I sympathize with the OP's concern. While you could argue that the genetic necks are more cost-effective over the long haul, this assumes that you are going to use up the whole neck. For commercial tyers this may be a no-brainer, but for the average tier that just ties to supply himself or herself with fishing flies, it doesn't always make sense to buy expensive genetic necks. When I started out tying over 30 years ago, I found imported necks that were of sufficient quality to tie good flies. So what if I had to use two hackles on one fly? Over the years, I eventually bought genetic necks for the colors I use most frequently. But I still have most of the imported necks and they still work. Most of us want to be able to accumulate all the materials needed to tie any fly that we need or that strikes our fancy. But not all of those things are going to get used often enough to justify an "investment" in a high-priced item.
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