Category: Gear Reviews & Buying Guides
Getting into outdoor activities can become expensive surprisingly quickly. Whether you're interested in shooting sports, walking, camping, fishing or simply spending more time outdoors, there always seems to be another piece of equipment that you could buy.
The good news is that you don't necessarily need the most expensive equipment in every category.
The trick is working out which items are worth spending more on and where a good budget option can do the job perfectly well.
1. Where It Can Be Worth Spending More
- Footwear: Good boots can make a big difference on a long walk, outdoor trip or shooting day. Comfort, fit, support and weather protection are often more important than simply finding the cheapest option.
- Optics: If you're buying binoculars, a scope or other optical equipment, better glass can make a noticeable difference in clarity and performance, particularly in poor light.
- Waterproof Clothing: A reliable waterproof jacket can be one of the most useful pieces of outdoor clothing you own.
- Equipment You Depend On: For anything that is safety-related or likely to be used heavily, buying from a reputable manufacturer and choosing equipment appropriate for the job is usually more important than simply chasing the lowest price.
- General Accessories: Bags, storage pouches, field seats and many everyday accessories don't necessarily need to cost a fortune.
- Mid-Layers: Fleece and other insulating layers can often be found at reasonable prices without sacrificing useful performance.
- Camping Accessories: Basic cooking equipment, storage containers and other camping accessories can often be bought economically.
- Lighting: There are plenty of reasonably priced torches and headlamps that are perfectly suitable for general outdoor use.
The right equipment depends heavily on what you actually do outdoors.
Someone spending most weekends walking on local trails will have different priorities from someone going camping, fishing or spending time at a shooting range.
Before spending more money, it can be worth asking:
- How often am I going to use it?
- Will I be using it in difficult weather?
- Is comfort particularly important?
- Does durability matter for the way I use it?
- Is there a cheaper alternative that does everything I actually need?
- Am I paying for useful features or simply a more expensive brand?
There isn't necessarily one answer.
For some people, a good pair of boots will be the most important purchase. For others it might be a waterproof jacket, binoculars, a backpack, camping equipment or something specific to their particular outdoor activity.
Likewise, an expensive piece of equipment isn't automatically the best choice for everyone.
Sometimes the best purchase is simply the piece of equipment that does the job reliably and gets used regularly.
Over to You: Where Do You Invest?
- What's the one piece of outdoor equipment you think is worth spending more on?
- What's the best budget piece of gear you've bought?
- Have you ever bought an expensive item and decided that a cheaper alternative would have done just as well?
- If you were putting together a basic outdoor kit from scratch, what would you buy first?