It seems that I forgot to read my post one last time after editing, with the
result that I left out the main point--my own unsuccessfull outfitting was
for a ski trip some years ago. (The poor choices and usage are only
annoying at a ski resort, but dissastrous in the wilderness.) The parapragh
sould have read:

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With respect to the clothing issues, it is true that they were
underequipped. However, having shopped for cold weather gear in an area
that doesn't receive cold weather, I am inclined to judge less harshly.
Those boots that were supposed to be the cat's pajamas can be annoying at a
ski resort, since you can't walk around outside as far as you planned, and
the rest of the outerwear that you used incorrectly may cause you to "catch
your death"; but a bottle of wine and a long soak in the hot tub will
probably cure all that ails you. OTOH, in the wilderness, a lot of
incorrectly recommended clothing (or simply inexperience) is a severe
handicap!

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I'm sorry about the way my post looked with the omission.

Peter