# Budget-packing



## big_papa_nuts (Mar 29, 2010)

Share your cheap-o tips so people can stop using expensive gear as a reason not to get out there.

- The Jandd frame pack - It will hold a 70oz Camelbak bladder, or an extra bottle and some food, or some clothes, ect and chances are you won't even lose use of your cage mounts. Not bad for 30 bucks. It may even fit in your full suspenson frame if your lucky.
- The Zefal Magnum bottle - Fits in a normal cage and will carry more water. 6 bucks well spent.
- Sea To Summit Big River 20L dry bag - https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/500/medium/pakpak_001.jpg , nuff said. 35$ plus straps.
- REI Flash 30 - Awesome light weight pack with decent volume. Less then 50 bucks, while supplies last.
- Super Cat stove - Less then a dollar (if you own a hole punch) and works great (unless it's windy).

Keep em comin'. :thumbsup:


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## El Train (Apr 21, 2007)

rack off my town bike. $0
awesome Madden panniers at the second hand store: $38
sleeping bag, big agnes pad, plastic sheet $0. already owned these
no stove, eat stuff you don't have to cook. or build a fire. and bring a pot. 
no tent. just rig the plastic with some rocks and cord. won't last forever, ok for short trip.

Pretty regionally specific what you can get away with. In SW Montana, it is pretty dry and no bugs. Tent optional.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Guide Gear tarp, less than $20 depending on size but hard to find at times.

+1 on the supercat. Only way to go cheaper would be free.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

El Train said:


> rack off my town bike. $0
> awesome Madden panniers at the second hand store: $38
> sleeping bag, big agnes pad, plastic sheet $0. already owned these
> no stove, eat stuff you don't have to cook. or build a fire. and bring a pot.
> ...


Fire recommendation is regionally and seasonally specific. So much so that I don't make them in general. It is pretty rare for me to make one at all anymore when it's permitted because I am used to not making one when it is not.

Where I go, shelter is mostly necessary...if not for rain then for bugs. Oftentimes both.

Good suggestion on food that does not need cooking. Sausage and hard cheese can take many days at ambient temp. Oranges pack well.

Boiling water is a pretty cheap way to treat it.

Imusa pots at walmart

A reasonably light, warm sleeping bag can be hard to find cheap. I think the campmor 20deg down bag is the best overall value I'm aware of. May not be a true 20deg bag but it is a good combo of light, warm, and not too expensive. Very good starting point. Best solution here if budget is that big of a concern is to go out where and when it won't get under 70deg at night. Not gonna happen in the mtns, but nights are like that for much of the year in the SE and midsection of the country for somewhat less of the year. A simple sheet would be enough


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## nickgilling (May 2, 2012)

Here's a great myog approach to a seat pack based on a £9 / $15 dry bag and a bit of webbing

Bikepacking - Alpkit


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## SuPrBuGmAn (Jun 20, 2009)

TigWorld made a great DIY for seatbags at this link

Otherwise, I've had some good luck with the Topeak MTX Beamracks that mount to your seatpost. Even with switchbacks with smooth transitioned jumps and lots of switchbacks, it stayed centered, although all I carried on it was a sleeping bag. It costs about $35 and you can buy pannier attachments for it if you have a need for them(I don't).

Bikepacking on a budget typically means you have to be a little bulkier, a little heavier, and possibly a little less comfortable - sometimes a mix or all of the above apply.

All my bikepacking(all two trips so far) have been in the Florida panhandle. Cold weather has not been a problem, as the coldest I had to camp through was just below 60F last fall. This past weekend it never got below 65F. I brought a tent($40 Bass Proshop pup tent) mainly for the bugs. It was a cheaper option than a bivy. Rains at night weren't a concern, otherwise I would have had to look at an additional tarp and footprint as my cheap little pup tent doesn't have a waterproof floor or rainfly.

Last fall I used a cheap synthetic Ozark Trail sleeping bag. Its big and heavy compared to high dollar bags. It probably cost $20 from Walmart. I used an Eureka! Copper Mountain mummy bag this past weekend with just as great success. I believe you can get this bag for $50ish, I got it for free using some safety incentive points from work(LOL). It was just as heavy as the walmart bag and packed just as large 

My girlfriend made a frame bag for my bike. I still keep a water bottle in the cage, which is in the bag, and it also has room for a change of clothes, or food, or spare parts and tools. I think it cost me $15 for materials for the frame bag, and I got to pick the color 

I haven't had to cook while bikepacking. I've either packed away food that doesn't need to be cooked(there are worse things than day old pizza wrapped in tinfoil) or have looked for places to eat to incorporate in the ride. Obviously this won't work for long duration rides or in places that have zero civilization available.


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## fotooutdoors (Jul 8, 2010)

I don't have much experience, but diy seems to be the way to go if you want a kit that is on par with the big guns without having to shell out 100's of dollars. I have made a full frame bag for my fargo and am currently working on a seat bag (based on Full DIY Bikepacking Kit). Works if you have even fairly basic sewing skills and some patience.


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## dream4est (May 21, 2003)

REI Flash 18 Pack. Works well.

Novara map bags and seat bags. They are pretty cheap and the seat bags expand for extra space. 

Homemade downtube mods. I attach other items to my downtube bottle cage. Tube and water bottle belt devices (for runners). Works great but gets dirty. 

Stainless steel water bottle as pot for stove. Easy and simple. Now I am using it with a sterno can but used esbits/wood on the AZT 750. 

Schwinn Gas Tank- Mine was like $8 and lasted through 2 AZT 750's and a CTR. Looks hagged now but would still works with some sewing and love.

I love the cheapo stuff it works in the races and on my daily excursions. A good sewer can mod them easy too.


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## ImaFred (May 16, 2009)

dream4est said:


> Stainless steel water bottle as stove. Easy and simple. Now I am using it with a sterno


Could you elaborate on this? Are you using as a stove? Or a pot?


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## SuPrBuGmAn (Jun 20, 2009)

fotooutdoors said:


> I don't have much experience, but diy seems to be the way to go if you want a kit that is on par with the big guns without having to shell out 100's of dollars. I have made a full frame bag for my fargo and am currently working on a seat bag (based on Full DIY Bikepacking Kit). Works if you have even fairly basic sewing skills and some patience.


Great link :thumbsup:


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## dream4est (May 21, 2003)

ImaFred said:


> Could you elaborate on this? Are you using as a stove? Or a pot?


7oz.Sterno can with coat hangar frame on top to hold the water bottle above- alum foil windscreen- bottle as pot. I think I am done with esbits, alcohol, etc. Sterno cans are $2 and not heavy ( the little ones sold as a 2 pack at wal mart). They last 4 plus hours. I just never really thought of it until recently.

Edit- the water bottle I am using also came from wal mart and has a screw off plastic top so U have a steel pot and a cup for soup coffee etc. It is called the Stanley Adventure Series Multi-Use Bottle/Cup and it is $10 for 32oz capacity. Nice item. Lighter than almost any steel bottle I have seen at under 8oz. I wear it in a belt mounted holder so I dont notice any extra weight over plastic bottles. The 7oz. sterno can is light when you consider the weight of alcohol, esbits etc. and their burn times.

will post a pic soon as I about to do so testing of the kit for CTR. I am hoping that sterno boils water as fast as esbits but that may take some figuring out and paying with the setup a bit.


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## Lone Desert Walker (Sep 15, 2011)

one cheap way to go is to get a long pole, maybe 8 feet long. tie the pole to the top tube of the bike really securely so that equal amounts of pole stick out in front and rear. Then get two old sheets and lay them on the ground. Throw whatever you are taking in piles on the sheets then bundle them up into hobo sacks and hang them from each end of the pole. you can use the sheets to keep warm or to make a bomber shelter. you have to learn to ride steady because the hobo sacks will swing around and make the bike handle badly. A longer pole keeps the sacks from swinging into the tires. Also get an old tobacco pipe so you can just get unfinished cigerettes out of ashtrays and empty their tobacco into the pipe. Smoke the pipe while you ride for an oldschool tweed ride type feel.
I really feel like I deserve some rep power for this post damn it! why dont I ever get any rep power!?


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

i have not yet bikepacked, only backpacked. kind of in random order:

I made my own hammock from ripstop nylon from the $1 bin at walmart, plus some rope. Might have cost $15 by the time I was done.

Made my own tarp from the same fabric in a different color and my own waterproofing treatment. I might have $15 in it too.

Closed cell pad from wmt. $?
Ozark Trails hammock $10
iodine tabs with neutralizer tabs $6?
mombasa mosquito bar bug net from rei. maybe $15.

aluminum boyscout messkit for pots
dr pepper can alky stove
aluminum flashing for a windscreen for the stove 
repurposed 2 liter coke bottles or 1-gal milk jugs to carry in empty and use for treating water. bulky but bulletproof.

It all ends up being decently light. the pad and bag and water bottles are bulky. above ~55-60 degrees i don't need the pad, though.

I am going to build a frame bag/box to put heavy stuff in. I think the rest will go on a rear rack like suprbugman's or on the bars. i would like to minimize the amount of weight that I carry on myself in my trusty old backpack. In cold weather i will end up with a backpack full of clothes.

i plan to make a bar bag either out of the bag for a camp chair or just from scratch, plus some webbing.

I have an idea for a bag to go along the top of the top tube (from seatpost to headtube), but it requires more sewing, so i'm holding off.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

Lone Desert Walker said:


> one cheap way to go is to get a long pole, ... Throw whatever you are taking in piles on the sheets.. hobo sacks and hang them from each end of the pole...ride steady because the hobo sacks ...swinging into the tires. Also get an old tobacco pipe so you can just get unfinished cigerettes out of ashtrays and empty their tobacco into the pipe....I really feel like I deserve some rep power for this post damn it! why dont I ever get any rep power!?


Added bonus - nobody will come talk to you and ask pesky questions, and will usually get off the trail once they see you coming.

gave you reps!


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## Mojoe (Jan 29, 2004)

I made my own kitty litter bucket panniers.


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## alpka (Aug 20, 2007)

I have been pondering on those dry bags. Does it really stay put on the seat post when you are bouncing down the trail? Any leg rub? What do you put in it?



big_papa_nuts said:


> Share your cheap-o tips so people can stop using expensive gear as a reason not to get out there.
> 
> - The Jandd frame pack - It will hold a 70oz Camelbak bladder, or an extra bottle and some food, or some clothes, ect and chances are you won't even lose use of your cage mounts. Not bad for 30 bucks. It may even fit in your full suspenson frame if your lucky.
> - The Zefal Magnum bottle - Fits in a normal cage and will carry more water. 6 bucks well spent.
> ...


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

dream4est said:


> 7oz.Sterno can with coat hangar frame on top to hold the water bottle above- alum foil windscreen- bottle as pot. I think I am done with esbits, alcohol, etc. Sterno cans are $2 and not heavy ( the little ones sold as a 2 pack at wal mart). They last 4 plus hours. I just never really thought of it until recently.
> 
> Edit- the water bottle I am using also came from wal mart and has a screw off plastic top so U have a steel pot and a cup for soup coffee etc. It is called the Stanley Adventure Series Multi-Use Bottle/Cup and it is $10 for 32oz capacity. Nice item. Lighter than almost any steel bottle I have seen at under 8oz. I wear it in a belt mounted holder so I dont notice any extra weight over plastic bottles. The 7oz. sterno can is light when you consider the weight of alcohol, esbits etc. and their burn times.
> 
> will post a pic soon as I about to do so testing of the kit for CTR. I am hoping that sterno boils water as fast as esbits but that may take some figuring out and paying with the setup a bit.


be careful about using something not intended for cooking as your cookpot. many steel and aluminum containers have plastic liners that you'll end up burning into your food/water. I'll stick to cookpots actually made to be cookpots, and I avoid most nonstick in my camp cooksets, too.



> iodine tabs with neutralizer tabs $6?


the discussion has been covered well...and even though iodine tabs are cheap, there are many reasons to use something else. for one, they're not as effective as other options. second is their volatility/expiration date, there's the taste problem, and then there's the problem with health problems using them too much (which is a very individual issue - for some, too much is ever).


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## dream4est (May 21, 2003)

NateHawk said:


> be careful about using something not intended for cooking as your cookpot. many steel and aluminum containers have plastic liners that you'll end up burning into your food/water. I'll stick to cookpots actually made to be cookpots, and I avoid most nonstick in my camp cooksets, too.


I have used steel water bottles as pots now for 16 nights out this season alone - not sure what you are getting at. Only full steel bottles or steel sections of dual purpose bottles (like the Stanley) ever get heated. It is pretty obvious which bottles have plastic inserts and if someone heated the wrong one the smell alone would be an indicator someone used the wrong container. Cookpots take up space that a water bottle already accounts for- which is why I have abondoned my Ti sierra cup. Also, water heats up much quicker in a steel bottle than any ti/alum pot I have ever used.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

dream4est said:


> I have used steel water bottles as pots now for 16 nights out this season alone - not sure what you are getting at. Only full steel bottles or steel sections of dual purpose bottles (like the Stanley) ever get heated. It is pretty obvious which bottles have plastic inserts and if someone heated the wrong one the smell alone would be an indicator someone used the wrong container. Cookpots take up space that a water bottle already accounts for- which is why I have abondoned my Ti sierra cup. Also, water heats up much quicker in a steel bottle than any ti/alum pot I have ever used.


I was not talking about plastic inserts, but rather the interior surface is lined or coated with a thin plastic layer. I think it's more commonly done on aluminum water bottles than stainless. However, if you look at the interior surface of the cans that soup or canned vegetables come in, you'll get an idea for the sort of thing I'm talking about. It's not something most people are even aware of.

My point there is to just be aware of how the bottle you're using is constructed.

No liner/coating - no problem
liner/coating - don't heat it up on a fire. yeah, it might start to stink, but if it's full of water you're boiling for a dehydrated meal, it might not.


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## dream4est (May 21, 2003)

NateHawk said:


> I was not talking about plastic inserts, but rather the interior surface is lined or coated with a thin plastic layer. I think it's more commonly done on aluminum water bottles than stainless. However, if you look at the interior surface of the cans that soup or canned vegetables come in, you'll get an idea for the sort of thing I'm talking about. It's not something most people are even aware of.
> 
> My point there is to just be aware of how the bottle you're using is constructed.
> 
> ...


100% stainless steel water bottles have no coating- that is why I use them and why water tastes better in them than plastic water bottles. No need to scare anyone. I am not the first to use one and wont be the last.

edit-

Klean Kanteen Stainless-Steel Wide-Mouth Water Bottle with Loop-Top Cap - 18 fl. oz. at REI.com

The above bottle was used with super fast boiling times in the fire or with esbit. I lost it, got another bottle, lost it and now I am trying a cheaper bottle. Same 100% steel with plastic top. All work well- you just heat water without the top.


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## dream4est (May 21, 2003)

This is the bottle I am currently using. Read the review. This sucker is the perfect cheap multi- use bikepacking stove/cup/water bottle. Straight Money for 10 bucks.

Amazon.com: Stanley Adventure Multi Use Bottle (Green, 1-Quart): Sports & Outdoors


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

dream4est said:


> 100% stainless steel water bottles have no coating- that is why I use them and why water tastes better in them than plastic water bottles. No need to scare anyone.


not trying to scare anyone. if you have seen many of my posts on issues where people post "the sky is falling" sorts of issues, you'll see I'm often one of the few levelheaded folks in the whole discussion.

my only point was for people to be aware of the kind of bottle they've got before trying to use it for what you suggest. yes, 100% SS ones are going to work just fine. 100% aluminum ones might work, but there are enough cases of people melting their cheap aluminum mess kits that I'd hesitate. hard anodized aluminum has many properties of SS but with less weight than steel and is far cheaper than Ti. It's my personal preference. my hard ano alu kea kettle cost me $15, so it hardly broke the bank.

alu and stainless bottles with thin coatings do exist and it might not be obvious at first glance. they MIGHT get hot enough above the waterline to cause the plastic to smoke. but they'd certainly leach plastic and possibly even melt the plastic with heat from a stove or fire applied. that's not a scare tactic. that's the truth. This article describes the sort of liner I'm talking about.


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## Lone Desert Walker (Sep 15, 2011)

That survivor man dude boiled water in a camelback bladder once, I would never have thought it possible. He just suspended it high enough off the fire that it did not melt but still boiled the water.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Lone Desert Walker said:


> That survivor man dude boiled water in a camelback bladder once, I would never have thought it possible. He just suspended it high enough off the fire that it did not melt but still boiled the water.


clever technique in a pinch, but I have my doubts that something like that would actually reach 212F. if he had it sealed, it would pressurize because the air inside is warming and evaporating water would contribute to the vapor pressure. something like that, being sealed, would quite possibly boil at MUCH less than 212F. in that case, I am unsure how hot you'd need to keep it and for how long to adequately sterilize the water.

not something you'd want to rely on, but a good emergency water treatment option.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

Water boils at a higher temperature when it is under pressure. Think pressure cooker or car radiator. Still I wouldn't want to try it.


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## big_papa_nuts (Mar 29, 2010)

alpka said:


> I have been pondering on those dry bags. Does it really stay put on the seat post when you are bouncing down the trail? Any leg rub? What do you put in it?


After a shakedown I found that they don't work well strapped as pictured. I'll try to get a pic next time I put it on but basically you just don't go under the bag, just through the loops on the bag and over the rails. I'm still perfecting the straps, and may make a sling setup. It does swing around quite a bit but I hardly notice it. The worst is on paved sections where it gets a rhythm going. It hits the back of my thighs too but doesn't bother me and may be better if you sit a bit forward or have a zero offset post.

I'm still working out my load arrangement but with the way it attaches I'm trying to use it for something I only have to get to once a day. I've tried it with mostly light bulky stuff, like my sleeping pad, bag and clothes. I think once I get it dialed in it'll be pretty nice, and for a third of the price of other options.


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## Flying-Monkey (Apr 15, 2012)

I'm looking at making a bag/cradle for a dry bag to slip into, then cinch it down in place.


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## wahday (Mar 23, 2012)

I did my first overnight bikepacking trip about a month and a half ago. Not wanting to invest just to try it out, I used whatever I already had on hand:


Blackburn rack from another bike
Nashbar panniers I got online a few years ago for commuting. From ebay, $35. They are waterproof, too.
Tarp for sleeping (I already owned this - your basic utility tarp from a home improvement store)
Already had the lightweight sleeping bag and pad
Food was all cold (sesame noodles and various bars)
For water, I had 4 cages and a camelback. Had only one bike bottle but used pre-bought bottled water containers at a liter each. They fit great in the cages, were very cheap, and refillable. 2 cages were on the fork and I secured them with hose clamps and used an old tube to prevent scratches. I owned the cages already.
Borrowed my wife's iPhone and used a free app for GPS (Trimble Navigator - very happy with this one)

That's it. All I paid for was the water bottles and food bars. There is some really great and well-designed gear out there and I want to see some of those skilled small start-ups succeed. But really, you don't need a lot of specialized equipment to just get out there. Especially if you already have some camping gear. I didn't even use a very fancy bike - just my 1994 GF Hoo Koo E Koo with a rigid fork. All went wonderfully and I can't wait to get out again!

Love the links to DIY and MYOG. Keep 'em coming'!


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## rjwall (Jul 25, 2011)

Anyone have any suggestions on a lower cost sleeping bag that is relatively light, packs small and is durable? I know there isn't going to be a lot that is as light or small or durable than a $200+ bag, but i'm curious to see if people have used some that are good values. I'm looking for a 20 degree bag ideally. I attempted to look up the campmor 20deg posted before, but don't know if it was discontinued because didn't find anyone selling them.


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## wahday (Mar 23, 2012)

rjwall said:


> Anyone have any suggestions on a lower cost sleeping bag that is relatively light, packs small and is durable? I know there isn't going to be a lot that is as light or small or durable than a $200+ bag, but i'm curious to see if people have used some that are good values. I'm looking for a 20 degree bag ideally. I attempted to look up the campmor 20deg posted before, but don't know if it was discontinued because didn't find anyone selling them.


I was poking around and saw this bag on sale from REI outlet last night. The weight and size are the question marks for your needs, but its a good deal, a nice looking bag and good to 20. $79.93 - $84.93 depending on if you get the regular or long.

Good luck.


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## DavyRay (Apr 13, 2012)

Plan on spending near $100 to get a down bag with a 20 degree F rating and decent quality.
You may beat that by careful shopping, but be prepared to pay that much. You can get a Kelty bag for that amount. That would last for years with reasonable care.

I prefer alcohol stoves, preferably home-made using tuna cans and cat food cans. Simple. Elegant. Effective.

Walmart "Grease" pots work. Hard anodized aluminum cookpots work too. I have a titanium mug most recently. It goes well with the ramen noodles and bamboo chopsticks.

Nate is right-on about food. Take noodles, hard cheese, summer sausage, boiled eggs. Those last quite well in most locales. Don't forget the tea bags or instant coffee.


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## rjwall (Jul 25, 2011)

thanks for the advice on sleeping bags. in looking at the REI outlet, i noticed that there is a 20% off your pricey-est item, but it ends tomorrow. the most budget thing is always to 'run what ya brung' but there are some good deals to be had on camping gear with the 20% off. i'm more than likely going to pick up a bag. 

......i'm also a big fan of the cat food stoves. so simple and effective. my cook pots have been in use since the 70's and are still going strong.


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