Originally shared by Inspiration Adventure Blog
Gearing-Up on a Shoestring Budget
Back in 1995, when I was preparing for an epic backpacking odyssey from Pennsylvania across North America and into Alaska, I was working with about $2000. This was the total budget for 3 months of gear, food, shelter and transportation. So I understand what it means to travel on a shoestring and put together an adventure of a lifetime on almost no cash. The one thing going for me at that time was cheap gas, so travel was efficient. I was forced to maximize my dollars by buying what was only adequate; at least, that was the plan.
I got some things right. My cheap rain gear was just good enough even though it was barely breathable. My inexpensive base layer was well warm enough and managed to dispel the cold when I was wet. I splurged on a great tent, descent sleeping bag and a trusty water purifier. My hats and gloves were also pretty good. I saved the most money from packing 3 months-worth of dry goods such as rice, pasta and oatmeal into the bed of the truck.
On the flip side, I managed to buy what was probably the worst external frame pack ever made. I was constantly in pain from its inadequate suspension. So this was an epic fail. I splurged on boots that were waterproof and it would have been wiser to buy a more durable pair of boots that were not waterproof. I chose to bring a down jacket for packability, but given my discount rain jacket, I should have gone with fleece. I also opted against hiking pants and chose to wear my jeans which did a pretty good job of wicking away my heat when they were wet. The liquid fuel stove was also a nightmare any time a storm came through or at times when we were at high elevation.
But even though I lacked the most appropriate gear, I made it work and I was able to survive months in the wilderness. At times, I was truly just surviving. At other times, I did well and got to experience some amazing things.
So after inquiring to myself about how cheap a person could go on a full complement of gear, I set out on an online adventure searching for the answer. I chose to search only for new items and I was only going to spend one sitting to do the shopping. I also opted against a few items that were less expensive, but more questionable in terms of quality. Don’t expect to see high-end stuff either; that’s not what this is about. I was looking for adequate 3-season gear that could get me in and out of a 2-week backcountry adventure.
I set a goal of spending around $300, but this proved too difficult. There were just too many items to buy and without going used or having time to wait for the perfect deal, I had to compromise. In the end, the total came to about $500 after shipping. Still, this wasn’t too bad considering most people spend that much on just a tent. It also leads me to believe that if someone really does have a budget of $300, they could pull it off by going used or searching for ridiculous closeouts. I should also mention that Amazon.com was the champion for providing cheap gear. With more time (let’s say a month or two of shopping), EBay probably would have gotten me more for less. It should also be noted that Campmor provided some good stuff on the cheap as well.
For a complete listing of items, please look through the series of screenshots I posted as photos. I don’t expect this to be THE list and I certainly don’t recommend these products because I’ve never used them. It’s just a reality check regarding cheap gear.
© Bryan McFarland 2015
#outdoors #equipment #camping #backpacking #hiking
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