The best inexpensive camping and hiking gear for your next backcountry adventure
Here’s a wallet-friendly list to launch your first backpacking adventure.
All humans, rich or poor, benefit from the outdoors. But let’s face it: quality outdoor equipment isn’t cheap, and assembling all the gear you need to go on an overnight backpacking trip can cost thousands of dollars if you purchase only top-end gear. So when my editor and I were discussing these issues, we decided to take on the challenge of assembling a list of the cheapest, minimally viable equipment needed for an overnight backpacking trip, and when it comes to low-cost value, Walmart comes to mind.
One of the reasons outdoor equipment can be so expensive is that a lot of research and development has gone into making gear lighter, more capable, and more compact. Essentially, better, more expensive equipment enables you to carry less weight on your back (and have a more enjoyable time), do more tasks with fewer items, and put more things in less space in your pack. So we had the idea to see what we could find at our local Walmart to drive down economic barriers to entry so the cost-conscious could also enjoy the outdoors.
Explore the rest of Joe Plenxler's list of inexpensive camping and hiking gear for your next backcountry adventure here.
October 24, 2024
Task & Purpose
News, culture, and analysis by and for the military community. Talk to us at tips@taskandpurpose.com or slide into our DMs.
Task & Purpose launched in 2014 to provide authentic and unfiltered perspectives on military and veterans issues in the post-9/11 era.
National security touches on just about every aspect of American society, but too often, those who are most responsible for that security get stereotyped, ignored, or misrepresented by the media. Our digital publication gives a voice to the service members, veterans, and military families who know better than anyone else the impact the Global War on Terror has made on our country.
We fulfill our mission through unapologetic investigative reporting, story-telling, and analysis of cultural issues and current affairs.
Task & Purpose’s team of veterans, military family members, and journalists who have covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan can tell the stories of the military and veterans communities — not just because we’re paying attention, but because our personal and professional experiences with conflict compel us.
Explore More Content
Media Mentions
A favorite of ultralight hikers, backpackers, bikers, and travelers, the Sawyer Squeeze filter is the gold standard in water filters for anyone concerned about weight and universal compatibility.
Media Mentions
In the morning before getting to the park, I applied insect repellent (Picaridin lotion by Sawyer).
Media Mentions
A Sawyer Squeeze water filtration system that blows any other system out of the — say it with me — water.
From the Squad
Campfire conversations with our community, from Squad Members and Ambassadors to Brand Partners and the Sawyer team.
