Geardo*

So, a few months ago after hanging out in one-too-many outdoors and camping stores and spending too many hours browsing in Brigade Quartermasters, I pronounced the friend who had dragged me to all of these places an addict to kit he didn't necessarrily need, but wanted.

He drew up his decidedly tank-esque frame and said with dignity "I prefer the term. . .Geardo*!"

I loved the term so much I immediately told him I would be stealing it and have since used it to refer to him, my friends, and myself, shamelessly.

(Which reminds me, if you happen to be into Airsoft** and need any mod work done, check out the MP Upgrades site.)

Anyway, I liked the term, and must admit that despite my efforts to be interested in fashion, and how to stand out at a party for some reason other than the fact that you're being shunned by all the other guests, I am a geardo at heart. A guy walks into a room with new kit, be it a PDA that allows him to post directly to his blog, or a cell phone that allows me to read Penny-Arcade's RSS feed from anywhere, I'm going to wind up talking to him. Ditto weaponry, cars, boots, basically any item that has features and a spec list.

Just the words "spec list" pique my interest. You could set down a freaking blender in front of me, and tell me "but listen to this spec list!" and you'd have my undivided attention, even if, previous to your pressing the manual full of color photos into my hands I had been holding something important and moderately fragile, like a baby.

That's just the way I am. And I've started to notice that there are a lot of guys like me out there.

Obviously, my longtime readers and those who have perused the archives are already aware that I have a problem. You all doubtless remember me pimping Firefox, drooling over the Concept T, and gushing about my New Boots.

So obviously, having established this trend, you know that any excuse I have to buy new kit, especially if it has spec lists and features, is something I'll leap at and then wax eloquent (or at least lengthy) about here.

So I'm going to Europe. I got my ticket today, and I'm very, very psyched about the trip. I've been meaning to make a trip like this for years, and I'm very happy to have the opportunity now.

And of course, I'd like to use a backpack (specifically an internal frame pack) rather than luggage, because it's easier to carry and more practical for most things, and I'm big on practical when it comes to my toys (er, yeah, something like that). So I've been gear hunting lately, and I found the most fantastic backpack.

I'm in love with it. It's the Dakine Guide (Snowboard Packs->Snow->Guide). It's absolutely awesome. It has some functionality (like Back Access, mainly) that I haven't seen in other packs that makes me very very happy.

So that's cool. In addition, I also found Eastsport's snazzy Uptown Trap, which should work as a handy daypack.

And yes, I must admit that I got hooked on the Trapezoid concept for a day-pack after watching that dude totally steal that little figurine and store it so handily in Iron Bhudda.

Yes, I am a geek. Slap a label on me and send me home.

*Geardo: pronounced to rhyme with "Weirdo."

**If you don't know. . .don't ask.