I was reading a trail journal from the Pacific Crest Trail and saw a note about a $5 tarp

The hiker wrote they used a basic blue poly tarp for 300 miles after their fancy rainfly ripped. They said it was louder in the wind and a bit heavier, but it kept them just as dry. It made me rethink all the time I spend reading reviews for the lightest, most expensive gear. Maybe the best piece of gear is just the one that works when you need it. Has anyone else had a piece of cheap, simple gear save a trip?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_troy1mo ago

My old backpacking stove was a fancy titanium thing that cost more than my first car. It died on a trip, and I ended up boiling water over a fire with a tin can I found. Worked perfectly, and I felt like a total idiot for all the money I spent.

alice_kim1mo ago

But that fancy stove probably worked great for years before it broke. The tin can method is fine once, but you wouldn't want to rely on finding trash every trip. It's not stupid to pay for reliable gear.

norathomas1mo ago

Yeah, that's a good point about the stove @alice_kim, but I feel like the post is more about the mindset than the gear itself. It's not really about finding trash to use every time. It's more that we get sold on this idea that expensive is always better and more reliable. Sometimes the simple, cheap thing does the job just fine, and you don't need to stress so much about having the perfect stuff. That tarp story shows that a basic piece of gear can be totally good enough to finish the trip. Maybe we overthink it a lot.

wendys161mo ago

Totally agree. I've seen people bail on trips because they didn't have the "right" jacket. My first rain layer was a cheap plastic poncho. It kept me dry for three days and cost less than a coffee. The point is just getting out there. If your gear works, it works. Spending more money often just buys peace of mind, not actual function.