Cheapo Hiker-- Any Ideas?

[Amigi'sLastStand]

Hello all.

Since I have incurred extra med bills as of late and dont have as much $$$ as I had planned on, I came up with an idea.

I'll hike the whole damn thing with homemade gear.

I know a lot of you use mostly homemade gear, so give me some ideas.
Less than obvious stuff. Don't tell me, "get an alcohol stove!" or, use a tarp. My IQ is higher than my age so.... well, that's in question, but you get my point.

Cost is the big factor, not weight. A silnylon tarp would be nice, but dont have $50 for it, so....

Let's hear em.

[Lilred]

Grandma Gatewood used a shower curtain for a tarp.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Check out this site for making your own silnylon (http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/Silnylon1/). I haven't tried it (yet :D), but it looks interesting. This, coupled with the $1 table at Wal-Mart could bring a homemade sil-nylon tarp, pack cover and stuff bags within your budget. I'd sew it together before treating the fabric as sil-nylon is hard to sew.

Buy clothing at the Salvation Army or Goodwill. Look for synthetics that have pockets in good places and don't have anything that will interfere with carrying your pack or walking.

Make yourself a Pepsi alcohol stove and Heineken pot(s). Use an empty dish detergent bottle for fuel.

[SGT Rock]

Well making all of your own may not be the absolute cheapest way, here is a thread on going cheap: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5594

And then Weathercarrot wrote an article on inexpensive thru-hiking: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/article.php?p=22959&postcount=1

With those two threads you should be able to equip yourslef and thru-hike on $1400

[mweinstone]

its being done as we speak. all new, all perfectly fine.40 dollar sleeping bag? no prob.walmart my friend.go there.exspect to carry your bag outside the pack as cheap aint stuffable, its just warm.and dont use a filter,your budget dictates pills or drops.and your pack cover must be a trash bag witch works fine.and you will spend around 75 for shoes. and you wont be familiar with the brand name on them but they will work like champs.

[C_Brice]

Truth to tell, I could walk into any home in the U.S. and walk out fitted for a week long camping trip. You don't need a state of the art sleeping bag, use a blanket. Plastic or canvas tarps will work as shelter, so will a poncho or shower curtain. You'll need a small pot but you can cook over fire (in most places, most of the time). A sturdy duffel bag will work to carry your stuff in, so will old back packs and book bags. Discarded pop bottles for carrying water, Etc.

Look at the miles the troops in the civil war walked carrying their gear wrapped in a sheter half or blanket and tossed over their shoulder. And we don't half to carry a 10 lbs rifle.

State of the Art and lightweight gear may make backpacking easier but are far from being a reuired gear.

I think I may have come up with my next challenge! Maybe I'll raid the folk's place for my next trip.

Anyone want to take a walk around the house and post a list of household goods they might take if they had too due to lack of funds. No dedicated camping stuff, weight optional?

CB

[Amigi'sLastStand]

A little more info. I have more camping/hiking gear than my local Army/Navy. That's wasnt the question. No Walmart. HOMEMADE was the key point. Lilred and the Dinos got it. Sgt kinda got it. I wanted ideas for homemade items. Didnt think of the shower curtain. Cool. Keep em coming. Please make it a habit to read the starter thread. Thanks.
Chuck

[The Cheat]

Truth to tell, I could walk into any home in the U.S. and walk out fitted for a week long camping trip. You don't need a state of the art sleeping bag, use a blanket. Plastic or canvas tarps will work as shelter, so will a poncho or shower curtain. You'll need a small pot but you can cook over fire (in most places, most of the time). A sturdy duffel bag will work to carry your stuff in, so will old back packs and book bags. Discarded pop bottles for carrying water, Etc.

Look at the miles the troops in the civil war walked carrying their gear wrapped in a sheter half or blanket and tossed over their shoulder. And we don't half to carry a 10 lbs rifle.

State of the Art and lightweight gear may make backpacking easier but are far from being a reuired gear.

I think I may have come up with my next challenge! Maybe I'll raid the folk's place for my next trip.

Anyone want to take a walk around the house and post a list of household goods they might take if they had too due to lack of funds. No dedicated camping stuff, weight optional?

CB

-Son's school backpack.
-Tarp off woodpile. String. can I buy some gutter nails or do already have to have something to take the place of stakes?
-Small Down comforter.
-Blanket.
-Tuna fish can and alcohol.
-small pot, handle removed.
-Clothes

[Alligator]

A little more info. I have more camping/hiking gear than my local Army/Navy. That's wasnt the question. No Walmart. HOMEMADE was the key point. Lilred and the Dinos got it. Sgt kinda got it. I wanted ideas for homemade items. Didnt think of the shower curtain. Cool. Keep em coming. Please make it a habit to read the starter thread. Thanks.
ChuckIf you have more camping gear than the local Army/Navy, weight is not an issue, but cost overrides all, you shouldn't be making anything you already have. Second, making gear comes at a cost. Sometimes this cost can exceed actually purchasing the item. (Economy of scale). Your key point is flawed. Just tell us the broad areas that you are gearless.

[Amigi'sLastStand]

If you have more camping gear than the local Army/Navy, weight is not an issue, but cost overrides all, you shouldn't be making anything you already have. Second, making gear comes at a cost. Sometimes this cost can exceed actually purchasing the item. (Economy of scale). Your key point is flawed. Just tell us the broad areas that you are gearless.

It's the challenge to do it. HOMEMADE. Ah, forget it.

[SGT Rock]

Well, as I said, making gear ain't always cheaper. But if you want a bunch of ideas and links...

Lets see. I made a rucksack out of an old bookbag and a laundry bag once:

1. http://hikinghq.net/gear/rock_ruck.html

2. Make a pack liner out of a trash compactor bag.

3. Make your own tent stakes using aluminum gutter nails or for stakes that weigh 0.1 ounces make them from those plastic stakes in the garden section of wall mart.

4. Make your own pad by getting a full length closed cell foam one from wall-mart and trimming it down. I wouldn't reccomend using open cell foam pad for this.

5. Make a tarp tent: http://www.thru-hiker.com/workshop.asp?subcat=3&cid=4

6. Use a tyvek to cut your own footprint for the tent.

7. Make your own first aid kit with spare supplies and a zip lock.

8. Make your own cook pot with a Heiniken can: http://zenstoves.net/CanPots.htm

9. Make your own stove for the can: http://hikinghq.net/sgt_stove/ion_stove.html

10. Make your own fuel bottle by re-using a soda bottle.

11. Make a bandanna by cutting a square from a cotton t-shirt.

12. Make your own hiking poles out of bamboo and some crutch rubber tips.

13. Make your own stuff sacks: http://www.thru-hiker.com/workshop.asp?subcat=12&cid=5

14. Make your own pack towel by buying one of those synthetic car shame cloths and cutting it to size.

15. Make your own toothbrush by cutting some of the handel off a kids toothbrush.

16. Make your own headlamp by getting a basball cap and an LED light with a clip.

17. Make your own stake bag with bear rope: http://hikinghq.net/gear/rock_bag.html

18. Make your own coffee cup/food bow/storage container: http://hikinghq.net/gear/lemonade_bowl.html

19. Make your own pot cozy: http://zenstoves.net/PotAccessories.htm#BuildaPotCozy

20. Make your own guidebook by taking the data from Snowman's website and making your own format to print.

21. Make a french press for coffee using a MSR MugMate and the cap off a Garoraide bottle.

22. Make your own fleece mittens: http://www.thru-hiker.com/workshop.asp?subcat=4&cid=70

23. Make your own down quilt: http://www.thru-hiker.com/workshop.asp?subcat=5&cid=6

24. Make your own insulated jacket: http://www.thru-hiker.com/MaterialDetail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=mg132&subcat=Kits

25. Make your own insulated pants using a pair of field pants liners and some buttons.

26. Make your own fleece shirts, hats, gloves, etc: http://www.sewingpatterns.com/

27. Make your own clip on water bottle with some 550 cord, a mini keychain size carabineer, and a quart sized gatorade bottle.

[C_Brice]

Sorry if we missunderstood you original post LastStand. But in it you mentioned nothing about already having gear. The way it was written you needed gear for little or no money. You mentioned nothing about wanting to do it for the challenge but only for cost savings.

Doing it for a challenge can be very fun and satisfying so go for it at let us know what you come up with. But if it's money your looking to save look up the garage sales and dig thru your closet and you'll get the job done.

CB

[Alligator]

It's the challenge to do it. HOMEMADE. Ah, forget it.No, no, no. There's a bunch of cottage industry folks here that would LOVE a challenge like that. So HOMEMADE is the big factor, not cost like in the first post right?

Sgt. Rock I think gives away plans to his Ion stove.
Just Jeff can point you in the right direction for a hammock if you are so inclined.
Mrs. Dino could probably tell you how to sew if you needed help.
There are loads of other people round here who make stuff.
Pot cozies.
stuff sacks.
A couple of homemade packs.
I forget the guys name who makes the sleeping pad out of magicians ballons I think it is (Garden?)
Mags is a big fan of those shoe insert camp shoes.
Weary made his own alder hiking staff/monopod. Ask him about it.

You could look in the homemade gear forum for ideas too.

[Alligator]

LOL your list is bigger than my list Rock.

[SGT Rock]

LOL your list is bigger than my list Rock.

Heck man, I have been thinking that there ought to be an article on how to dirtbag hike. That is a term used by a guy from another web board for using cheapo stuff like soda bottles for fuel, making your own stove, making your own pot from beer cans, using old salvage stuff from Goodwill, and other types of "junk" for gear.

I keep thinking it would be a good way to help people save some money on gear before they drop $300 on a North Face jacket or $150 on a stove.

[Amigi'sLastStand]

That's what I'm looking for. Thanks, sarge. You can always rely on a First Seargant.

[Nightwalker]

Check out Sgt. Rock's $300 Gear Challenge (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5594) thread. Also the Make Your Own Gear (http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html) mini-web at backpacking.net.

[Nightwalker]

Check out this site for making your own silnylon (http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/Silnylon1/). I haven't tried it (yet :D), but it looks interesting.
It works, and you can coat it heavier than "standard" if you want. So far, I've only coated the bag that holds my groundpad and tent, but that sucker is water PROOF.

[Lilred]

I guess I have a 'dirt bag' kitchen anyhow, pepsi can stove, K-mart grease pot, (the lip turns out instead of in ) hardware cloth for potstand and aluminum foil for wind screen. My fuel I carry in a 2 buck plastic flask I found in Walmarts camping section. I made a cozy out of that silver sunsreen you can get for a buck for your car windshield. Works fantastic. My entire kitchen with 32 oz of fuel didn't cost more than fifteen dollars. And I learned about every one of these things here at whiteblaze (except the flask, that was my find). Thanks guys.

[Lilred]

Try oven roasting bags for stuff sacs. I use them to line my sleeping bag's stuff sac, Very durable, waterproof, very lightweight. They're nearly bombproof.

[tech30528]

I have a large rain poncho I bought at Walmart. Unsnap the sides, tie off the neck opening, and it makes a pretty good tent with a few feet of shock cord and your poles or two trees.

[Amigi'sLastStand]

It works, and you can coat it heavier than "standard" if you want. So far, I've only coated the bag that holds my groundpad and tent, but that sucker is water PROOF.
I agree. I went out and bought the stuff after The Dinos post. WATERPROOF doesnt describe it. A little heavier than silnylon, but how many times cheaper? Ten, I figure. And it only takes a little bit.

[Skidsteer]

Try oven roasting bags for stuff sacs. I use them to line my sleeping bag's stuff sac, Very durable, waterproof, very lightweight. They're nearly bombproof.

That's an idea I've not heard before. I'll wager they're even a bit flame/fire/spark/heat proof. Thanks for sharing. :-?