Sometimes spending more will get better quality or versatility, but it’s never worth obsessing over. Remember, the perfect travel gear doesn’t exist (relevant XKCD).
In terms of the nomad lifestyle, while I prefer fast-paced travel, it’s not great for productivity, finances, and friends, so I now stay in cities for longer periods. This allows me to maintain social relationships and explore cities deeper. It also allows me to do “zero-bag” trips in which I travel with just the contents of my poc