The $100 Camping Weekend Challenge

k_estela

k_estela

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I'm planning another camping trip for this fall at some point. It will be a quickie weekend trip and the goal is to keep the total value of your gear under $100. If anyone is interested, please follow the link below.

http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/804079/

All are welcome to share ideas, practice skills and meet new outdoors buddies.

Kev
 
yikes, that sounds challenging to me!
.. not so bad after reading that sleeping bag & pad were exempt from monentary total.

still, i'll be interested in what people come up with other than garbage bag type shelters for this all-inclusive price, as I made a list of supplies for making a solo tent, and came in around $100 for that alone.
 
Using that 6 mil painting plastic sheeting would save you some money.

Do you get to count it cheaper if you recover it for free from garbage, etc?

For water you'd just have to boil everything I guess.
 
SpookyPistolero said:
Using that 6 mil painting plastic sheeting would save you some money.

Do you get to count it cheaper if you recover it for free from garbage, etc?

For water you'd just have to boil everything I guess.
Click to expand...

i dont think a couple micropur tablets would put you over the budget, IIRC they're something like $.50 apiece.
 
Interesting. Having the sleeping bag and pad not count toward the total helps, but what about a pack? And clothing, especially boots?

I've got some gear that I've had for so long I can't remember what I paid for it, and other stuff that I received as gifts that I never knew the price. It would be interesting to head out shopping with a hundred bucks and see what I could come up with. . . If only I had a spare hundred bucks to play with.
 
xxguitarist said:
i dont think a couple micropur tablets would put you over the budget, IIRC they're something like $.50 apiece.
Click to expand...

True, I can rarely get the total package cost out of my head. ;)

A good milsurp ruck would be a good start for a pack. 2 L coke bottles for water storage, the billy can someone mentioned, piece-meal first aid kit...
 
Holy moly! That sound very challeging to me also. I suppose it can be done if you really were caught in a survival senario. I think it would be fun to try out for a weekend. Filter would be consited of a double folded Bandana or shirt to keep out the extra chunky stuff. You can use a trash bag as a rain fly for a wood shelter or a poncho. Duct tape? What can't you use it for. :) I think the mora knife will be more that adaquate for a field knife. To break or split wood for a fire you can just find stuff lying around to burn or you can find a standing dead tree for it too. Possibilities are endless if you put your mind into it.
If you guys go through with this, take care, have fun, and TAKE LOTS OF PICS!:D
 
I'm glad its generating some interest here. As far as a pack is concerned, blanket packs are easy to make. It can be made out of a tarp too and a frame is very easy to construct.

Location hasn't been determined yet. I'm thinking somewhere close to everyone. PA was popular for the Nessmuk trip, maybe we'll try the Gunks (New Paltz) area.

What do you gents think?
 
Salamander42 said:
Interesting. Having the sleeping bag and pad not count toward the total helps, but what about a pack? And clothing, especially boots?

I've got some gear that I've had for so long I can't remember what I paid for it, and other stuff that I received as gifts that I never knew the price. It would be interesting to head out shopping with a hundred bucks and see what I could come up with. . . If only I had a spare hundred bucks to play with.
Click to expand...

clothes were also excluded from the total, presumably that includes jackets, boots, sunglasses, etc.
 
I like the idea, very much so. I'm not certain about the availability and this will need a hurry up or start migrating south, again to hedge overnight safety, bags or no.

Current thoughts:

Mora $11
Folding Saw $20 (hmm do I need???)
All Weather blanket $13.50
Coffee can pot $free-ish
Bic Lighter $.99
Vaseline balls ~.10
Water ~$1/bottle
Wendy's spoon free
Floss free from dentist
Food ? (Time to hit the dollar store!)
GI Buttpack $15
Handkerchief free
Poncho $1
50' Mason's line ~$.25
Flashlight - Fauxton $3
Trash bag ~.50
Candle ~$.10

Above list comes to 66.45 without food.

Maybe include compass, whistle, SAK, Ductape, fishing kit, medicine, BSA hot spark, hanging wire, turkey cooking bag, Bug Dope
 
xxguitarist said:
clothes were also excluded from the total, presumably that includes jackets, boots, sunglasses, etc.
Click to expand...


Oh, okay then. . . If that's the case, I think I could manage pretty well on $75 or even $50. I think I could get pretty luxurious for $100. LOL. . . I say that now but I wonder what would happen if I really tried it. :p
 
Salamander42 said:
Oh, okay then. . . If that's the case, I think I could manage pretty well on $75 or even $50. I think I could get pretty luxurious for $100. LOL. . . I say that now but I wonder what would happen if I really tried it. :p
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food, shelter, cookware, knives, firestarting, etc for 50?
share with us.. I'd have trouble doing it
i'm quite interested in what you'll take.
 
Yard sale/flea market gleaned items:
Old hunting knife $4
Pocket knife $2
Aluminum cookset $4
Knife-fork-spoon set $2
Candle stubs - $0.50
Shower curtain - $1
Hatchet - $5

Tube tent - $5
Surplus wool army blanket - $7
Lighters matches and Hotspark - $6
Trioxane bars - $1
Twine - $2
Compass - $1
Bailing wire - $1

About $40 for this, but most of this I already have in one form or another. Empty liter pop bottles will do for water. Food would be $25 or so for a couple of days. I guess the specifics of how far it all has to be carried would determine the pack or containers. I'd bet you could do it in style for $50 and be more well equipped and comfortable than most of them.

If you are willing to scrounge and make your own equipment, you might even do it for $25.

Codger
 
xxguitarist said:
food, shelter, cookware, knives, firestarting, etc for 50?
share with us.. I'd have trouble doing it
i'm quite interested in what you'll take.
Click to expand...

Okay, here's what I've come up with:


Shelter

8x10 tarp from Harbor Freight - $3
Space blanket - $3

Food/water

2 cans of tuna - $1
2 packs of ramen - $1
2 packs instant oatmeal - $1
2 candy bars - $1
12 x .5 liter bottles of water - $2

Fire

Bic lighter - $1
Matches - $1
PJ cotton balls - $1
Magnesium fire starter - $5

Other stuff

Big ball of twine from the dollar store - $1
First aid kit - $5
Flashlight - $5
Pot from Goodwill - $3
Bowl - $1
Fiskar's Hatchet - $20

Total: $55

Some of my prices were guessed at, but I don't think I'm too far off the mark on anything. No, it wasn't an oversight to have Fiskar's Hatchet as my only cutting tool. The last couple of outings I've been on I've used it more than any other blade I've carried with me. It's surprisingly versatile and can handle most chores that I can do with a knife. I went with the twine because it's cheap and there's a heck of a lot of it. It's not very strong, but should serve just fine for building a one night shelter, and it can be used as tinder too. If I was sure that there would be a good source of water available I'd cut down on the amount of water I'd take.

I've probably forgotten some stuff that I'd be missing once I got out in the woods. I'm also missing a couple of the 10 essentials. . . A map and compass. I just wanted to see what I could come up with for about 50 bucks. If I were to go up to the full $100 I'd add a Mora, map and compass, better cordage, a bit more and better food including coffee or tea or hot cocoa (or maybe all three), and maybe a cheap day pack from Goodwill to carry everything in.

P.S. I Just realized one of the things I'd be kicking myself in the behind for forgetting. . . I suppose it's possible to open a can of tuna with a hatchet, but a p-38 works soooo much better! LOL
 
P-38s are great. About as much value as you can get for $.50. On a related note, have you tried the larger P-51? I ordered a handful on my last order from SMKW and am not impressed. While a P-38 is relatively easy to use, the P-51 was too big and bulky. I could never get the hang of it. I'll be sticking with the P-38. Also, does anyone know if the P-51 was ever actually issued in the military, or did someone just decide that bigger is always better and take a great product and make it larger and market it to the civilian market.
 
I Play this mental game every time, I get a Sportsamnsguide in the mail, or when I wander around wally world. I would definitley be interested in trying it for real.

Last trip to walmart i saw a decent pack for 25$ on close out so with that as a start I put together this list

8x10 tarp 5$
Matchcase with flint striker 2$
Chord 50' 2$
twine 1$
Bic 1$
Compass 10$
Ziplock baggies 1$
Trash bags 4 1$
Water purification tabs 2$
12 pack AAs 7$
Pack Saw 5$
Leather For Sheath 2$

Freebies

Coffee Can
Altoids Tin
Sports Bottles
Sterile Water Bottles
First aid supplies
Coffee Mug
Pocket Knife x2
Large butcher knife
Flashlight x 2
Whistle
Tea Bags
Bulion Packets

This should leave me around 30$ for food. If I cant use the freebies I could Get a cheaper pack or make one out of an old pair of pants. If sleeping bag ist included I could pick up a few of the 3$ fleece blankets at wally world to male a blanket roll

I put together another Possible list using Sportsmansguide but going by per item cost since many items have to be purchased in quantity.

Britich Dpm Ruck 13$
trioxane stove + fuel 5$
Swiss military canteens+ cup x4 4$
Space blanket 2$
Nylon Poncho 8$
50' 550 Chord 3$
Lifeboat matches x2 7$
Knife axe Combo (S&W) 20$
Mre x3 20$
Mini Crockneck Flashlights x2 7$

This one only leaves me 10$ surplus to play with. and the actual order would be far more expensive an I would have to buy things in quantity Like 20$ for 20 Swiss mil canteens instead of 4 for 4
 
Last spring I bought about 12 yards of 300 weight polargard fleece from wally world for about 50 cents a yard. make one heck of a cheap sleeping bag with that, add some $1.oo a yard ripstop for wind break, I think I got a -20 sleeping bag cheap.

add some austrian surplus wool bib pants for about 7 dollars, get some good will pots and pans, and a trip to the dryfood aisle of the grocery store, add say another 10 bucks for that.

get a empty paint can, a half gallon of diesel fuel and steal some road sand, theres my stove.
 
Ahem.

how about

Shelter
8x10 tarp from HF (3$ roughly)
2 space blankets (2$ish)

Food
Ramen (10 for a dollar)
can o cocoa or box o tea and sugar packets (3.50$)
2 cans of gravy and sliced meat (3$ for both)
10 tortilla that dont need refridgeration (1.50$)

cutlery
26 inch estwing axe (5$ at yard sale)
butcher knife (2$-5$ thirft store)
leatherman (5$ from friend)



Misc.
1lb coffe can (free)
plastic flatware (also free)
SS insulated mug (1$ thrift store)
bic (1$)
Strike anywhere matches (.25$ for big box)
Pack (homemade 25$)
twine (3$)

then for non counted items i would have

1 set of merino wool thermals
1 pair of zip off nylon pants
3 pairs wool socks (2 lite hikers from bass pro& 1 heavy set)
1 cotton T shirt
my bear creek hikers from redhead
slumberjack telluride 30
blue foam pad and truck sunshade topped off with sheep skins


Grand total is 58.25$
 
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