How Long Will You Use It?
One of the many questions that you ask when considering the purchase of any piece of sporting goods equipment is “how long will you use it?”
There is really no sporting activity that does not require some specialized equipment. Even something as simple as running requires running shoes. Some sports require quite a bit of equipment. So, the decisions that must be made when getting outfitted for a sport are of great concern to the sportsman. The right equipment is very important, but often prices are extremely varied even among similar items. One of the factors to consider might well be, how long will you use it?
If a person was going on his first deep sea fishing expedition while on vacation, it would not make sense to go and purchase the top quality fishing tackle prior to the trip. It would make much more sense to rent equipment or see if equipment was provided as part of the charter. This is an example of the “how long will I use it rule.” It is foolish to make too great an expenditure of money for a temporary activity, especially when you do not know how much you are going to enjoy it.
Once the trip is over, and you are vowing to go deep sea fishing on every vacation for the rest of your life, the time to start looking for your own personal gear has arrived. The reason that there is always such a good market for slightly used sports equipment is that people are often too hasty. There is an attitude that equipment makes the sport. This is really not true at all. Your equipment is not the thing that makes the sport. The love of it and the skill in it always is what makes it great. The equipment is simply the tools.
A bowler who can not put the ball anywhere near the pocket on a consistent basis will not benefit from an expensive bowling ball that has more impact power in the pocket. The old saying tells us that it is a poor workman that blames his tools. However, once that same bowler has mastered the basics of getting the ball into the pocket, and is seeing poor pin action results, the time has come to get a better ball. This gaining of the basic skills is an essential part of just about any sport. The beginner might also view how long he will be using his equipment, also.
Many times the answer is to divide it into two stages. Your beginning equipment that you use to learn and develop skills and that you use to determine what style is best suited for you will usually need to last a shorter period of time. Less expensive equipment and even used equipment is ideal for this stage. You are not only learning skills, but you are learning what you are going to need and be comfortable with in the next stage.
Once you are past the beginner’s stage, you should be thinking long term. When you know what suits you best, you will be looking to get something of quality that lasts a long time. Durability is often one of the traits of the better and more expensive equipment. It becomes an investment and that justifies the higher cost.