Favorite budget gear?

[WalksOn2Wheels]

Obviously mega sale deals and homemade gear do not qualify. What are some of your favorite pieces of gear that were significantly cheaper than higher cost options?

For me, it's hard to justify a nicer tent over my Eureka Spitfire ( http://store.eurekatent.com/spitfire-1-tent ). Change out the cheapie stakes for nice ones and it really only needs two stakes without the fly. Just 4 with. Nice DAC featherlite poles. And it packs down super small into a stuff sack, but you'll have to stow the poles separately. Mine is right at 3 pounds including upgraded stakes and a nicer compression sack for stowing on the bike. The seams are also taped from the factory. I hit up a few weak points with seam sealer and spent a night in a huge storm totally dry. Not as light as a bivy, but it's a tent. It works best for my area (humid southern climate).

I've also used a swimming pool inflatable as a mattress. But honestly, it doesn't pack down very easily and it's probably on par weight wise with something like a neoair xlite. That will probably be my next purchase. Unless someone here has a nice budget suggestion. 

[paxton coyote]

 I love budget gear & recently picked up the Go Lite Shangra La 3 tent half price, wanted something that packs down reasonably small but still room for 2+gear, for $200, I'm pleased with it. Last summer picked up a Slumberjack summer weight sleeping bag at the original Cabela's store for $25, it packs down quite small & has served me well, other than that a Smartwool zip-up long sleeve top a few years back for $35 that is pretty well worn out now, wish I could find more at that price!

[Adam Alphabet]

*DriDucks rain gear: pants and jacket together cost less than 1/10 the price of my northface diad jacket and rain pants and are way more breathable.
*torn in half 'water wing' as inflatable pillow, free. Just slide inside out knee warmer over top for comfort.

Those are some of my favourite budget items for sure.

[Bedrock]

ACE brand patio door insulation kit. 84 x 120" packaged size. I cut it in two and it makes a very durable ground cloth for one or two in a pinch and only costs $5 per side weighing only 50g/1.7oz. At my local ace it was $9.95 ($10.99 in the link). I've used mine a dozen times and shows little sign of wear.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1286193

[WalksOn2Wheels]

Nice one, greenwater. I keep meaning to get a decently light groundsheet for my tent, but never seem to come across any free tyvek or whatever. Would that stuff be good for a tent or is it more of a tarp style ground sheet for your sleeping bag?

Also remembered a couple of other things I've purchased.

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11449986&lmdn=Category&ppp=80
Cheap dry bags from "Outdoor Products" brand in a 3 pack. Check them in the store, though! Quality control is lacking. First batch I got had poor taping at the seams on one bag and the medium sized bag had somehow gotten overheated and the coating on the inside was stuck to itself and just came apart when I opened the bag. But for 15 bucks, they're hard to beat if all the bags check out ok.

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12705516
Cheapie sleeping bag straps from Coghlans. Actually bought these just to use the webbing for a sling project on my new bike, but when I looked at the back of the package, there were instructions on using them on an older external frame pack. Basically, you can set these up on your bars to stay there and be ready for when you want to strap your stuff sack on there. Won't protect lightweight bags like a proper sling or handlebar bag. But if one needed to go super budget, just throw these on for 3 bucks and mount your sleeping roll to your bars.

[verve825]

Not entirely clear on the prohibition against home-made gear; my self-made Tyvek bivy sack weighs 4 ounces, cost $5.50, and is a critical part of my bikepacking equipment arsenal...

jb

[WalksOn2Wheels]

Verve, I figure MYOG has it's own forum, but I think we'd all be interested in knowing where you got the tyvek that cheap and how well it's been holding up. I admit to only having checked into it something like a year or two ago, but I was under the impression that unless you bought it in a big roll, it was basically whatever you could score from a construction site.

[hmaddox]

I think we'd all be interested in knowing where you got the tyvek that cheap and how well it's been holding up. I admit to only having checked into it something like a year or two ago, but I was under the impression that unless you bought it in a big roll, it was basically whatever you could score from a construction site.

Yeah that's the answer I got from a couple of Home Depots so I'd be interested to know where you buy yours.

[bmike-vt]

tyvek:

http://www.intothewind.com/sessions/9c58ff5e218d2d8608a73407c5b5a7df/shop/Repair_and_Kitemaking/Fabric_for_kitemaking_or_kite_repair/Tyvek