I sew for a little of both. In some cases it is economy, however, for me, I'm a "slow" sewer, and I kind
of do count my time and aggravation in it. For example I can buy a silnylon tarp at MEC for $60, and It'll take me $25 worth of silnylon and $10 in odds and sods to make one, plus my time - so I don't do that.

OTOH, I can modify gear like packs and tents to have what I want in them, or make gear like a hammock with features that I want *for me* that I just couldn't buy otherwise, or at least not at
a price that I can afford. So, I sew my own hammock, hack my tents, make my own fleece pants, etc.

If I were a more in practice sewer, and or had more time on my hands to do it with, I would think it cool to use all homemade gear. For now at least, if my choice is spend a weekend sewing a backpack for $50, or spend $150 on buying a backpack and spend the weekend hiking, I buy the backpack and go hiking for the weekend <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
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Any fool can be uncomfortable...
My 3 season gear list
Winter list.
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