?), I know I would need to make a bunch of hard decisions to really get down to having one set of gear and one rifle.

[Gunmane]

You probably know my predicament to the point where I haven't even taken my RPK out to a field in the near 2 years I've had it.  Not a day goes by lately that I go looking at all the shiny bits of kit, but I somehow manage to hold back knowing I don't have the space or reasoning to acquire more.  Probably helps that most of what I desire is overseas only, already gone from shops, or too rich for my blood even with my current job.

 

I suppose you could ask yourself what else you would spend it on that doesn't take up space and/or rewards you with the same feelings.  Even if it be something that helps you out physically (workout equipment) or mentally (a giant stack of books).

 

Mine just sits in a savings account till the folks need it for some expense, but I'm the oddball in regards to that.

[hunter512]

Don't do impressions.....

 

I've got to the point now where I have 2 sets of team colours (multicam and ss-leto) and 1 set of tac kit that works with both (combo of wolf/urban grey and ranger green).

 

Since it holds what I need and its comfortable I don't feel the need to change it about. Also align all your rifs. All of my stuff at the moment uses stanag mags and therefore only needs one kind of mag pouch.

[Skarclaw]

Think the issue is that you have the inclination/ desire to buy stuff for your hobby but can't justify it cause you don't skirmish that much.. so i suggest skirmishing more if you can.