What To Do When You Can't Afford a Backcountry Setup?

I bet that if you clicked the headline then this article totally describes you. You got that urge to break away from the crowds. Resorts are overwhelmed with people and social distancing is making those lift lines extra long. The reservation system is a bust. Not to mention the huge desire to shred the backcountry slopes for the exercise, adventure and pure stoke of being out in nature.

You see the local ‘gram shots and want in. You excitedly start researching what kind of gear and knowledge that you need to get started. Then this feeling of being overwhelmed starts to creep over you. You need so much and price in the shopping cart keeps trickling upwards! You know there isn’t enough money in your bank account to make it happen.

Before you shed a tear, let’s help you figure this out. We’ve all been there before so I am going to share some tips from my crew to help you get geared up!

Shop Your Own Closet

Make a list of what gear you need to get into the backcountry. Everything from head to tip.

Next, make a list of what gear you currently own. Seems silly but if you are an outdoorsy person then you probably already have a bunch of stuff that can substitute for now.

For example, your summer trekking poles can work for splitboard skinning in a pinch. (Good idea to put on the snow baskets.). Your summer hiking pack is totally fine for a winter day excursion as long as it can accommodate all of your essentials. Even more, some friends even skip the splitboard set up and affix their regular snowboard to their pack and use snowshoes to walk into the wilderness.

I bet that you can cross a lot of needs off your list by using things you already have.

You might also hit up your friends to borrow something from their shred shed. I know some people would never lend their board or helmet but they might be totally cool with letting you borrow their beacon. It never hurts to ask and of course return the goods as soon as you are done so their backcountry days aren’t stalled.

Rent

If you are really excited about touring but apprehensive as to whether you will truly like it enough to justify the big expense,head to a local shop to rent the essentials. Nowadays you can pretty much rent anything.From beacons to skis and skins and clothing and goggles. This is a cheap way to dip your toe in. You might not have access to the sleekest of goods but at least you’ll be set to get outside and have fun.

Shop "Previously Loved" Gear

You can score some pretty sweet deals on used technical clothing and sporting equipment. Craigslist is really great for low cost stuff and you can find some really good gems. The inventory assortment might not be that great but there is a good chance that you can get something for a low cost.

Heading on to Poshmark is a great way to access a larger inventory selection. Everything from base layers to hats to socks and even technical outerwear can be found. You might not get the lowest price since Poshmark takes a 20% cut from the seller but you can still find new and used items for way under full retail. If you like a seller’s closet you can follow them to be one of the first to know about new listings. A big benefit is the 2 or 3 day shipping!

Another space to nab some good deals is on Gear Trade. This is a web-based space where people list their items for sale. This place trends more towards hard goods and more technical pieces. Shipping might not be as quick as Poshmark since it isn’t standardized but there is a good assortment. Plus they have an informative outdoor sports blog.

Scour the Sales

Google is a great way to comparison shop an item to see what retailer might have the lowest price. Sometimes it is better to go to the outdoor retailers site directly and see if there are any promos going on as they are not always carried over to the Google shopping page anymore.

While this won’t be the most economical route, you can still get a lot of stuff on sale.

Some brands are now even offering a payment plan sort of like layaway except you get the gear now and make payments on it over the course of time, similar to a credit card. Klarna is one of those and is worth checking out what the brands offer on their site.

Information is Free, Mostly

While you should never skip a formal avalanche educational course, and bummer that I have never seen a sale on those, there is plenty of supporting information available for no charge. A lot of outdoor shops and guide services are offering virtual “Intro to Backcountry” or basic avalanche awareness workshops. SheJumps recently did a very inexpensive course but there are plenty of free ones around too. It doesn’t hurt to join as many of these as you can because you can never get enough knowledge or repetition when it comes to venturing into avalanche terrain.

Additional avalanche education can be gained by reading books. “Avalanche Essentials”, by Bruce Temper, is a great book that was recommended to me by Barbara from Sierra Mountain Guides, filled with tons of important information.

As for tutorials, YouTube cannot be beat if you want to get other opinions on using skins, snowshoes or whatever other rabbit hole you might want to go down.

Hopefully this information will help you to get your backcountry setup pulled together without breaking the bank. If you need any advice, hit us up. We’re happy to help.

Look forward to seeing you on the skin track!