The Great (low budget) Hiking Guide and Thread

[Newfag14]

Work in Progress
(next big update aprox. on the 10.08.25 and early September 2025 )

Many changes will be made over time.
A lot will be reformated and reordered because it's a vast topic to tackle.
I'm happy about any contributions, help or feedback.

Due to the lack of an actually good, active hiking thread here, I'm working on a comprehensive guide for (low budget) hiking, wich should also spark discussions and recomendations around that hobby.

Disclaimers:
I'm a broke retard that mostly just toughs it out.
My estimated money values are based on european Decathlon, Amazon, E-bay prices, rounded up, for decent(ish) low budget gear.
This thread is mainly for the broke but I will also put in sections talking about more expensive gear.
I'm obviously biased against sources that are sponsored or post tons of affiliate links. Advice from anons will be prefered.

I write a lot of stuff that might be obvious here but remember, not everyone is as expirienced as you, people also simply forget stuff due to haste.

For everyone 100% new to the hobby stumbling upon this Thread/Guide:
Rejoice!
The barrier to entry is way cheaper / lower then you'd think!

The actual contents of this OP so far are:

1: Advice and Basics:

Blisters

Basic Maintanance

Dressing for weather:
Use Layers
Bodyheat
wind, rain,
sun, terrain
basic comentary on materials.

Water (and Food):

Basic Backpacks

Hiking poles (yes use them)

Moral, Sleep, Fear, Stress

Why looks and style are important

Learn to navigate with maps

2: Equipment and packing lists
+ basic camping set ups.


I will add more on topics and update the list of contents with stuff like:

Food and how to calculate how much to bring
More detailed Equipment spergery about:
Boots
Expensive materials and fancy stuff
Tarps, Tents, Sleeping bags
More money-safers
Maybe decentish video equipment for documenting a hike.


I will gladly add and shout out contributions from the replys to this guide/thread.

1: Advice and Basics:

Blisters:

Spoiler: All about Blisters and how to keep your feet healthy

Keep your feet dry-ish and consider that friction causes blisters, wich can also get infected.
=>Always keep yourself clean, especially your feet and use an antitranspirant footspray or footpowder. (it's only ~2€ per can)

Compeed™ brand products are overpriced in general and their well advertised Anti-Blister-stick will yield mixed results.

Off-brand blistercare products are good enough.

( In the rare case I get a blister, I usually just improvise with what's at hand => Kinesiologie-tape, some gauze/tissiues/cloth , disinfect/ antispetic cream / golden star balm)

Kinesiologie-tape can also be used to add an extra layer of protection for your skin when walking in new boots or when wearing ill fitting shoes.

Wear hiking socks (~5€ a pair) and active/work gel insoles from Scholl™ f.e. (~10€-15€) to further improve hygiene, shock absorbtion, less friction...
===> Those things also lower the barrier to entry. If your shoes fit and are kinda waterproof, those insoles compensate for a lot.

This advice should also be helpfull for people that have jobs were a lot of walking is required.


Basic Maintanance:

Always keep your gear clean and never delay maintaining it, following the instructions on the laundry lables / instruction manual.
Nothing sucks more then boots/clothing letting in water because you forgot to re-apply waterproofing spray or waterproofing shoe cream / wax.
You'll also save money that way since your stuff will last waaaaay longer.
I heard from @Norwegian Trailer Trash that investing in some sail-tape can fix and waterproof a lot of equipment in a pinch.
Very recomended for camping and might be worth to have on multi day hikes.

Also just have a needle, (fishing line as) thread, a small chunk of hot glue and a lighter. That stuff goes a long way when patching up stuff on the go and doesn't add any real extra weight.


Dressing for weather:
Check the Weather
Basic comentary on materials.
Use Layers
Rain, Bodyheat, Wind
Drying clothes.
Sun
Terraine

Check the Weather:
Always check the weather report => dress accordingly. (more info below)
Consider to just always have a rainponcho (~10€) in your backpack since it can also be used as a picnic blanket or also cover another person in a pinch.


Basic comentary on Materials:

Never use cotton clothing for outdoors wear. "Cotton kills" as the saying goes.
Not only is cotton less durable than synthetic fabrics like polyester it has a complete inability to wick away any moisture. It's also very inefficient at retaining body heat. In hot climates this leads to discomfort, but in winter climates this can lead to conditions for hypothermia which can quickly kill you.
Polyester/nylon/synthetic are the best materials for outdoor clothing in warm environments. Wool (merino) / wool lining is the best for cold climates

Use Layers:

Clothing should always be considered in layers. You'll want a basic layering system that is relative to your environment. The idea is that you start out for the coldest weather, and be able to remove or put back on layers. (quoted contributions by 888Flux )

Bodyheat, Wind, Rain:

Consider the ventilation properties of clothes.
Ponchos, budget rainjackets or rainpants tend to have bad ventilation so you could be sweating/heating up a lot when wearing them.
===>
Don't underestimate your bodyheat when moving around but also that you can get cold and sweaty very quickly when you rest.
===>
Wind will also cool you down a lot so keep the windbreaking properties of clothing in mind, especially if the temperatures are already cold.
Wind + sweat / rain + cold temperatures not even in the freezing range will fuck you up.

Most people forget about the propertys of their pants !
Are they kinda waterproof ? do you have a backup long poncho or rainpants (~10€ each) to keep them dry ?

Drying clothes:
How fast clothes dry also play an important role, even more so if it's a multi day hike where you need to wash them on the go.
=> Investing in some basic cheap 10€ synthetic sport shirts is worth it, same goes for pants or underwear.
(Yes I know about micro plastics.)
Always avoid to much heat in to little time since clothes/footwear might shrink or get damaged.
When hiking with a partner, you can tie a clothesline to each other and hang your laundry to dry on it.
Needs some practice but It's worth since it's a really fun thing to do.


Sunburn is a bitch.
Never forget to bring sunscreen or keep your skin covered if it's sunny outside.
Remember that your sweat can remove the applied sunscreen.
Consider that snow reflects UV-light and that snowblindness is a thing.
=> Don't forget your hats, scarfs, gloves, bandanas and UV-blocking sunglasses, maybe even get a ~6-10€ Shemagh and learn to tie it.
Also just stop being bald
Terrain:
More on that later: placeholder...
Another thing that lowers the barrier to entry is:
You don't always have to wear full on boots, your regular shoes could be enough.
Some light cheap (trail) running shoes (~30€) with the mentioned ~10€ gel insoles + spray can be enough depending on the route and dry weather.
This might be a superstition but:
Never run or fastwalk on a flat surface right after walking a few hours in difficult terrain.
90% of the twisted ankles I got is because I forget to follow this advice, but then again, I am a retard.

Drinkingwater (and Food):

In any case bring some water, at least like 1 liter / 2 pints / 33.oz, even if it's a very short hike.
I'm a stainlesssteel , boil-proof waterbottle (~10€ ) guy but any not leaking container is fine tbh.
Water bladders are also a thing and can be more convenient, store better, cleaning might be a pain tho.
Longer hikes, more heat, more sweating, less refill scources en route = more water you have to carry
Dehydration is a bitch, so better be safe then sorry, worst case you'll carry a bit more weight and stay extra hydrated.
Have some emergency water purification pills on multi-day hikes, filter mechanically first, then chemically.
Don't drink water in the wild unless you 100% know what you are doing.
Cucumbers are like 95% water so they are also a legit way to hydrate yourself.

Food is way to broad of a topic and I might add a section about it some other time.
Just remember to add some fiber in your diet and don't upset your stomache, avoid foods that spoil fast, more so if eating out...
I also recomend eating a whole bunch of rucola / arugula / beet greens before and during multi day hikes if you happen to come across (super)markets.
Stuff got tons of minerals like magnesium, potassium and vitamins.
100% bring magnesium pills and other basic supplements for long hikes, creatin is also great to have.


Basic Backpacks:

A backpack should at the very least have an abdominal (and sternum) belt and some ok-ish padding for the shoulders/back.
For 40€ you can easily get a good 40L US Assaultpack wich is pretty much enough for most hikes and you can add tons of modifications like pouches, better padding, etc for cheap.
A backpack raincover is a must buy and is only like 5€.

For specific hikes and trailrunning, sling bags can be worth while. They are perfect for light loads, quick acess to equipment and mobility. credit to el_4aba7 for the trick of improvising a sling bag out of a backpack by simply tying the shoulderstraps together.


Hiking poles :
USE THEM!!!

Your knees will thank you and your entire hike will be more comfortable.
It's fine to walk without them on shorter hikes but they are a game changer for longer ones.
When hiking in the mountains they will also help you keep your balance better on a rocky or snowy/frozen path.
They can also assist you in climbing steep, snowy/frozen terrain in their short configuration.

There are risks though:

Hiking poles are not a substitute for a good sense of balance and having a careful step in difficult terrain.
You can also get your Hiking poles stuck between rocks without realizing and loose your balance in the process to pull them out. I saw multiple times how people got injured that way

Always be aware of the pointy bits of Hiking poles.
Handle them carefully since you can easily poke an eye out of a person walking behind you on a steep trail.
Store them pointy bit down in your backpack.

For like ~30€ you can already get an OK pair of hiking poles and for ~ you can even get a 50€ pair with shock absorption springs in em' wich are fun to walk with.

The free and trad alternative would be to carve some out of some sturdy branches.


Moral, Fear, Stress, Sleep

Hiking can be boring so having preloaded audiobooks, podcast or even some friends to tag along is great to have.

Carry a small snack as a little treat.

If you feel demotivated don't quit mid hike, just take some time to rest a little and carry on.
Stop thinking about anything, be it about the process of walking or all the random thoughts you might have, just walk and walk and walk some more. Hiking can even be a spiritual experience if you have the right mindset and are into that kind of stuff.
Hiking in the mountains, in dangerouse terrain, will 100% make a you a better man since it will force you to face your fear of death when the only way forward is to cling to a rusty metal rope, not slipping on the narrow path in front of you.
wich brings me to the next point:

Sleep and how you might get problems due to adrenalin and stress.
Always leave time for proper rest when hiking for weeks on end. There is a real risk of getting a psychosis due to lack of sleep.
The quality of sleep will be bad if you are constantly in stressfull situations and sleep where you don't feel 100% safe.
This can all compound into a night where the brain is simply staying way to wired in order to fall asleep or makes you wake up at the slightest sounds. Sometimes the feeling of falling asleep can trigger a violent wake up mechanism since it clashes with the hightened sense of paranoia a sleep deprived brain has.
Such a state of mind is very dangerous and can lead to a mental break down.
As a side note: Many homeless people also find themselves in that situation and start drinking because of that, wich just makes things worse since the sleep induced through alcohol is of a extremly low quality.

Why looks and style are important :

When buying stuff, always ask the question if you could wear or use it in your day to day life.
Avoid looking like a neon coloured retard at all costs, always choose simple black/monochrome designs for your gear and clothing.
Even if hiking turns out to be a short lived hobby, you'd still have high quality clothing/gear that can be used for other stuff

You can always just wear a 5€ light high visibility vest if you want to be seen walking around in the wild.
Also looking like a overly geared up, obnoxious tourist will not leave a good first impression.
You should ALWAYS practice personal hygiene to further increase the chances of having a positive interactions with the people you might meet while hiking.

Learn to navigate with maps! :

Get good [...moistiure proof, durable...] maps and [them] check frequently until you get a feel for [the time you walked and the distance you travled], so [know] I'm HERE on the map, here's what I should generally expect from the terrain, I should be X minutes from this intersection with another trail, a road, the campsite, my car, whatever (it doesn't take long to develop this skill really if you're hiking frequently). Then you don't have to check as often but still do it regularly. Don't rely on muh phone GPS or even maps downloaded on your phone. Get quality physical maps and learn how to use them, you'll get big confidence from doing so and it could save you hours of unplanned walking or even your life fr ( quoted contribution from draggs , edits are in [ ... ])

(maybe someone could suggest a good tutorial video for learning how to navigate with maps that I could link.
The more fool proof the content, the better)



2: Equipment and packing lists

This is my default equipment and packing list, I even got around in the Alps for weeks with it in the spring/summer.
Things written in green colour are optional to pack dependent on the weather and duaration of the hike but are still must have things if you pursue this hobby.
Things written in blue are more of a luxury and are rarely worth the additional weight, they are fine for a camping trip tho.
A +1 is an aditional pair to pack for multi day/week hikes)

Poncho 10~30€

Light windbreaking rain jacket for 75-100€
Slip on rainpants 10€

A decent pair of boots for like a 100€ with basic 15€ Insoles
(100€ is a good minimum price, a more comprehensive section about boots + prices will be added)

hikingpants with detacheble pantlegs for like 70€ (+1)

Light sport shorts 10€

Flip flops 5-10€

Basic Softshell-jacket for 30€

Synthetic sport T-shirts 10-15€ each. (+1 or +2)

A basic Backpack + a rain cover for 40-75€

Basic light construction- or winter-gloves for 5-15€

A least 1 1liter / 35oz steel waterbottle 10€
(alternativly a water bladder for 20-50€ can be more handy, some people struggle with cleaning them tho)

decent hiking socks, per pair 5€ (+2)
(also worth going more expensive on them)

fast drying boxerbriefs, per pair 10€ (+2)

Hikink poles ~ 35€
===> with shockabsorbtion ~50€

Thermal underwear + top 30~80€

A Shemagh 10€

UV blocking sunglasses / clip-ons 10€


Misc stuff wich can vary in price a lot / is a consumable:

A knife
(I carry a cheap, lightweight 10€ diving knife, shortened to a legal blade lenght)

A some sort of pen + paper

a wrist watch
(I'm a Casio 30€ black digital watch kinda guy)

A compas + map
camping cutlery 5€

Sunscreen,

Tick-spray/puller

Basic (dental) hygine products + skincare,

A small roll of sail tape (will fix an water proof holes)
A bit of high grade ducttape wrapped onto hikingsticks for emergency use
(Thx again norwegian trailer trash)

Boot cream/wax

Some Cash

A Tube of Rei (laundry soap for travellers) higly recomend to learn to use it effectivly

At least 1 quality lighter

Food (a very broad topic that would need it's own section)

A small piece of candel,

A bit of thread and needles , I use fishingline as thread

A lightsource like:
A headlamp with red light (easier on the eyes) ~15-20€
A flashlight (very situational, a headlamp is 95% the better choice)
A compact lantern like a Galileo collapsible lantern

A powerbank

Camping gas cooker
(I consider that one a pure luxury that I only carry If I'm having a hiking/picnic date)

A bit of paracord, + cheapo carabiner hooks for drying clothes (on the go),

Zip-lock bags of diferent sizes, also to store clothes in em for a tidy backpack

First aid suplies (desinfectent, some gauze, medical tape + bandage, aspirin/ibuprofen/ sleeping pills)

Some water purification pills for an emergency.

Some magnesium pills
and maybe even a buch of other specific vitamin/mineral pills and creatin for good measure.


If you want to set up camp, throw in:

A tarp for like 40€ (3mx5m are more fun then those basic 3x3 4x4 ones, less tutorials for those tho, more weight)

(Alternativly there should be ok'ish 120€ scout tents that weight like 2,5 kg but are way more luxurious then tarps)

Some lanyard/rope/tent-herrings for 10€

A foldable isolation matt for 30€

A sleeping bag for 30-100€ depending on the wheather

Alternatively one can go the Hammock route:

You can get a decent DD Hammock for ~ 50€
The webbing suspension, can be swapped out for Whoopie Slings and tree huggers.
Mosquitonets and other additions can be made depending on what climate you are in.


So yeah, for easily less then 1000€ you should be reasonably comfortamble and set for countless years to go on all kinds of adventures in pretty much any weather.

This is still a work in progress and I'm happy to read suggestions
I'm writing this to work on my english skills, refining my packinglist(s) for my next hiking trips in the alps,
and as a public service to inspire people to pick up hiking and get into shape.

 

[XL xQgg?QcQCaTYDMjqoDnYpG]

Appreciate your post, but I feel it would be more appropriate in https://kiwifarms.st/forums/self-sufficiency.136/ as opposed to Prospering Grounds

EDIT: Mod moved the thread, thanks

 

[Newfag14]

Appreciate your post, but I feel it would be more appropriate in https://kiwifarms.st/forums/self-sufficiency.136/ as opposed to Prospering Grounds

Oh, I thought it was a place where people collaborate on threads before they go public in general, regardless of the ultimate destination of the thread, my bad

 

[Nicholas Gur]

Personally I think water bladders are the way to go over bottles, you can pack them easier, and the tube lets you drink without having to unpack/repack or carry the bottle constantly. Obviously its nice to have a decent bottle if you're on a long term trip and want something to store and possibly boil water in, but for the bulk of water storage I love using bladders.

Right now im looking into an affordable but still quality hammock. I'm not a fan of mats or tents and would rather just stay off the ground entirely. If youre going to overspend anywhere though i'd do it on boots and extra socks.

 

[WhatInTheActualFuck]

Awesome thread and relevant to my interests. Portable light sources are also not a terrible idea. Nebo makes some fantastic inexpensive stuff:

Galileo collapsible lantern

Einstein headlamp

Even if you don't buy those, get something with a red light mode, so you can avoid blinding yourself just trying to find your latrine at night.

 

[Newfag14]

Personally I think water bladders are the way to go over bottles, you can pack them easier, and the tube lets you drink without having to unpack/repack or carry the bottle constantly. Obviously its nice to have a decent bottle if you're on a long term trip and want something to store and possibly boil water in, but for the bulk of water storage I love using bladders.

Right now im looking into an affordable but still quality hammock. I'm not a fan of mats or tents and would rather just stay off the ground entirely. If youre going to overspend anywhere though i'd do it on boots and extra socks.

great points, added them into the thread

 

[Newfag14]

Awesome thread and relevant to my interests. Portable light sources are also not a terrible idea. Nebo makes some fantastic inexpensive stuff:

Galileo collapsible lantern

Einstein headlamp

Even if you don't buy those, get something with a red light mode, so you can avoid blinding yourself just trying to find your latrine at night.

added to the misc stuff, to consider to pack

 

[|o|]

Personally I think water bladders are the way to go over bottles, you can pack them easier, and the tube lets you drink without having to unpack/repack or carry the bottle constantly. Obviously its nice to have a decent bottle if you're on a long term trip and want something to store and possibly boil water in, but for the bulk of water storage I love using bladders.

Right now im looking into an affordable but still quality hammock. I'm not a fan of mats or tents and would rather just stay off the ground entirely. If youre going to overspend anywhere though i'd do it on boots and extra socks.

How do you clean and dry your water bladder? That’s where I always struggle with them

 

[Nicholas Gur]

I typically just drain and dry it after use. I've never needed to clean it, although they do have tablets to clean it.

 

[888Flux]

How fast clothes dry also play an important role, even more so if it's a multi day hike where you need to wash them on the go.
Cotton clothes will soak up more sweat, moistly cling to you and take way longer to dry then synthetic materials.

Would like to add to this:
Never use cotton clothing for outdoors wear. "Cotton kills" as the saying goes.
Not only is cotton less durable than synthetic fabrics like polyester it has a complete inability to wick away any moisture. It's also very inefficient at retaining body heat. In hot climates this leads to discomfort, but in winter climates this can lead to conditions for hypothermia which can quickly kill you.

Polyester/nylon/synthetic are the best materials for outdoor clothing in warm environments. Wool (merino) / wool lining is the best for cold climates. I wouldn't consider this a "fancy or uncommon" material as you can buy clothing like that anywhere. Clothing is not something you want to cheap out on. If it's just a day hike sure, but for any multi-day trips clothing and hiking boots should be your first investment.

Clothing should always be considered in layers. You'll want a basic layering system that is relative to your environment. The idea is that you start out for the coldest weather, and be able to remove or put back on layers.

 

[Frostnipped Todger]

Right now im looking into an affordable but still quality hammock. I'm not a fan of mats or tents and would rather just stay off the ground entirely.

I can absolutely recommend the DD hammocks. I have a Frontline and a Travel hammock and they are both great. I use the Travel in winter and the Frontline when it's warmer and there's mosquitoes around.
They both came with webbing suspension, which I used for quite a while, but eventually swapped out for Whoopie Slings and tree huggers.
I used to use the DD underblanket, but now I use an inflatable sleeping pad instead.

Edit: missed a word.

 

[Newfag14]

Would like to add to this:
Never use cotton clothing for outdoors wear. "Cotton kills" as the saying goes.
Not only is cotton less durable than synthetic fabrics like polyester it has a complete inability to wick away any moisture. It's also very inefficient at retaining body heat. In hot climates this leads to discomfort, but in winter climates this can lead to conditions for hypothermia which can quickly kill you.

Polyester/nylon/synthetic are the best materials for outdoor clothing in warm environments. Wool (merino) / wool lining is the best for cold climates. I wouldn't consider this a "fancy or uncommon" material as you can buy clothing like that anywhere. Clothing is not something you want to cheap out on. If it's just a day hike sure, but for any multi-day trips clothing and hiking boots should be your first investment.

Clothing should always be considered in layers. You'll want a basic layering system that is relative to your environment. The idea is that you start out for the coldest weather, and be able to remove or put back on layers.

Thank you for your contribution.
I will edit my opinion on cotton and be more hard on it, just saying that it's suboptimal and clingy after sweating was not enough.
I will add your point about merino wool and synthetics, my knowlege of merino it is rather limited since I'm a massiv cheap skate and just though it out with body heat, light full body thermal underwear,
and keeping the layersystem you mentioned in mind. Despite using it I 100% forgot to mention this importan basic point

 

[Newfag14]

I can absolutely recommend the DD hammocks. I have a Frontline and a Travel hammock and they are both great. I use the Travel in winter and the Frontline when it's warmer and there's mosquitoes around.
They both came with webbing suspension, which I used for quite a while, but eventually swapped out for Whoopie Slings and tree huggers.
I used to use the DD underblanket, but now I use an inflatable sleeping pad instead.

Edit: missed a word.

Will add it to the camping set up section, I even went by a DD hammock model to estimate a rough price for a hammock that has a great price/value

 

[Frostnipped Todger]

Will add it to the camping set up section, I even went by a DD hammock model to estimate a rough price for a hammock that has a great price/value

I'd also recommend this YouTube channel, especially the earlier videos.

https://youtube.com/@hazeoutdoors?si=YHJIG6e3hiQZR50Q

 

[draggs]

For my own hikerino adventures the most important skill I've picked up is learning to READ A MAP. Get good maps (that won't fall apart from being folded and stuck in and pulled out of your backpack/a pouch, or from moisture)* and check frequently until you get a feel for I've walked this long, so here's how far I've gone, so I'm HERE on the map, here's what I should generally expect from the terrain, I should be X minutes from this intersection with another trail, a road, the campsite, my car, whatever (it doesn't take long to develop this skill really if you're hiking frequently). Then you don't have to check as often but still do it regularly. Don't rely on muh phone GPS or even maps downloaded on your phone. Get quality physical maps and learn how to use them, you'll get big confidence from doing so and it could save you hours of unplanned walking or even your life fr

*Not as important if you're just going for a short hike up to a full day hike, most state and national parks and forests have free maps at parking lots etc. that will last a decent amount of use, but anything overnight try to get a map of higher-quality material

 

[Newfag14]

For my own hikerino adventures the most important skill I've picked up is learning to READ A MAP. Get good maps (that won't fall apart from being folded and stuck in and pulled out of your backpack/a pouch, or from moisture)* and check frequently until you get a feel for I've walked this long, so here's how far I've gone, so I'm HERE on the map, here's what I should generally expect from the terrain, I should be X minutes from this intersection with another trail, a road, the campsite, my car, whatever (it doesn't take long to develop this skill really if you're hiking frequently). Then you don't have to check as often but still do it regularly. Don't rely on muh phone GPS or even maps downloaded on your phone. Get quality physical maps and learn how to use them, you'll get big confidence from doing so and it could save you hours of unplanned walking or even your life fr

*Not as important if you're just going for a short hike up to a full day hike, most state and national parks and forests have free maps at parking lots etc. that will last a decent amount of use, but anything overnight try to get a map of higher-quality material

This will also be added to the guide.

 

[Newfag14]

Ok, I made a few new edits, tell me if it's OK how I quote/paraphrase and mention the people who contribute and how I could do it in a better way.
I'm indeed a newfag and I genuinely want to create a good thread / guide, giving credit to people who contribute.
Feed back is welcome.
I will do a proper spell / grammar check in a few days. I will reorder, reformat, rewrite as soon as I have more content.

 

[Norwegian Trailer Trash]

I have always found it good to carry a small roll of sail tape for quick repairs of tents, water bladders, rain coats, pretty much anything that you need to not have a hole in. It's water proof, can be placed when wet, and is reasonably affordable.

 

[Newfag14]

I have always found it good to carry a small roll of sail tape for quick repairs of tents, water bladders, rain coats, pretty much anything that you need to not have a hole in. It's water proof, can be placed when wet, and is reasonably affordable.

First time I heard of sail tape.
Sounds like a superior alternative to duct-tape that actually could be worth the extra weight when hiking, especially in terrain where your stuff could be easily damaged.
I would also consider it as a must have when camping since that hobby is more lenient when it comes to weight managment in most cases.

 

[Norwegian Trailer Trash]

First time I heard of sail tape.
Sounds like a superior alternative to duct-tape that actually could be worth the extra weight when hiking, especially in terrain where your stuff could be easily damaged.
I would also consider it as a must have when camping since that hobby is more lenient when it comes to weight managment in most cases.

The big trap with duct tape is thinking you need to take a whole roll. Rewrap some around your hiking polls, spiraling it down with enough overlap that the is mostly affixed. You don't need a ton, just enough for emergencies. You'll add like, an oz or so tops to your carry weight and it'll be distributed on your polls. I hike pretty light (under 20 lbs dry) and never had a weight issue.

I would do that and have a small roll of sail tape in my pack. Use the duct tape (rather, I used gorilla tape because it has better adhesive) for quick or non critical tasks (ex: tear in down jacket, broken sunglasses, etc). Sail tape for mission critical and "wet" areas (rainjackets, tents, etc).