I've discovered that I learn the most from an unusual place. The threads here are wonderful. However the biggest piece of insight for me typically comes when the thread has taken a serious left turn off subject (posters go bushwhaking).

Examples: I never considered layering down under rain gear a bad idea. I had never done it. I would consider only doing it with a poncho after reading about the "sauna" it can create. This was in a thread that was talking about a specific type of raingear. Not exactly entirely off subject, but a useful nugget none the less.

What piece of gold did you find in a most unusual place (and if you remember, where was it)?

Edited by wn7ant on 09/29/2010 17:26:30 MDT.

the best and only real way to learn is by doing .... you learn best when things go wrong ;)

even if yr a city slicker with a jobs and kids you can learn and test yourself every day ... every heavy rain/snow forecast should just be an excuse to test your gear for a few hours ... any park/forest/hill you live near by should be a chance to go whack some bushes (keeping in mind safety and the environment)

take a daytrip ... hike a few hours up a hill in pouring rain or freezing snow and you'll find out what works very quickly

I'm of the opinion that Wisdom can be acquired two ways:

1) learn from your own mistakes as you recommend

2) learn from other peoples mistakes

I prefer option 2, it costs SIGNIFICANTLY less time, money, pain, etc..

So, although I agree that you have to do some things on your own, what I was referring to was; out of the things I learn here, the best nuggets of wisdom come from when the conversation takes a tangental subject, and then returns to the original subject. The tangent almost always has some wonderful little piece of gold in it. That is what I am asking about.