Low Cost Backpacking Gear Alternatives

Low Cost Gear Alternatives

PRIMARY BACKPACKING ITEMS such as Backpack, Tent, Sleeping Bag, Pack Rain Cover, Sleeping Pad, Bear Bag, Water Conatiner, and Water Filtration System.

PRIMARY ITEMS

Backpack, Tent, Sleeping Bag
There really are no low cost alternatives that I would recommend for these items. Since these are your most vital pieces of equipment, you should always use something of quality. If you cannot afford to purchase these items, you can borrow from someone you know. If you are a member of a Scouting organization or hiking club, you may be able to avail yourself of the group's equipment. You can also rent from a store or local outfitter. Buying used equipment is fine as long as it is a quality brand since these usually hold up well. As stated in the Places to Get Gear section, you can also check out thrift stores, garage sales and auction sites.

Pack Rain Cover
This is the simplest low cost alternative. You just use a plastic garbage bag with a slit half way down one of the flat sides. Once it is cut, turn the garbage bag upside down and it will fit snugly over your pack with the slit surrounding your shoulder straps. Just remember to tie off the loose corners of the garbage bag to the bottom of you pack. If you do not secure it, the first low hanging tree branch you pass could grab your pack cover and abscond with it. If you want to get fancy, simply reinforce the corners where the slit started with a little duct tape then attach some thin rope to tie it off easier. Always pack a second garbage bag as they come in handy for many things such as backup pack cover, ground cloths, emergency tarps, poncho, etc.

Sleeping Pad

Just get from the camping department in Wal-Mart. This should cost around $10 and works about as good as anything else. I believe when this is compared to more expensive ones that the weight differential is rather minimal and they perform roughly the same.

ESSENTIALS

Water Containers
1 liter soda bottles are functional and tough. The bottle mouth is a little small but it is otherwise fairly effective. I have also heard of people using pancake syrup bottles. Almost any liquid container will work. The main thing to remember is that the container needs to be tough and the lid needs to close tight. The last thing you want is a soaked pack because your bottle leaked or broke.

Water Filtration System
The cheapest alternative to a filtration system is to just boil all water when obtaining it from natural sources. The main problem with boiling is you expend cooking fuel and time. The second cheapest alternative is treatment tablets such as iodine that can be bought at any department or sporting goods store. Never drink untreated water and risk stomach or intestinal problems.

Bear Bag
I simply use the largest stuff sack that I have with 50 feet of parachute cord. The total cost is less than $10. A bear bag is essential to your family's safety when camping in the wild. Here is a video on how to hang a bear bag.

EMERGENCY BACKPACKING ITEMS

EMERGENCY ITEMS

I recommend creating all of your own emergency and repair kits including only the items that you need. Buying pre-made ones is very expensive and leads to wasted space and weight for items that may not be relevant for your family. Also, you may miss essential medical items that a family member might need. Repair kits should be tailored to your equipment. Select items that can be re-purposed for several uses.

BACKPCKING CLOTHING ALTERNATIVES

CLOTHING

Wool Socks
Again, these are a must have in my opinion. Wool socks are the best for warmth and moisture control. One pair of really good wool socks can cost more than $20 so I recommend that you build up your pairs gradually. In the past, I have purchased a package of 3 pairs at Sam's Club for less than $15 which is a fantastic deal.

Rain Gear
The best cheap alternative for rain gear is a heavy duty plastic Rain Poncho from Target or Wal-Mart that costs about $3. I am not referring to the $0.99 ones that are super thin clear plastic as these will not last half a day on the trail. You will only get a few trips out of the heavier duty plastic ones before they begin to tear but some duct tape will extend the usability. A really good set of backpacking rain gear can cost well over $200 so spending $3 every other trip isn't so bad. If you are really strapped for cash and creative, you can fashion a poncho out of a lawn trash bag and duct tape, but this will cause you to sweat immensely if not vented properly. I have also seen whole sets of rain gear built out of Tyvek, which is waterproof and somewhat breathable. To find these check out auction sites or do an internet search for Tyvek Rain Gear.

BACKPCKING COOKING ITEM ALTERNATIVES

COOKING ITEMS

Stove
There are many alternatives to the standard backpacking stoves that use a liquid fuel pump or gas canister. The one that I used for years was the purple gel in a can called Sterno, which is typically used for warming foods in banquet lines. You can also use alcohol stoves which are relatively cheap and extremely easy to maintain and refuel. To find out how to make an alcohol stove from a soda can, search on You Tube.

Wind Screen
These can be purchased specifically for your stove brand from an outfitter store for about $15-$20. I prefer to take an 18 inch length heavy duty aluminum foil and fold it into thirds long ways (about 4 inches across) along the 18 inch length and use this as my stove's windscreen. I roll the resultant 18 inch long tripleply wind screen around a pencil or just my finger then store it in my stove's ditty bag. Total cost of this is a few pennies. As another option, a friend of mine took some aluminum flashing used on houses and cut it to fit. The result was extremely light and more durable than just aluminum foil.

Cookware
You basically need a single pot that will boil around 2 quarts of water, so go to Wal-Mart or Target and find the cheapest and lightest weight one they have and get it. You could get lucky at a thrift store or garage sale and find one of the old all metal pots made of thin lightweight metal. You really do not need a skillet unless your menu will include frying items like grilled cheese sandwiches, eggs or pancakes. If you must, then get one of the skillets that have the handle that folds into itself. These can be found at any sporting good store or in the Wal-Mart camping department. You can upgrade later to a GSI or MSR backpacking cookware set but these typically run more than $50. If properly cared for, nonstick surfaces on your cookware are the way to go since cleanup is hard enough on the trail.

Bowl and Plate
Look for lightweight yet durable items from your own kitchen. My first bowl and plate that I packed for many years were a reused plate and bowl from microwave dinners.

Cup
Any lightweight durable cup will do, but make sure that it can hold hot water. Use a permanent marker to mark lines on the outside where 1/2 cup and 1 cup measurements are located. I finally paid $2 for a GSI Lexan one and love it.

by Bryan 4/1/2009