Yeah, that's a solid point about basic gear being cheaper now. @the_ben, when you say decent basic gear is more affordable, do you think that's made the outdoors more welcoming or just created a flood of cheap junk? I wonder if the real cost has shifted from the gear to accessing the places to use it, like permits and gas.

Oh man, the bags are the real trick. I buy the big rolls of generic stuff and cut my own sizes. The brand name bags are a total rip off. That one roll lasts me months, way cheaper than buying pre-cut ones. It makes that first $40 feel like nothing compared to the savings.

Yeah the "Portland's market is pretty specific" part is what got me. I mean, shorter emails work better almost everywhere in my experience, it's not really a location thing. It's more about respecting the other person's time. Dylanwells is right that the directness helps a ton. Cutting words makes you sound sure of yourself, not like you're begging for a reply.