I am a MYOG/DIY addict and that is my primary way to save money and have
excellent lightweight gear. Some things I made saved me money and took very little practiced skill and some things I bought simply saved money but work very well and are high quality. What
Frugal Gear tips do you have that have made a
huge difference in your experiences while minimizing impact to the wallet?
#1 -
UniQlo Down Jacket w/ Hood: An incredible priced lightweight/UL down jacket < $80, mine was ~$60 due to a sale.
http://www.uniqlo.com/us/ (Google: Uniqlo Ultralight down)
#2 -
Sawyer Filter: ~$20-40 and filters to Half the micron size of other filters
#3 -
SnowPeak Ti Bowl as cook pot DIY Alcohol stove + DIY Aluminum foil windscreen. Ti Bowl was plenty big for ramen or lipton/knorr packets even if I added additional calories such as dehydrated refried beans and chips.
#4 - Thrift store fine
Merino Wool / Cashmere sweater < $5
Honorable Mentions: DIY Alcohol stove + DIY Aluminum foil windscreen, Walmart CCF (closed cell foam) sleeping pad. (note there is too much controversy and personal preference over stove type and sleep pad type for these to be listed in my top 4, which is why they received honorable mentions)