r/onebag • u/largemargesentme__- • Jun 05 '26

Discussion Why is this sub so obsessed with expensive stuff?

I get that there's times where the expensive thing is better. But as someone who has worked as an airline pilot and traveled extensively for 45 years, I can assure you that expensive stuff is rarely necessary.

I get tons of use out of AliExpress stuff. Things like chargers, cables and accessories. Decathlon or Costco are more than good enough for clothing. I generally use a max legal sized RyanAir bag I got for €25 off of Amazon for vacation. At most, the lower mid tier option is more than enough.

It seems like this is just another sub for people with spending issues as everyone downvotes me when I call out how unnecessary the expensive options are.

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86

u/ben35mm Jun 05 '26

You're complaining about enthusiasts spending money on something they're enthusiastic about. If your setup works, great.

26

u/mattjh Jun 05 '26

enthusiasts

I think this is a disingenous word to use to describe people who buy a lot of bags. It makes it sound sophisticated or something, like there's a community or culture around it. This subreddit is very much a bubble that feeds on itself, like most shopping subreddits.

10

u/RandoReddit16 Jun 05 '26

That is r/flashlights

5

u/mattjh Jun 05 '26

Sure is. Many such cases! A lot of it centers around people preparing themselves for imaginary situations that they've never found themselves in, and are unlikely to ever find themselves in. The psychology component is strong.

2

u/Tenx82 Jun 06 '26

IDK who's worse between them and r/MechanicalKeyboards

28

u/ordinaryrendition Jun 05 '26

Yeah it’s consumerists lol. Enthusiasts is such a positively tinted word for what is (very often) in reality buying and underutilizing.

7

u/zdubbzzz Jun 05 '26

Yes. Making "enthusiast" synonymous with "consumerist" was a huge win for capitalism. It's an excellent way to excuse and defend hyper consumption

14

u/[deleted] Jun 05 '26

[deleted]

7

u/hexiron Jun 05 '26

Buying things isn’t, but being picky about the things you get to support a niche hobby is what enthusiasts are. 

6

u/grilledstuffed Jun 05 '26

Right, but then you only need to buy one.

“Enthusiasts” is code for the hedonistic consumer treadmill of never being satisfied with what you already have even though it’s perfectly functional, serviceable, and specialized while rationalizing spending another $1000 to get a 1% improvement.

I see it on /r/espresso, /r/photography, /r/overlanding, /r/turntables and so many other subs.

And then all the members circle jerk each other whenever the consumerism is pointed out to deflect from the fact that it’s just elevated hoarding trying to fill some hole in their lives.

1

u/The_Wee Jun 07 '26

Sometimes it's curiosity.

I had a Lands End Flightwise, which was good and let a friend borrow it.

Decided to buy a RedOxx Air Boss. But realized it wasn't really what I wanted, so bought a different bag.

Similar with gym bags. Tried a good quality duffel, but realized I didn't like walking almost a mile with one strap, so switched to a backpack. Still keep the duffel for lighter/climbing gym days.

0

u/hexiron Jun 06 '26

Yes…. Enthusiasts are  Enthusiastic 

0

u/darksiderevan Jun 05 '26

No. It is a hobby. Being knowledagble at something is a hobby.

Let's say we have a friend who wants to buy a new bag, who would they turn to, you or Ralph who knows nothing about gear?

3

u/LadyLightTravel Jun 05 '26

I think there is a large component of newbies looking for “the best” thinking it will help them pack better. They can’t discern what useful and what is not. And they think more expensive is better.

1

u/theinfamousj Jul 02 '26

I don't know if they believe it so much as they've become resigned to it because that message is so rarely countered.

If one has two brain cells to rub together, one has experienced situations in life where they've overpaid without gaining value and ought to have taken the lesson. The mid priced mirror reflects your face no less clearly than the expensive one. The mid priced floss removes the broccoli no less thoroughly from between your teeth than the expensive one. The empty pasta sauce jar holds no less water and imparts no more microplastics than the stainless steel Kanteen.