The level of misogyny in this thread is a big clue as to why there aren't any (until I stand corrected) women in this forum >:( Hmmm, shoes or gear, shoes or gear .... the eternal question. I know! I'll buy a tube of shoe glue and DIY some gear! Myself: I love on disability support in an illegally converted industrial building and I still know I'm richer than 90% of the world's population. Most weeks I don't have to worry about where the food's coming from - living in a large share house helps with that - and I can get out and see bands, go to the movies, have a beer every now and then (yay Aussie wine industry glut! $2 shiraz cleanskins at Dan Murphy's FTW). Sure, it'd be great to walk into a big-buck music emporium/hardware store/electronics supply house and say "Mmmm, one of those, one of thoooose, three of them...". It'd be nice to get my truck back on the road some time this century. But complain? Pfffff. I AM rich. So are all of us who can even afford a computer to get on this forum.