getting started on a budget?

Good advice above. Maybe the best way to get started is to talk about a trip and then we can help you plan your trip, whether that be rustling up usable items you may already have around the house or providing suggestions on economical gear choices to get the job done.

Planning for a trip in many ways is how we ended up choosing the gear items we tend to choose. It is also the most effective exercise at ensuring what you take is useful, not leaving behind essential emergency items while at the same time separating the wheat from the chaft. If you ever done car-camping on a whim, then you know what the opposite of planning is usually like. You fill up your whole trunk with every gidget known to mankind and then forget to bring the hamburgers :)
 
You can enjoy the outdoors immensely with:

A mora Knife- $10
USGI canteen set- $15
Brown tarp from Home Depot- $10
Bic lighter and some matches- Probably already have
Folding saw- $10
Wool or fleece blanket- $10-$30
Backpack to throw it all in- Already have or $20 for a decent one.
 
Some paint cans might be ok. I wouldn't cook in a non-food grade container though. Wal-Mart has cheap cheap pots and pans.
 
I think people buy stuff that's neat to have, or things that make it easier but most aren't really necessary. If you use what you have already it actually is a more realistic approach than spending money to have the "right stuff".

Learning how to use, what you have is what it's about. So with this in mind it really shouldn't be about what to go buy, as much as what do you have that can be used effectively.
One of the guys I knew growing up had an Old Hickory butcher knife from a yard sale, G.I. blanket, G.I. canteen with cup and a few odds and ends for his pockets and that was the extent of his "kit".
If you have a knife, a match safe, fire steel, compass, a way of carrying water, and some way of making shelter, your in good shape. You can use a chew can for a fire kit, or pill bottles for that matter, without spending money on containers. A fishing kit can be put in the same type container with a spool of heavy leader material, a couple hooks, sinkers, and flies pretty inexpensively. Take a look at what you have and start to think more about what's REALLY missing from your "needs" list. Once you have the "needs" met, start your search for bargain "like to haves".
 
If you can find an external frame for backpacking, that is a cheap way of setting up a pack for long trips. After that all you really need are bags to attach to the frame along with your tent and everything else.

Army Surplus is great for budget hiking and backpacking.
 
nemoaz said:
Opinions are like anal orifices.

Unfortunately your opinion is contrary to well-tried experience of many outdoorsmen.
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Classy. I believe we can agree to disagree without becoming disagreeable and insulting people. :rolleyes:

Many cans made for paint have seams soldered with materials that could be toxic when heated and leach into your food or water. Also there are many different interior coatings used to prevent corrosion from alkali paints which can melt or dissolve when heated. I would rather spend a few dollars and have a container that I know is safe. IN MY OPINION (based on my experiences of a half century as an outdoorsman), this is one place where it pays not to be too cheap. A decent stainless pot or billy made for cooking is not very expensive.
 
take it easy on the guy, not everyone enjoys picking ashes and twigs out of their food. Even though cooking with rocks and sticks is something I'd like to learn to do more, I've yet to find many opportunities where I've felt comfortable enough to, and that is mostly when I can cook with a stick.
Lots of good ideas in this list, makes me realize how massively over equipped I am.
 
shootist16 said:
I'm not new to knives, but I am bushcraft. If you were making equipment recommendations to a newb, what would it be?
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Keep it simple.

Youtube bushcraftonfire has some bushcraft on a budget videos with more ideas.

The board is full of gear whores and frankly some people whose opinions make me think they've never spent much time in the field.

I'd have no trouble taking someone with me into the field if they were carrying:
Tarp/poncho (2 is better for a beginner) and cords. Bungees are nice. Even a piece of drop cloth works.
Sleeping bag/wool blankets/poncho liner in warm climes.
Small knife. Maybe a hatchet, machete, or even an axe or saw (northern woods).
matches (waterproof container test it!)/ lighters (keep in ziploc)/ magnesium fire starter
beginner maybe should carry some firestarting help like cotton balls (100%) and vaseline
water containers (damn near anything works, like 1 liter dasani bottle)
billy can
hobo stove
whistle
compass
signal mirror
light
a good first aid kit (subject in an of itself)
wire, cord, duct tape, safety pins
Anything extra is gravy.

Don't go spending a ton of money on some 15" rambo wannabe knife. I've spent months and months in the field with only (at various times) a Swiss Army Knife, small Spyderco, or a AF survival knife. Your first real money should be spent on a great set of boots.

My second big purchase would be a nice pack, but be careful. Buying a big pack means carrying a big heavy load and not hiking far.

Find a friend and practice. As teenagers, my brother and a few friends would camp during blizzards to practice. We were never far from home and could practice without much danger. Don't go alone. Make sure someone knows where you (and your friend or friends are).
 
I know a lot of people will hate me saying this, but the sporting goods section at Walmart will have darn near all you need to get started.

A backpack- $10 - $30
Stainless water bottle - $5
Cordage, nylon marine rope, 50 ft - $3
Blue tarp- $8
Stainless kitchen container for billy can- $7
Mag bar fire starter- $5
LMF spork - $3


And the rest you should have already or can learn and make yourself.

And if you decide you enjoy it, slowly up grade with top notch gear.

Also check this out for more ideas.

http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3090
 
brians said:
Rup, that is very funny and should be adopted as the forum motto :)

Thanks for the laugh.
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YES.


You need a SAK Recruit and a Mora.

American canteen cup

5x8 plastic tarp

Strike anywhere matches

An old school backpack will start you off.

Plastic pint or quart water bottle.
 
gadgetgeek said:
take it easy on the guy, not everyone enjoys picking ashes and twigs out of their food. Even though cooking with rocks and sticks is something I'd like to learn to do more, I've yet to find many opportunities where I've felt comfortable enough to, and that is mostly when I can cook with a stick.
Lots of good ideas in this list, makes me realize how massively over equipped I am.
Click to expand...


When I was a kid, we couldn't afford rocks and sticks, except on special occasions.
 
Codger_64 said:
Classy. I believe we can agree to disagree without becoming disagreeable and insulting people. :rolleyes:

Many cans made for paint have seams soldered with materials that could be toxic when heated and leach into your food or water. Also there are many different interior coatings used to prevent corrosion from alkali paints which can melt or dissolve when heated. I would rather spend a few dollars and have a container that I know is safe. IN MY OPINION (based on my experiences of a half century as an outdoorsman), this is one place where it pays not to be too cheap. A decent stainless pot or billy made for cooking is not very expensive.
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Thanks
 
nemoaz said:
Opinions are like anal orifices.

Unfortunately your opinion is contrary to well-tried experience of many outdoorsmen.
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Better safe than sorry imho. But sorry if I offended you in any way by making a suggestion.
 
quietmike said:
Goodwill, garage sales, flea markets, auctions. look for things that can be adapted to camping. You'll be amazed what people get rid of for pennies on the dollar.
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ditto. I have amassed a drawer full of knives the past couple of years.Good stuff. Ive even found killer buys at a pawn shop.
 
Rupestris said:
Be sure to ask for an unlined can. Many of the newer cans are lined with plastic or Teflon. Teflon is only good to about 600*F before it gasses some nasty stuff. You can also get these at automotive paint stores like Keystone or FinishMaster.

I have a 1 quart unlined can I just picked up. Haven't used it yet but it should work well. :thumbup: Good call Tony.
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you only have to worry about the inside temp burning the liner if you boiling the pot dry...otherwise it will never get much hotter than 212 degrees
 
kgd said:
Start with clothing appropriate to the outdoors tasks you will be engaged in. From clothes, work your way to boots. After boots, get yourself a backpack and cookware. From there consider shelter option (tarp, tent, hammock etc). I presume you already have a knife :)

Okay, among any of the above topic areas there are many different ways to economize. Army surplus can get you much of what you need in the clothing department. An army poncho can serve as raingear and emergency shelter. A simple U.S. army mess kit is a great kit item that is metal and can be used for cooking as well as eating.

The one thing about getting army surplus is it is often a great value for the money. Even if you later end up upgrading, it is often nice to have some of that spare gear to lend out to a buddy or girlfriend or what have you. Good luck collecting stuff, and you really don't need to go all high tech to have fun out in the wilderness.
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You may not even need to go shopping. Heretical as it is to say, you could, in theory, make do with what you have now, probably.

But to go to Ken's suggestions- I agree in the broader sense, but:

Start with socks. get some decent cotton (or polypro if you can wear synthetic against your skin for days) liners and some wool socks. Summer or winter I wear cotton liners (athletic socks) with merino wool socks. Put those on and get boots that fit. More than anything else in "shopping" category, socks and boots. I'd rather bushbum with a vic compact and great boots than mediocre boots and a $300 knife.

From boots, work to clothing for your environment. Search out Rick's posts and you'll find some easy ways to manage over layers with cheap $20 surplus wool blankets (and tarp shelters).

That handled, with a half dozen cheap space blankets (countycomm has good prices, for example), start doing. Make stuff, try it out. Making a pack or possibles bag is easy. I still think a jansport $15 pack is fine for bushbumming. Make can stoves, work on shelters.

Part of the ideal is to make stuff, so start with short trips and easy climate situations and grow as you make stuff.
 
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