The drive to my local store that has a decent fly fishing supply takes me a good 30 minutes. I went today and picked up a new hat for winter fishing (a Filson), a Matarelli whip finisher, and some other odds and ends. Then on the trip home it hit me that I just spent more on a hat than I did my first fly fishing setup, and more on a whip finisher than my first vise. I've always considered myself somewhat frugal to the extent of being cheap, and have always stood in opposition to the "gotta buy the best or it doesn't count" crowd. But now it looks like I am changing my stance just a bit.
I still feel that the cheap-o setups are the way to go for the majority of beginners. I did start out that way, with a plano box of flies in my pocket, a econo starter setup from Gander Mtn (back when they still did mail order), and the bare necessities for both gear and instruction because I didn't have a choice (there weren't any fly fishing resources locally at all and the internet wasn't an option either). But slowly through the years, I've upgraded as I've gained experience enough to know what I need or what works (and doesn't). That doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive, but if that is what it takes, I'll save some money and get it eventually. I have a gut feeling that most folks operate this way in some way or another, and to different extremes. Does this seem like the logical progression that most of you have gone through, or am I completely off my rocker?
I guess to make a long story short (too late, I know! ) I think I've reached a point where I'm getting a grasp on the concept that many of you have expressed on many past threads about getting enjoyment out of the equipment that you have. It isn't materialism as much as getting a certain pleasure from having enough experience to be able to truly KNOW what you need. And before anyone gets mad, I'm not saying that you have to upgrade for that satisfaction. I still have some of my starter equipment because it is perfectly functional, but I've had time and experience to discover that as well.
And thanks to FAOL for helping me down that path.