Best and CHEAPEST gear

“What's the best deal you've gotten on a piece of gear, and how much was it? Why was this piece of gear so great?”

“I got this: for $45 and these: for $50 My best deals yet, really nice stuff...vents and zippers w velcro everywhere.”

“Best deal? Found a Ruger Super Single Six .22-caliber revolver in the middle of a trail on Truchas Peak during a rain storm. $300 revolver for free.”

“#&%!$bird...you kept it?!”

“Umm... a "lost" Pistol. Let's hope you're not the proud new owner of prosecution evidence item "a".

I got two Basic Designs self-inflating sleeping pads from a garage sale for 5 bucks. They've been as comfortable as my old thermarest, plus they have inflatable pillows.”

“Yeah. I wasn't going to hang around in a rain storm at 12,000 feet waiting for the owner to show. If I left it on the trail the thing would have been ruined and there weren't any cars left when I got to the trailhead. And I wasn't going to turn it in to the sheriff's office. Three days before the paper had an article about all the guns that had turned up missing from the evidence room there. So I figured, why not?”

“I am still testing my $40 Eddie Bauer Tent....10 nights in it and so far the only problem has been condensation. However, I have just about learned how to vent it to prevent any problems. I am afraid the plastic sheet on the front of the rain fly will wind up cracking and that will be a problem. Time will tell. So far, it has been a good deal.”

“Not worried about it being evidence for anything except maybe poaching. No bodies found up there all summer, no reports of people being menaced by some crazed, pistol-wielding maniac.”

“hey, uhh crapbird, let's hope the police believe your story if it's reported stolen by the guy that lost it. Here's hoping you don't get locked up!”

“You could turn it into the police dept and they will notify the owner if it's registered. I wouldn't keep it.”

“No registration in New Mexico.”

“I wouldn't be near as worried about it being registered as I would about the possibility of a ballistics report matching the weapon to a double homicide somewhere. What a d@mning piece of evidence to be in possession of.”

“Ballistics on the soft-lead bullets of the type used in .22-caliber pistols are very nonspecific.

Moreover, I find it hard to believe someone would hike almost all the way to the top of Truchas Peak to "hide" a homicide weapon in the middle of the trail. After 12 miles, why not at least throw it into the woods.

For that matter, why not throw it into the Rio Grande, where no one will ever find it?

Further, all 6 chambers were loaded with live ammunition. So if there had just been a mass-murder on the trail somewhere that I missed, this alleged murderer took the time to reload the gun before dumping it on the middle of the trail?

Nah, I'm not worried about it. Not to mention, you folks seem to be making some sort of link between guns and crime. I don't really want to open that can of worms, but just because a pistol was found doesn't mean it was used in a crime.”

“you are correct sb, there is no absolute correlation, my point was that the possibility of "a" correlation would cause me discomfort”

“Point taken.”

“North Face mountian light parka at REI for 70 bucks, retail $365. Kelty Jetsream2 tent at STP for $160, retail $360. If you see an item you want really cheap you better grab it then or it will be gone. Odd how much time you can spend shoppin on the net.”

“That and the fact that guns are capable of being tracked by serial numbers, and police pay extra special attention to guns, and will often run a serial number when finding someone with a gun, even if everything appears legal, all would make me uncomfortable.

Scenario: You have the pistol you "aquired" in your car (in NM, you can carry it concealed in your car, place of business or home), when you are pulled over. You dutifully tell the officer you have a firearm in the vehicle, and he runs the serial number to discover the original owner has reported it stolen. You get handcuffed and your car gets towed. Big hassle, you lose the free gun and pay fines for towing, legal fees, bail (maybe), and whatever else.

Maybe I'm paranoid, but I would have turned it in.”

“Scenario B - Get pulled over, go through Phaedrus' "big hassle" sceanrio. Tell police when and where you found the gun; rightful owner gets gun back; verifies he/she was hiking Truchas Peak; no charges.

Scenario C - You are law-abiding and don't get pulled over. You still have a nice pistol for free.

I guess I don't have the time or energy to live in fear of "what ifs" all the time. Sure, scenarios A and B could happen, but they might not.”

“For me it comes to this:

Scenario D - I have found something probably lost by another hiker. It is not mine. My conscience dictates I cannot keep it. All the rest of the what-ifs are spawned by that.

I'm not claiming that everyone should live by my rules, I'm just throwing my two cents in.”

“IF it was reported stolen, not lost (for which there is no NCIC catergory. It's not illegal to lose a gun) and the Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Department actually entered the gun into the NCIC (which again, is somewhat far-fetched, considering the history of law enforcement in Rio Arriba Co.) then your point is well made.

However, I don't carry a .22 in my car. It's mostly used for a hiking gun and occasional handgun-hunting for grouse.

And, for the sake of argument, if the gun was in my bag while I was on my way to go hunting or hiking I certainly have no duty to offer up to a police officer the presence of a gun.

That is a requirement in some states for the holders of concealed weapons permits. But a private citizen in a private vehicle with a privately-owned handgun that's out of sight doesn't have to disclose anything. And if the cop asks about guns, you have both the right to not answer the question--or lie!

In New Mexico, it is against the law to file a false police report. It's also against the law to refuse to tell an investigating officer what you know about a crime that has taken place. It's even illegal to refuse to identify yourself to a police officer. But the state Court of Appeals has specifically upheld the right of a person to lie to a cop about just about anything else.

So, in the unlikely event that I am pulled over while driving to hunt grouse and a cop in northern New Mexico asks if there's a gun in the car, I'd say no.

If the cop wants to search my truck? Well, only a fool would allow a cop to look through their belongings without a warrant. You refuse the search. The cop searches anyway, without probable cause? Well, then, if the gun IS stolen (which, again, it is not) you have a problem that will disappear once the matter gets to court and a Fourth Amendment argument is made.”

“Take it to a gun show, trade it to something else with a guy, not a dealer, no names, papers and you loose the tie and keep the equity.

REI 10deg 750 down bag with dryloft for $160 on closeout. Regular $350”

“I think the Supreme Court has given a green light to a search incident to lawful traffic stop. A burned out tail light would pretty much negate your defense.

However, I am NOT saying your decision to keep the gun is wrong, I am only saying that I would not do it.

Reasonable minds differ.”

“Dang it, conscience screws up everything! I'm sitting here pondering other scenarios: Walking down a trail you find a wallet with $300. Without a doubt I return the wallet to its owner (with the cash). It's easy. The pistol would require more effort, but the owner could probably be found. Maybe I would return it, too.

But I'm still keeping a Leatherman if I find one on the trail!!”

“Phaedrus,

I appreciate the argument you make. I did not buy the pistol. It was (almost certainly) lost, accidently, by another hiker.

There are a few things I could have done:

(a) left it where it was. The gun would have been covered in mud as the rain storm continued, certain to rust and be ruined.

(b) taken it and turned it in to the most dishonest law enforcement department in New Mexico, members of which had been caught only three days before stealing guns from the evidence room. Keep in mind, it's 50 miles to Espanola, NM from the Truchas Peaks area. So I would have driven far out of my way to turn in the lost gun to a police department that would have likely stolen it. (Nah, don't worry about any forms, we'll hold it until the owner claims it...)

(c)Kept it for myself. Finder's Keepers.

(d) Hauled the gun off the mountain, taken it home and cleaned it up to prevent it from being rusted. Spent the rest of my summer searching for the owners: asking random hikers on trails "did you ever lose a gun while hiking Truchas? Yeah? What's the serial number?" And when I was unsuccessful, destroyed it because of the guilt invovled in owning a gun I didn't personally buy.

I found a wallet about five years ago. It had about $120 in cash, credit cards, and a ATM card with the PIN number written on the back. What did I do? Tracked down the owner through the driver's license, called them and even delivered the wallet to the poor guy's house.

In short, I don't feel like I've done anything dishonest.”

“BTW I have a Ruger Super single six in stainless with a 6 1/2 inch bbl. darn fine little gun. Are you aware that its a 22l.r. and has a second cylinder to use 22 magnums. You can get one from Ruger since you obviously only found one or the other.”

“And if you took my message that I was implying you had done something dishonest, I apologize. I know with what you deal when you're talking about NM law enforcement. I moved to sacramento from Albuquerque a little over a year ago. Southern New Mexico, in general, may be the most corrupt per-capita law-enforcement area in the US.

All that being said, and while I see your perspective. I still would not have been able to walk away with it and not feel guilty. I might just have left it where it was, and if the owner hiked back to get it, so be it. If someone else picked it up, so be it. If it lay there and rusted into the earth, so be it. But if I did pick it up, I would have tried the nearest ranger station before the sherriffs. I completely agree with you on that point.”

“Chili36,

While there have certainly been a lot of U.S. Supreme Court decisions about traffic stops and searches, a recent decision that made headlines was Washington v. Gallatin. In that case, the Supreme Court upheld the right of officers to pat down (search) the person of anyone pulled over--deeming it necessary for officer safety. The decision did not green light a general search of the entire vehicle.”

“I only mention that because no one else did and I don't recall it printed on the gun itself. If you're not familiar with the 22WMR its a LOT stouter than a 22 l.r. sort of like the difference between a 38 spl and a 357 mag. Makes the gun much more versitile. I shot stationary clay pigeons at 100 yds with the mag cyl. they don't rainbow nearly as much as the l.r.”

“Mtnman,

I appreciate the information. The pistol I found has only the long-rifle cylinder. Perhaps I will contact Ruger for the other cyliner. This pistol, but the way is blued with about a 4 1/2 inch barrel. A great little hiking gun.”

“Ruger is an excellent company, My gun broke, some spring, while I was doing quick draw and fire practice years ago (a bit abusive to the action). I sent it to them and they repaired it free, replacing both cyl and appologizing for the problem. They or a dealer could order one for you.”

“Time to start another gun thread - I believe the original post was about bestest/cheapest gear?

Back before there was REI Outlet (or web shopping), REI was having a closeout on Super Cirque backpacks, $99, so I phoned in my order. I got it a week or so later with a nice note saying they were all out, but would I accept the new model (list $220) at the same price....yeeeeee haw!”

“REI has some real deals if you keep your eyes open. We are fortunate enough to have one in town, so I'm there way tooooo often for my own good.”

“Yes, perhaps this thread has been sort of taken over.

Besides the .22, I once got a brand-new Quest tent for FREE! It fell off the back of a truck...

Just kidding! Just kidding!”

“Chili, do you remember what Tango said this weekend about car searches? That (in Tampa, anyway) the driver can refuse the search, then they have 15 minutes to get the dogs there, otherwise they have to let the driver go. You don't have to agree to a car search, and the law can't search your car without permission, a warrant, or reasonable suspicion, i.e. the drug-sniffing dog smells something.”

“You boys sure seem concerned about search and seisure laws, drug dogs, etc.. hmmmm makes one wonder what's in the secret compartment behind the ashtray...”

“bp, sb, I search incident to stop in and of itself is indeed illegal. However, if the need to preserve evidence is clearly defined or if there is an arrest incident to the stop, I think Knowles v. Iowa is a pretty good idea of the Court's position.

sb, you are correct in that there is no blanket right to search. However, as bitpusher pointed out, the "creativity" of law enforcement officials to comply with Knowles is not to be ignored.”

“Probable cause is all it takes. I've done ridealongs with cops before and they all assured me that if they want to look in your car, they will.”

“Sheesh, and I thought I was a killer shopper because I almost never pay more than 50% of retail for bping gear! Sassafras and kleetn both have me beat. Dang, back to shopping school for me.”

“Yeah, that was kind of my hopes when I origianlly started this thread. :)”

“Sass, great deal! My precips are about that weight, I got the jacket for ~$70, but paid full price for the pants.

If I see something that fits, I can't wait for a sale. XS is hard to find. .... 8-(”

“Fleece vest $4.59
Microfleece pants $6.00
MVP Decathlon spring clearance”

“I got a $195 pair of Marmot Windstopper pants for $50. They were the past year's model and a second advertised as REI-outlet's deal of the day.

The reason they were seconds is that there was an almost invisible little messy stitching down at the cuff snap (you know, the part that's usually covered in mud).”

“kelty vortex 2 tent....used once...$60

campmor 0 degree extra long down bag and a campmor 20 degree down bag....never used with tags....$150 for the pair”

“If I see something that fits, I can't wait for a sale. XS is hard to find.

Unless you wear Large! Boy, Snow Nymph, everytime I find something I think is a great bargain at REI Outlet or EMS Clearance, they only have it in XL or XS.

Violin, sounds like you got a great buy, I was looking at those too.”

“Extra-long? Are you really tall, gonzo?”

“i'm still growing”

“An ebay sale in the making, huh?”

“Picked up 2 used Garcia Bear Canisters for 24.95 each!”

“Gonzo eats his veggies.”

“Were they still full of food? Did the bear want cash only?”