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How to Survive in the Wilderness for Dirt Cheap

So I'm super into wilderness backpacking and survivalist skills. Have been since I was a teen and too broke to buy a tent. Nowadays, I've tried all the fancy gear there is. And holy shit the marketing that says you need all sorts of expensive gear to go backpacking or survive in the woods? Total bullshit.

So I thought I'd post a guide to the REAL essentials, in case it'd help anyone who wants / needs to sleep outdoors for as cheap as possible.

My advice is more tailored for someone on-the-go like if you're thru-hiking or moving camp often. So I'm prioritizing lightweight and compact gear.

And I'm from the Northeast US, so this post is focused on the 25-90°F temp range, in a wooded area with water, and a lower fire risk. If you're looking for advice for somewhere else - hmu! I've road tripped the whole US with just a tent, done everything from deep snow to Death Valley, and probably have some budget tips for your climate!

Sleeping Bag ($10-$30)

OK, this one is really important, it makes such a difference compared to a blanket, and can be lifesaving. If you get nothing else, get this and a tarp.

Go on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, you can find one for $10-30. You want to look for one that's kinda cocoon-shaped, with a pocket to put your head in.

NOT rectangular because those are usually shit, don't cover your head, and won't keep you warm. And if you can, find one with a temperature rating maybe 10° colder than the coldest temperature you'll be sleeping in. It's a comfort rating tho - so you can go below it and live.

You'll also need a way to keep it dry when you're not using it. A heavy duty trash bag works. You can also get waterproof stuff sacks that I think are worth it if you will be packing and unpacking often.

Also a quick way to make any sleeping bag more compact and light if you're short? Cut off the excess at the end and sew it shut. It'll also be warmer because you won't have a pocket of cold at the end where your feet don't reach. And if you're crafty, you could make a warm vest, hat, or booties with the leftover bits.

Shelter ($10 - $60) :

For shelter, you can go with a few options, I'll start with the cheapest:

Tarp and rope ($10-$20)- Get a large tarp that can cover you plus at least 4 feet in every direction. Then hang it over a rope like so, staking the corners into the ground with metal stakes or sticks. If it's windy, put the broad side of the shelter to the wind to keep warm inside. If you have two tarps, you can put the second on the ground to keep your "tent" dry and clean inside. Make sure the floor tarp doesn't extend out past the roof tarp or it will fill with water in the rain.

Tarp, hammock, and rope - Set up the tarp diagonally over your hammock. You can get a hammock for like $10-$15 on Amazon or craigslist, look for one that packs into a small bag. This is way comfier and less spidery than sleeping on the ground.

Backpacking Tent - These are the most expensive option but the best for bad weather. You can get these for $40-$60 on Facebook marketplace or Craigslist, look for one that packs down into a very small bag if you want a legit one. You want one with hollow metal poles, not fiberglass. A tent will be way more comfortable if you're somewhere windy, rainy, or cold, and will protect you better than a tarp. Smaller ones will be way warmer because your body heat will fill them quickly.

If you have a tarp and a tent, you can hang the tarp a foot over the tent for extra protection and thermal insulation in heavy rain, wind, or snow. This is a good way to make a lighter 3-season tent usable in the winter or bad storms.

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Bedding Pad ($10 to $15)

Sleeping straight on the ground is cold and uncomfy AF so I'd recommend one of these too. It's an essential if it's at all cold out because the ground will suck the heat from you. Even if you're in a hammock and not on the ground, the cold wind under your ass will make you want one of these for insulation.

A cheaper option is a foam workout mat - go for something thicker than a standard yoga mat, like this:

An inflatable backpacking mat is much comfier, but never buy the ones that are $30 to $40 new, they won't hold air more than one or two times. You'd need to spend at least $80 to $100 to get a durable one, and even then it might pop so I'd only do that if you wanna spend a lot for comfort.

Cooking

Get the cheapest aluminum cookware you can, it'll work just as well as name brand. Look for something with a lid so you can cook faster and so you don't get ash in your food. And assume any plastic on it is gonna melt in the fire - so find something with as little plastic as possible. Another cheap option is whatever cookware is the most lightweight at Goodwill.

And for fire starting? I've never found anything better and more reliable than a basic bic ligher. I'd bring two tho, in case one breaks.

You can also make a cheap firestarter by taking dryer lint or cotton balls and soaking them in any oil, wax, or accelerant. This helps a lot in the rain.

Food

Dehydrated backpacking food is a total rip-off. Instant just-add-water meals from the grocery like mac and cheese, rice or beans, or instant mash potatoes are just as good. Instant coffee is also a lifesaver. Peanut butter, honey, and bread make for great lunch sandwiches. Any dense breads like pita bread or really hearty pastries are also great. Or to really save money, loaf bread smushed flat. A little bottle of olive oil is amazing because it's calorie dense and tastes good on everything. Avoid "wet" foods like fresh fruit and veg, or canned foods - they're so heavy and bulky, you can spend more calories carrying them around then you get eating them!

You also NEED to keep all your food and cookware (and smelly toiletries) well away from where you're sleeping, because wild animals will come sniffing around. To pick a spot, look at it and ask yourself if you want a bear that close when you sleep. If not, go further (200ft min). A bag and a rope or piece of paracord can be used to hang your food up a tree. Tie the rope to a rock, throw the rock over a high branch, and haul your bag up out of bear-reach.

Water Purification

The absolute cheapest? Bleach. I'm not kidding, when I was younger this was my go to. Take a water bottle, put a scrap of fabric over the opening as a filter, and dunk it in clear moving water like a river or creek til it's full. Put the opening of the bottle downstream. (Avoid water that smells or looks greenish, sudsy, buggy, or stagnant). Then add bleach in the following amounts, shake it up and let it sit for an hour before drinking.

It'll taste like ass tho, like the worst mix of river and public pool, so I'd recommend a filter. The gravity-bag kind is the cheapest, and it's nice because you don't have to manually pump water thru the filter, and it lets you fill up bottles to take with you. The water should come out as clean as tap water (or cleaner lol. love the decaying american infrastructure)

Also for carrying your water, you can reuse "disposable" bottles - just look for whichever have the sturdiest plastic. I like to bring two 1.5 Liter smart water bottles because they're durable and fit well in a pack.

Backpack

This is an essential if you're walking long distances with your gear but if you're not, you can skip this.

You can get nice ones on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist for like $20-$60. Look for one that's at least the 50 Liter size, with a thick padded waist strap. You want most of the weight of your bag on your hips, not shoulders. To make sure it fits well,try it on with something heavy inside, and adjust the straps to fit you. It shouldn't weigh down your shoulders if it fits. The shoulder straps are just to keep the bag from falling backwards but the weight should be on your hips or it'll give you back pain.

Clothes

There's a saying - "cotton kills". It'll get wet, not dry out, and freeze you out. You'll feel way warmer if you wear polyester, fleece, or wool. Go through your clothes or go to goodwill and find athletic clothes made of those materials. It doesn't have to be fancy outdoor gear, just has to be not-cotton. Wool's the best but it's so much more expensive than polyester.

Also make sure that you have one set of clothes set aside just for sleeping - when you sweat during the day it'll freeze you at night. Keep your sleep clothes in a plastic bag when you're not wearing them and be very careful to keep them dry, only ever wear them in bed. (I'll even take off my sleep clothes if I have to pee in the rain at night - these MUST stay dry)

If you're gonna be somewhere cold? A cheap puffer hoodie from Amazon or Goodwill can be just as lightweight and packable as the fancy ones, and keep you very warm. Just get real down feathers! Also, if it doesn't fit your wrists and neck snugly, sew it to tighten those spots up.

And for somewhere wet and cold? A rain coat or poncho is a must-have. If you're hiking, your clothes under will get wet with sweat and rain anyway no matter how fancy your raincoat is, so I like to take off everything I can under the rain gear and hike faster to warm up rather than letting my clothes get wet when it rains.

Shoes

You'll also want the most comfortable and waterproof shoes you can find. I like leather boots, since they're waterproof but breathable. Hiking boots are the best but I've also worn docs and old work boots. If you don't have any waterproof shoes, bring plastic bags so you can wear them over your thickest socks, in your shoes, in case they get soaked. Hiking with wet feet can give you trench foot and permanently damage your feet after a few days.

MISC:

I'd also recommend bringing:

A knife (A basic one is fine, but I really like my swiss army knife)

Toiletries & Meds

First Aid Supplies

Bear mace if you're in grizzly / cougar territory.

Flashlight

A book, journal, or something to do.

Needle and thread to mend gear

Ziploc bags (to keep stuff dry, save leftovers, etc)

A map and compass (you can print paper maps free at many libraries, or get an app for offline topo maps. But I still bring a paper map as backup

AN EMERGENCY CONTACT WHO KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE AND WHEN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO CHECK IN NEXT!!!!