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Why does nobody talk about how a $20 headlamp from the gas station saved my whole trip in the Smokies?
Mine died on the first night, and a guy at the next site loaned me his spare, which was just some no-name thing he grabbed on the drive. It was brighter and lasted longer than my fancy one. What's the best cheap piece of gear that's actually worked for you?
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bettywilson1mo ago
That rest stop poncho story is a classic, but I have to push back a little on the rain jackets. A good one shouldn't just soak through. The cheap plastic keeps water out, but it also traps all your sweat inside. You end up wet from condensation instead of rain. A proper breathable shell, even a basic one, manages that moisture so you don't get clammy and cold on long hikes.
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charlesb891mo ago
My old man's $5 poncho from a rest stop vending machine has been in my pack for a decade. It's outlasted two expensive rain jackets that just soaked through.
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