Resources for saving on Camping, Hiking and Backpacking!

This November a buddy and I are going to be backpacking in the Grand Canyon.  In anticipation of the trip I began to take inventory of the gear that I have and the gear that I will need.  When backpacking you always want to be as selective as possible with what you bring.  You want to do your best to ride the fine line of only bringing absolutely what you will need while not compromising your safety by not having something that you will need on your adventure. When you have to carry everything that you will need on your back, every ounce of gear becomes significant and little extras start to add up quickly.

Backpackers take weight so seriously that items such as titanium spoons and pots have become very common in the backpacking world. While taking my inventory I ended up opting to purchase a 1 man tent to replace my 2 man tent because it reduced my pack weight and size by about a pound.  I also traded out my sleeping pad for a smaller Therm-a-Rest ProLite pad because that saved me another 2 pounds.

 The strange thing with backpacking gear is you often pay more for less.  High end camping gear and camping gear manufactures focus a great deal of energy designing the lightest and most compressible gear possible and they charge a premium for it.  For instance a high quality, ultra light 1 man backpacking tent can cost you upwards of $200.

When searching for my gear I did my best to track down the best deals possible while still purchasing from a reputable company.  I found HikerCoupon.com to be a very valuable resource when it came to hunting for the best deals.  They helped me save about 40% on my tent and almost $30 off of my sleeping pad.

Another suggestion is to pay attention to the reviews of other campers and backpackers before selecting your gear.  Sometimes the best manufactures out there will release substandard gear.  I do my best to only buy reviewed gear unless I have full confidence in the products manufacture.  The last thing you want is to have your gear fail when your life depends on it.

Lastly, it is always wise to test your gear out before you will need to depend on it. For instance, assemble your tent and check it for rips, broken zippers or missing parts.  Inflate your sleeping mat and check for leaks.  There is nothing more frustrating that carrying broken gear up and down a mountain.