Spending time outdoors is fun and rejuvenating for everyone involved; however, preparing for it can be a different ball game, especially the equipment you might need for the trip. From the tent to shoes and the backpack, it can get costly, especially if you’re going for quality ones.
If it’s your first time, getting quality equipment might be in your best interest since you want everything to be perfect. But with the cost of the hiking gear, you might find it a little bit expensive. With that in mind, how will you save money on hiking gear? Here are some tips that you will find useful:
Borrow Gear
The cheapest way, of course, is to get them for free. If you have a friend who is into hiking and climbing, they might have some extra gear that they’re willing to lend you. Also, if you’ve joined a hiking club recently, some of your peers might have some extra on them that they can lend you.
Some people are kind that way, and if they are willing to let you borrow from them, always take care of their equipment. Also, you might have a bigger chance of them letting you borrow if your schedule doesn’t coincide with theirs.
Shop Discount Online Sites
If you’re unwilling to borrow and have a budget to buy new ones, looking for online shops running discounts might let you save a ton of money. Checking sites like backcountry.com, cotopaxi.com, or moosejaw.com can be a good option.
These sites also offer discounts for discontinued equipment apparel lines replaced by newer and improved ones on their original website. You can check that the equipment and apparel you saw on these sites were highly priced months earlier but have been replaced and are now available for a discounted price.
Buy Used Gear
If you want to save even more money, you can buy used gear for your trip. It’s more sustainable and economical anyway. When looking for used equipment, you can check online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc.
Make sure you’re buying from a reputable seller, and always ask to check out the goods first. There are a lot of horror stories in online marketplaces, but thankfully, they are far and few in between.
Join Email Lists of Your Favorite Brands
If you’re aiming for a specific brand but are always late when they’re running for discounts and promotions, then joining their email lists will get you notified faster. Many favorite brands are running email lists for people who want to be updated on their promotions and discounts.
Brands don’t like to run promotions all the time, but when they do, joining their email lists is one way to get notified immediately. Getting email notifications might be annoying for some, but if you’re looking for discounts and promotions for your favorite brands, this is one email you don’t want to miss.
Go for a Loan
You may opt for a personal loan if you can’t buy hiking gear because your salary is not here yet. Loans, especially personal loans, are flexible, which means they can be used for almost anything, including buying hiking gear.
You might think that loans are too big of a deal in proportion to merely buying hiking gear, but you can go for loans as small as $100 that you can pay for in full once your salary arrives or monthly. They’re also very accessible since you can apply for them through the internet on sites like CreditNinja.com.
Consider Other Brands
As consumers, we always want the best out of our money. Many times, the best hiking gear can come from popular yet pricey brands. However, if you’re trying to save money but don’t want to compromise on safety, consider lesser-known, reliable brands when picking out your hiking gear.
We all know that saving up money on gear can be great, but lowering standards and quality for the sake of saving up is a bad idea. Sure, you saved up big, but you’re setting yourself up for what could have been avoidable accidents and injuries. When going for alternative brands, make sure to inspect the gear before purchasing.
It would also be best to store and take care of the equipment properly to avoid any damage that could compromise its function. When you’re out hiking, you’d never want to be in a situation where an important piece of equipment fails on you unexpectedly.
Final Words
Hiking gear can be expensive, which is probably why you’re looking for ways to save money when buying them. Luckily for you, there are many ways to save money while shopping for hiking gear; follow the tips we discussed above. So the next time you go on a hiking trip, you won’t break the bank preparing for it.
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