Expensive hobby?

[RocketRob]

I have a paintball marker hording problem... That can get very expensive as well.. $100 to $2000 for each one, but unlike rocketry they don't really lose value.

I played, mostly 10 years ago. But even buying two cases of paint would last Sat and Sun all day. 120$ for paint + field fees is noting compared to flying a L or an M motor in a weekend!

 

[Screaminhelo]

My son will be 10 very soon and the Lego force is strong in this one. The Millennium Falcon will likely be waiting on him Christmas morning. He will be in the Lego Zone for a couple of hours as he builds it.

 

[Thorfire]

My son turns 12 next year. For his science fair project next year he wants to make 4 flights with a LOC Magnum we found on sale last summer to experement with air starts.... 4 or 6 H220s and an I345 in each flight....
This is what happens when you let your kids stumble upon the old Estes stuff you had decades ago........ Going for my level 3 next year to keep a step ahead of him.........

 

[Rafael]

Rocketry...
The hobby isn't expensive, but the addiction is...

You got that right!

 

[Cabernut]

One great thing I've (re)discovered about this hobby is that it covers all budgets. You can build and launch a small rocket several times for less than the $20 you spend for a meal out. You could also spend $7k+? to build and launch a HPR with an O8000. Everything in between. Whatever your budget, there's something for you.
Heck, I don't want to even know how much the GoFast project cost..

 

[boatgeek]

I also like that rocketry has a lot of options for how expensive to build something (carbon fiber vs. recycled mailing tubes) and how expensive you choose to fly (C-O). If you fly with a club, you also have pretty low fixed costs. You can get a pretty nice flier for $50-$150 and then another $15-$30 per flight. Since a good part of the fun of a launch is watching other people fly, it's not unreasonable to spend a half of a day and only launch once or twice. Maybe more if you fly LPR, but still less than $50 for the day, maybe $150 for a day or two flying H-I. I think that might even beat the paintball supplies while still under the low end for a marker.

 

[Exactimator]

I also like that rocketry has a lot of options for how expensive to build something (carbon fiber vs. recycled mailing tubes) and how expensive you choose to fly (C-O). If you fly with a club, you also have pretty low fixed costs. You can get a pretty nice flier for $50-$150 and then another $15-$30 per flight. Since a good part of the fun of a launch is watching other people fly, it's not unreasonable to spend a half of a day and only launch once or twice. Maybe more if you fly LPR, but still less than $50 for the day, maybe $150 for a day or two flying H-I. I think that might even beat the paintball supplies while still under the low end for a marker.

+1

I find if I fly once a month, 3 or 4 flights of H-I, that's about the cost of a daily Starbucks habit. My wife has one, I don't. We don't bother each other about these. The occasional J, K or I motor is her new outfit or outing with her friends. We both get to enjoy our thing without guilt.

I believe I get a lot of value for what I spend in the hobby. Setting, working towards and attaining goals does wonders for an attitude. And I love my family to death, but getting away for a day to blow burnt AP all over the desert while shooting the breeze with buddies does a lot to recharge my batteries.