I love catalogs - growing up I spent a lot of time in the Bass Pro and Cabela's catalogs, wishing and dreaming about buying this and doing that, and whatnot. Getting to order something back then was a pain, but very exciting. Filing out the order form, mailing it off, then waiting for stuff to show back up a couple weeks later. It sounds silly but I have fond memories of that.
That said, let's be honest - 99% of either of those catalogs is nothing more than "transfer devices" that don't accomplish anything except moving money from your bank account to theirs. You don't need most of that stuff to hunt, fish, shoot, or be tactical. But people buy it because they like buying things. Whether it's retail therapy, or a status symbol, or genuine ignorance, or misguided good intentions, or heck, even good old "I just want one..." we all fall into the trap occasionally (granted some more than others). Despite what they advertise, their business is to make money selling you stuff, not to help you be better at whatever it is you do. If you were ever satisfied with what you're doing, you'd stop buying as much stuff, right? That's a bad business model.
I have to remind myself that needs will typically make themselves known. If I look at something and can't figure out why I need it...I probably don't.
Of course I suppose that was kind of the point of the OP, more than an actual question