What would be considered good 'benchmark' affordable gear

[Off the Beaten Path]

In other words say the REI Half Dome might be a 'standard' affordable tent, but what would be an affordable pack, and other things?

I'm wanting to get started in backpacking and some US level mountaineering and I need affordable but tried and true options.

Also, which stores have the best prices?

Thanks in advance and I'm glad to have found this site.

 

[Grandpa]

If you are near an REI, that is a good place to start. I'm not, so have never got a membership there. For big ticket items, there is no one best place to shop. I go to one of the big inventory websites like REI, Campmor or Outback and comparison shop. Once I have it narrowed down to 2 or 3 choices, I then go to the respective manufactures website and get the MSR price. Take 30 % off that and start hunting for that item at the reduced price. Most of my purchases come from small local outlets on a sale day.

As to specific items, there are so many out there to choose, it is totally dependant on your budget. Do you want to drive a cadillac or a yugo? Fit is also important. A $400 dollar pack that doesn't quite reach your size is a piece of junk compared to a $40 dollar pack that is one size fits all but just happens to fit you. Same with bags and pads. I recently bought an expensive bag without realizing they had cut the girth down a couple of inches and now its a tight fit for a fat man.

Big names are now outsourcing production to 3rd world countries to save a buck so quality seems to be lacking from earlier years. They still have their warranty and make good but 4 times the price of a lesser named unit just to get the warranty isn't a bargain.

And last, when considering backpacking equipment the more you pay the less you get and thats what you want. More quality and less weight.

 

[IndianaHiker]

Like Grandpa stated it is all up to the end user. Some stuff I call crap someone else might like. Typically pricing goes something like this. The lighter and the gear the more expensive it is. If you are willing to carry more weight then you can save money. You can outfit yourself for backpacking fairly cheap if you carry more weight. If you look at tents, backpacks,stove whatever the gear weight and features are the biggest difference in price. Currently my basic set up sleeping pad , sleeping bag, shelter, and pack is under 8 lbs. I have invested some between 470 and 600. The difference in the investment is that in summer and winter I use a few different pieces. Before upgrading I had about 250 or 300 invested. However the base weight was about double what I carry now. Also to save weight I don't carry a tent. If you add a tent to that mix of you want a tent at or under 3lbs add another 300 to 400 bucks. This is way I use a tarp.

No on climbing gear I cant't say as I am not a climber. I don't think that climbing gear is something that I would want to go cheap on.

 

[briansnat]

LL Bean actually has pretty good equipment at a decent price. REI's branded stuff is also quality at a pretty good price.

Sierra Designs has some very good, inexpensive gear, as well as some high end gear. Same for Mountainsmith. For sleeping bags, check out LL Bean and REI proprietary bags as well as Slumberjack.

Going a notch down the ladder there is Eureka! for tents and Kelty and Alps Mountaineering who make adequate gear at reasonable prices.

 

[Off the Beaten Path]

Thanks, briansnat. I also enjoy geocaching, which I know you are famous for...

 

[eyebp]

Excellent advice above. I couldnt agree more. I like good gear and it is important to me. So I budget for it and get it.

I'd also add.. Dont forget that until recently people hiked in heavy, bulky animal skins and then carried pots and pans that weigh as much as our entire packs now. You can BP with what you have. Light and expensive is good but not required. Just my thoughts.

 

[carmen]

Small outlets are the way to go, I spend a ton of money when I head out restocking on things. This past year we ended up getting all of the kids (and a few adults) new gear for our summer trip. It took a while to get everything we needed but if you are only hunting for one item your trip will go much quicker.

 

[jerry_too]

Benchmark and affordable is in the eye of the beholder,, or billfold. For me, anything over a nickel, I'm over budget.

Being retired I always think budget but have always been sorta cheap anyway. Camping gear, or anything outdoor I do, I focus a lot on USGI surplus gear. It's hard to beat the old tried and proven military stuff. Alice Packs might not be everyone's first choice but does make a great second, or third choice and cost about 1/10th as much as the designer label stuff.

Anyone can take any of several styles and sizes of yard sale Old Hickory butcher and kitchen knives and cleavers an modify them into great hunting, camp, or fishing knives.
Do a Google Image search on "old hickory mods" for examples. I would link to photos of mine but being new I can't post links yet.


Making ones own gear, even sew up your own a tent, can cut corners on the budget. I make or refab most of my own gear from stuff I get at yard sales or even out of a dumpster sometimes.

PVC plumbing pipe is great and stout enough for many outdoor projects and the stuff is cheap.
My latest project for $0.50 made for fishing and camping trips to my local river.PVC project made from an old golf caddy, old wheel chair wheels and PVC pipe and all painted OD. The $0.50 was probably about what it cost to paint it. It's a godsend for wanting to carry everything but the kitchen sink to your primitive camping spots assuming there are smooth type trails to travel.
Again I would link to photos of the my diy trail caddy but can't post links yet.

There is no limit what one can do on a tight budget and the feeling they might get from doing their own DIY gear is reward enough. I'd feel just as good using one of my .25 cent yard sale OH Knives as many do their $150 name brands.

The ideas are endless on homemade DIY, refabed and modified gear.

I'll try this,, close in the space after http:
http: //s729.photobucket.com/albums/ww298/jerry1945_photos/Gear%20Caddy%20-%20Day%20Trip%20Fishing/

 

[Hikenhunter]

Benchmark and affordable is in the eye of the beholder,, or billfold. For me, anything over a nickel, I'm over budget.

Being retired I always think budget but have always been sorta cheap anyway. Camping gear, or anything outdoor I do, I focus a lot on USGI surplus gear. It's hard to beat the old tried and proven military stuff. Alice Packs might not be everyone's first choice but does make a great second, or third choice and cost about 1/10th as much as the designer label stuff.

Anyone can take any of several styles and sizes of yard sale Old Hickory butcher and kitchen knives and cleavers an modify them into great hunting, camp, or fishing knives.
Do a Google Image search on "old hickory mods" for examples. I would link to photos of mine but being new I can't post links yet.


Making ones own gear, even sew up your own a tent, can cut corners on the budget. I make or refab most of my own gear from stuff I get at yard sales or even out of a dumpster sometimes.

PVC plumbing pipe is great and stout enough for many outdoor projects and the stuff is cheap.
My latest project for $0.50 made for fishing and camping trips to my local river.PVC project made from an old golf caddy, old wheel chair wheels and PVC pipe and all painted OD. The $0.50 was probably about what it cost to paint it. It's a godsend for wanting to carry everything but the kitchen sink to your primitive camping spots assuming there are smooth type trails to travel.
Again I would link to photos of the my diy trail caddy but can't post links yet.

There is no limit what one can do on a tight budget and the feeling they might get from doing their own DIY gear is reward enough. I'd feel just as good using one of my .25 cent yard sale OH Knives as many do their $150 name brands.

The ideas are endless on homemade DIY, refabed and modified gear.

I'll try this,, close in the space after http:
http: //s729.photobucket.com/albums/ww298/jerry1945_photos/Gear%20Caddy%20-%20Day%20Trip%20Fishing/

Well I hope you are gonna post pictures of that trail caddy as soon as you may cause you certainly have peaked my curiosity

 

[Davefromva]

before you blow all your money go to sunnysports.com and compare the prices against ANY other website and you will be amazed.

 

[Grandpa]

before you blow all your money go to sunnysports.com and compare the prices against ANY other website and you will be amazed.

Sorry Dave, no one outlet will be the best. I only checked two items here. MSR's Hubba Hubba at $329 can be bought several places including Amazon for $299. Also, Mt Hardwares phantom 15 is $329 and I bought that bag a year ago at a local store for $279. From what I have seen, sunnysports has a very good inventory to choose from with good prices, but any of several other outlets may beat any individual item. I will repeat my advice, after finding what you want, go to the manufacures suggested retail price, take off 30 % and look until you find it. It will be out there someplace.

 

[Davefromva]

Benchmark and affordable is in the eye of the beholder,, or billfold. For me, anything over a nickel, I'm over budget.

Being retired I always think budget but have always been sorta cheap anyway. Camping gear, or anything outdoor I do, I focus a lot on USGI surplus gear. It's hard to beat the old tried and proven military stuff. Alice Packs might not be everyone's first choice but does make a great second, or third choice and cost about 1/10th as much as the designer label stuff.

Anyone can take any of several styles and sizes of yard sale Old Hickory butcher and kitchen knives and cleavers an modify them into great hunting, camp, or fishing knives.
Do a Google Image search on "old hickory mods" for examples. I would link to photos of mine but being new I can't post links yet.


Making ones own gear, even sew up your own a tent, can cut corners on the budget. I make or refab most of my own gear from stuff I get at yard sales or even out of a dumpster sometimes.

PVC plumbing pipe is great and stout enough for many outdoor projects and the stuff is cheap.
My latest project for $0.50 made for fishing and camping trips to my local river.PVC project made from an old golf caddy, old wheel chair wheels and PVC pipe and all painted OD. The $0.50 was probably about what it cost to paint it. It's a godsend for wanting to carry everything but the kitchen sink to your primitive camping spots assuming there are smooth type trails to travel.
Again I would link to photos of the my diy trail caddy but can't post links yet.

There is no limit what one can do on a tight budget and the feeling they might get from doing their own DIY gear is reward enough. I'd feel just as good using one of my .25 cent yard sale OH Knives as many do their $150 name brands.

The ideas are endless on homemade DIY, refabed and modified gear.

I'll try this,, close in the space after http:
http: //s729.photobucket.com/albums/ww298/jerry1945_photos/Gear%20Caddy%20-%20Day%20Trip%20Fishing/

I couldn't agree with you more. I have found, after spending lots of money on all kinds of gear, that I am now redesigning all of my gear and making it myself.

You could make at least half of your gear for almost nothing and it would function just as well as store bought gear and would be close in weight and size. People spend $50+ on trekking poles when all you need to do is pick up a stick off the ground. lol

 

[Davefromva]

Sorry Dave, no one outlet will be the best. I only checked two items here. MSR's Hubba Hubba at $329 can be bought several places including Amazon for $299. Also, Mt Hardwares phantom 15 is $329 and I bought that bag a year ago at a local store for $279. From what I have seen, sunnysports has a very good inventory to choose from with good prices, but any of several other outlets may beat any individual item. I will repeat my advice, after finding what you want, go to the manufacures suggested retail price, take off 30 % and look until you find it. It will be out there someplace.

The best advice to give someone is to just find a product he or she likes and just shop for the cheapest price. Simple as that. No need for this 30% stuff. There is no way you can expect to find 30% off the price for every product out there compared to manufacturers website.
I just generally go to sunnysports because in my past experience they have had the cheapest price on all of the gear I have purchased. Which includes 3 packs and 1 tent.

Also, you might want to check on shipping costs from all those other sites. Sunnysports is Free shipping. So factor that into the equation. Not sure if the prices you mention from those other sites included free shipping and processing.

 

[Judy Ann]

Try out items at the local store, find what you like and then buy used. REI will refund all of your money for any purchases which has been great for me when I purchased a backpack that would never fit quite right. The next one was perfect. REI also has the outlet and garage sales for additional options for inexpensive gear.