why a sewing maching instead of a serger?

[PaddyWagon]

I've been looking at a bunch of tutorials, and it seems like the bulk of stuff is made with a straight stitch sewing machine.  Is it better to straight stitch outdoor gear then to surge it?  How come?

[bllvenus]

A serger has a blade that cuts and binds the edges as you sew. If you make a mistake the fabric is gone. With complicated patterns or difficult fabrics a serger becomes a nightmare as fabric can sometimes not lay flat and then get caught under the blade. When you finish you have a hole where it was not intended. Straight stitch is best. Afterword you can use grossgrain ribbon to reinforce the stitch and cover the edge.