Backpacking - Six Ways To Save Money Travel Articles | June 26 adidas superstar uomo saldi , 2008 As pack weights get lighter and going into the wilderness gets safer, backpacking also is getting more and more expensive. How do you save money without giving up the ultralight equipment and safety g...
As pack weights get lighter and going into the wilderness gets safer, backpacking also is getting more and more expensive. How do you save money without giving up the ultralight equipment and safety gear? Let's look at a few different ways.
Backpacking? in the most remote places has become much safer now that there are personal locator beacons. One I recently saw advertised lets you call for help to 911 and family or friends at the touch of a button. It will even locate you on Google maps so others can see exactly where you are. Of course, at almost $200 for the device plus an annual fee of $100 per year for the service, it isn't cheap.
My alternative? Just bring your cell phone and GPS unit. If you already own the phone you will only have to buy the GPS www.superstarsaldi.it , and using it is free. When in trouble you can call for help on your phone and give the coordinates of where you are. They can type them into an online service themselves to see where you are on a map. Since your cell phone probably isn't satellite based, coverage won't be quite as good as the expensive locator, but it is a reasonable way to save money. Here are five more.
1. Buy used gear
I would never buy an old sleeping bag, because the filling gets destroyed with time. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with used aluminum pans or tent stakes. I have seen both in thrift stores for a fraction of what they cost new. You can also find some decent backpacking equipment online at either Ebay or in outdoor forums which allow users to sell their old gear.
2. Stay close to home
A big part of the expense of backpacking can be the travel expenses to get to the trailhead. But do you really have to go 2 scarpe adidas superstar saldi ,000 miles to backpack somewhere beautiful? If you intend to eventually hike some of the trails closer to home, why not start with them? Inevitably there will be destinations you never get to, so why not have them be the more expensive ones?
3. Buy real foods
Forget the expensive freeze-dried backpacker's meals. Bring nuts, granola and other inexpensive real foods. For cooked meals, bring instant brown rice and a fast-cooking legume like red lentils. Noodles with olive oil adidas superstar saldi , parmesan cheese and spices can be more delicious than a freeze-dried dinner and cost only a fourth as much. Many supermarket foods are better than specialty "backpacking meals" in my opinion.
4. Buy regular clothing
Contrary to the impression given by outdoor clothing manufacturers, you don't need a new high-tech wardrobe to get out into the wilderness. Instead of a $16 super-wicking t-shirt, try a 5050 cotton polyester blend t-shirt from Wal-Mart for $4. It will probably be more comfortable, and dry almost as fast if it gets wet. In a warm climate with brief summer showers you can forgo the $120 waterproofbreathable rain jacket in favor of a $20 low-tech one, or even a $2 emergency poncho. There are usually ways to save a lot of money on clothing if you consider where you'll be going and what is truly necessary.