Yikes guys! There are so many things going on in this thread that I'm getting sensory overload and don't even know what to respond to! Lots of great comments, ideas, and opinions.

Jim, I think your idea of "found gear" might be more appealing to the majority of people. Someone mentioned buying a cup of coffee on the way to the trailhead and using that in camp and I like that idea--clearly not stealing and also recycling (or at least re-using). Using stuff from home that you already have is good too. There are many resources you can draw upon to get free or nearly free gear if you're not comfortable with the idea of sneaking into a Starbucks to grab a few sugar packets.