Cheapest Ultralight Gear List?

Mark Verber has quite a few resources referenced for affordable gear choices. Backpacking ng for cheap<a>

This is definitely an interesting topic. Hopefully someone has done a good job at this. I'll take a stab at a few items which I think are great values if someone wants to have a low pack weight but not spend much money:

Tent — The cottage tent makers (Six Moons, TarpTent, etc.) are great values. They are cheaper than a lot of tents you might buy at REI, but much lighter. If you want even cheaper, you will probably pay a price in weight, unless you decide to get a tarp. Tarps are simple, so a good silnylon tarp shouldn't cost much. Other materials are even cheaper, but there is a weight penalty. Bug protection becomes an issue with tarps, but I imagine you can get bug netting for fairly cheap.

Pad — Closed cell foam is very light, very warm and very cheap. The only reason people don't use it more is because it isn't as comfortable as inflatables. But if you choose your campsite well and bring enough foam, then you can sleep OK.

Sleeping Bag — Unfortunately, down is expensive. A synthetic is cheaper, but heavier. If you can't afford it, just get a good synthetic and buy a down bag when you have more money. You can always use a synthetic bag as a car camping bag or for those really wet trips.

Pack — It doesn't cost more for a high quality lightweight pack versus a high quality heavy pack. Getting a pack that is appropriate for your pack weight and style is the most important thing.

Stove — Alcohol stoves are pretty cheap and very light. The fuel itself is cheap.

Cookware – Aluminum is almost as light as titanium and much cheaper.

Food — You can always make your own meals if you want to save some money. This can include dehydrating your own food or simply assembling it from dehydrated food. There is a good website about making your own "pour boiling water into a bag" meal (which is simpler than actually cooking at your campsite).

Rain Gear — Propore (like O2) is very light, very breathable, very waterproof, very cheap and very fragile. If you can handle the fact that is very fragile, it is a great value.

Of course, another great way to save money is to make it yourself.

As with everything, this site is a full of great ideas for all of the particulars. The best way I know of reducing your pack weight is to look through all of your items and ask if there is a lighter way to achieve the same thing. For example, if you say you are looking for a cheap but fairly light tent, you are likely to get some great ideas.

If it is warm out, and there are trail shelters you can use, then you can really go cheap as a rookie UL backpacker.

For example:

Shelter – None (sleep in trail and/or natural shelters [like under a big pine tree or in a cave]) or make a DIY Tyvek bivy (search on youtube/google for instructions, should cost you about 5-10 bucks total).

But if you have to have rain protection, just buy some plastic sheeting and make a DIY tarp. For bug protection, just got to a fabric store and buy a square meter or so of net fabric to lay over you while you sleep. I would forget about a tent.

Sleeping bag – Go to Ikea and buy one of those cheap synthetic blankets. You don't need to have a sleeping bag. If temps will be cold at night, you're kind of screwed–keep your eyes peeled for a used down bag, or suck it up and haul a cheap synthetic one.

Pack – Buy used on gear swap is the best way to go if you ask me, otherwise buy a generic one for cheap and trim it up a lot with a pair of scissors. Then again, a new Zpacks Zero without any options is not too expensive.

Cookset – None, just eat no-cook or low-cook meals. Or make a cat food can stove and a tin foil wind screen, and get a small pot for cheap someplace. You can get aluminum for cheap and it will be very light, but I don't recommend aluminum or use it myself because of health concerns. A small stainless steel pot, if it is thin, can be not so bad in weight. Or buy a used titanium one.

Pad – Foam pad FTW. If you must have an air mat for whatever reason, Big Agnes mats are not to expensive but kinda heavy, or you can buy a cheap inflatable pool mat to sleep on (but it will be fragile and heavy, but can be very cheap).

Water purification – None, either be daring and drink raw (I would not recommend this, but there are a significant number of UL people that do this and have few or no issues, at least they claim so), or boil your water. Or get a small dropper bottle and use bleach. Aquamira is not that expensive either, or iodine pills (kind of old school). Sawyer Squeeze is also pretty affordable.

FAK – This is cheap and easy, no one can have the excuse not to have a solid and light FAK. Go to the drug store and buy the essentials, throw some into a Ziplock bag, and you're done.

Light – Tea candles, but this could be rather inconvenient. There are some affordable headlamps out there. I got one at Walmart several years ago that is around 150g with batteries included, and it was only like 20 bucks if I remember correctly.

These two articles I wrote on my blog might be of some assistance:

http://cesarandthewoods.blogspot.se/2012/01/backpacking-on-budget.html

http://cesarandthewoods.blogspot.se/2011/07/my-favorite-diymyog-camping-shelter.html

Hope this helps and good luck :)

Tent Skyscape Scout $125 34 oz
Bag – Kelty Cosmic Down $100 2lb 11oz
Pack Go Lite Jam on Sale $80 2lbs
Pad – Blue Foamie $15
Cookset – Imusa mug, Cat can stove, wind Screen $6 8oz
filter – tablets or borrow if not solo
medkit Steel from home
Headlamp Microlights $7, can find real head lamps on sale for $15
Poles – Walmart Specials $20

Clothing – Bring what you have or hit thrift stores for fleece and syntentic shirts, pants and shorts.
Shoes- Whatever you have
Rainwear dry ducks or Emergency Poncho $2-$30.

So the above is about $350 and weighs about 7.5lbs which leaves 2.5lbs for packed clothing.

Depends a lot on the person and what season, type gear they want, and experience level.
For an average 3 season solo setup:

SMD wild oasis 13 oz $175
GOlite Jam – 30 oz $100
Blue foam pad – 9 oz $12
Kelty Cosmic 20 down 40 oz $120

Thats a big 4 that weighs 5.75 lbs and cost ~440 with tax.

Easily get you UL baseweight

Pick up clothing at thrift store
Alcohol stove = cheap

Driducks cost $20
Photon $12

– clothing minimal difference … dont spend $$$$ on fancy "performance" brand named clothing and youll save a ton … outdoor clothing brands are some of the biggest rip offs trying to convince you that their brand will up your game … unless you are doing stuff at the gnarly limit it wont … base layers from target, cheap puffies from old navy/costco, cheap fleece from lands end … will work functionally the same for most purposes

– shelter … get a 3$ tarp and learn the SKILLS to use one …. upgrade later if you want, and use the cheap tarp around the house … generations have used a cheap tarp just fine before they sold these fancy UL tents

– stove … you can buy a perfectly functional cheap UL stove for 8$ at dx.com … its reviewed here … http://sectionhiker.com/ultralight-and-inexpensive-backpacking-canister-camp-stove/

– sleeping bag … 90$ 700 flll 32F sleeping bag in canada … http://www.lacordee.com/en/camping-hiking/sleeping-bags/warm-weather-sleeping-bags/la-cordee-ecrins-0-c-sleeping-bag

– poles … wallymart specials

– food … instant noodles, add some beef jerky, etc … dont need any fancy $$$$ "outdoor" food

– pack … whatever fits best … try everything on … if a GOOD fitting pack costs more so be it, fit is everything …

– shoes … same as a pack … fit is everything

there tends to be an inverse relationship IMO between $$$$$ gear and how hard and often you go out, well in climbing anyways unless you are a sponsored climber … if you do buy $$$$ gear just make sure its well and often used hard, which tends to mean itll get worn out

;)

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=37996

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00034#.UaPBr5XPKbA

Military surplus can score you some cheap, durable packs, among other things

Cheap

Durable yes.

Ultralight. Far from it.

I agree with Ken, and this is coming from an Army Brat.

There is also the added issue of rookie pride. When I was 15 and first started going backpacking, my father gave me his old ALICE pack. So I had a pack, and him and his army buddies said it was a great pack. For years I was cursed with that thing. Then one day when I was about 20 or so, a newer army friend of my father's came over and saw me getting ready for a short AT trip. He took one look at the pack and said, "Oh man, I hated those damn things when I was forced to use one." I was surprised, and then he stated the obvious about it being heavy, crappy shoulder straps, and soaks up lots of water to make it even heavier–all true. Of course I didn't listen and kept on using the damn pack for a few years. I had a pack and didn't need another one, end of story. Then I bought a generic backpacking pack on a whim one day, and was blown away at how much better it was.

Rookie pride. Camo looks cool, after all ;)

And get a noobie inside a military surplus store, and the people working there will try and get them to buy everything plus the kitchen sink with that whole "survivalist" paranoia mentality.

Avoid it. Do research online, buy online, attempt DIY/MYOG, try things out for yourself, and if you buy from a store make sure you have done your homework and take the people that work there's advice with a grain (or lump) of salt–and encourage noobs to do the same.

Edit – Btw, is it me, or is it that most people that work at camping/army surplus stores don't go backpacking, but rather go car camping or only backpack a few times a year? I have only met a few very involved and seasoned backpackers that work at stores that sell backpacking gear, oddly.

There have been threads on this subject, but it can use updating anyway.

The first item that is the lightest and least expensive: knowledge, training and research. For example, if you know the principles of layering, you can put together a good clothing kit at very little expense. It might weigh a bit more than the highest performance UL clothing, but I'll bet I can walk into a thrift store and come out with a perfectly good layered clothing system that is maybe a pound more than the high priced spread– and 10% of the cost.

My favorite ways to save:

Used over new, deep discount sales over retail. Yard sales, thrift stores, Gear Swap, eBay, REI Garage Sale and Craigs List rule. Anything and everything can be found used. Caveat emptor!

Old ski poles for fixed trekking poles. I wanted to test the concept and my first poles were a pair of $5 yard sale downhill poles. They were light and very strong. Used cross-country poles are even better.

Recycled water bottles vs. Platypus or Nalgene alternatives

Pop can alcohol stoves and IMUSA or Foster can pots

Cheap blue poly tarps are just a few ounces more than a PU coated nylon equivalent

Ponchos or DriDucks for rain gear

Trail runners for foot gear

Running wind pants and jackets

Mora knives; Victorinox paring knives

Blue foam sleeping pads

Bic lighters

Recycled plastic spoons, bowls and cups

Buy irregular socks on sale at 50% or better (REI and Sierra Trading Post)

Fleece is a little heavier, but can be very inexpensive and perfectly good insulation, even better in wet conditions.

Military Polartec Power Dry fleece– just like Patagonia R1

Polyfill sleeping bags and garments tend to cost less

Windfall finds like the $15 JCP down jackets

Some retailers take in used items for trade. Second Ascent in Seattle is my local example.

Have a yard sale of your own to generate funds for new purchases.

MYOG can save, but there are some roll-out costs.

Good cheap insulation is a tough one— jackets and sleeping bags. Used is the first level, with heavy discount sales next.

Shelter is about the same as insulation. I have an older REI Half Dome 2-person that I use for car camping. I bought it for $20 at a yard sale. It is six pounds, which isn't bad split between two people. It is a very good shelter and someone on a budget could bear the extra weight if they have the rest of their kit in UL order.

IMHO, any gear list can survive one heavy item. Make that the most expensive item on your list, to be whittled down as opportunity knocks. It's rather like buying your UL pack last. I assume that would be one of the big three. Patience pays!