Cheap Gear for Horse and Mule Campers

The DIY Route to Saving $$$ in the Back Country

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 can be painful and 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

Your gear doesn’t need to be engineered for the Arctic. Sure the really fancy stuff 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 last year’s mode will probably 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, you may want a “New” Tent, but a tarp is much less expensive and still does a fine job of keeping the rain and morning dew at bay. It also weighs considerably less than the tent.

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 mega mart will cook just as well as the $50 name brand version at the camping store.

Your gear doesn’t have to be store bought either. For example; water bottles are fairly expensive at a camping retailer. They’re also free if you save an old soda bottle from the garbage. 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 large mouths make them easy to fill. Take some cord and a carabineer to make it a clip-on water bottle - instant faux Nalgene bottle!

Now that you’re armed with some of the secrets that a retailer 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 camping. Often “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. The local Goodwill is a great place to pick up some outstanding bargains on wool shirts and sweaters.

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 are excellent.

Cup – We all have cheap travel sippy mugs. They make better camping cups than the metal Sierra mugs whose metal edges conduct enough heat to burn you and then turn the morning’s coffee to ice in a hurry.
Garbage Bags – Have myriad of uses from a field expedient rain jacket to an emergency sleeping bag.
Dish washing detergent – A tiny squeeze bottle of dish soap will take care of cleaning you and your eating utensils.

Let’s visit the loo to see what treasures the bathroom holds for camping.

Toothbrush - Use what you already have. If you’re really serious about weight you can cut down the handle. Don’t bother with a special protective case, use a zip lock baggy.
Travel sized tubes of toothpaste are very handy.
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 – There’s no need for a commercially made version. Make your own 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.
Dental Floss - Makes an excellent thread for repairing gear.
Cotton Balls and Vaseline - Cotton balls with Vaseline smeared on them make great fire starters.
Hand sanitizer. A small bottle is a good thing to have on the trail. It's flammable so you can also use as a fire starter.

The Garage is also 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.
Tent Stakes – Gutter nails are awfully inexpensive and light weight.
Duct Tape- Wrap some around your water bottle to have handy for any quick repair.

Think of what you need and what other item can do the same job without having been actually made for the task. Think outside the box. Stay cheap and stay outside!

Have a tip(s) that you'd like to share? Let us know!