A popular article of mine is The Frugal Backpacker – The $300 challenge.
That article has a few different purposes:
- It allows a person new to the outdoors world or on a budget to purchase some equipment that will not break the bank and will allow them to explore the outdoors.
- Show how the BEST gear is not needed to get outside.
- I think it functions as a good minimalist list. As I wrote, “A better pack, sleeping bag, shelter, etc. within this lists’ framework will still leave you with a lightweight list with no extras. In other words, this is a good list to build upon for lightweight backpacking in general, I think. Part of what lightweight backpacking is not so much what you take, but rather it is what you do not take.”
However, I realize this kit is not ideal and narrow in focus. It works well for prime three-season summer conditions (unless you purchase a better sleeping bag, for example). As an aside, my original kit way back in 1996 was not much different from the $300 challenge kit (bargain external frame, bulky and cheap sleeping bag, old fleece), and I rather enjoyed myself. But I did upgrade, swap out, etc., as my experience, preferences, and budget dictated.
Even with bargain gear, I enjoyed this view.
In 2012, I was asked to contribute a gear kit for my friend Liz Thomas’ course for Backpacker Magazine. The package was a step up from the $300 kit, but not quite what I have now in some cases. A “better” pack is shown, but still, suggest the M65 liner, for example. I called it the “dirtbagger deluxe” kit. 🙂
So, I thought perhaps it was time to write a sequel of sorts to the Frugal Backpacking Kit and introduce the Budget Backpacking Kit. It is a little beyond what I sent Liz and perhaps a kit for all-around backpacking as opposed to the specialized long-distance treks. Most weekend backpackers will not want a tarp for a general-purpose shelter, will not be moving all day to make miles, nor do they wish to futz with an alcohol stove. It is a kit that handles a variety of conditions beyond well-marked and maintained trails.
The budget kit is not the lightest gear or the most cutting-edge. But you’ll find the equipment to be light and functional overall without requiring a lot of legwork. The rule I imposed upon myself for this kit is that it has to be composed of items I can easily find online, in a store, or in a typical person’s home as of March 2024. One-off clearance items or lucky finds would not work for this list.
You’ll notice many links for REI and Amazon because REI is found almost everywhere now. With Amazon Prime, getting a wide variety of goods is effortless. There is still a sprinkling of cottage gear makers, surplus, and discount stores. Frankly, that is how I shop, as I like to get items online as much as possible. I will go to an individual store if I know the item will be less expensive (a fleece pullover, for example. Cheaper at Target or –gasp- Wally World versus other places). The prices may be even lower if you buy some gear such as long underwear or winter jackets off-season.
So here’s my Budget Backpacking Kit.
~Updated March 2022 ~ Inflation post-COVID makes things, ah, interesting! With the CPI up, the kit is about 10% more expensive overall than when I updated the list last in 2019.
~Updated March 2024 Inflation continues to come into play but with more budget choices vs. even two years ago
Since I wrote my version of this list back in 2005, other people have contributed their versions. What makes my list different from similar listings?
- I explain what I choose
- I choose items I’ve used personally, their close counterparts, or know people well enough to take from their personal experience
- I don’t just pick something that looks good on Lighterpack; my choices reflect real-world use
- The list does not include a narrow range of conditions, such as summertime in prime weather. The list works for ~25F at night, for example.
- I’d like to think my experience makes these picks of value beyond a theoretical exercise
As always, I have the Intermountain West region in mind, which has cooler temps but is generally drier and has more sun exposure. Other places may want a warmer weather bag, perhaps beefier rain gear, maybe a heavier fleece instead of the lightweight puffy, a lightweight alcohol stove where food carries are less and fire restrictions not as common, etc. This kit is not meant to be the cheapest kit. Again, see my $300 kit for that list (which will also be updated in 2024 to reflect inflation.).
Instead, this kit is a well-rounded kit for a variety of conditions beyond set routes and trails.
Overall, though, I think it is a suitable all-purpose kit that requires minimal tinkering for any environment in three-season conditions.
I can honestly say it is gear I would use myself (and in many cases, do!) and would gladly suggest to friends.
Happy Trails!
-Paul Mags
Originally written Fall of 2015, Updated March 2024
| ITEMS | COST | WEIGHT (in oz) | WHERE | NOTES |
| Pack and accessories | ||||
| 3F UL 40+16 Pack | $51 | 31.75 | AliExpress | Heavy for a semi-frameless pack, but good price-to-use ratio. This Chinese company is making some well-regarded designs for budget-minded backpackers. |
| Garbage compactor bag | 0 | 0.625 | House | Normal household item |
| Subtotal | $51 | 32.375 | ||
| Sleeping System | ||||
| Featherstone Moondance Quilt | $200 | 23 | Featherstone | Featherstone is making some well-regarded budget gear in recent years. |
| Z-Lite 3/4 Length Pad Clone | $30 | 6 | Walmart | Less expensive than an inflatable pad, better than the minimalist choice of the “blue foam pad,” the Z-Lite is a classic, durable, and reasonably comfortable pad with good R-value for three-season use. Works as a stay in the pack, too. Cut the Z-Lite clone down for weight savings. |
| Subtotal | $230 | 29 | ||
| Shelter System | ||||
| SMD Skyscape Scout | $160 | 40 | Six Moon Designs | I have the 24 oz version of this tent for various conditions. The Scout is the more budget-minded version that is still as functional and capable for less money. |
| Gutter Nails (6) | $5 | 2.5 | Hardware store | Light, inexpensive, durable, and effective |
| Subtotal | $165 | 42.5 | ||
| Kitchen | ||||
| Lexan spoon | $1 | 0.375 | REI | Standard spoon. Usually found with the cookware. So cheap it is not online. |
| Lighter with duct tape | 0 | 1 | Home | Duct tape does everything. To quote the author Andy Weir: “Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped” |
| Stanco Grease Pot | $12 | 5 | Amazon | Light, cheap, and effective. Use your bandanna for a pot grip. Works well with the stove below. |
| Hornet BRS-3000t | $16 | 0.9 | Amazon | A sub-1oz, $16 canister stove suitable for solo hiking. Alcohol stoves are coming under increased scrutiny in the increasingly fire-prone American West. |
| Toothbrush | 0 | <.125 | Home | |
| Dental Floss | 0 | <.125 | Home | Works for repairs, too! |
| Silynylon food bag | $17 | 1 | Amazon | Silnylon is no longer an exotic fabric and is reasonable in price |
| Subtotal | $46 | 8.275 | ||
| Hydration | ||||
| 1 qt Sports drink bottle (2) | $2 | 2.25 | Grocery Store | The sports drink bottle is light and cheap. It comes with a drink! More versatile than a Smart Water bottle, too. |
| 96 oz Nalgene cantene | $26 | 2.25 | Amazon | For larger water carries, I’ve been using this piece of gear for years. The wide mouth makes it very easy to use, too. |
| Sawyer Squeeze Mini Filter | $25 | 2 | REI | Effective and inexpensive water treatment. I prefer chemicals as I selectively treat, but for those who treat more, the Sawyer makes more financial sense. |
| Subtotal | $53 | 6.5 | ||
| Clothing in pack | ||||
| 100 weight fleece | $10 | 8 | Any thrift store | One of my most versatile pieces of clothing. Wear it in all four seasons. I purchased one for $10 at Sports Authority |
| Uniqlo down jacket Clone | $17 | 8 | AliExpress | Affordable, functional, and effective. Before I was given a Montbell jacket for volunteer work, I used a Uniqlo jacket. |
| Discount store running socks | $8 | 1.5 | Target | Athletic gear from the discount store works surprisingly well. |
| Frog Toggs Ultralite 2 Jacket | $21 | 6 | Amazon or Discount Store | Good for on-trail. The jacket works surprisingly well. I would not use the pants. Put them in your emergency car kit instead. |
| Generic rainpants | $30 | 7 | Amazon | Similar to the NatureHike brand of AliExpress, imports of decent to good budget gear. Some people like to size up the pants for a baggier fit. |
| Rocky Thermal silk weight set |
$18
|
11 | Amazon | A basic set similar to many other lightweight thermals on the market. No frills, basic, and sufficient for three-season conditions in the mountains or fall in other places. |
| Generic neck gaiter (Buff) | $10 | 1.75 | Amazon | Versatile piece of clothing that can get worn in different ways. |
| Wool liner gloves | $7 | 1.5 | Surplus store | Another four-season mainstay, coupled with the shell mitts (below), a versatile system for all conditions. |
| Decathlon Overglove | $25 | 1 | Decathlon | Light and simple |
| Wool socks | $7 | 1 | Discount store | My “snivel gear.” A warm pair of dry socks, only worn to bed, is heaven. |
| Trashbag | 0 | 0.375 | Home | A free and waterproof stuff sack! |
| Subtotal | $153 | 47.125 | ||
| Misc | ||||
| First Aid/ Repair Kit | 0 | 1.5 | Home | Simple and to the point. Band-Aids, 4×4 gauze pads, Vitamin I, a needle with floss, a small tube of sunscreen, and a Ziploc bag. |
| Potty Trowell/TP/Ziploc | $11 | 1 | Amazon | LNT means leave no #2 and TP lying around! For the weight, there is no reason NOT to take one especially now that the longer trails are getting popular. |
| Hand sanitizer | $3 | 2.25 | Drugstore |
Get the travel size |
| Sunblesa H1 Headlamp | $29 | 1 | Amazon | An alternative to the class Nu25. .Modify it to get it down to 1 oz. |
| Subtotal | 43 | 5.75 | ||
| TOTAL COST OF PACKED GEAR: $741 | TOTAL WEIGHT OF PACKED GEAR: 167oz / 10bs 7 oz or 4735g. | |||
| Equipment “on self.” | ||||
| Polycotton blend button-up shirt | 0 | 6 | Home | I like the ventilation of a poly-cotton blend shirt. I use an old casual dress shirt repurposed for hiking now. |
| Nylon shorts | 0 | 3.75 | Home | Assume most have some shorts for exercising |
| Running socks | – | 1.5 | Target | From Target. You already bought two pairs! 🙂 |
| Bandanna | $1 | 1 | Many stores | Multi-purpose. It helps keep me cool. Worn under a boonie hat. |
| Boonie hat | $15 | 3.5 | Surplus Store | Surplus store special |
| Analog watch | $10 | <1 | Discount store | For dead reckoning and first-aid use. Don’t have a watch? Get the cheapest analog one you can find. |
| Key Chain Light | $10 | 1 | Amazon | The light, can opener, and a knife is a basic kit. Something I happen to carry every day that I use on the trail. A basic, versatile tool kit for everyday life or the outdoors |
| P51 Can Opener | $2 | – | Surplus Store | Part of my EDC kit. |
| Swiss Army Classic | $24 | – | Amazon | All I need for 3 season solo backpacking. |
| Sunglasses | $0 | 1 | Home | Probably already have a pair? I like safety sunglasses myself: Light, durable, and inexpensive. |
| Suunto A10 | $20 | 1 | Many places | Basic compass |
| Costco carbon hiking poles | $35 | 16 | Costco | Light and inexpensive. Work very well. This one is a small cheat as you need a Costco membership or a gift card. 🙂 |
| Running shoes | 0 | 30 | Home | For trails, a good pair of running shoes used for workouts will work beautifully. Even some light scrambling is not out of the question. |
| Total | $117 | 64.75 |
TOTAL COST OF ALL GEAR: $858
Notes:
- S&H and taxes are not included in the prices unless through Amazon Prime.
- Items that vary on trips, such as food, fuel, guidebooks, and maps (which are trip-dependent), are not included. Nor do I add a battery (Anker box or similar) or a phone. Newer phones can last quite a while without a charge. Most people are fine for 3-5 days of use, especially in airplane mode. I don’t list a phone, and the weights vary.
- Camera phones have come a long way for basic snaps and landscape photos.
- Unlike the sub-$400 frugal kit, this kit can easily push into later fall conditions.
- For AliExpress or NatureHike clothing, I’d size up
- Be sure to check out my many articles on budget gear, too.
- I don’t claim this is the best gear set for everyone and all situations. I think it is a very good gear kit for the price and works well for three-season use. This kit will work well for various conditions and places, whether on a multi-month thru-hike or a weekend jaunt. It is a kit beyond just theoretical exercise; most backpackers could realistically use this kit for moderate to advanced trips.
Excellent post Paul. Everyone would have a slightly different list, of course, but I don’t think anyone could go wrong following this one. I would suggest one alternative – a nylon poncho rather than a rainsuit. Costs $15 and is multi-use. I know I am in a small minority here and I rarely see other poncho-wearers out on the trail. I started with ponchos in the 60s and 70s (because that’s all there was – my best friend carried an Army surplus canvas poncho) and switched to Gore-tex jackets with rain chaps in the 80s and 90s. But I kept… Read more »
My only hesitation over alcohol stoves for general users is that the legality is in question during open flame bans. See this one from October: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/alerts-notices/?cid=fsbdev3_053600 Whether it is safer or not is user dependent I suppose… Back East, it would be my number one choice for solo hiking if I took a stove. No really long resupplies and no worries about possible open flame bans. I may be in New England for a few days backpacking this summer before a family visit, so the other advantage is I don’t have to worry about TSA agents vs other stoves when… Read more »
If you look around in the hardware stores, you can often find Gorilla tape in 1″ wide rolls. I like the 1″ wide tape for my kit, but I don’t always like Gorilla tape. The adhesive seems OK for short term, but dries out over the long term. I like the 3M transparent duct tape. It’s thinner and less messy and seems to hold up fairly well. Duct tape isn’t all the same and some tapes are better than others for specific applications.
I like the Duck brand myself. Seems to be a nice compromise between flexibility and strength.
I love this article! I especially like the tips about the gloves, hat, socks and long underwear. And, the $5 sunglasses! Great finds! Thanks for sharing your research.
Great budget list. I started with a really low end/budget set up to begin with. My plan has been upgrading one expensive piece of equipment each year using store sale coupons (usually a 20% any item deal). I have slowly been accumulating a pretty could packing list by looking at which 1 piece of equipment will be the most beneficial for that year.
This list really is not too far off the list I use. A better sleeping/bag quilt and maybe a lighter shelter would be the major changes. Still for a little over 8 lbs and $800, it is a very functional list.
I think for me it’s always been an internal debate when it comes to lightweight/cheap/less comfortable versus heavier weight/more expensive/more luxurious . When i’ve gone out with first time backpackers I ‘ve tried to insure that they ease themselves into it with a fairly light pack but I also try to make sure that what they have meets their comfort level. This could mean a semi rectangular bag instead of a mummie or a full length pad instead of a 3/4 and perhaps spending extra on a more comfortable fitting pack. Many of these upgrades can be made for a… Read more »
Hmm..I honestly don’t see anything on this list as “uncomfortable” (with the possible exception of the 3/4 length Zlite esp for taller folks). or bargain basement at all. A good tent from a well-known cottage gear company, a canister stove, a well made and popular pack and a good puffy? With a sub-10 lbs kit ,the ULA CDT is very functional pack. In fact, it is the pack I often loan out and people seem to love it. It has long been a thru-hikers favorite for a reason. I agree for heavier loads, it could be an issue however. In… Read more »
My point was that individual differences vary. I lived at Lake Tahoe (elev. 6200′ +) for several years and backpacked in places like the Canadian Rockies and always had a semi rectangular bag which I found to provide adequate warnth, even in late fall. Never have been comfy in a mummie bag. I always used a full lengh pad since it provides better insulation on cold ground. As far as tents, I used to manage a backpacking store and tried out several varieties and realized that there are many variables when selecting the right tent for someone – or for… Read more »
Fair enough….but, based on your reply, I suspect you may have missed this key sentence:
“I don’t claim this is the best set of gear for everyone and all situations. I will say I think it is a very good gear kit for the price. This kit will work well for a variety of conditions and places whether on a multi-month thru-hike or a weekend jaunt.”
Hi. I’ll be hiking the Appalachian trail for the first time next year. First time hiking or basically camping for that matter lol. I’ve been researching gear and everything about the trail for a couple months now. This list isn’t far off from what I’ve been looking at honestly. I can’t decide on a tent because I’veonly used a wWalmart tent once. I’m nervous and excited and I’m worried I won’t have the right kind of gear to make it through the cold winds and rains mostly. Basically bad weather is my main concern. I’ll most likely be buying my… Read more »
Get and out and backpack. It is the best way to learn.
Wow, fantastic! Someone from a hiking group I’m part of just posted a link to this. Next time a friend says they’ve been wanting to hike since they moved to my current city, Seattle, but aren’t ready to commit lots of $, I will link them here. I moved here for the outdoors so have been stalking the REI garage sales for awhile now and was lucky to get some great hand-me-down gear. The Energizer headlamp is great. I picked one up in Sri Lanka in 2012 and put it through all sorts of shenanigans, the rubber around the clicker… Read more »
I really enjoy these kinds of posts as they get me thinking and looking at what else is out there. I started backpacking 2.5 years ago, not having a friend who did it to help or loan things, so was on my own. And I made a LOT of gear-buying mistakes, many in trying to save money. Wish I had seen this post back then. However, now many miles in, I’ve been able to fine-tune things, buy some better and lighter equipment over time, and can now loan to other friends wanting to try a weekend out. Thanks for the… Read more »
AWESOME! New Mexico is one of my favorite places in the world.
I had not backpacked there at all till this summer, then went on a 6 day trip in the Gila with a friend in July. Amazing! Especially the Middle Fork! So much gorgeous and varied terrain! Hoping to get back there in June 2020, too. It’s a reasonable drive from Oklahoma, where I live. Prior to that, I’d mostly been going east to hike over in SE Oklahoma and Arkansas (still doing that too), also beautiful terrain but totally different from New Mexico.
Side sleeper that can’t get comfortable on the z rest here. I am a fan of the children’s length klymit Static V with 4 sections of z rest (Or generic) under it for insulation that is also good for sit pad and frame for pack. The pad is is 23” wide which makes a pretty big difference for an active sleeper the system is under a pound and goes into shoulder season and hits doesn’t cost much.
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