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Post by cweston on Dec 26, 2020 9:04:35 GMT -8
Obviously, the best practice is generally going to be to buy the highest quality gear that you can afford, but there are some areas where I think pennies can be successfully pinched.
1. Camp-only clothes. In many backpacking scenarios, this includes baselayers that you sleep in, and your midlayer warmth (which is most typically a down puffy). This would be the first category where I'd look to save some dollars. I own a ridiculously expensive pair of Icebreaker merino boxer briefs--those are for hiking, which is a much higher priority than camp clothes to me. I do also have merino baselayers for camp/sleeping, because I love the stink resistance of merino, but anything that will keep you warm in camp and not weigh your pack down too much will work fine. Also, in most cases, you will not be hiking in your down puffy: it's for staying warm in camp. Down is ridiculously warm for its weight, so even a less expensive 650-fill jacket will be warm and light and pack down small.
2. Trekking poles. I like Black Diamond flick locks and I like cork grips over rubber grips, but I've owned a pair of Walmart trekking poles that offspring have used for years and they work just fine.
3. Tent. This is a more tentative suggestion, but, especially if you don't camp above treeline regularly, a less expensive tent will serve you pretty well. I've owned a couple Alps tents that were perfectly serviceable, but alpine storms did definitely reduce their useful life. If you skimp on a tent, you will be carrying extra weight, but really good tents are really expensive. I own nicer BPing tents now and really appreciate them, but you can manage on less.
4. Stove. I like a remote canister stove, but they are a little heavier and more expensive than other options. You have a wide range of options at a wide range of price points here.
5. Headlamp. A headlamp is a piece of safety gear, and I'd never skimp too much on any safety item. But a basic reliable headlamp works just fine, especially in summer when the days are long. I've had good luck with basic Petzl models. Even Coleman is fine (they'll be a little heavy).
6. Raingear. For many people (myself included) a rain jacket is a sauna suit, and that's true of the top brands and the more mid-priced models. I bought a Black Diamond jacket for about $100 this summer, and I think it's a perfectly good piece of gear. Rain pants, especially, could be something from a garage sale for most hikers, who will never wear them except in camp.
Some places I would not skimp: pack, sleeping gear, footwear, the clothes I hike in, socks, store-bought backpacking meals, safety gear (ice axe, crampons, compass, etc.), water purification
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Post by johntpenca on Dec 26, 2020 10:13:14 GMT -8
Who needs a titanium spork when any spoon from home will do?
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Post by cweston on Dec 26, 2020 10:16:24 GMT -8
Who needs a titanium spork when any spoon from home will do? Yes—kitchen/cook gear, generally. A ti kettle will be super light and last forever, but a lightweight aluminum cook pot will be almost as light and will also last for years. |
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Post by bobcat on Dec 26, 2020 11:16:48 GMT -8
One place where I have learned not to pinch pennies is sleeping warm and well. But I have enjoyed the challenge of making home-brew gear for things like alcohol stove, rucksack, tarp etc. Another way to pinch pennies.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Dec 26, 2020 13:07:16 GMT -8
Alky stove is way cheap compared to any kind of canister, so that’s an obvious place to save IF you are hiking in areas where they are legal (after several years of being a total alky geek, I’ve had to swing the other way because of fire restrictions in most of the West).
I’m fine with off-brand hiking pants, and to be honest, a cotton-poly dress shirt from Goodwill is very nearly as good as the lovely high-tech Ex-O or whatever I hike in. For camp/sleeping clothes, many cheaper options are a little heavier, but obviously especially for the young and impecunious, that’s a small trade-off. Again for the young, a cheap closed-cell foam pad may be a perfectly good option, for a huge cost savings and sometimes even weight savings (but major comfort hit; I couldn’t sleep on the old blue foam pad these days. Wonder if I could toughen up, or just expire from the pain in my hips?).
Hats: I love my Sunday Afternoon hat, but any ball cap with a bandana pinned around the back to shade neck and ears will do the job. I hike in sun gloves, too—and for a long time, they were just cotton gardening gloves.
Food: lots of options at all price points, including just dehydrating your leftovers all winter.
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Post by bobcat on Dec 26, 2020 15:47:53 GMT -8
Yes, food is a great place to save money by assembling your own from “normal” food. Use your oven for dehydrating at first, check thrift stores for dehydrator, or even build your own. Even without dehydrating, a package of Mac n cheese With a little powdered milk is way cheaper than name-brand backpackers food. Minute rice, a packet of cream-of-chicken cup-of-soup and a little can or packet of chicken or tuna makes a very basic dinner. As you get more experience, you will eat better!
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Westy
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Post by Westy on Dec 27, 2020 9:57:19 GMT -8
My budgetary weakness is lodging. For me, It ain't the gear, it's the travel.
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Post by johntpenca on Dec 27, 2020 11:18:34 GMT -8
My budgetary weakness is lodging. That reminds me; what happened to campfires&concierges? |
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Post by cweston on Dec 27, 2020 11:57:55 GMT -8
My budgetary weakness is lodging. For me, It ain't the gear, it's the travel. If I’m on my own, or with my son, I’m usually happy to car camp before and after a trip. (If after, usually at a KOA or similar place where they have showers.) But if I’m traveling with my spouse pre- or post-BPing, yeah, it tends to be hotel rooms. Fortunately, we have similar sensibilities on hotel rooms—generally, we’d prefer to pinch pennies on the room and splurge on a meal instead. |
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Dec 27, 2020 12:35:01 GMT -8
Like cweston, after a trip I want a commercial campground with a shower. But the rest of the time, I’m good with more primitive camping. Though if doing extended camping before a trip, I’ll hunt someplace for a shower the last night before, as well. Nice to start with clean hair. Though having cut my hair short, options for washing it are greatly increased. |
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Post by cweston on Dec 27, 2020 12:54:14 GMT -8
Like cweston, after a trip I want a commercial campground with a shower. But the rest of the time, I’m good with more primitive camping. Though if doing extended camping before a trip, I’ll hunt someplace for a shower the last night before, as well. Nice to start with clean hair. Though having cut my hair short, options for washing it are greatly increased. I’m also just fine using a solar shower while car camping. If I’m car camping more than a night or two before BPing, I’m definitely going to want to do that. If there’s not enough privacy to go the full Monty, I wear a swimsuit. (Not so much out of modesty as out of courtesy to my fellow campers.) But like rebeccad says, if it’s the first post-BP shower, that needs to be a “real” shower. |
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driftwoody
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Post by driftwoody on Dec 27, 2020 13:11:36 GMT -8
I paid $184 for a pretty good lightweight tent (Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo) and a little less than that for my pack (Granite Gear Blaze 60) with which I am very happy. I waited for sale prices, and acquired the older version GG pack as they were closing it out for the new one.
There are certainly less expensive options, but compared to (for example) a Zpacks tent and a custom McHale pack my choices could be construed as "penny pinching."
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Dec 27, 2020 13:27:06 GMT -8
Good, used gear comes up for sale periodically. A person could scour this site, and others like it for deals. I've sold a McHale pack here, and also a WM bag and a Bear Vault. Nothing cheap about any of that when new.
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Post by cweston on Dec 27, 2020 14:23:01 GMT -8
Good, used gear comes up for sale periodically. A person could scour this site, and others like it for deals. I've sold a McHale pack here, and also a WM bag and a Bear Vault. Nothing cheap about any of that when new. Yep. The BPL forum is a very active site for high-quality used gear. I’ve purchased a few pricey cottage items used over the years and had very good luck. REI garage sale events (when public crowds events become a thing again) are also a good source. Craigslist and eBay are a little more hit and miss, but can work out fine as well. |
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gabby
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Post by gabby on Dec 28, 2020 12:11:13 GMT -8
Great thread - lots of good observations.
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