DIY cheaper?

[JPsax]

but also keep in mind that, as gear is used it tends to need repair. knowing how to fix it and having the right tools to do so when the time comes can save you a bundle.

for example: ULA Circuit backpack is $200 (and dog knows what to ship to you) and lets say that after a year of hard wear, something tears. your faced with the choice of buying another $200+ pack or fixing it and making it last another year, you save a good bit and you get better at your fixing and DIY skills

OR you have the same pack and after 2 trips with it you feel that you just cant live without, say, a big mesh pocket and 2 more straps. what do you do, sit the pack in the closet to take up space and buy another and eat that cost too, try to sell it and pay thru the nose on shipping on top of losing money since its a "used" pack, or do you figure out how to make it work with $5 worth of materials?

its not just a here and now instant gratification thing. the more you learn, and the better equipped you are in the future the more you will be able to save in the long run.

^ THIS

Im so glad I know how to sew a zipper onto fabric now. I'll never worry about tearing the seam on a zipper on my pack or anything else again.

[HappyHiker]

the payback for me in doing DIY is the joy of actually making the project, and satisfaction later when using it of having made it myself.

+1. Well stated

[Holger]

Ah I totally get the satisfaction of making stuff yourself, the skills you learn and when it works.
I was more interested in the cost. Seems to be easier to source materials in the US than it is over here. For example: Amsteel for whoopee is about $ 6-8 per meter here, it is indeed cheaper to get a ready-made set sent over from the US than to buy the raw materials here..

[trinni]

It has already been said: DIY is an addiction. Addictions are never cheap.

Amsteel: There are other manufacturers of fine Dyneema cordage. I'm using Liros D Pro for my whoopies -- maybe it is available in Australia as well?

[Ramblinrev]

IMO... if saving money is your only concern then I do not recommend DIY from my own experience. That's not to say you can't... but often it simply is not worth the corners you need to cut to save a significant amount. That said... DIY has its own set of rewards which have been mentioned above. As you may be able to guess... I am a strong supporter of DIY... just not from a strictly financial stand point.

[Naegling]

If you think about it, where did all the innovations we enjoy in this sport come from? It was all DIY people who thought they could do it better themselves!

There are some great commercial and cottage industry stuff out there for this great sport, but without DIY'ers there will be less innovation. Who knows, maybe you'll be the next stormcrow?

[flying_bobo]

I Love DIY stuff. Is it cheaper, it can be! IMHO for gear I do it for fun and for gear that is customized to what I think I want and it’s affordable to me. For the DIY stuff around the house, car and multitude of different fun craft I have, DIY is a fiscal necessity for me.

As a plus, in researching DIY stuff on the forums I have been able to relearn and remember all that math and science I forgot about and didn’t think I would ever use it!

[Jazilla]

For me its a labor of love. I just put together a setup for my godchild for her birthday and it is easily $50 set up. But if you look at the whole picture you see I did save. Her bug net is removable and cost $25 compared to ENO at $41.20 on amazon. Her whoopies and straps I put together cost $10 in material. I bought the hammock and it was $20 and I did some hacking to it.
In all she has a setup similar to a WL Snipe. For the Snipe and bug net your looking at $165.

[DavyRay]

Holger,

I think you have answered your own question. You have to do the math. I did the same calculation. I would not make my own cuben fiber tarp right now, because I can buy one made by someone who has made more than one for near the price I would pay for materials (assuming I did not need more materials because of mistakes).

Do the math. Decide for each item.

Of course, I sometimes just want to try it my way. I'm gonna pay for that, no question.