I'd say that when you're buying good gear, the extra amount you pay is (should be) either a significant advantage - lighter, less, noisy, not a sauna - or you're paying insurance that it won't fail you while you're in the middle or nowhere or in the middle or nasty weather.
Yeah, you can get away with normal everyday stuff, but what's carrying less weight, carrying a few pounds less, being a bit warmer worth to you?
When I went out the year before last and my gear - ruck, rifle, scope, food, etc., etc. ended up over 100 lbs and I was hauling that 1200 ft up a trail in the mountains, the value of lighter gear went way up in my book.
That said, I'm not going to go drop $400 on a sleeping bag just to lose 1 lb, regardless of the name, for $400, I can knock off several pounds by modifying or replacing multiple pieces of other equipment.
What I do have an issue with is companies jumping on a bandwagon and selling "high end" stuff, only for people to find out that the company skimped and used cheap parts for seemingly "minor" things like the zipper that you need to keep a jacket closed up when it's freezing, raining and the wind is blowing.
Or, they missed little things, like where the stitching is on a collar, so it doesn't rub the same spot on your neck while you're wearing it for several days.
It's wonderful that they offer a 100% free-exchange, but that doesn't do you any good when you're sitting in the middle of nowhere freezing your a** off and/or soaked to the bone.
That said, if somebody has the money to blow and the gear meets their needs, it's a free country.
Just my two cents.
