The Ultimate Guide to Backpacking for Free, or Close to it!

 So you want to get into backpacking? Most hobbies and sports have a lot of killer start-up costs. Want to go SCUBA diving? $500 for certification alone please. Want to go rock climbing? $300 in gear please. Want to go backpacking? Head to REI and spend spend spend! Hold on a sec, before you fork your hard-earned money over, it will be worth reading the rest of this post. This post is going to show you that with a little pre-planning and a little savviness, you can backpack for free. We are going to talk gear, clothing, food, and where to backpack. I was once a outdoors-loving high-schooler who didn't have the money to spend on gear. I still am very frugal, but not cheap, in that I see what has the most value and what doesn't. Backpacking should be about you, nature, and enjoying it, not about showing off the newest extreme-nano-lite can opener you got from your favorite outdoor store. Lets dive right in!

Gear

So much gear to buy, this can be overwhelming!  Let's list out what you need just to start out:

• Backpack
• Tent
• Sleeping Pad
• Water Filter
• Sleeping Bag
• Stove and Utensils 
• Headlamp
• 1st Aid/Survival Kit
• Trekking Poles
• Toiletries 
• Map
• Proper Clothing 

But that's not all, there's so much more! Did you get your hammock, your pillow, your extra set of thermals, and heaving forbit you forget your 6-spice seasoning shaker!  I bring all those up since they are luxury items.  When backpacking, you learn real quick what your needs are versus your wants.  The phrase every ounce counts is so true, ounces add quickly to pounds.   Don't go overkill though, be prepared.  I learned the hard way that I do indeed enjoy, and it is worth the extra weight, to have hot food vs eating bars the whole trip.   Below, I am going to list a backpacking item.  I will list the retail option (perhaps even put some affiliate links if you really do want name brand new), but then I'll post my free/extremely cheap alternatives.    Lets begin!

Backpack

First up on our list is the backpack.   I will admit that not everything is created equal.  A camelback pack I found has lasted a lot longer than any ozark-trail (walmart) bag would have ever lasted.   A backpacking backpack at REI is around $150.   This is not a life-curtail piece of gear (such as climbing rope), buy it used.  I have found name-brand backpacks at thrift stores for $7.   I can check Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace any day of the week and find an external frame backpack for $25 or less.  Finally, outdoor gear is the type of thing people buy at full price, use it maybe twice, and then let it rot in their garage.   Ask your friends if they have a backpack you can use!  Do a little bit of searching, it's just a pack, save your money.   

Tent

A tent is like a lock.   Just like locks are for honest people, it is a psychological blanket.  Most people start backpacking with a tent because it's on every beginner's guide list.  Ask yourself,  are you winter camping during a snowstorm?   Are you on a 13,000ft ridge with lots of wind?  If the answer is no, ditch the tent.  Your wallet and your back will thank you.  If I'm in an area where I know rain could be possible, I bring a tarp with a little bit of paracord.  I have yet to use it.  Most of the time, I simply sleep under the stars.   If a bear, mountain-lion, or skin-walker comes, a tent isn't stopping it.    Tents are very expensive and very heavy.   Most ultra-light'ers carry just a tarp. 

Well, isn't that tarp expensive?  It doesn't have to be when you're starting out.  Harbor freight used to have a "Free with any purchase" coupon for a tarp.   Now you can get one for around $3.  Yes, it's a few more ounces than the expensive ultra-light stuff, but it's a good start.  As an added note, I always carry a survival blanket in my 1st-Aid kit in-case I am ever caught off guard in some horrible weather. 

Sleeping Pad

Truth be told, I don't have a free option for this, except for asking your friends.  That said, full price shouldn't be your first bet.  I don't like the very expensive inflatable ones, all they do is attract holes and a rough-nights sleep.  I much prefer the cheaper foam ones. This another item you can easily find at your favorite online marketplace.  Once again, this doesn't have to be a name-brand item.  This is a bulky item and for one adventure I took out west, it was cheaper to order some cheap pads off Amazon than it was to pay for luggage.   Also keep in mind that the point of a sleeping pad is to insulate you from the cold ground so you don't get hypothermia, it serving as a comfy mattress to absorbed every little rock and stick is just an added bonus. 

Water Filter

The filters they'll try to sell you at your outdoor store use activated charcoal to filter (excluding sawyer).  They have a finite life before you have to spend more money to replace the filter.   There are also UV filters, but I do not recommend them because they are pricy and because they need batteries, they are unreliable (I learned this first hand too).  The best filter on the market is the Sawyer-style hollow fiber membrane filters.   I bought a knock-off of the name brand online, and so far it has worked great.  It has filtered faster and I have yet to get sick or anything.  It cost less than $10.   If you don't want to spend that, most of your food is going to require boiled water anyway, so make that campfire and boil your water for free!   Even with a filter, I don't use it if I'm boiling the water anyway for ramen or hot chocolate. 

Stove and Utensils 

For a stove, once again don't go with the name brand.  The Amazon/Ebay stuff for $5 does just as well.  It's not that complicated a piece of equipment.  But you're not here because you want to spend $5 instead of $50, you're here to spend nothing.   Head over to Youtube, and look up soda can stove.  It uses denatured alcohol to run and it is fun to make!   Another tried and true option is a campfire, nothing wrong with that.  Just be sure to check your local fire regulations in regards to both free options. 

For Utensils, I find it silly when people buy titanium utensils to save half an ounce but also carry a tent, foods with water weight, and their favorite shoes for camp.   I'll tell you a secret, I know something even lighter than titanium:  plastic.  Even if you're trying to cut down on plastic in everyday life, it exists.   Next time you get the pre-packaged knife and fork with the napkin and salt, save it!   Best one is the sporks from Taco Bell, they are a bit flexible which makes them even better to stuff in a pack.  Even if I have utensils, I mainly use a stick that I pluck from a tree to stir my coffee or flip my bacon. 

For pots and pans, when you're just starting out, I'd say try the thrift stores or a cheap set online.   Only when camping with a larger group do I need plates/bowls, otherwise the pot I boiled my water in for my coffee/ramen/etc makes to be a great cup.

Headlamp/Flashlight

Once again, there used to be a Harbor Freight Coupon for a free headlamp with any purchase.   This is not an expensive product though.  My $5 Academy Sports headlamp has served me just as well as a Black Diamond would.  LED technology has improved and this isn't a major expense. 

First-Aid/Survival Kit

I don't recommend cheating yourself on this one; however, that is why I don't recommend you buy a bulky or insufficient pre-made kit.   I was in Bass Pro one day when they were having a survivalist give a short lecture.  In summary, what I remember of his lecture went as follows:   The TV shows create drama.  You don't need to know how to make a bow-drill, angle a car headlight lens, or carry a 9v battery with steel wool in your pocket because of this nifty product out on the market:  a gas station $0.99 lighter.  You don't need to know how to distill water, carry it in hollow gourds to boil it later, or know which vines can drip clean water because of this cool product out on the market:  a life-straw.  

The pre-made kits have a lot of band-aids, ointments, and needless weight.   Those plastic tweezers don't work.   Real outdoor 1st-Aid: do those kits have enough rolled gauze to splint a broken arm? 

I custom made my kit and it includes the following:   (1st-aid) Tourniquet, Israeli bandage,  5x7 or 4x4 gauze, rolled gauze, band-aids, tape, quick-clot, and very few ointments.  (survival) Mylar emergency blanket, cordage, knife, lighter, zip-ties, and I already have a water filter on me.  

Trekking Poles

Ah, the beloved trekking poles.   Spend $100 on REI ones that will work for awhile, or spend $20 on cheap ones that probably won't make it past 3 trips outdoors.   One is too expensive, and one is a complete waste of money.   Additionally, the springs they have in them to absorb the impact from going to your arms, that's your energy, your precious calories, being wasted!     Lightbulb:  use ski poles.   I have been using the same pair of ski poles for over 10 years!  I got them from a thrift store for $5.   They don't waste your energy and they are durable.   The only con to this idea is that they do not collapse.  If you're scrabbling a ridge, not the best idea with these, although I wouldn't want to scramble a ridge with a backpacking backpack on either...

Toiletries

Those travel-sized toiletries are almost as expensive as the full-sized equivalent!   I save the small toothpastes from the dentist.  You don't need a special toothbrush, if you are that concerned about weight, cut half the handle off.  For deodorant,  watch couponing blogs for free sample offers.  I've gotten the trial sizes for free this way, enough to last until the next free sample comes around (this can apply to toothpaste too, as well as feminine hygiene).   Toilet paper is cheap enough, or you could always grab the crappy stuff (pun intended) from the trailhead bathroom.    Handsanitizer is everywhere these days, you can find some free or cheap.  

Map

I'll be honest, I have a Garmin GPS.  It's such a hassle to update maps and take it out to look at it, and fumble with batteries, that I think they are going the way of the click-and-shoot camera: your cellphone now wins.   No need to pay for any apps either, simply screenshot your map or cache your data before your trip.  If you can't tell, I don't like relying on batteries, so I also suggest simply printing your map out. 

Sleeping Bag

Last but not least on the gear list is the sleeping bag.   I saved this for last because I am not going to be of much help here.   You want three things in a sleeping bag:  low price, low temperature rating, and light weight.   The problem is, I have been unable to find a 3/3.  You have to choose two of the three things you want.   If anyone has any suggestions, please comment below!

There are bags from overseas.  Their quality isn't as known as name-brand.  Also, some manufactures pluck the geese alive so that feathers can be regrown.  American manufacturers use down from ethically sourced dead birds.

Proper Clothing

There seems to be a natural evolution that outdoorsy people go through when it comes to clothes.    First, the flip-flop and cotton wearing backpacker that you can just tell is bran new to the game.  He is not prepared at all, and heaven help if he gets wet.   Next, you get the people that read an article of what to buy, and since they really enjoy the outdoors, buy the gear.  They're the ones that brought thermals, even though it's 85 degrees outside.  They're the ones wearing name-brand hiking clothing, even when not hiking.  Just like people that wear hunting camo to McDonalds in June.   Finally, you move towards knowing what you really need.

It's really simple: base layer, insulation layer, shell layer.

My base layer is any synthetic wicking T-shirt.   My insulation layer is a fleece I got on clearance for $3.   My shell layer I got from a thrift store.  Nothing is name-brand.  All combined, it's cheaper than one piece of name-brand underwear.   Only place I would defiantly splurge is socks.  Wicking wool socks are amazing and in my opinion, worth it. 

For shoes, I'm a shoe guy over a boots guy.  I like having ankle mobility and having my shoes breath.  With that said, as long as you have traction, I don't see why anyone who's not serious needs to buy hiking-specific shoes when they already own a pair of sneakers. 

If you do want to get more serious, go to your shoe store of choice and try on their different brands to get an idea of what you like and what size you are.   I did this, and then got a pair of lightly-used La Sportiva Akyras for $25 on ebay. 

 

Food

In my opinion, the freeze-dried backpacking food is a waste of money.  Most of the product consists of cheap carbs that aren't even freeze-dried such as pasta or rice.  So why not just bring pasta and rice?   Another expensive backpacking food is jerky.  I think people bring it because they picture it being a backpacking food, just like you could think of apple pies to picture American food, or Smores to picture a camping trip.  Save your money here, jerky has a lot of protein which isn't needed while your out in the woods.  Protein load after your trip.  What you need is the most fuel for the least weight.   Carbs are your friend when you are burning calories. 

Here are my suggestions for food:

 

-Idahoan -instant mashed potatoes

    loaded with calories (4oz packet has 80g carbs)

    weighs nothing

    costs $1 

-Knorr pasta sides

    loaded with calories (packet has 92g carbs)

    weighs nothing

    costs $1

-Hungry Jack hashbrowns

    loaded with calories (box has 91 carbs)

    weighs nothing (but a bit bulky)

    costs $1.50

All three of these are just ad water, just like the freeze-dried food.  All three of these have comparable nutritional values as the freeze-dried food. 

From left to right:  Mountain House rice and chicken, beef Top Ramen, Knorr chicken pasta, hashbrowns

For snacks, try dehydrating fruits yourself versus buying them.  Additionally, consider cheap granola instead of pricey nutritional bars.   For extra credit, compare a snicker's bar nutritional facts to a cliff bar's nutritional facts!

Where to Backpack

Alright, you've got your stuff together, great!  Now where can you backpack for free?   The good news is, unlike traditionally run campgrounds by your local state park, most backpacking sites are free!

Open up your search browser and look up local parks and forests.  From there, I would see which parks/forests have larger expanses of land.   I say this because a smaller state park is 1) going to cater to other outdoor recreation activities such as boating, RV camping, and such.  2) a smaller state park is going to have a much more limited area and will either charge a fee for the few backpacking sites they have, or not allow backpacking altogether.   Usually, the federal government will be more of your friend than the state government when it comes to backpacking.   Most national forests allow dispersed camping.  Bureau of Land Management also allows dispersed camping almost anywhere.   Some of the absolute best national park experiences to be had are backpacking away from the tourist attractions.   My favorite way to find backpacking spots is by simply being active outdoors.  I know from hiking certain trails where the best campsites are.  My favorite backpacking site is a small cave on a side of a cliff, just a few hundred feet from a popular trail!  Another option of course is going to be word-of-mouth, I may not tell you where my cliff site is, but I can certainly point you to some great places.  Honestly, it is overwhelming thinking of the possibilities of where to backpack for free.   One last resource, if you are in an area that requires an entrance fee or backcountry site reservation, do your research! Sometimes, there are trails where you can enter a fee area from outside the park and forgo paying an entrance fee.  Also, reddit, read blogs, take notes, etc.. sometimes there are free backpacking areas just outside of park boundaries.   I dispersed camped in an amazing area in Inyo National Forest once instead of paying to camp inside Yosemite.  It was an amazing experience. 

I hope you're now set to have a great backpacking trip!  Clothing, some gear and such are going to be one-time expenses.  Recurring expenses like food should actually end up being cheaper than the food you normally eat everyday.  Please comment any recommendations or tips you may have to backpack for free!  Remember, it's about enjoying the outdoors, go have some fun!