Expensive equipment problem

Gotta agree…
With a little initiative you can make just about everything you need. Though I admit, I do it more for the feeling of self-sufficency than the cost savings considering the labor involved with the more complex projects. If interested, I can post lots of different links to how-to sites.

Backpacker Magazine
did an article where they went to Wally-world and outfitted themselves, if you are unsure of the whole camping thing, its a good place to start for not a lot of money.

http://search.rodale.com/search97cgi/s97_cgi?action=View&VdkVgwKey=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebackpacker%2Ecom%2Farticle%2F1%2C2646%2C668%2C00%2Ehtml%3F&DocOffset=1&DocsFound=4&QueryZip=wal%2Dmart&Collection=backpacker&ViewTemplate=docview%2Ehts&SearchUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch%2Erodale%2Ecom%2Fsearch97cgi%2Fs97%5Fcgi%3Faction%3DSearch%26QueryZip%3Dwal%252Dmart%26ResultTemplate%3DBPResults%252Ehts%26QueryText%3Dwal%252Dmart%26Collection%3Dbackpacker%26ViewTemplate%3Ddocview%252Ehts%26ResultStart%3D1%26ResultCount%3D10&



Buy what you need, try it, use it up, then you can get better stuff if you want to stick with camping.

I agree, but…
I’ve got lots of tents - too many actually. I’ve got a 4-season TNF expedition, 4-season Sierra designs and many other varieties. Still my $150 Kelty that I bought for my first light-weight backpacking tent holds its own against them. It’s only 3-season and not free-standing, but it was dirt cheap, sleeps two adults and a dog inside the tent with a sizable vestable to boot. And if I spend the time to tie it down well (it’s only 2 poles) it will withstand gales above treeline. If you’re careful you can get very good gear cheap. I love the big name brands and admit I’m a total gear head, but it’s not the only way to go.

$800 is enough

– Last Updated: Nov-10-05 12:02 AM EST –

* Tent--no need to get a winter mountaineering type but DON'T buy crappy discount store tents with a tiny cap on the top for a "rainfly": $150

* Mummy bag good to 15 degrees F: $125-175

* Highly compressible self-inflating sleeping pad, if you want plenty of comfort: $70 to $100
OR a folding Z-Lite sleeping pad if you are young and/or well-padded yourself: $40

* Plain-jane poly ground cloth: $15

* Good dry bags (CRUCIAL!): figure on $100 to $250, depending on what material made of and how many you buy

* Small stove: from $20 (one-burner screw-on propane unit) to $100

* Water filter: $50 to $100

* Compact cook kit: $50

I assume you already have things such as pocket knife, flashlights, rope, matches and lighters, etc.

Keep in mind that you can get by spending less, but the price for doing so might be compactness. For instance, I can't use my car-camping $20 propane stove for kayak camping because the canisters are so bulky. For kayak camping I use a tiny, folding stove that fits INSIDE my small cook kit and runs off a small propane-butane can. You won't find one of these for $20 but they are still very reasonable.

Same with sleeping bags. The most compressible fills are down and PrimaLoft but they will cost more than other fills at the same temperature rating.

Therefore, if your kayak can accommodate more bulk, you can spend less money on your gear. If your kayak is small, you need to get the most compact gear you can afford--AND test-pack the whole shebang when the gear is brand-new, at home!!!! Because if something, such as a sleeping bag, just will not fit without your having to kick out something crucial, you can return it in its clean-and-new condition and get a more compact one. Do not try to skimp on the sleeping stuff or you will be sorry.

THINGS YOU SHOULD PUT OFF BUYING (till you either can't stand not having them or simply cross them off your list):

* Roll-up cooking tables
* Chairs
* Ginzu knives etc
* Lexan wine goblets etc.
* Little dustpan-and whisk kits (just use two flexible, flat-edged objects instead)
* Camp toys (floppy frisbees, glowing boomerangs, little guitars, boomboxes, and the like--does anybody but a family car camper actually USE these things????)

And speaking of "boomboxes"--the OTHER kind of boombox--if you need to carry and use these where you are going, make sure to budget for that, too.

Another point to consider: How long will you be out? If it's only a few nights, you might be willing to do without a stove or tent or change of clothing, but I doubt you'll be happy that way on a month-long trip.