While the calendar may still say that it is is February, spring isn’t as far off as we might think and it won’t be long before we start planning our first backpacking trips of the year. To help us out with those plans, Backpacker magazine has shared its picks for the best bargain gear that is currently available, offering up great performance that is easy on the wallet.
The list is pretty much made up of every piece of gear you could want for an enjoyable backpacking excursion, including tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and a pack to carry everything in. The gear mostly comes from well-known and reputable outdoor companies, but each of the items happens to represent a substantial bargain when compared to the competition. Usually what you give up in order to save some cash is a bit of additional weight, but for those just getting started or looking to replace older gear with newer products, its hard to ignore the savings.
Some of the items that made he cut include the Marmot Trestles 0 sleeping bag, the Eureka! Suma 2 tent, and the Mountainsmith Scream 55 backpack. Each of those products offers excellent performance and value. For instance, the Trestles 0 is priced at just $139, which is quite a bargain for a 0ºF (-18ºC) sleeping bag. The tent and backpack are also nicely priced at $140 and $160 respectively.
The bargain priced segment of the outdoor industry is one that has made a lot of progress in recent years. It use to be that you’d be low cost equipment to get you by when you first start backpacking, then slowly replace it over time with better gear. Now days, this segment of the market offers much improved performance and durability, easing the cost of entry for newcomers, while also providing equipment that will keep them happy and exploring the outdoors for years to come. Sure, eventually the desire to replace the low-cost items with lighter, higher-end gear still comes up, but it isn’t as urgent as it once was.
To check out the entire list of Backpacker‘s bargain equipment click here.
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