Need a tent, backpack, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag.
Want it light, want it cheap (which is unfortunately not a good combo)
In Spain/Barcelona right now so not possible to order from all the specialty online dealers unfortunately
will start travel from spain (21C at night atm)
but plan to use same gear in eastern europe in winter (5C at night and colder) so basically 3 season - and will patch up w thermal underwear + layers to 4 season...

Based on friends/this site/google ...

backpack: quecha forclaz 50 UL = 55euro (max 110$)

tent: ferrino or kelty salida 2 100 / 110 euro (max 190$)

pad: thermarest z-lite 28eur / nemo astro insulated 70eur (100$)

sleeping bag ?? friend bought decathlon/quecha one but not to happy w it ... willing to invest around 180$/130euro mark.

Problem is that everything in europe seems pretty expensive - except for the quecha gear - any shop recommendation also appreciated.

All advice very much appreciated !

I hope not to offend anyone here but I think you will be better off asking the same question at Outdoor Magic (British forum)
Franco

It is true that this site is mostly centered on the USA, with some international users. Euro-specific advice could be offered by at least 3 regular users that I can think of, so this request is not entirely outside our expertise. However, your suggestion of a European-based site is probably a better bet.

I agree about contacting the British forum (thanks, Franco!), but I also hope that our European members will also chime in!

+1 on the euro forum, but the bad news is even my friends from holland, switzerland, germany, sweden, and france who come over to hike with me buy *lots* of gear in canada, because it's just a lot cheaper over here than in europe, in many cases. I have personally carried several sleeping bags and tents to friends from europe (such as the tarptent Scarp 2, that I bought, a friend took to another friend in japan, it went back to switzerland with him, then we met up in australia and I ended up sleeping in it in tasmania - and then 6 months later again in canada when he came over for a hike there.

On the bright side, I've been in gear stores in Austraila. I almost had a heart attack at what they charge for hiking gear in Melbourne.

You can order online from stores like MEC in canada, or REI in the states, or from smaller gear producers like Tarptent or Six Moon designs, etc. but the VAT and import duties may be high when you have it delivered.

Yes, a little bit odd for me to recommend Outdoor Magic particularly considering that Tarptent does sponsor this site but it had to do with the "tomorrow I am going shopping bit".
And yes, stores in Melbourne (and the rest of Australia...) are about twice as expensive as in the US and Canada (no REI nor MEC here).
Our wages are a bit higher but not that much.
Mind you , the UK and particularly the Scandinavian countries are also dearer than over there, including European brands.
(a lot of that has to do with wages/rents/taxes...)
Franco

Thx for the info! All recommendations are appreciated always...
the shit in europe is that we
1) don't have as good a selection as you guys
2) we pay trough our bloody noses for everything ... take dollar sign and put euro sign and add 20% seems like the correct formula in use ...

When I'll in a year or 2 I'm definitely going to stock up ... cheers

Won't help for this trip, but for long-term outfitting, would make-it-yourself be anything you're interested in?

You might check the "Hiking in Finland" blog for some information on European manufacturers, especially of good lightweight gear. He has links to blogs from other European countries as well. I'm sorry I forgot about this source when responding earlier!

Decathlon stores some decent and cheap gear, though not exactly ultralight (except some rare items). It's a ggod starting point.
The Forclaz 50 is used by many lightweight backpackers in France with modest budget (I own one of the first generation, but prefer DIY stuf...)
The T2 (T3, T4 too) ultralight tent is also popular, easy to use with or without the inner chamber.
Their sleeping bags are quite reliable
Quechua sleeping pads are on the very heavy side, and not so good.
Don't know about Spain, but next door in France you can find well known brands and Raidlight gear (more aimed at race and mountain marathon, but carries hiking gear) in some stores (Expé, Le Vieux Campeur, GoSport, Intersport...) , and though most people buy online from the US, UK, Poland and Germany, we have at least one maker and importer, Arklight Design, and many online dealers.

When I was in Poland, Alpina seemed like the North Face equivalent, for what it's worth.