free camping - an attitude

I remember my first "night camped out" in the back yard when I was 5, all I had was some blankets. As a teenager I would take only an old rectangular cotton sleeping bag. Later I carried a piece of plastic to put over me and a bag for my jacket that made a pillow. Finally I bought a pack frame, sewed my own pack and bought a 3/8" foam sleeping pad. I always cooked over a fire in a coffee can, one for food, one for coffee.

The point being, gear just makes things more comfortable, if you are tough enough, you can trade discomfort for weight. No need to not camp just because you don't have nice gear. Jim

"PMags" has several "Frugal Backpacker" lists, ranging from $290 to $400, here. It's surprising how many items are marked "free" because they are already in your closet, bathroom or kitchen!

There are other versions; I believe this Frugal Gearlist idea started with "Sergeant Rock." As Jim points out, many of us developed our own from necessity.

You may be able to do it for less by haunting thrift stores, want-ads and sales. Or borrowing.

Starting out in the back yard (yours or borrowed), as Jim did, or car-camping (if no back yard is to be had) is a good idea, so you have an easy way of escape if you foul up. Be sure to do some of your practice camps in bad weather so you learn how to stay warm and dry. Many of us have had to do this the hard way.

I liked reading your post about your camping adventures. I respect your creativity and your courage to camp with little gear. I agree that gear is not the main thing when it comes to camping, but rather the mindset and the spirit of exploration. I also believe that camping with less gear can make you more attentive to your environment and more in tune with nature. However, I also believe that some gear can make camping more comfortable and fun, especially in extreme weather conditions or isolated locations. I’m not telling you to buy costly or fancy gear, but rather that you can borrow or go to dollar stores for camping gears.