New gear every year?

[NDHunter]

So I was just reading Adam's article about new arrows in the latest magazine and have also seen a LOT of articles lately in other magazine about new gear that is coming out this year. It seems like some guys are out there buying a new bow setup every single year. Does anybody on here actually do that or are all these articles simply about trying to get you to go out and buy the latest and greatest crap? I myself need a new bow badly but once I get one, I plan on using it for 5 years at a minimum, hopefully more like 10. Now that equipment is so great, I just can't think of a good reason to buy a new bow every year and having to bother with finding the right arrows, rest, etc...

[sjsmallfield]

I am right there with ya NDHunter. I am definitely not one of the guys that buy alot of new equipment each year. There may be a piece or two that I try to upgrade but that is about it. In fact I just had a new string and cables put on my bow this week. So the Hoyt Maxis 31 will be with me for at least 2-3 more years.

[DryFlyGuy]

I enjoy getting new gear and I try to buy the best I can afford. That being said, I assume most people don't buy the same things every year. For example, maybe it was a tent three years ago, camo and rangefinder two years ago, boots and rain gear last year, binos and pack this year. I gather from your post, you were asking about people that buy the 2013 model of the 2012 widget they bought last year.

[In God We Trust]

I'm with DryFlyGuy, I buy a few things every year to keep up on stuff that is wearing out. Buying a new setup every year because some new articles and adds are out is insane. The 2013 stuff isn't sooo much better than the 2012 and so on. I use the money to actually hunt on out of state trips instead of buying unnecessary crap. Having good gear and spending time in the field makes you a better hunter than spending more money on gear and less time in the field.

[hoshour]

Like any hobby, guys vary a lot in how much they spend and how often they upgrade, whether its trading in vehicles or golfers buying a new set of clubs or a new driver.

I don't think there's any conspiracy behind guys writing articles on the newest and best hunting stuff. I certainly like to know what's new and what performs best and I appreciate someone knowledgeable doing a lot of the research for me.

Personally, I buy what I need, buy high quality, and usually buy the expensive stuff slightly used, just like I've always done with my vehicles. That's always worked for me and I feel like I'm being a good steward of the money I've been blessed with.

But, that doesn't mean I never upgrade my equipment and when I do, I want to know what to upgrade to.