Camping Gear on the Cheap

The average Joe, or Jane, when planning for an overnight (or longer) camping trip, puts together a packing list and then assembles their kit by visiting the local outfitters, searching the ‘net, etc. Generally this is the point where sticker shock kicks in. Sticker shock is a painful malady and can be injurious to one’s health. If you’re independently wealthy stop reading now. But if you’re looking to save a few bucks, then by all means read on.

A few secrets

You gear doesn’t need to be engineered for the Arctic. Sure it looks nice and will take the very worst that Mother Nature can throw at you. But let’s face it if you’ve done your planning you’ll know what to expect and chances are that it doesn’t include "extreme" camping, (If it did you most likely wouldn’t be reading this anyway.)

“Best” and “New” are marketing gimmicks.  I may want the “Best” sleeping bag, but the reality is that my army surplus wool blanket will keep me just as warm through a cool summer’s eve in the Cascades. The temp MAY drop below 32 but I’ll still be toasty. Similarly, I may want a “New” Tent. My old tarp does a fine job of keeping the rain and morning dew at bay. And it weighs less than the new tent I’ve been ogling!

Your gear doesn’t have to be store bought. BPA free water bottles are spendy at our favorite camping store. They’re free if you save an old soda bottle. Not only will you keep some plastic out of a landfill you’ll save a few dollars too. BTW - Gatorade bottles make great drink bottles; their big mouths are easy to fill. Take some cord and a carabineer to make it a clip-on water bottle - instant faux Nalgene bottle!

If you still decide to buy gear keep in mind that cost does not equal value. The $200 jacket from an outfitter may not work as well for you as a $20 item from a thrift store. Don’t get stuck on brand names either. For most uses a generic $5 pot from the grocery will cook just as well as a $50 name brand version at the camping store.

Now that you’re armed with some of the secrets that a gear outfitter won’t share with you, let’s start looking for what you need to carry. I’ve organized this list by where you’re most likely to find items that can be “re-purposed”. Uni-Taskers have no place in the wilderness. Each item you bring with you should do a specific job and at the same time complement other items.

Your Closet holds many perfectly serviceable items of clothing for your next outdoor adventure.

Odds are that you already have clothing perfectly suitable for hiking and camping. Often “hiking” and “camping” clothing is actually more of a fashion statement than it is functional clothing. Things to look for in functional outdoor clothing are material, weight, and of course, function.

Unless you’re in a desert; cotton is something to avoid. Wool or synthetics are a much better option since they don’t hold water like cotton does. Weight is a concern because the less you have to carry the further you can go.

 Your Kitchen – Cheap and lightweight gear abounds in your kitchen. 

Utensils – Forks are superfluous, between your knife and a spoon you’ll be fine. For your spoon don’t worry about a “special” camping version. The plastic versions from fast food restaurants work well if you avoid the thinner ones. Wendy’s spoons work well for me.

Cup – We all have cheap travel sippy mugs. They make great camping cups and you can even use them for soup.

Garbage Bags – Have myriad of uses

Dish washing detergent – A small bottle of dish soap will take care of cleaning you and your eating utensils.

The Bathroom holds many of items you’ll need for eventualities on the trail.

Hand sanitizer. A small bottle (about one ounce) is a good thing to have on the trail. It's flammable so you can also use as a fire starter.

Toothbrush and paste. Use what you already have. You can cut down the handle and switch to travel sized tubes of paste to reduce size and weight.

Use a zip lock bag for a toothbrush holder to keep dirt off of it.

Toilet paper. Pull the cardboard tube from the center so the TP will feed from inside the roll. Smash the roll flat and put in a small zip lock bag. It’ll stay clean and take up less space.

First aid – Make a quick kit by filling a small zip lock bag with a few of the following: Analgesics; band aids; roll of gauze; roll of medical tape; Neosporin ointment; a small ace bandage.

Floss - Makes an excellent thread for repairing gear.

Cotton Balls and Vaseline - Cotton balls with Vaseline smeared on them make great fire starters.

The Garage is full of useful items for camping

Super glue - A super item for gear repair, keep a tube with your first aid kit as well.

Pocket Knife - A must have item and one of the 10 essentials.

Pack Towel - Synthetic chamois cloths for drying cars make great pack towels.

Flashlight - Chances are you already have some lying around. LED models last longer than others.

Tarp - A nylon tarp makes a good shelter.

Sleeping pad – An unused exercise mat is easily re purposed as a sleeping pad.

Gutter nails - Aluminum rain gutter nails make good tent stakes.

Duct Tape. Wrap some around your water bottle to have handy for any quick repair.

For many more ideas about equipment you already have think outside of the box. Think of what you need and what other item can do the same job without having been actually made for the task – like using a soap dish for a waterproof camera case instead of buying a specialized case or plastic lawn spikes for 0.1 ounce plastic stakes.

Stay cheap and stay outside!

The  Plug

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