just for fun lets say you were on a budget of $250
for a 3 season 2 person tent and a sleeping bag which ones would you buy and why feel free to answer however you like but please don t say i would save more and buy a tarptent or lunar duo
or other tent
if the budget was $250 for both items which would it be
for me i think i would buy the kelty teton 2 tent
and a $100 synthetic bag from rei or backcountry.com
for the guy who islooking to get into backpacking on the cheap this thread might become pretty informative lol
thanks guys
divr6347

My first stop would be the REI outlet where you can find several different tent and bag selections. Next would be Sierra trading post, then campmor.
REI might get the nod due to 20% discount options several times each year.

I'd get a simple tarp (like the Equinox 8x10 from Campmor) and put more $ into the sleeping bag. Might be able to go for down--the Campmor down bag or the REI SubKilo bags still available from REI Outlet (ordered one of those yesterday for oldest grandson, $135 with the extra coupon that expired yesterday, should last him into adulthood). Maybe get some netting yardage to drape from tarp to keep the bugs off.

The above combination would be a lot lighter than an inexpensive (i.e., heavy) tent and synthetic bag, and a down bag would last longer than the synthetic (especially cheap synthetic).

As mentioned, watching for sales is really important when you're on a budget!

I agree with oregonmouse and would thhrough in a heavy duty green trash bag as a ground cloth.

Since you're only including one sleeping bag in your list, I'm going to make the assumption that you're taking solo trips. This raises the question, would you be willing to use a solo tent instead of a two person tent? If so, go to REI's website Outlet and look at the REI Chrysalis solo tent: 3 pounds, which isn't hatefully heavy, and $125. Combine that with a 3.5 pound REI Downtime 20 degree bag, also $125 at the Outlet, and you've met your price goal at a total weight 6.5 pounds, which isn't bad for the budget you specify.

If the two-person tent is a must-have, try the REI Half-Dome 2 HC, on sale right now for $125 - you can still have the down bag. (Or, you can buy any of a number of synthetic bags on the Outlet site for less than $125, and use the rest of your budget to buy some punctuation. )

I totally agree with the opinion to get a quality down bag first. It will last you a long time.

great suggestions guys
like i stated in my original post this thread is just for fun to find out what everyone would choose for gear given a tight budget situation there seems to be a lot of good gear out there that a person can obtain for not a lot of cash
its not ultralight of course but a good starting point for someone new looking to try backpacking
i took a break from hiking for about 3 yrs and when i decided to go again i started with a 4lb slumberjack synthetic +20
bag and a 6 lb eureka 2 man tent i got the tent on sale at wally world for a whopping $30
i got the bag from a local sporting goods place for $40
so i had $70 plus tax in the two items
got rained on the very first night i used the tent in the sierras but it had storm shield on it so it did great and the bag
served me well for the first year back in hiking but the 10 lb
combined weight finally had to go
hopefully someone will find this thread and everyones info here useful
as to sleeping bags if i were on the $250 budget the campmor
down bag suggested earlier would be a good choice but i may also try and find a mountain hardwear lamina 20 synthetic bag on sale i have this bag and love it 3 lbs and packs down like a down bag usually you can find them on sale for around $130
very warm bag too
it does pay to shop around for the best deals usually one of the many online gear retailers have gear on sale
divr6347

Hennesey Hammock - $139 CAD at MEC
MEC Cygnet Down bag (-10C rated) $130 at MEC
MEC Raven down mummy (0C rated) $128 at MEC

REI sub-kilo bag at REI outlet - $159 http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/780903

To get an actualy full-on three season tent of any sort of quality you'll have difficulty, and might need to go to wal-mart stuff or find a used one. if you tarp it or hammock it and/or make something yourself it's a little easier.

If you were to do that (go real cheap on the tent or tarp/hammock and/or make some of your own) I would encourage you to spend more of your budget on a sleeping bag. a good quality down bag is not cheap, but will last and will save you weight.

I'd get a Traveler hammock from Warbonnet for about 70-80, some silnylon to make a tarp, and a down quilt kit from Thru Hiker. Pick up a foam pad and I'd be good to go down to about freezing.

I agree completely, other than I'd buy the silnylon tarp from campmor for 50 bucks. I positively despise trying to sew silnylon as the materiel simply laughs at my ineptitude with it's slipperyness

For me the 50 bucks is more than worth it instead of the aggravation of trying to sew one good seam, and hem 32 linear feet of silnylon

While a lot of money can be saved with MYOG (Make Your Own Gear for the unintiated), not all of us have sewing skills. And, as Phat mentions, silnylon is not the easiest fabric to work with. There are a lot of low-budget backpacking gear lists out there.

In the Archives, from a year ago, there's a big thread: $200 and 20-lb. Challenge It did go into a bit of a squabble on Boy Scout requirements for Philmont trips, but there are lots of good ideas out there.

Mark Verber has some great links on his website: "Backpacking for Cheap." (One of them is the above-cited thread.)

There's a good "Ultralight on a Budget" list on the Gossamer Gear Website.

There are lots of Scouting lists (mostly free to nonsubscribers) over at Backpacking Light. Quite a few involve staying light while still meeting the Philmont requirements and keeping the costs down.

Further warning about MYOG.
I am a keen follower of those treads because some of the stuff folk come up with is indeed very clever. However I have also noticed that very often the final product is the third ,fourth (or whatever ) prototype and by then even an off the shelf top of the line version would have been a lot cheaper.
Of course for most , MYOG is done for fun as a hobby, but if it is just about saving money it may not work out as expected.
Franco

Bag:
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___40065

tent:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___28317

might have enough left over for a cozy and photogenic hat

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___66581

8x10 Equinox sil tarp, $80
Campmor 20-F down bag, $120
plastic trash bag ground sheet, <$1
mosquito head net, if needed, <$5
8 good stakes and some light guylines should be less than $20

"Further warning about MYOG."

Agreed, and as you went on to say, MYOG is done by some for fun as a hobby. Thus I think there are different categories of MYOG folks (or at least projects). One extreme are the MYOG addicts that love to push the limit and/or try out something unique --- and then share their results with others so-inclined on appropriate forum threads. I really appreciate these people --- I'm sure a lot of innovation that we all ultimately have access to comes about through this sort of thing.

Another extreme is someone with at least modest sewing skills and access to a sewing machine and perhaps a few simple tools --- that person then using patterns & instructions to make well-described items, perhaps from kits --- Ray-way, or other things found via links such as Mark Verber's site or this one. Folks more focused on saving money also have the option to customize their gear, of course, but they hopefully don't need to go through multiple prototypes before they get it right if working off of a tested pattern.

That said, I've done almost no MYOG stuff myself, so this is an external observation only (!).

Indeed. but the OP asked about a 3season tent.

if he's willing to tarp or hammock there are cheaper options.

Campmor Goose Down 20 Degree Mummy Sleeping Bag Long
Item #: 40066
Our Price: $129.99 reg. $119.99
Regular Price: $149.99
Savings: $20.00
Eureka Apex 2 XT - Tent
Item #: 28104
Our Price: $119.99
plus S&H should come to around $250.00

Tent

Then spend the rest for a good bag.

In addition to the links that OregonMouse (OM) gave, there is a similar thread over on Sgt Rocks site:

http://hikinghq.net/300_challenge.html


Note to new members....using the Search feature can find you lots of interesting info! And be sure and check out the archives. I think there are tips in the Admin section on how to search past years most efficiently.

Tango

You're right, Glenn. Someone removed the comma and the period keys from the keyboard.

They got the caps keys too!

How about a slightly damaged bag that can be easily fixed.
Marmot Sawtooth 95%
Or better yet
Marmot Pinnacle 125$
For shelter if a tarp is ok
Alpinlite 8x10 Tarp 84$
if not get a
BetaLight 127$ and some 24$ treking poles from wally world

Depends on the temperatures you want to go out in.

If you want a good three season tent, I'd get a Timberline 2 ($129 at Campmor; can probably go for less if you get it from Johnson Outdoor's factory seconds sales) and one of the Lamina series of bags (Lamina 45 runs for about $109) or a Marmot Pounder (also about $100).

The Timberline is a 3.5 season tent; I've been out in it in Jersey summer heat, when it is sleeting, and when it is freezing cold. Good airflow for the summer w/ the windows open. When the windows are closed, we usually found ourselves 10-20 degrees warmer inside than outside, particularly after the tent had a chance to warm up. Weight is an issue; less so if you get a Timberline 4 and split the tent 4 ways.

Steadman

Wow, I'd forgotten all about the good ole' Timberline. Used one of those for about 10 years, and never had any complaints about its performance. Of course, it weighs a ton - but for the price, a definite recommendation.

Hmm well first I shopped on ebay for two monthes till i bought a new Mountain smith cross country pack for 64.00 Dicks sporting goods had a clearence sale on 0 degree field and stream mummy bags for 59.00 that leaves 122.00 Oh buy the way after the holidays I will test temp rating of the bag on the deck. I will post my results! Maybe it is junk but it had excellent reviews. Bought a grease can at wally world for a pot 6.00 . I purchased 20 yards of sil nylon at noah lamport and am curently making a jones tent 2. I made a alcohol stove out of miller cans after the second try that is awsome! Salvaged a piece of tyvek from a construction dumpster for a ground cloth. I am a laid off Construction worker with more time than money! So how am I doing?