How much do you spend on hiking?

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How much do you spend on hiking every year?

  • $0-$300

    Votes: 23 21.1%

  • $300-$1,000

    Votes: 47 43.1%

  • $1,000-$3,000

    Votes: 19 17.4%

  • > $3,000

    Votes: 6 5.5%

  • Eek! Don't make me think about that!

    Votes: 14 12.8%
  • Total voters
    109
  • Poll closed .
I'm with Dr Wu

I run my gear into the ground.
Everything works, so I don't replace it.
It took me years to build up my equipment
and I did make some bad purchases along
the way.
I think my biggest outdoor expense is
gas for driving to trailheads!

Sabrina
 
Well, it used to be a cheap past-time until I caught that virus talked about in Rankin's thread! But I got the 11k version (I guess I didn't tend to the 4K one and it got worse:eek:!) so now my treatment calls for regular trips out West. Damn, I better cure this virus soon before it turns into the 20K version:eek:!
 
This past year was an expensive one for me as I was getting back into hiking and needed to upgrade a bunch of older gear (ie; pack, tent, boots, that plus I'm somewhat of a gear freak. I don't like the gas prices but a tankful in my Honda gets me to and and back home from most places in the Whites and Maine. That's a worthwhile price for the fun of being up in the hills and woods, IMO.

Chas.
 
Speaking of gas prices - gas in Lincoln & Woodstock, NH is always at a premium. Good places to eat, but don't gas up! Don't know why but it seems like they're always .10-.15 higher/gallon.

When I lived in VT the Jiffy Mart in Wells River, or the Cumberland Farms in Woodsville were pretty close in price and reasonable. The Irving Station near the Fabyan doesn't soak you, either, which always surprised me due to the promixity of Bretton Woods. In Twin Mtn either station (Foster's or the one on the other side of the road whose name escapes me) were also about the same as Irving. But, I avoided the Mobil Station towards Bethelem due to high prices, but it's never open early/late anyway.
 
gas too

Winter and climbing gear can be expensive. But hey, it's pumping up the GDP! But that's another story.

For three season (sans ropes) use, I find gear can be very reasonable, if I keep it simple. Heck, like many here, I spend more on the gas then the gear.
 
Everybody talks about gas. See why I take a trip by bike?

Typically, when cycle to the Adirondacks for a hike, I'll spend about $5.00-7.00 for a burger and poutine. I think my least expensive trip was $1.25.

I do take a car. In fact, that's about the only thing I use my car for. I commute by bicycle, so my car sits in my driveway between trips.
 
Pete_Hickey said:
I commute by bicycle, so my car sits in my driveway between trips.
Click to expand...

Bikes have some costs (maintenance, parts), and one has to factor in the risk of an accident. But given that avatar, the cars probably give you a wide berth!

It's off-topic, but I'm curious. What sort of chain lube do you use? Keeping the chain lubed (but clean and dry too!) is one of my pet peeves for daily bike travel.
 
Of course, spending a lot of money is not necessary. My son, who spends 5 days a week ni the mountains, bought his entire summer wardrobe (except shoes & socks) for $15. Sure he looks like a used car salesman, with his plaid polyester pants.. or the bright blue ones.

Goodwill stores can provide things inexpensively.

For many people, 'shopping' is part of the fun of the sport.


jrichard said:
It's off-topic, but I'm curious. What sort of chain lube do you use? Keeping the chain lubed (but clean and dry too!) is one of my pet peeves for daily bike travel.
Click to expand...
I have a good touring bike, an old 3-season commute bike, and a 'disposable' winter commute bike. I don't care about the clean&dry part. I don't like the daily maintenence winter riding entails, so I sacrifice ride quality. I buy inexpensive things at garage sales and ride them into the ground.

Lube: 10W30
 
0$s got all my gear at the "Free Stuff" store on Downes Brook Trail.
 
I absolutely love scouring sites for low cost gear, but I do spend a lot on gear every year - Probably $500. Thing is, though I usually sell it on EBay within 1-2 years and recoup at least 75% of the cost (especially if I bought it name brand on close-out). That is a big consideration in my being able to use "disposable" income for gear. That and the fact that I really have no other hobbies that are costly.
I drive a 4-year old Diesel Golf that gets 47-49 MPG so driving to the trail is not an issue.
All of my hiking clothes double as my regular clothes for when I am NOT in the office (otherwise Khakis and button-downs) so I really don't consider them an expense either. (Also, I am old enough so I don't care if I am fashionable or not. :D )
All-in-all I feel pretty lucky I don't have expensive hobbies, like my wife with her Creative Designs Scrapbooking - Ouch!!!! :)
 
Being a daytripper and not a winter climbing sort, I don’t spend a huge amount on gear. I buy good equipment and clothing, and most items last a long time before they become unserviceable. Much of my clothing doubles in ordinary daily service.

Right now and in recent years a major chunk of my hiking budget goes for transportation -- what with drastic increases in gasoline prices. Overnight lodging and vittles probably looms large in there, too.

My collection of maps and guidebooks grows each year, by compulsion. Need more be said about that?

One significant item in the annual budget is dues and contributions to organizations that look after my hiking interests (GMC, ADK and AHS are examples). I hold memberships in several, and ordinarily shell out a few hundred bucks a year to this account. Well worth it, in my opinion.

G.
 
Gas, gas, gas.

Pete_Hickey said:
Everybody talks about gas. See why I take a trip by bike?
Click to expand...
Yep. I found the TR you recently posted very interesting.

Grumpy said:
One significant item in the annual budget is dues and contributions to organizations that look after my hiking interests (GMC, ADK and AHS are examples). I hold memberships in several, and ordinarily shell out a few hundred bucks a year to this account.
Click to expand...
Hokey Smokes! That's a lot of clubs.
 
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pilgrim said:
Hokey Smokes! That's a lot of clubs.
Click to expand...

The organizations I support with dues and contributions look after my hiking interests in different places I enjoy hiking.

Many of the hiking opportunities I've enjoyed in 50 years of tramping around were created and secured by organizations like the GMC and ADK well before I came along. Those organizations continue to look after hikers' interests (let's not debate the details of that in this thread). I am not an "active" member in the sense of being a big time participant in organized activites. You might call my dues and contributions "conscience money" -- some small thing given back in return for the joy I've derived. Maybe it will help secure the opportunity for others' joyful hiking in the future.

G.
 
Grumpy said:
The organizations I support with dues and contributions look after my hiking interests in different places I enjoy hiking.

You might call my dues and contributions "conscience money" -- some small thing given back in return for the joy I've derived. Maybe it will help secure the opportunity for others' joyful hiking in the future.

G.
Click to expand...

I too wish I had more discretionary funds to contribute to other hiking and environmental groups. As it stands, I contribute my time and energy as a trail maintainer, and pay dues to both the AMC and RMC. I’m also seriously considering joining the ATC as well.
 
not sure what the gas and food talies work out to, but otherwise, I proably spend in the low hundreds. This year my big purchase was $200 on snowshoes, then $30 or so each on rain pants and a hydration bladder. Other than that it was just some under $15 items: Glove liners, batteries, leki pole locks, stuff like that.

I have found that hiking is expensive in the "initial investment" department, but its not like a lot of things where you have to keep spending and spending. I admittedly have a few thousand dollars in gear, but when the shelf life of packs, tents, sleeping bags (had mine over half my life) are in the decade plus range, and boots are close to that(actually my dayhikers are about 12 and going strong, backpackers need replacing at 7), its not so bad. If I spend under $300 on gear a year its not too bad. As much as it adds up over time, consider the alternatives:

Skiing (my other beloved hobby), where you've got lift tickets which can reach hundreds a year(my threedom was over 300), golfing - which I don't want to think about, and even my gym membership is 300+ a year; hiking starts to look like it is in fact an inexpensive hobby afterall!
 
How about this one? It's costing me completing a college degree!!

Since I started hiking seriously last summer, I put off taking courses each semester to instead do "an independent study of Mountaineering 101" or maybe by this time, it's already a higher level course!! :D

I think it's been worth it as I have a great instructor-hiking buddy! :)
 
I spend a couple of hundred a year on hiking, which includes the lawn sales, Goodwill, retail stores, and food. But, the gas just to get to the Whites is getting a little steep, so I'm planning longer trips less often and doing more cycling instead.
 
Hmmmmm, good question, lets see now

** Edit **

I spend alot, way more than your "bottom total"......
 
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