Your Dirt cheep ultralight equipment

[ImAfraidOfBears]

.3oz r u sure about that or is it 3oz. ;0)

thom

.3 oz on my postal scale, the one I have is 10"x10", should have clarified it isn't the full size one.

[MtDoraDave]

cat can stove (if I'm carrying a stove)
rubber bands & zip ties
mini bics
smart water bottle
caps off a smart water bottle
talenti ice cream jar/stripes PB&J jar (for re-hydrating meals and storing them while hiking (when stoveless)
grocery bags
fast food condiments
duct tape money clip
Z Packs cuben dry bag *I was awarded the dry bag a good deed I performed. Some hikers were partying at the Plumorchard Gap Shelter the night before and instead of splitting their trash up and hiking it out, they decided to just leave it. I hiked a contractor trash bag full of beer bottles/cans, wine bottles, half eaten food, and whatever else hikers felt like tossing in there. I had the bag of garbage tied to the outside of my pack, the contents were dripping out the bottom, and every step I took made it feel that much heavier. A hiker by the name of Square Peg came up on me right about the time I was getting frustrated and cursing out loud. He said something along the lines of "you guys must have had a party last night." I wasn't too happy with the comment at first, but took a second to catch my breath and explain exactly why I has 20lbs of garbage strapped to my pack. After that he offered to split the load with me and help carry it out. We ended up crossing a forest service road where we a pickup truck was sitting and left the bags of trash in the bed with a note apologizing for doing so. When we got to camp that night Square Peg told other hikers of my quest to pack out others' trash and gave me a brand new Z Packs Cuben Fiber pillow bag. Sorry for the short essay...just thought about what I had to do to get the free bag.

I put trash in the bed of someone's truck once... Just before going up Jacob's ladder.
We left a buck under his windshield wiper.

Has anyone mentioned the Stanco grease pots? They're still available, still cheaper than most options.

[Nanatuk]

Has anyone mentioned the Stanco grease pots? They're still available, still cheaper than most options.

Still available from Amazon, Walmart etc. I found a better solution at Mainstays Grease dispenser from wallyworld. About $8 bucks and has a handle. I wrapped a little silicon tape around the handle so I can grab it without burning myself. https://goo.gl/9PlTXz

[Patriot76]

I am new to the forum, but not new to backpacking. My favorite cheap/free item is my shelter. Several backpacking tents and hammocks do not provide the flexibility of this option, but the wife prefers these.

I get the plastic used to protect mattresses during shipping and create tarp tents out of them. Using large buttons sold at the box stores, a person can create different tie off points When I really need to drop weight or am cheap, I will use rocks on the trail. Nylon parachute cord and my trekking poles are the stabilization.

When comfort over weight is a priority, I use a hammock with the same plastic for protection from the elements. During the winter I use my Eureka Timberline tent (7 lbs.) Long story short, $ 1,000 worth of shelter is replaced by cheap plastic.

[RangerZ]

Never had it hang up, must be picking the right limbs. If it did it would probably be easy to tear down.

Also using a very fine mesh garlic bag.

[Drum Man]

My Drip lines

[happypad]

I use the plastic and metal clips from an ID badge to make clothes pins out of.

[scudder]

My local lumberyard uses polyester strapsto bind their delivery orders. They make good hammock straps.

[DownEaster]

Fritos are good trail food. A plastic paper clip I found on the side of the road is what I use to close a partially-eaten bag.

[Midwest Mike]

If you've got a photo could you please post? That sounds interesting.

[Midwest Mike]

The previous post was meant to reply to this. :-)

I am new to the forum, but not new to backpacking. My favorite cheap/free item is my shelter. Several backpacking tents and hammocks do not provide the flexibility of this option, but the wife prefers these.

I get the plastic used to protect mattresses during shipping and create tarp tents out of them. Using large buttons sold at the box stores, a person can create different tie off points When I really need to drop weight or am cheap, I will use rocks on the trail. Nylon parachute cord and my trekking poles are the stabilization.

When comfort over weight is a priority, I use a hammock with the same plastic for protection from the elements. During the winter I use my Eureka Timberline tent (7 lbs.) Long story short, $ 1,000 worth of shelter is replaced by cheap plastic.

[loguon_theguy]

This is a great thread guys, lets keep it going. Mine is probably the $1 Ozark Trail headlamp from Walmart. Comes with two cr2032 batteries and weighs about 1 oz with the batteries. The thing has worked great for four 2 day trips so far. Ozark trail is generally garbage so maybe mine is a fluke but it works awesome for me!

[Hikingjim]

This is a great thread guys, lets keep it going. Mine is probably the $1 Ozark Trail headlamp from Walmart. Comes with two cr2032 batteries and weighs about 1 oz with the batteries. The thing has worked great for four 2 day trips so far. Ozark trail is generally garbage so maybe mine is a fluke but it works awesome for me!

I have a similar one (20 lumens), but I use it as a backup if I'm on a hike where I really need backup. Mostly because it only lasts 5 hours.
Could be different model though, but mine's been kicking around for awhile and is very light

[RockDoc]

This is the best post, IMO. The cheapest stuff is what you don't buy because you don't need it. At least you hope you won't... best not take this to extremes however.

"..my #1 dirt cheap (actually free, and no way to make it lighter) piece of "UL" gear (in my case, perhaps lighter than many others) is my brain and with it the ability to realize what you just plain don't need on the trail (knives, guns, extra shoes, pots and pans, tons of clothing, etc, etc)."

[ImAfraidOfBears]

This is the best post, IMO. The cheapest stuff is what you don't buy because you don't need it. At least you hope you won't... best not take this to extremes however.

"..my #1 dirt cheap (actually free, and no way to make it lighter) piece of "UL" gear (in my case, perhaps lighter than many others) is my brain and with it the ability to realize what you just plain don't need on the trail (knives, guns, extra shoes, pots and pans, tons of clothing, etc, etc)."

That would be a pretty boring thread, IMO.

You can do a TV show about nothing (Seinfeld); but a thread about nothing, well maybe not so much.

[zippyd8]

cotton balls rubbed with vaseline as a fire starter. Burns for over 60 seconds each

[VatoGato]

my tarp tent made out of polycryo. Got the idea from some people who had previously made them and blogged about them on backpackinglight. Tent weighs 6.5 ounces but offers little in the way of privacy

[VatoGato]

cost $15 in materials

[StubbleJumper]

cost $15 in materials

Have you trail tested it yet? I don't much care about the lack of privacy, but I am a little bit curious about it's physical performance.

1) Does it tend to collect condensation on the inside?
2) How does it perform in heavy rain?
3) How does it respond to 30 mph wind?


6.5 oz and $15 really sounds good to me!

[Ethesis]

Have you trail tested it yet? I don't much care about the lack of privacy, but I am a little bit curious about it's physical performance.

1) Does it tend to collect condensation on the inside?
2) How does it perform in heavy rain?
3) How does it respond to 30 mph wind?


6.5 oz and $15 really sounds good to me!

i just used one as a rain fly. Set up. Then put up tent underneath savage rain storm. Tent was dry on the morning. Took it down and packed dry. Then put up the rain fly.

Was great on section hiking. Also used it to block wind while on s shelter.

Next I'm trying a sheeps shank knot instead of the washer ties I did.

Shoukd save some weight. Will also make the next one a little bigger.