I remember my first gear purchases. My wife and I had been talked into going "camping" with some friends at a RV park with about 50 other intimate neighbors. I said this is not camping so my wife said that she would go backpacking with me. I had just received an insurance check to pay for my daughters car which had been totaled and the insurance was generous so we had a few extra dollars to spend. Fortunately there was a real outfitter shop. We bought two North Face frame packs, two foam pads, two pairs of fairly good boots, a couple of good quality synthetic bags and and a couple of other misc items. We borrowed an Optimus Hiker stove and set off for a first trip. Our packs were in the neighborhood of 35# with mostly canned food. I was convinced that this was a good thing. My wife not so much. We still have most of the equipment and have used it as loaner gear and I have used the frame pack to haul tools etc on trail crew trips. Fortunately we ended up at a true outfitter and not a big box sports gear pusher.

WOW. I just looked and the Hiker stove is $220 new and my Svea is $120.