I remember that challenge - I was trying to equip myself and my 12-year-old son at that point. We used tarps because they were cheaper than tents, and accepted that we'd be scratching the 15 or 20 mosquito bites for a week after the trip; we used ponchos because the money we saved over rainsuits paid for a couple of Camp Trails Adjustable II packs. We carried 35 or 40 pounds for the weekend because we couldn't afford all the nice, light North Face, Kelty, Gregory, Lowe, and Marmot stuff. The money had to go to everyday bills, instead. We did dream, though!

Making cost a priority, and making choices about gear based on a budget is absolutely proper. The nice thing is that, nowadays, it's getting harder to find really crappy gear among even the lower-priced stuff. Prices now tend to reflect weight and gee-whiz function, not overall quality differences.

Good, functional gear has always been possible; high-end gear has been a luxury I could only afford over the last 10 years or so. I've enjoyed it, but I've never forgotten that high-end is not the only valid choice, nor is it remotely essential to enjoying being in the woods and mountains.