View Full Version : What are ways to cut corners financially for gear?
I am doing a 2 month section hike of the PCT. August and September. Thus far I have been pretty adamant about not cutting corners for the big 4:
Tarptent SS1
Zpacks Solo Bag
ULA Circuit
Neoair Xlite
But for other things I really would like to try and save. For example, instead of getting a $200 rainjacket I may just do cheap Frog Toggs since I won't see too much rain anyways..
Does anyone have thoughts on this?
Shop the used gear here at WhiteBlaze. Shop thrift stores where you live. Craig's list even.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
rocketsocks
06-12-2016, 11:35
I am doing a 2 month section hike of the PCT. August and September. Thus far I have been pretty adamant about not cutting corners for the big 4:
Tarptent SS1
Zpacks Solo Bag
ULA Circuit
Neoair Xlite
But for other things I really would like to try and save. For example, instead of getting a $200 rainjacket I may just do cheap Frog Toggs since I won't see too much rain anyways..
Does anyone have thoughts on this?Fast............
Fast............
You mean starve, right? Food isn't gear.
My suggestion is just buy whatever is cheap after your big 4. Its not going to matter because it will be worn out when you get through.
rocketsocks
06-12-2016, 11:51
It's a financial.
...But for other things I really would like to try and save. For example, instead of getting a $200 rainjacket I may just do cheap Frog Toggs since I won't see too much rain anyways..Does anyone have thoughts on this?
It's easier than you think. I've done every one of my long hikes on a budget (on purpose; thankfully money isn't tight) that would have most the so-called experts here cringe. Plenty of others also have, and you often meet them out there, particularly the younger crowd. Hiking is not expensive! But I don't know what the thrift stores are like in St. Augustine, and I doubt, for example, they'll have decent jackets.
You'll almost certainly need a replacement pair of shoes; look for them first. If you don't need 'em, or don't think you will, all the better. Clothing is typically a no-brainer for conditions out west, especially during that time of year. You don't need much. Frog Toggs is a good choice, and you'll likely see others carrying/wearing them. Buy their "suit" and you've got both the pants and the jacket, as well as rain protection AND mosquito protection (if it's required; depends on where you're hiking; it's buggy in the Sierra this year and is only going to get worse).
Fleecy clothing could be necessary (again, depending on where you'll be), as might be a thicker insulating jacket. You probably have most everything you need, if you delve deep enough, but it could be worth making your own alcohol stove (cheap, light, effective) and using a plastic/lexan spoon instead of aluminum or titanium ($$$). Think this way and you'll be okay. I've done everyone of my hikes (PCT, AT, etc) on the cheap (much cheaper than I'm told I could survive on, in fact), because I look at it as another part of the challenge, and it allows me more and more such trips.
Tell us some specifics (where you'll be on the PCT) and ask some specifics, and you'll get clearer responses.
Might seem basic, but while you're out there, stay on the trail. For every day you spend in town for resupply, zero, whatever the excuse, you're going to spend 5 to 10 times the amount you would if you spent that day on the trail. Minimize your town stops, get your resupply and get back out on the trail. Plan your town stops so you are back on the trail by the afternoon...once the sun starts to go down it will be very tempting to just stay in town.
It's easier than you think. I've done every one of my long hikes on a budget (on purpose; thankfully money isn't tight) that would have most the so-called experts here cringe. Plenty of others also have, and you often meet them out there, particularly the younger crowd. Hiking is not expensive! But I don't know what the thrift stores are like in St. Augustine, and I doubt, for example, they'll have decent jackets.
You'll almost certainly need a replacement pair of shoes; look for them first. If you don't need 'em, or don't think you will, all the better. Clothing is typically a no-brainer for conditions out west, especially during that time of year. You don't need much. Frog Toggs is a good choice, and you'll likely see others carrying/wearing them. Buy their "suit" and you've got both the pants and the jacket, as well as rain protection AND mosquito protection (if it's required; depends on where you're hiking; it's buggy in the Sierra this year and is only going to get worse).
Fleecy clothing could be necessary (again, depending on where you'll be), as might be a thicker insulating jacket. You probably have most everything you need, if you delve deep enough, but it could be worth making your own alcohol stove (cheap, light, effective) and using a plastic/lexan spoon instead of aluminum or titanium ($$$). Think this way and you'll be okay. I've done everyone of my hikes (PCT, AT, etc) on the cheap (much cheaper than I'm told I could survive on, in fact), because I look at it as another part of the challenge, and it allows me more and more such trips.
Tell us some specifics (where you'll be on the PCT) and ask some specifics, and you'll get clearer responses.
Wonderful info.. I start south of Lake Tahoe and possinly end at Crater Lake late September..
Might seem basic, but while you're out there, stay on the trail. For every day you spend in town for resupply, zero, whatever the excuse, you're going to spend 5 to 10 times the amount you would if you spent that day on the trail. Minimize your town stops, get your resupply and get back out on the trail. Plan your town stops so you are back on the trail by the afternoon...once the sun starts to go down it will be very tempting to just stay in town.
Im sure it all depends, but what is an average walk into town like? 2, 3 miles from the trail?
Wonderful info.. I start south of Lake Tahoe and possinly end at Crater Lake late September..
Mosquitoes won't be too bad for most that stretch, save for the start (it's mostly a dry stretch you're doing, and forest fires will be the bigger possibility). But the Frog Toggs can work in this manner, as a cheap, chemical-free repellent. I use cheapy thrift store wind pants and windbreaker, as they're lighter and cheaper than even the Frog Toggs. I treat them with a six-dollar can of water-repellent spray (found at Wal-Mart) if rain is going to be an issue. On that stretch it's usually not, and I think you come to see just how dry it is out west. Sunscreen is imperative, along with a good sun-hat or bandana underneath a visor. Sun exposure is pretty constant on the PCT!
You're going to love that stretch! Walking up to the view of Crater Lake gives you a MUCH deeper appreciation for it than does driving to its rim. I hope you make it there!
Like Uriah's take.
You personally will likely never to rarely wear a rain jacket or Frogg Toggs in that dry PCT stretch during the proposed hiking time of yr. Get yourself a cheapy light wt more breathable wind jacket but with a good DWR perhaps at a Goodwill or Thrift store. Layer underneath that. If it rains expect to get damp.
Trail runners!
Do you REALLY NEED a NeoAir Xlite? $$$ There are way less expensive alternatives! If adamant but a used one.
Used ZP sleeping bags come online pretty regularly. Try www.lwhiker and ZP's bargain bin. Here on WB alone is a long shot scoring one IMO. I just saw some minor imperfection ZP bags in the Bargain Bin. Enlightened Equipment and Feathered Friends has Bargain Bins as well.
It's the PCT too. In that PCT stretch not a boatload of alluring off trail towns to spend bookooh bucks after Truckee CA. I suppose anyone could find ways to spend frivolously though.
After initial gear outlay the biggest costs will be buying food. Figure out how to save on food as you're gearing up. Practice cooking and eating those meals at home if you plan on cooking.
The Kisco Kid
06-12-2016, 15:04
You're doing it right by splurging on the big four. That's where you will find the biggest weight savings and thus in my opinion the best return for your money
GoldenBear
06-12-2016, 16:07
Buy clothing at thrift stores, where they price items by what they are (shirt, pants, hat) instead of material (cotton, polyester, wool, silk -- it's all the same). I've gotten shirts made of wool and of silk for $5.
If you can find exactly what you're looking for there, check military surplus stores. Again, I've found wool pants for $10.
Check out clearance sales at online stores like
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/
https://www.campmor.com/
http://www.duluthtrading.com/
I've found Gore-tex{R} jackets for $60
Get on the e-mail list for stores like EMS and REI. In exchange for getting a weekly e-mail reminding me of stuff on sale, I'll periodically get a coupon code for dollars off any item. So if you find $25 item that has a clearance price of $12, and apply your $10 coupon along with free shipping; you get a $25 item for $2.
I've also found that a lot of stuff sold in vacuum-sealed aluminum packs costs a LOT more than the same item (pretty much) sold in bulk at a local grocery, which you then pack in a plastic zipper bag.
I've made my own soda-can alcohol stoves for about a $1, but I recognize this isn't for everyone.
Dry PCT section. August-September. Alcohol stove. Really? You won't know if it's a bad idea until it is too late.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
CJOttawa
06-12-2016, 16:54
A few people over on Reddit/r/Ultralight have posted links to gear guides that focus on budget gear.
There are even "knock-offs" coming out of China and sold on sites like GearBest, AliExpress, even Amazon that could save some coin. Heck, they even make knock-offs of Big Agnes tents that are weight competitive...and hundreds of dollars less.
I mostly buy mainstream gear but a few things I've bought:
A knock off of a Sea-to-Summit Aeros inflatable pillow (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01C6W7O12/) $25 off the original (https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Summit-Premium-Regular-Pillow/dp/B00HUL4KUI/). (reviewed well).
The BRS-3000T Hornet titanium LPG stove (https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Portable-Titanium/dp/B01077AGC2/), for quick weekend trips. ($12 stove that does as well as a $60 MSR Micro Rocket (https://www.amazon.com/MSR-06628-Micro-Rocket-Stove/dp/B00F0BSDO4/))
Here are a few links of interest:
Full discussion: https://www.reddit.com/r/WildernessBackpacking/comments/4j2701/gear_ive_compiled_a_list_of_ultracheap_and/
...which links to this lighter pack list: https://lighterpack.com/r/776crf
O2 Rainwear
My experience: I combined old clothes, and made purchases only for a synthetic insulated vest, shoes, and a rain parka, at first.
I take pride in my gear, nevertheless, avoiding "dirtbagging" because I like to hike in popular areas for internationals so I don't have to do as much foreign travel to meet people.
I purchased one item from Sierra Trading Post. I got a coupon, and Sierra Trading Post let me combine coupons so I got a great price on my next purchase. EMS has big sales. Even Patagonia has sales.
This is why it is worth giving online business, you like, your email.
It helps keep from having to look at everything at their really big websites.
Look at the forums. Look at gearlists.
Ask questions. Then, I search for best price.
Allow time for returns or exchange. One brand label fits small, another too big, no matter what the size chart has for measurements, for example, I find Mountain Hardware doesn't fit me one size up or down, it is cut for a different shape body than me. Another brand fits.
The only way is to find out.
I also DIY, then, make the purchase so my gear is well made and durable if I am not up to that skill level. This helps keep me from spending before I know that will work well for me, for example, the tarp dimensions are too narrow for the coverage I want. The other tarp is right for me.
See http://www.pmags.com/300-gear-challenge
garlic08
06-12-2016, 21:21
Sign up at SteepandCheap.com for good deals every once in a while. I got my Marmot Helium bag there for under $200.
Marmots go on sale pretty often, so do Gossamer Gear packs. Sign up for their emails, too.
My entire AT kit, including the aforementioned Helium bag and GG pack, Tarptent Contrail and a nice Marmot down vest cost about $850 and weighed less than ten pounds. UL does not have to be expensive.
Dry PCT section. August-September. Alcohol stove. Really? You won't know if it's a bad idea until it is too late. Wayne Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
The title of this thread is 'What are the ways to cut corners financially for gear?' An alcohol is one such way. An even less expensive way to heat food is via a small campfire, a riskier idea yet. The middle name's Dangerous. :-)
lonehiker
06-12-2016, 23:33
Dry PCT section. August-September. Alcohol stove. Really? You won't know if it's a bad idea until it is too late.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
There is no reason that an alcohol stove is any riskier than any other stove if used by a responsible person.
Here is my avatar, over at bplite forum.
35169
It shows my BudLyte Super Stove for white gas and my BudLyte Super Stove for alcohol, my Caldera Clone with my Vargo 750 Sierra cookware. Note: the built-in pot support height is adjusted for the fuel.
In the morning I will photograph my winter outfit, for alcohol stove or wood "twiggy fire".
RoamingGentile
06-13-2016, 07:19
I save by buying most of my gear off Amazon and keep checking all the gear sale pages/apps for sales.
There is no reason that an alcohol stove is any riskier than any other stove if used by a responsible person.
Explain that to the folks in charge of banning stoves without shut off valves.
Never mind. This horse has been whipped, beat, stomped and pulverized to death.
Everyone gets to pick their own stove.
Enjoy.
Wayne
lonehiker
06-13-2016, 09:23
Explain that to the folks in charge of banning stoves without shut off valves.
Never mind. This horse has been whipped, beat, stomped and pulverized to death.
Everyone gets to pick their own stove.
Enjoy.
Wayne
They didn't ask me.
greentick
06-13-2016, 20:54
As noted above, sign up for STP's gear flyer: they're prices are great to begin with, but often discounted further.
I like the old army poly-p top (http://www.ebay.com/itm/GENUINE-US-MILITARY-ECWCS-POLYPRO-COLD-WEATHER-SHIRT-UNDERSHIRT-LARGE-NEW-/301964377103) for GP use
I'll layer it over a wool Tshirt down to below freezing in dry weather (while moving). It's fairly light and you can stuff it into one of the sleeves for a nice pillow.
Another piece of great surplus: the field jacket liner (http://www.armysurplusworld.com/product.asp?ProductID=944)
aka "the Chinese smoking jacket." You can use it without modification or if you or someone you love can sew, here's a mod (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=27735&catid=member&imageuser=6848).
If you have a military surplus shop nearby you can usually find a better price than those above.
MuddyWaters
06-13-2016, 21:07
There is no reason that an alcohol stove is any riskier than any other stove if used by a responsible person.
Theres a real lack of people responsible enough to use alcohol stoves safely.
Ive seen many small fires started, that they people put out
Look at any picnic table at any shelter and you will see evidence of it.
As much as I prefer alcohol...I really have to say...they should probably be banned most everywhere, most of the time.
Too many people that arent responsible enough.
fiddlehead
06-13-2016, 21:50
The only piece of gear I would spend serious money on is my sleeping bag.
The rest can be made, bought cheaply at thrift stores or found at home.
Example: for a shelter, you can make one from a piece of cheap sil-nylon or even plastic construction sheets ( I spent most of a 2 day rainstorm in a lean-to we made from one of these for 3 of us on a hike once)
You can deal with a cheap pack or even make your own, keep it simple, you don't need all those pockets, just a sack with some shoulder straps.
Sleeping pad? Cheap foam from Walmart will do fine (unless it's winter or very cold)
Cheap aluminum pot with a lid from a thrift store. (might have to cut the handle off)
Spoon? (lightest one you can find)
knife? razor blade will do
Flashlight? Those keychain lights will work fine. Get a good one.
Raingear? Frogg Toggs or similar
Clothes? Polypro is still cheap and still works the same as it always did. $7.99 online for lightweights, $18 for heavy
Garbage bag, free grocery bags for stuff sacks (get new ones when needed)
all that can cost you less than $200 (except for the sleeping bag)
Mine was $400 (Feathered Friends)
My 2 cents.
AfterParty
06-14-2016, 21:36
I had a one person ICS 2000 ereka tent I got in Iraq. A great tent! But I traded it for 200 and ordered a marmot starlight onsale that weighs 3 lbs less and is big enough for 2 and great for just me. So next I will sell some hunting things. trade for comfort and durability.
saltysack
06-14-2016, 21:38
Yep...no need to piss money away on stuff sacks...simple conpactor bag for all dry gear and gallon with quart ziplock freezer bags work great for misc hygiene etc
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
plexusbritt
06-15-2016, 00:29
I didn't realize til tonight that I am a light weight. The hubby picked up my pack a bit agoand was like "uh did you forget something" no. Lol it's all there. Grocery sacks, zip locks, and contractor bags not only save money but weight too.
My pack is from Walmart. 25L internal frame. It has survived a lot of sections. I paid $40 for it. It's a kinda ugly hunter orange but who cares. Yesterday I found athletic tees for $6 there.
Like others have said, spend your money where it counts the most. My biggest ticket item was my sleeping bag followed by my shoes.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So many great suggestions here. Thank you WB.
Siestita
06-16-2016, 23:44
Titanium cookware, which is actually made from alloys of titanium and aluminum, does not cook food any more effectively than does cheap aluminum cookware. Some threads here suggest that aluminum pots handle heat more effectively than titanium ones do. Titanium's only advantage is that it produces greater strength in an item without correspondingly increasingly weight. But cook pots, even aluminum ones, are not items that break down along hiking trails because they lack strength.
So, if you want your cook put to last for centuries and be around for your great grandchildren to use someday, by all means get a strong one, made from titanium. Or, consider cheaper alternatives. Unless things have changed recently, light weight one liter aluminum 'Grease Pots' are still sold at K-Mart for approximately $8. I've used one of those, originally purchased at Walmart for about $5, with no problems for years.
fastfoxengineering
06-17-2016, 06:44
On the PCT I would use a canister. That brs3000 is really hard to beat for the price. Imusa mug, foil lid, lexan spoon. Nice setup for under $30.
Cheap disposable water/soda bottles at about $1 each.
Gerber ultralight LST. Quality backpacking blade for about $10
Champion C9 gear is great backpacking clothing for the money.
Honestly you really shouldn't have much to buy after those big four. If you see your gear expenses going up your prob just putting together a list of crap you don't need.
I've got a box full of used stuff if your interested
The cheapest and lightest gear is that which you don't get in the first place. Take only that which is necessary for safety and enjoyment. Leave the rest on the store shelves.
rocketsocks
06-17-2016, 09:45
"Old Navy" buy me had some polyester quick dry t-shirts on sale for $5 bucks, they smelled a little funky like maybe they were sittin' in a quarantined in a warehouse shipyard under a leaky roof...so I took a chance and bought a few, washed em, there fine.
It's easier than you think. I've done every one of my long hikes on a budget (on purpose; thankfully money isn't tight) that would have most the so-called experts here cringe. Plenty of others also have, and you often meet them out there, particularly the younger crowd. Hiking is not expensive! But I don't know what the thrift stores are like in St. Augustine, and I doubt, for example, they'll have decent jackets.
You'll almost certainly need a replacement pair of shoes; look for them first. If you don't need 'em, or don't think you will, all the better. Clothing is typically a no-brainer for conditions out west, especially during that time of year. You don't need much. Frog Toggs is a good choice, and you'll likely see others carrying/wearing them. Buy their "suit" and you've got both the pants and the jacket, as well as rain protection AND mosquito protection (if it's required; depends on where you're hiking; it's buggy in the Sierra this year and is only going to get worse).
Fleecy clothing could be necessary (again, depending on where you'll be), as might be a thicker insulating jacket. You probably have most everything you need, if you delve deep enough, but it could be worth making your own alcohol stove (cheap, light, effective) and using a plastic/lexan spoon instead of aluminum or titanium ($$$). Think this way and you'll be okay. I've done everyone of my hikes (PCT, AT, etc) on the cheap (much cheaper than I'm told I could survive on, in fact), because I look at it as another part of the challenge, and it allows me more and more such trips.
Tell us some specifics (where you'll be on the PCT) and ask some specifics, and you'll get clearer responses.
I should be doing Crater Lake southwards for 2 months.
scrabbler
07-01-2016, 20:59
Cheapest is not buying it in the first place. See if something else you're carrying can do double duty.
swjohnsey
07-01-2016, 22:14
Check out ebay for used gear.
Siestita
07-02-2016, 02:48
Last week I bought a "3 LED Headlamp with batteries" from the flashlight display within the camping section of my local Walmart. It cost me $1, and weighs slightly less than one ounce. About half that weight comes from the two watch batteries that are included. Needless to say, this little light comes without instructions, but after fiddling with it patiently for a few minutes I learned how to quickly and easily remove and then replace the batteries. And, at home in a completely dark room my new toy provided sufficient light to enable me to read and observe my immediate surroundings.
I have learned by experience that all lights eventually fail, and when mine bite the dust they never do so under convenient circumstances. So far I've never had a flashlight fail on me during daylight, or when I am conveniently camping with other people, or when a full moon makes night chores easy to accomplish. So, I find it convenient to carry two small lights with me, rather than just one. I'll return to Walmart soon to pick up a couple more $1 headlamps. I've never before seen two watch batteries sold for just a dollar.
Disclaimer--If, unlike me, you do night hiking, you probably ought to instead get a stronger light, one powered by much heavier batteries. Also, using a very cheap, light weight LED headlamps will not necessary enhance your prestige along the trail among gear heads. And, I do not recommend using such lights for snorkeling, scuba diving, or ascents of Everest. Every tool has its limitations.
Last week I bought a "3 LED Headlamp with batteries" from the flashlight display within the camping section of my local Walmart. It cost me $1, and weighs slightly less than one ounce. About half that weight comes from the two watch batteries that are included. Needless to say, this little light comes without instructions, but after fiddling with it patiently for a few minutes I learned how to quickly and easily remove and then replace the batteries. And, at home in a completely dark room my new toy provided sufficient light to enable me to read and observe my immediate surroundings.
I have learned by experience that all lights eventually fail, and when mine bite the dust they never do so under convenient circumstances. So far I've never had a flashlight fail on me during daylight, or when I am conveniently camping with other people, or when a full moon makes night chores easy to accomplish. So, I find it convenient to carry two small lights with me, rather than just one. I'll return to Walmart soon to pick up a couple more $1 headlamps. I've never before seen two watch batteries sold for just a dollar.
Disclaimer--If, unlike me, you do night hiking, you probably ought to instead get a stronger light, one powered by much heavier batteries. Also, using a very cheap, light weight LED headlamps will not necessary enhance your prestige along the trail among gear heads. And, I do not recommend using such lights for snorkeling, scuba diving, or ascents of Everest. Every tool has its limitations.
I found the same lights and small LED flashlights all with batteries. I bought $5 worth. I'll carry the headlight for camp and tent chores and save the "good" headlamp for critical use like night hiking or the red night vision mode.
Wayne
Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
I said I would post a photo in the morning, and I put it in a different thread.
Here it is: I use this for colder weather.
35367
This is the zelph Companion Burner, that holds up to 4 oz Heet. I have it sitting inside a folding hardware cloth "burner" I use for a twiggy fire. If no larger diameter than a finger, standing upright, with the fire started in an opening in the center, the heat is intense for winter.
The Companion Burner is if there is no wood: 3 oz fuel will burn 35 minutes.
I use heavy foil under the wood fire.
I also have a windscreen I like to leave partially open a bit on one side, for a nice in and up-ward draft.
It is surprising how little cooking fire is needed: usually, a small twiggy fire is all I need.
If I don't have ample water ready to put the fire "dead out" - with no warmth left in the coals or ash, I don't have a fire.
I am content with hot food from a more controlled flame, of zelph's StarLyte or Companion Burner, that will not allow the fuel to tip out.
I have canister burners I like to use, now and then, for "shoulder season" camping.
I have had expensive white gas burners, I thought I needed for cold weather I no longer bother to bring in my backpack.
Now I have a StarLyte w/lid and titanium windscreen or a 3-sided hardware cloth pot stand for a "twiggy fire". I have even set the cooking pot on twigs laid in the twiggy fire coals, on a thick aluminum foil. If there is 100% mineral soil or sand, I might use that.
The 3-sided hardware cloth is folded up and slid inside that bubblewrap "pocket" to keep the smoke and soot off my gear. I put it in an Opsak.
The StarLyte w/lid and titanium windscreen get used the most.
35370
This is it. Not more. It fits in the smallest Opsak.
swjohnsey
07-03-2016, 10:18
Shop on ebay.