How to save money on outdoor gear
Outdoor gear can be expensive, but there are a few tricks you can use to save a bit of money. They key is to pay for the features you want, and skip items that have too many features that you don’t need.
When companies put more fancy design features into their products, they charge more. Simple, streamlined designs are generally less expensive, so focus on what you need the most and eliminate what you don’t. Here are a few items where you can save money.
Jacket
When it comes to a shell jacket, focus on a waterproof breathable jacket and not just one that is completely waterproof. Waterproofness comes at a cost and is generally overkill for most people. Those jackets are really only needed if you spend days and days backpacking in pouring rain, in a very humid environment. A jacket that is waterproof enough (skip the waterproof zippers, they are nice, but can break and are very expensive) and breathable is important. Try a jacket that is designed to be waterproof-breathable like the Marmot PreCip jacket, with lots of vents to dump excess heat. A waterproof rain jacket is nice, but a jacket that isn’t breathable is very uncomfortable in wet weather. Though you’ll stay dry on the outside, you’ll get wet on the inside from sweat, creating a just-as-unpleasant situation, making you cold and clammy, which can even dangerous in really cold weather, like in the mountains.
Also, fancy hoods and brims are nice, on these jackets, but again, make the jacket more expensive. You can wear a hat under a simple hood. Try a nylon baseball hat with a big brim to keep the rain off your face.
Tent
mesh tent vs polyester tent
Buy a tent with lots of mesh and windows. Having a breathable tent is key, as having a poorly breathable tent will make your tent uncomfortably damp, soaking your sleeping bag and gear. Big Agnes makes some of the most breathable tents around
Also, consider a polyester rather than nylon tent. Nylon tents feature a better strength to weight ratio than polyester, but like most lightweight gear items, are much more expensive. Choose a polyester tent rather than nylon with good mesh and venting. Polyester tents have better UV resistance as well.
Hiking boots and shoes
Most people have issues with footwear when starting out. This is a great place where you can spend a lot of money and get into trouble. Over-designed hiking boots are stiffer and too much boot for a person who is just starting out. Stiff soles and uppers are hard on the feet, especially for on the beginner. Consider buying a hiking shoe instead of boot, to start, and focus on one that feels the most comfortable above everything else.
Boots with heavy waterproof uppers are nice, but really not needed for most trips. A simple hiking shoe (or even trail running shoe) with Gore-Tex will keep your feet dry enough for the occasional weather day, thunderstorm or stream crossing and will dry out quickly.
It’s important to give your shoe a test run before a big trip and to be prepared for foot pain. You should at least walk around in the house with them all day, or wear them to work before taking them on that big trip.
Most trail shoes will do great on any but the most technical, off-trail scrambly routes.
Sleeping Bag
synthetic vs down filled sleeping bags
Super high-fill down is definitely the most cozy, lightweight and packable fill for a sleeping bag – not to mention the best warmth to weight ratio. However, the highest fill bags are also the most expensive. Unless you’re doing really long backpacking trips where weight is an issue, you can get away with a nice synthetic fill bag. If weigth and packable space aren’t big concerns, a great synthetic bag will save you hundreds of dollars. try the north Face Cats meow (169)
High fill down is a premium you can largley skip until weight and packabiltiy become an issue. A 650 fill 20 degree bag will be just as warm as the 800 fill 20 degree bag, but the 800 fill will cost hundreds of dollars more.
Sleeping pad
Sleeping pads are a big investment and there are lots of different kinds to choose from. But you can get a very good nights sleep for cheap: the Thermarest Ridge Rest is a grooved close-cell foam pad that you can get for $20. Sure, it’s not like sleeping on a cushion of air, but you’re saving around $150 (or more) versus if you buy a nice lightweight blow-up backpacking pad. As an extra bonus, you don’t have to worry about getting it wet since you can wipe dry instantly, and you won’t be prone to air leaks. They are also much lighter, and virtually indestructible.
Backpacks
Focus on good padding and avoid bags with lots of little side pockets and extra unnecessary zippers. Having a more streamlined bag means that less can fail. In fact, companies spend less money when they design bags with fewer fancy features and side pockets, and the bags come in at a lower price point. A top pocket where you can access snacks, maps, sunscreen and other small items is nice, as well as a side pocket for your bottles, but otherwise outside bags aren’t that useful.
Look for padding made from durable EVA or crosslink polyethylene foams, and avoid straight polyethylene. Simple polyethylene is the same foam used to pack furniture and some manufacturers will use it for their low end bags. The problem is that it packs out really fast and will reduce the padded straps to flat fabric that will dig into your skin.
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