The Best Budget Backpacking Gear

Many people are turned off by backpacking because it can be a pretty expensive hobby. The lightweight and compact materials used to create the gear does not come cheap. But don’t let that stop you from your dreams. There are ways to get good quality, inexpensive backpacking gear. Below I list some of the best budget backpacking gear in the market. This list does not include things that will disintegrate after a few uses. This is high-quality gear at lower prices. I have also included some tips on finding inexpensive outdoor gear. I hope after reading this, it will give you some ideas on finding great equipment at a low cost. Enjoy!

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Best Budget Backpacking Gear

Cheap Backpacking Gear: Best Tent

REI Co-op Passage 2 Tent

The REI Passage 2 tent is one of the best budget backpacking tents out there. It is roomy, easy to set up, has two doors, and has vestibules to store your gear. It is an excellent choice for short backpacking trips. It is on the bulkier, heavier side of a backpacking tent, but this is an excellent buy for beginners for the cost.

Click To Read More: Best Backpacking Tents

Best Budget Travel Backpack

REI Co-op Trailbreak 60 Pack – Women’s

REI branded equipment does an excellent job of producing high-quality equipment while still maintaining a reasonable price point. The Trailbreak 60 is no exception. This backpack is roomy, comfortable, and has an adjustable torso. The Trailbreak is a little on the heavy side, and ventilation isn’t the best, but at this price, this backpack is a great option.

Gregory Octal 55L Backpack – Women’s

The Gregory Octal 55 can be considered the best budget-friendly hiking backpack in the market. Overall, this ultralight backpacking bag has much to love and very little to dislike. It combines the efficiency of an ultralight pack, simplicity, and women-specific design. The only negative for this pack is that you can’t use it on extended backpacking trips.

Click To Read More: Best Backpacking Backpacks For Women

Best Sleeping Bags

Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20 Sleeping Bag – Women’s

Since the Marmot Trestles has a synthetic fill, it makes this fantastic sleeping bag affordable. The Trestles is also made out of 96% recycled material. So if you are looking for a good eco option, this is a great choice. Something cool is that this sleeping bag comes with a compression sack, so that is one less thing you need to buy. Marmot is known to have great quality sleeping bags. It’s not the most ultralight sleeping bag, but it’s an excellent price for the quality.

Kelty Cosmic 20 Sleeping Bag – Women’s

If you are looking for an inexpensive down sleeping bag for backpacking, the Kelty Cosmic is a fantastic choice. The sleeping bag is filled with 600 fill-down, which has a better weight to warmth ratio than the Marmot Trestles shown above. This sleeping bag also comes with a stuff sack, which is cool as it is one less thing you need to buy. Although the sleeping bag is made from down, it is the lower quality kind (600), so it isn’t as compressible or lightweight as other sleeping bags. But for the high cost, this sleeping bag is still great. You can take it on short backpacking trips and camping trips.

Click To Read More: Best Sleeping Bags For Women

Best Sleeping Pads

Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol Sleeping Pad

The Them-a-Rest Z Lite Sol sleeping pad is known to be the best sleeping pad for beginner backpackers. It is inexpensive, lightweight, and durable. The main drawback of these closed-cell foam pads is the bulkiness, and they aren’t that comfortable. But still, at this price, this is an excellent buy for a sleeping pad. Sleeping pads can be costly.

NEMO Switchback Sleeping Pad

The NEMO Switchback is giving the Z lite a run for its money as it is one of the best thick foam camping pads on the market. Like the Z lite, this sleeping pad is lightweight and inexpensive. But it is not as warm as the Z lite. Still, this is a great budget sleeping pad, and if you ever upgrade to an air pad, a good option is to use this underneath for more comfort and warmth.

Click To Read More: Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads

Best Camping Pillow

Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow

If you are on a budget, buying a pillow can be unnecessary. All you need are your bunched up clothes for a pillow. But if you are a picky sleeper, I can see why buying a pillow could be valuable (My husband is one of those people, so I totally get it. ). This pillow is kind of heavy for backpacking, but it is inexpensive and comfortable. It is suitable for very short backpacking trips.

Click To Read More: Best Backpacking Pillows

Best Backpacking Chair

Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat Pad

Having a seat pad for backpacking can seem like another luxury item. But fortunately, there is this superb sitting pad that only weighs 2 ounces and is extremely cheap. Many thru-hikers use this pad. You can always use your sleeping pad for a seat pad, but having a smaller, more portable one can be nice.

Click To Read More: Best Backpacking Chairs

Best Trekking Pole

Montem Ultra Strong Trekking Poles

The Montem Ultra Strong poles are versatile and inexpensive. The Montem Ultra Strong does have some durability issues like the locking mechanism. Also, the handles are not made out of cork; they are made out of foam, which can be uncomfortable for people with sweatier hands. But overall, this is an excellent trekking pole for backpacking.

Click To Read More: Best Trekking Poles

Best Backpacking Stoves

Soto Amicus Stove Cookset Combo

I love how tiny and inexpensive this duo is. This is a great buy, but please note that the pots are pretty small, so it might take a while to cook for a large group of people.

MSR PocketRocket 2 Stove

One of the most well known and popular camping stoves out there is the MSR Pocket Rocket. You can’t go wrong with this tiny camping stove.

Click To Read More On Gear Reviews: Best Backpacking Stoves In The Market

Best Headlamp

Black Diamond Spot Lite 160 Headlamp

A headlamp is something I would not skimp on when it comes to backpacking or hiking. It is part of the ten essentials and significant to always have. I have gotten lost in the backcountry during the night time, and the only thing that helped us were our headlamps and maps. Don’t rely on your phone for light. Black Diamond is known for its high-quality headlamps. My first buy at REI was a Black Diamond headlamp, and I haven’t had to replace it since.

Click To Read More: Best Headlamps For Hiking

Best Water Filter

Sawyer Mini Water Filter

Sawyer is a fantastic filter to have in hand. It is very lightweight and inexpensive. It can filter out bacteria and protozoa, but not viruses. I will say that using this thing can be a bit annoying. The output water nozzle is pretty small, so it can take a while to filter water, and it isn’t the most durable option, so always take a backup filter (like chemical tablets).

Best Things To Wear

REI Co-op 650 Down Jacket 2.0 – Women’s

This down jacket is an excellent buy. Very inexpensive for down filling. The 650 fill down is lower quality and not as compressible as other nicer jackets, but at this price, who cares! This a great beginner budget-friendly jacket.

Click To Read More: Best Down Jackets For Women Gear Review

REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket – Women’s

The Rainier Rain jacket is a great buy if you are looking for an inexpensive rain jacket. The jacket keeps you dry and packs into its pocket. It is on the heavier side for a backpacking rain jacket, but this price is hard to beat. If a rain jacket is too expensive, I recommend getting a poncho. That is what I started with, and it worked amazingly. It covered me and my backpack, and it was pretty cheap.

Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator Low Hiking Shoes – Women’s

I just bought the Merrell Moab 2, and they are fantastic shoes. Very comfortable, and you don’t need to break them in. Merrell is known to have some of the best hiking shoes in the market, so this is probably the best bang for your buck. Hiking shoes and boots can be pretty expensive. Yes, even more costly than this shoe. This is a high-quality shoe that will last for years and is one of the lower cost shoes in the market.

Click To Read More: Best Women’s Hiking Shoes

REI Co-op Take Your Time 7/8 Leggings – Women’s

I am all about leggings when it comes to hiking or backpacking. They are just more comfortable for me. Hiking pants can be costly and sometimes unnecessary. You can wear some of the leggings you have at home (unless you are backpacking in the rain).

Click To Read More: Best Hiking Leggings For Women

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Tips On Backpacking On A Budget

Check Out Discount Outdoor Stores

When I first started to get into this outdoor world I didn’t realize just how many outdoor discount stores there were. Most of these stores usually sell last year’s model, and so nothing is wrong with the gear. If you want to read more about the best discount stores click here.

Wait For Big Backpacking Sales

The well known outdoor brand REI has yearly sales. One in May and another one around the holidays. Many people wait until that time to buy backpacking gear. REI also has members 20% off coupons around these times of years. Other stores like Backcountry and Amazon also mark down their prices around these times to compete with REI.

Borrow Gear

Ask friends if you can borrow their gear. I have so much backpacking gear that I wouldn’t mind letting my friends use some of it for their weekend trips. You might have a friend that is like this. You also get to try out the gear and see if it is something you would like to buy in the future.

Rent Gear

A great way to save some money is by renting gear. REI has many stores over the USA that rents out gear. Many people that are hiking on a budget rent gear. >>>Check It Out Here

Other rental online stores include Outdoors Geeks and Lower Gear Outdoors.

Make Your Own Meals

A lot of beginner backpackers usually just buy the dry foods that they sell at outdoor stores. This is an excellent option if you are just starting out and aren’t sure what to cook in the backcountry. But dry foods can be costly. Fortunately, you can make your meals at home. You can use a dehydrator to dry meats or vegetables. Making pasta is another great way to make your meals. A local here in Washington has great tips for making your fresh meals, so I bought his recipe book. >>>Check Out MontyBoca Here

Weight

When it comes to car camping, weight isn’t significant. Mainly your car will be carrying the weight. But backpacking is a different story. All the weight is on your back and hips, so you got to make sure you pack efficiently. Before your trip, make sure the total weight in your pack is no more than 20% of your body weight. If it is any more then that, you might not have the best time backpacking.

Comfort For Budget Backpackers

Being comfortable while backpacking is essential. You don’t want to come back from that trip exhausted and miserable. An excellent way to stay comfortable is by buying a comfortable backpack. Out of all the things I listed on this list, that is the number one thing I highly recommend you do not skimp on.

I was the person that bought a cheap backpacking backpack. It had no frame and did not fit me well. After only backpacking for two days, my body hated me. I had to get massages for weeks!

Anyways the point is you can get good quality cheaper backpacks but be wary. Make sure it has a good frame, and it fits you well. >>>Check Out How to Size and Fit a Backpack

Ultralight Backpacking On A Budget: Durability and Versatility

The great thing about buying good quality backpacking gear is that it can last you for years. Ensure that you store all your gear correctly and clean all your gear and see how long it will last you! What I also love about my backpacking gear is that I can also use it for car camping. It is very versatile and packable.

Price On Beginner Ultralight Backpacking

Backpacking gear gets a reputation for being expensive. Most of the gear is, but there are ways of finding more inexpensive good quality gear. The best way to do this is by doing research.

Just because something is expensive does not mean it is of good quality. There are many brands out there coming out with a new line of camping gear that has no idea how to make good quality gear. But they still seem to have that high price tag. Always read reviews and ask people about the gear. You can usually do this on hiking Facebook groups.

Final Thoughts On Backpacking For Cheap

Thanks for reading all about backpacking on the cheap. I hope you can get to your backpacking destination as cheaply as possible. Make sure to check out some of my other backpacking posts:

• The Ultimate Backpacking Checklist
• Backpacking Essentials
• Tips On Backpacking For Beginners

Pin For Later: Affordable Backpacking Gear