Find your cheap gear advice here.

[Pencil_Pusher]

Insanely priced backpacks, $500 jackets, what's a beginning climber to do?

I know a russian dude masquerading as an Australian who managed to complete an insane number of climbs and hikes for close to a year in his Payless Shoe $15 workboots because the dude is all heart.

I have two packs that are four years old, a Jansport frameless 1 1/2 pound and a Kelty four pound internal, $60 and $52 respectively, brand new. The Jansport I use everywhere (was big enough to carry all my gear on a 2-man team from 14 to 17k, for perspective) and the Kelty is used for the winter.

How about other cheap gear THAT YOU HAVE USED... how did the gear perform? Any recommendations, perhaps aimed at the beginner astonished by the insane prices?

$500 Goretex jacket, $200 hiking boots, $30 polypro t-shirt, $300 watches...

Super-long (Pope) posts/replies...

[freeclimb9]

One of the best first layer tops I ever had was pinched from a Church's charity pile of donated clothes. I grabbed it when in Pangnirtung when I realized I didn't have enough clothes to stay warm. It was a funky metallic gold polyester turtle neck that was a little too small (reached to a few inches above my wrists and barely hit my waistline). I put it back in the pile when I left the island four weeks later.

[snoboy]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ibex:

Stove- cat/tuna can stove. works like a champ in 3 season conditions. Use HEET gas deicer for fuel.

 

http://www.pcthiker.com/pages/gear/catstove.shtml

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Or try this one another stove

 

I've made a couple of these but haven't tested them yet. Use a "chicago bolt" for the filler cap.

 

Water bottles = Empty soda bottles.

Wool gloves from the hardware store are better than any fleece gloves I've tried.

Photocopy maps from the library.

[chucK]

quote:

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Originally posted by snoboy:

Water bottles = Empty soda bottles.

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Use one of those squirt tops. Duct tape an old sling to the bottle. Clip it very closely to the shoulder strap of your pack.

 

Easily accessible "hydration system".

[ScottP]

Yeah, but then Dru's going to post how they aren't any good because you can't pour boiling water into them.

 

quote:

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Originally posted by chucK:

quote:

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Originally posted by snoboy:

Water bottles = Empty soda bottles.

---

Use one of those squirt tops. Duct tape an old sling to the bottle. Clip it very closely to the shoulder strap of your pack.

 

Easily accessible "hydration system".

---

[chucK]

Jeez Scott you're really monkeying with The Way around here by bottom quoting .

 

Well here's a really cheap stove idea...Don't bring one! Then you don't have to worry about boiling water either .

 

Guess this might not be the best way to go in Winter and Spring though.

 

quote:

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Originally posted by ScottP:

Yeah, but then Dru's going to post how they aren't any good because you can't pour boiling water into them.

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by chucK:

quote:

---

Originally posted by snoboy:

Water bottles = Empty soda bottles.

---

Use one of those squirt tops. Duct tape an old sling to the bottle. Clip it very closely to the shoulder strap of your pack.

 

Easily accessible "hydration system".

---

---

[ScottP]

So she said...

 

quote:

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Originally posted by chucK:

Jeez Scott you're really monkeying with The Way around here by bottom quoting

.

(snip)

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[forrest_m]

my friend dan had a cool short sleeved polypro top from the north face, functional and sharp looking... but $50. but then i realized, i've got a closet full of short-sleeved synthetic shirts that are even cooler looking. i picked them up during a 70s retro phase in college and never got rid of them, they are like $3 at any used clothing store. big collars keep the rack from rubbing a raw spot on your neck. patterns and colors to suit any style. plus, polyester never needs ironing.

[Cpt.Caveman]

quote:

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Originally posted by forrest_m:

my friend dan had a cool short sleeved polypro top from the north face, functional and sharp looking... but $50. but then i realized, i've got a closet full of short-sleeved synthetic shirts that are even cooler looking. i picked them up during a 70s retro phase in college and never got rid of them, they are like $3 at any used clothing store. big collars keep the rack from rubbing a raw spot on your neck. patterns and colors to suit any style. plus, polyester never needs ironing.

---

I'll take one for tree fitty

[mattp]

For cheap and highly effective raingear, skip the goretex and go to the GoodWill for a windbreaker. Combine this with a plastic poncho (if you are not climbing big mountains), or with a completely waterproof rain jacket like those made by Columbia Sportswear or something. The combo is more breathable and more waterproof than goretex and even if you go for a brand new raincoat it will cost 1/4 as much as goretex.

 

Plenty on this board scoff at this suggestion, but I have never used a goretex jacket and over the years I have managed to keep myself drier than most of my friends that did.

[Cpt.Caveman]

I have gore tex. Do I beleive in it hell no! I was biking around town today and tossed my gore tex away immediately before doing so. I took the free nylon rain jacket given to me by my former employer as my jacket. I stayed as dry as I could.

 

You'll never be dry in hell weather. Water or snow will run down your head and neck to your torso.

[eric8]

I got a sleeping bag from costco for 30$ it was been used in winter.

 

you can get forged friends for cheap from mec.

 

I got a mountain hardware etherenal shell for 115 from www.seirratradingpost.com

 

I don't own a stove because if i really need it i bet my partner has one or i can borrow one.

 

marmot mountain works has good deals from time to time. Bolt clipper got a brand new pair of rages for 300. I got a pair of Garmot k2 GTX for 200 from there discount section.

 

I know Rei sucks but i got a pair of atlas snowshoes for 40$ from a scratch and dent sale. I also got trekking poles for 30$ from www.rei-outlet.com My favorite pack lowe alpine huate route was also bought on clearance from rei for 60.

 

For maps find a friend who has topozone or one of those programs and a nice printer.

 

It is mostly about being patencient and getting by with what you have though, take it from a poor college student.

[allison]

I have a very nice Goretex MEC jacket that I hardly ever wear. If money is a serious concern, I'd skip this puchase as well.

 

MEC is an excellent place to get a good price on the stuff you have to buy from a real outdoor store.

 

If you can sew at all, you can make little stuff like hats and stuff sack for a fraction of the cost. Malden Mills south of downtown Seattle has a ton of fabric on a big table that they sell by the pound.

 

The REI Garage Sale can yield some great deals, but not everything there is a bargain. Know your prices.

 

Use your imagination, and you can get outfitted with pretty decent gear (even light) for not too much $$.

[ScottP]

I got some aircraft-grade aluminum tubing from a supplier in South Seattle, heavy duty(300) Cordura nylon, 1" flat webbing, heavy duty fastex slide buckles and bungy cord from Seattle Fabrics, copper L's, stainless eye bolts with plastic threaded nuts and some 6 feet of swaged cable for $116.00.

When I was done configuring it, I had a portaledge equal to the early Fish version (I used the picture of Xavier Bongard lounging in one on the cover of a big wall climbing book as a guide.)

It survived a pulled flake off Uncle Ben's at Squamish punching a hole through the floor only to be trashed on the subsequent drop from the top of the last rap on the retreat (that's the last time I've loaned any of my gear.)

[ChrisT]

I have found really good and cheap stuff at Target. I recently bought an energizer LED headlamp there for $15 (just as good as the Petzl IMO). You can also get decent fleece and poly underwear there.

[Beck]

wool sweater

 

thrift store 70's athletic suits (pick good, like Adidas Xc outfits, etc.)

 

webbing

 

food bank food

 

don't buy tent

 

learn to like the cold and wet

 

sell your other non climbing shit to buy gear

 

closeout section,used gear,

 

learn to sew

 

enjoy your inner dirtbag

[allthumbs]

Sorry bubba, but I can't live that way. It's wretched excess all the way for me. What can I say? I guess I'll never be a real climber, because I just can't find that inner dirtbag you're talking about.

 

[ 11-07-2002, 09:05 PM: Message edited by: trask ]

[bolt_clipper]

Sew your own gear!! Packs are cheap, pretty easy, as are windbreakers, hats, mittens, (gloves are hard-take it from me), pants (used Prana as a pattern, the crotch gusset works wonders), and waste time going thru everything on sierratradingpost.com. Don't use a tent, many people swear by tarps, many people reccommend buying a cheap light synthetic bag and wearing all your clothes. Buy from Europe. Most of the hype surrounding gear is just that.

[bolt_clipper]

Oh, and mattp, I have been thinking about your suggestion of a windbreaker as a main jacket. Do you use it like the Patagonia Infurno, with fleece beneath it in the rain? Seems like it should work, with the nylon breaking the wind and the fleece keeping moisture from reaching you. Hmmm...

[mattp]

I used to use a jogging windbreaker but now I've gone high tech and have a microfibre jacket from MEC. But it is still just a windbreaker.

 

I'm not sure about the "infurno" thing, but when it actually rains, I put on a raincoat or poncho, but in wind, snow or drizzle, the windbreaker does just fine.

[chucK]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman:

You'll never be dry in hell weather. Water or snow will run down your head and neck to your torso.

---

Totally agree Cap'n. Especially if you're 'schwackin. Best tack is to just deal with the fact that yer gonna be wet for three days, then just plan accordingly to stay warm.

 

I find all sorts of rap webbing cheap laying around up on the Tooth

[Ibex]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pencil Pusher:

How about other cheap gear THAT YOU HAVE USED... how did the gear perform? Any recommendations, perhaps aimed at the beginner astonished by the insane prices?

---

Stove- cat/tuna can stove. works like a champ in 3 season conditions. Use HEET gas deicer for fuel.

 

http://www.pcthiker.com/pages/gear/catstove.shtml

 

Socks- your local military surplus store should have/can get heavy winter weight socks (75% wool, 25% cotton) for about $4/pr. I know cotton is bad, but these are a fair compromise.

 

Sleeping bag- Get one of the "store brands" REI, EMS, Campmor, Slumberjack etc for your first bag. With carefull selection you will pay a slight penalty in weight but save handsomely on cost.

 

Quickdraws- dont buy them, buy 2ft runners and biners, much more multifunctional.

 

Jackets- lot of low priced options such as Marmot Precip, etc

 

Fleece- Offbrand, offbrand, offbrand...

 

Packs- buy the Mchale to begin with, so you dont waste so much money on others.

 

Also note that there is a HUGE market for used stuff out there. Most people have some older gear (boots, pack, fleece, etc) that they would happily part with for a fraction of the retail price.

 

And finally, the most important tip:

 

Dont think that to have a good experience that you HAVE to have the latest and greatest toys... The entire point of the outdoor experience is to learn to live without the day to day junk (packtowel, espresso maker, knife, fork, plate, bowl, radio). If you arent having fun in the backcountry, dont go out an buy more junk, look at what you can throw away.

 

I understand if you Republicans out there dont agree with this

 

Cheers

[RobBob]

If my memory is correct, Chuck Yeager said he climbed Denali wearing $39 leather workboots.

 

One of the few good things about getting older is that you usually have a little more scratch, thus can ease away from the dirtbag within...but nobody likes paying full retail. EBay has allowed me to get reasonably-priced, good-condition Scarpa Invernos, Suunto Vector watch, a great mtn bike, etc. So far, everything that I've bought has been "as advertised."

[bobinc]

I like Forrest's plan but use factory-second cotton long sleeve shirts (usually abt $10) because cotton feels better in hot weather. These shirts are also good on the glacier since you can roll up sleeves, undo buttons, etc as the day warms up.

 

Also amazes me how people pay $30 or $40 for sunhats with the "cancer curtain" when you can get the same effect with a gimme baseball cap from the paint store and a bandanna.

[sk]

I baught my fave. fleece pull over at a garage sale for 1 $. It is warm and clourful and in reasnably good shape despite the fact that I have been wearing it for 2 years.