Best budget gear

[AreWeThereYet]

Hi everyone
I'm needing to get organised with my gear and would appreciate if anyone can spare the time to take a read of my gear list and offer alternatives and suggestions on a budget.

 
Rucksack   45l. 1.46kg


Tent Vango blade 1.6 kg ( can shave a bit of weight by ditching the carry bag)


Sleeping bag Vango trek lite 1.2kg
Sleep pad  481g


Jetboil zip  345g  gas canister 202g


Im adding another 1kg for essentials like head torch first aid/ repair kit, current map and compass etc.  

 
Clothing waterproof jacket overtrouser, 2 leggings 2 tops 3 pairs socks, 2 underwear trail shoes, fleece/ down jacket. Wash kit.  

 
Phone,power bank and MP3 for audiobook

 
This is all stuff I currently own I'm trying to keep the weight around 10kg. I'm doing mostly coastal so consumables will be mostly picked up on route.
I plan to be out around 3 weeks at a time between gear swap outs ( warmer stuff as I get further North)


Anything I'm obviously missing, it's will be mostly basic campsite camping.


If you made it this far many thanks
Tor 🙂

[ninthace]

Do you need the stove and gas? If so, how are you sourcing your water? I do not see a water container and/or filter on your list. Could you eat cold food and source hot food and drink en route? Plenty.of towns and villages on the SWCP.

[vghikers]

That's a good start for a gear list on a budget, bringing kit down to very light weights gets expensive fast.
It's worth doing a more detailed item breakdown to see where the weight is coming from and the effects of different choices.
I agree with the ninthace comment about the stove and gas, especially on the SWCP, then again I never cook anyway!.
I try to keep my gear list up to date, it varies somewhat but gives a good overall idea of weights. You will have the advantage of frequent resupply points.

[AreWeThereYet]

I do have a lifesaver bottle but it's a  hefty bit of kit, so will just opt for a supermarket bottle and I do carry oasis just in case I'm really caught out.
Jet boil is a luxury who doesn't love a brew along the way.
I guess trek poles are to be considered I've only used them for speed hikes like trail walker where mileage is an issue. I have around 6 months to get up to Newcastle.

[richardh1905]

Before I give you my opinion (for what it is worth), what kind of trips are you planning? Duration, season, location (mountains etc)?

[AreWeThereYet]

Thanks guys guess I'm trying to shop from home first, less I spend now further I can go, but know I'm going to have to invest for my own comfort.
Why I'm starting with the SWCP I'm never more than a couple hours from home so can ditch and swap gear easily.

[AreWeThereYet]

Before I give you my opinion (for what it is worth), what kind of trips are you planning? Duration, season, location (mountains etc)?

Starting in Minehead along the coast as much as I can towards Newcastle meeting up with my eldest son for Hadrian's wall ending Bowness on solway, will link them up the following year all well, it's just a wander.
Have a lot more of Scotland on the cards but not solo.

[Patrick1]

You could swap the jetboil for a home-made meths burner - multiple designs on the web (I'd keep it simple) and foil windshield. Not as quick as a jetboil, obviously, but with a small aluminium pan (some of the small trangia ones are pleasingly light) it would be a lot lighter, and essentially free to make.


If you're planning on passing through towns a lot you'll probably be ok for water, but a sawyer mini filter is only about £25, and about 60g, so you might feel that's money well spent if it allows you to carry less water at a time.

[richardh1905]

The Alpkit Soloist looks tempting for low level use, only 1.2kg, quite a bargain at £125 - but it is on back order.

Traditional closed cell foam mattresses are dirt cheap, indestructible and lighter than blow up mattresses - but obviously less comfortable. My cut down Karrimat from the 1980's only weighs 200g.

As suggested, a meths stove is lighter and very cheap, but methylated spirits has a lower calorific value than gas, and can be difficult to obtain en-route, so I would not recommend for a longer trip. Not sure that I would want to ditch the stove altogether on a longer trip, especially over winter.

Headtorches - get a bottom of the range Petzl Tikkina - inexpensive, light, bombproof; will not let you down.

Cut down on the non essentials - You are never going to be far from civilisation.

Good luck on your travels!

[gunwharfman]

For me, if I was just concentrating on the 'best budget' I would use Deacathlon as my baseline store and then work from there.

[FOX160]

Sourcing quality second hand is a good way into lighter quality products, or as above Decathlon and
go outdoors. I mainly use https://www.sportpursuit.com/ for various items.
Cooking I mainly use a meths cone system https://www.storminstovesystems.co.uk/product/stormin-cones/  the aluminium version has lasted me two years and still going strong, the burner I uses is a https://speedsterstoves.co.uk/  which as a faster boiling time.

[vghikers]

I mainly use https://www.sportpursuit.com/ for various items.

Very probably the worst retail website I've ever seen - can't browse anything without signing up. They can FO.

[FOX160]

Very probably the worst retail website I've ever seen - can't browse anything without signing up. They can FO.

That’s what I first thought, but sign up it’s free and very easy to use!
Bought a quilt for the Mrs recently https://sierradesigns.com/nitro-quilt-800-35-degree/  for £69.95p just wished I bought the winter version too at £89.95 :/

[vghikers]

...sign up it’s free and very easy to use!

Yes, I could do it with a fake email, but why should I need to?.
They need some basic manners and retail training. The first thing I see is a persistent signup popup before I can even enter the store. I'll decide whether to sign up after evaluating the store.

[Snowman]

I know it's not for everyone, but have you considered a tarp instead of a tent?   Back in my younger days we had to use a bivi when hiking simply because even the smallest tent was canvas with wooden poles  and pegs and was quite simply too heavy.   We therefore got used to fairly open air sleeping.   I even spent nights out in the pouring rain under one although I don't think I'd want to do an LDP where there were days of persitent rain, but then I wouldn't want to do that with a tent anyway.