Guides / Gear
Budget Trekking Gear: Where to Save and Where to Spend
Outdoor gear is expensive, and marketing makes it easy to believe you need the best of everything. You don't. Plenty of people finish the Tour du Mont Blanc in Decathlon gear, and plenty of people with premium kit give up on day three because their boots never fitted.
Worth paying more for
Boots or trail shoes. Fit matters far more than brand, but a well-made boot with good grip on wet rock is where your money makes the biggest difference. Try several pairs in a shop, in the afternoon, with the socks you'll hike in. See our boot comparison.
A pack that fits your back. A pack that sits right on your hips makes 8 kg feel like 5. If a budget pack fits you better than a premium one, buy the budget one. Decathlon's Forclaz MT500 Air performed as well as packs costing twice as much in independent tests. Compare backpacks.
A proper waterproof jacket, if you're going somewhere wet. Scotland, Iceland and the Alps in a bad week will test cheap shells. That said, Decathlon's three-layer MH500 jacket is excellent value. Compare rain jackets.
Where budget gear is perfectly fine
| Item | Why budget works | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Trekking poles | Aluminium poles are heavier but tougher than carbon | Forclaz MT100, about $40 a pair |
| Headlamp | You mostly need it in huts and early starts | Forclaz HL900 or Nitecore NU25 |
| Water filter | The cheap ones use the same membrane tech | LifeStraw Peak Squeeze, about $33 |
| Base layers and fleece | Synthetic works fine for a week of hiking | Decathlon's own range |
| Down jacket for hut evenings | You're not climbing Everest | Simond MT100 or REI 650 |
Before you buy anything
- Borrow or rent for your first trek. Many outdoor shops rent tents, packs and even boots.
- Check what the huts provide. Most Alpine huts supply blankets, so you only need a liner, not a sleeping bag.
- Buy boots first, at least six weeks before you go, so you can break them in.
- Weigh everything. A light, cheap pack of gear beats a heavy, expensive one.
Not sure what you still need? Our packing list turns what you already own into a shopping list with budget and premium picks.