Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting "Best" Budget BP Gear

Got a buddy I'm helping out get started in BP hunting. He's pretty much starting from zero. He doesn't need the best at all, but needs "good enough", and somewhat light. He also on a walmart budget too. I gave him my old pack, so he's got that covered. I also gave him a decent knife for Christmas, so he's got that covered too. Hunting will be 2-10 mile walk in hunts, 3 days max, in SE AK. Temps rarely get below freezing during our alpine season. Lots of rain to deal with.

What's your favorite "cheap" backpack hunting gear, that gets the job done, but isn't necessarily top of the line? We are talking boots, tent,sleeping bag, binos, range finder,socks, clothing, pads, water filter, stove, etc. Lets see how cheap we an do this.

Not sure if this fits the budget but I believe the best sleeping bag for the money is the Kelty Cosmic 20 Down. You can get them for about a hundred bucks.

Cheapest is military surplus from private party eBay or c/l ads or yard sales,

For cheaper back packing gear, I like to shop at Campmor.com. For cheap, reliable binoculars, I'd check out the Leupolds. E

Anybody have any experience with cats meow sleeping bags? BTW, we'll be searching/waiting on ebay and sites for gear. By walmart budget, I mean cheap, but good enough to get it done. It's kinda fun, to be honest with you.

pm sent

Tent: REI Half-Dome, on sale. On sale and/or with the annual 20% coupon, you're close to $100.

Sleeping Pad: Z-Rest, or a used thermarest.

Filter: tablets.

Stove: Pocket Rocket. I think KC recommends a cheap Coleman stove for the Boy Scouts he knows? He may have some good advice.

Clothing: Cabelas Microtex. Cabelas has a "microdown jacket" or something like that as an insulating layer. Actually, I believe we overthink clothing, and that there are LOTS of synthetic options out there without paying Sitka or Kryptek prices. For base layer, army surplus; probably lots of ECWCS GEN III near ANC and FBNKS.

Craigslist, Craigslist, Craigslist. Or yardsales. That may be tougher in SE than in ANC.

It's my lightweight bag. For price to weight to performance ratio, it's hard to beat. It does not have a roomy cut, but I fit 6'1" 199 lbs in a regular size bag and am happy.

A few ideas:

Binos: The Leupold Yosemite 6X32s sure get decent reviews for @ $100.

Pad: Evazote pads are cheap and this one is 83" long so you can cut off the last foot or so to make a sitting pad for glassing.

Bag: Montbell synth. bags are a good value in my opinion. I have the 30* #3 and like it. MB Super Spiral Burrow

Stove: Snow Peak Giga or MSR pocket rocket are both @ $30 and I wouldn't settle for those that come cheaper myself.

Boots: whatever fits.

Water treatment--skip the filter: Aqua Mira

Clothing: Enough options you'll come up with decent stuff; were it me I'd spend $30-$50 on a good wool base top, use a cheapo fleece for a mid layer, a Cabela's synth. insulated jacket for $60, and PVC.

That's pretty cool. I had a contract to supply a survival group by boat this last summer. 3 guides had 10 troubled teenage girls paddling around around on the inside waters. All they had for "luxuries" was a pad like that and a piece of visqueen for shelter, and a cheap sleeping bag. They lived like that in the rainforest for 5 weeks in winds up to 80pmh, eating what they found on the way and some basic food rations that I dropped off. They were tough by the end of those 5 weeks!

Best advice I has for cheap backpacking gear is have him sign up for the deal flyer in Sierra Trading Post. You can get really all you "need" for backpacking hunting items there on the cheap. Tent, sleeping bags, and what more.

Seems like everyday different stuff goes on sale for different amounts. So if he is patient he can really lock down some quality boots, tents, and more for pretty good deals.

Don't know how much money I have "saved" at STP.

I'll second the kelty cosmic 20 degree down. I got mine at theclymb for like 50 bucks and couldn't be happier. I know you got him a pack but I picked up a cosmetically awful, but still very functional ILBE bag off of ebay for less then $50. Been awfully happy with my Leupold Yosemite 6x30s for less then $100. The cheap synthetic started t-shirts from Wal-mart for less then $10 have served me pretty well so far. Checking often in the classifieds here and places like Backpackinglight have turned up quite a few deals for me.

I have used a NF Cat's Meow bag for a number of years now, and honestly believe that it is one of the true bargains. Great bag!

I have also used a Eureka Spitfire tent for 5 years now that has seen rain, sleet, snow, and 50+ mph winds in Wyo. and it remains a very comfortable, inexpensive shelter. I think you can do quite a bit better on Amazon, but $129.00 is still a steal IMO for this tent.
http://store.eurekatent.com/spitfire-1-tent

If it is available in the US you might want to try low/medium-prized good quality stuff made by Snugpak from the UK.

Ive not seen Snowpeak or MSR stoves for less than $40. The Coleman cannister stove that Walmart sells for $25 is a good serviceable unit.

I'm going to second signing up for STP's emails. They have been sending out the 35% off deals quite a bit recently which makes some pretty decent deals, excellent. Here is a decent looking Marmot bag that should come in below $100 with the various discounts they offer:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/marmot-15-f-wizard-sleeping-bag-mummy~p~92959/?filterString=sleeping-bags~d~208%2F&colorFamily=70

He could get hooked up with everything from socks to long underwear to everything else clothes wise there and get pretty good bang for the buck. Many good deals on quality boots if he can find what fits him.

Rain Gear:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/marmot-precip-jacket-waterproof-for-men~p~2283a/?filterString=search~marmot%2F&colorFamily=09

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/marmot-precip-pants-waterproof-for-men~p~2283d/?filterString=search~marmot%2F&colorFamily=02

Insulated Layer (a bit heavy, but cheap):

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/sierra-designs-freyr-jacket-polarguard-insulated-for-men~p~95080/?filterString=mens-winter-coats-and-jackets~d~459%2F&colorFamily=13

I found a decent cookset(Coleman) at WalMart for under $20. Aluminum with pans and mugs nesting one in another. WalMart also had some sets of dry bags and ditty bags that are good for stuff sacks. I bought a set of trekking poles for under $20 at WalMart. I use a MSR Pocket Rocket but WalMart has a Coleman Peak stove that is cheaper and uses the same propane canisters. Also the Peak canisters cost about a buck less each than the MSR canisters cost at the outdoor store. I hate WalMart but have found some serviceable outdoor gear if you don't need top-o-the-line.
Campmor has some good deals too. I've been wanting to try some merino wool base layers. I found some by Terramar at Campmor. A top and bottom is about what you'd pay for one piece of SmartWool. http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear...p;ip_sortBy=&searchKeywords=terramar

Also, Coleman has some dehydrated meals, just add water to the pouch. These are very good and about $1 less than Mountain House. Found these at, you guessed it, WalMart. They sold for $4.88 each but a little research produced the manufacturer and their site where you can buy the meal sampler specials for as little as $4 each. http://trailfoods.com/index.html

I regularly use headlamps made by Everready or Ray-o-vac. I got mine from Lowes hardware but they are available at other places, on line, and of course at WalMart. They work fine. I've used one with the red light for multiple years heading to a turkey or deer stand in the predawn dark. I believe Tikkas start at around $35. These start at around $12-$15. I probably have 1/2 dozen around in various packs.

I have a bad habit of losing knives so I don't buy the high dollar jobs. I've found Gerbers acceptably priced and of suitable quality. I've dressed turkeys and skinned/quartered deer in the field, as well as a multitude of other jobs with Gerbers. They take and hold an edge reasonably well and don't make me cry if I happen to lose one.

I do not advocate skimping on gear that would be used in survival situations but their are lots of cheaper alternatives that are entirely servicable in most typical backpacking applications.

Calvin, The cats meow is a damn good bag.. A little heavy but not bad.. That would be my on a walmart budget bag in a heart beat.

You can do it! Lot's of great suggestions already.

I've totally reworked my gear with great, highly discounted online items, but my best source has been thrift stores and craigslist. Don't know how well that would work in SE Alaska but if you are patient and don't buy anything that isn't in great shape you can do well. Main thing with those sources is don't buy any junk or items that need repair.

Hope you have some great hunts with your friend and tip over some great animals!

Two items that I like that are very cheap are the surplus Army field jacket liners and trouser liners. They make excellent insulation to wear inside of any shell. They are light, compactable, dry quickly and are warm when wet and best of all they are PDC (pretty dam cheap)

I even have one of the jacket liners sized one size large with the arms trimmed off, when its very cold I wear the "vest" over the jacket liner for extra insulation.