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Ultra Budget Backpacking Gear List: The Cheapest Way to Thru-Hike

Much like most sites that post gear roundups and backpacking lists, I have not tested any of the gear I am going to mention below. But here is my attempt to sell the list to you: through a thorough aggregation of reviews, anecdotes, and customer experiences I have curated a gear list that keeps in mind both the meager budget of thru-hikers while also satisfying the most basic needs on the trail. How was that? Will you read on?

I thought it would be fun to see how cheaply I could assemble a kit for a potential thru-hike on a long distance trail. I tried to stay in the 3-season range because if I were only curating a list for a desert hike it would be too easy. So, if you happen to have a budget of $267.75 to completely outfit yourself for a thru-hike, here is the cheapest way you can put together a hiking gear list strictly from Amazon.

See the full list from Jeff Garmire on his website here.

LAST UPDATED

October 27, 2023

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Free Outside

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