Yesterday I
sold a set of snowshoes to a retired State Trooper in northern Maine. It dawned on me that I was seeing a
generational divide that goes further than old people aren’t techno-savvy.
I was seeing
a gap in basic values between the old and the young. I had had those snowshoes advertised for two
years, and no one showed interest. This was
because wooden snowshoes are large and heavy.
You can buy aluminum snowshoes that are small and lightweight.
But it goes
beyond that: My snowshoes were made by a person. Someone shaped the wood, steamed
it until pliable, formed it on a jig, then someone with skill laced them with
leather thongs, varnished them, and put their stamp on them.
I bought the
shoes in 1976 - fifty years ago. I have
revarnished them numerous times. I stored them carefully when not in use. The value of these shoes, to me, was more
than just their use. I cared about them
and took care of them.
Who cares
about a factory-bent oblong piece of aluminum with a plastic sheet
filling?
I have a
Silva compass that is sixty years old, a pocket knife that is ageless…
What does a
young person have today that they value so highly they will still have it fifty
years from now? Their cell phone?
You make an excellent point. And you know, I've only ever been snow-shoeing once, but it was on a pair of snowshoes like your 1976 ones!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of vintage outdoor gear we have a pair of Iverson Alaskans purchased in 1974. The S.O. and I did not plan to keep the snowshoes for 50+ years. It just happened. He still uses them every winter. As 20-somethings at the time we weren't any being any smarter or less wasteful than 20-somethings today. Doing it today for sure I'd go for the aluminum frame and synthetic webbing. The Iverson's are lovely but much too edible. Mice love to dine on the rawhide lacing. When I bought the Iverson's I didn't think about how they were made. I just liked the fact they were Alaskans so perfect for deep snow.
ReplyDeleteMy parents grew up during the 1930's and came of age in WWII: they led by example: buy the best you can afford, take good care of it and it will last for years. That "make over, make do or do without" philosophy was wiped out with the rise of consumer economies. People can't even repair stuff anymore because it's cheaper to buy a new one.
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