The Best Ultralight Clothing Options Under $30

Ultralight gear’s critics often deride it as expensive. That’s not always true—we put together a lightweight backpacking kit for $500—but it certainly can be. The most sought-after ultralight gear, often made in the United States using high-dollar fabrics and materials, simply doesn’t come cheap.

One of the best places to save a bit of money is on clothing. Many essentials, like quick-drying shirts, rain gear, and fleeces, can be sourced from a number of brands, some not even associated with the outdoors, and all at a reasonable price. That can help you stick to a limited budget, or save up to afford the $700 Dyneema tent you’ve been coveting. Here are five of our favorite clothing options that cost under $30 and have proved more than capable after years of testing.

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Uniqlo AIRism T-Shirt ($15)

A quick-drying T-shirt is an essential piece of hiking apparel. It’s also something that you absolutely do not need to splurge on. It’s true that not all synthetic shirts are the same—some budget options are too thick, feel scratchy, or retain smelly odors even after washing. Antimicrobial treatments that keep the stink at bay are one of the main upgrades you’ll get with a hiking-specific top. But some budget tees do pretty well in that regard as well. Our favorite is Uniqlo’s AIRism T-Shirt, a slim-fitting, polyester/spandex blend tee with a silky-soft feel and better-than-average odor control. The thin, super-stretchy fabric is particularly nice in hot weather, though it might look a little too much like an undershirt for some people. Finally, a word of warning: the AIRism line also includes a number of cotton shirts, so make sure you’re buying the poly version best suited for backpacking.

Decathlon MH100 Fleece ($30)

Highly breathable tech fleeces are all the rage right now, and the best ones we’ve tested, like the North Face FutureFleece, can run you well over $100. A budget pick like the Decathlon MH100 doesn’t have quite the same ability to dump heat, but it doesn’t lag too far behind. For just $30, the MH100 is a rock-solid option. Like all fleeces, it’s quick-drying and retains warmth even when it’s wet. At 9.5 ounces (men’s medium), it’s heftier than the best ultralight options like Polartec Alpha Direct or Teijin Octa, but not by much. It’s still light and airy enough to wear while hiking in 30-40 degree weather, and the thicker, brushed fleece (200 GSM) is far more durable and snag-resistant than those lighter, spendier alternatives. Unfortunately, Decathlon doesn’t offer a women’s version of the MH100, but the women’s MH120 is a near replacement, adding a full zipper and about two ounces of extra weight.

Wrangler Flex Cargo Pants ($30)

If you were wondering, Wrangler doesn’t just make clothes for cowboys anymore. In fact, Wrangler’s Flex Cargo Pants are a top budget pick for a light-yet-durable set of slacks that can withstand the rigors of long-distance hiking and daily abuse. We like features like the straight-cut fit, unobtrusive zipped pockets on each thigh, and tightly woven nylon fabric (with 4-percent elastane for stretch). Unlike other inexpensive nylon pants, we’ve noticed little pilling or wear on the fabric, even after years of use that includes off-trail hiking and trail work days. Plus, these pants are available in 11 different colors. Sadly, there’s no equivalent women’s option from Wrangler. For women’s pants under $30, the Magellan Outdoors Backcountry pants are a solid choice, as are the Decathlon MH100 pants at $40.

Body Wrappers Dance Pants ($33)

If hiking makes you happy enough to dance your way down the trail, the Body Wrappers Dance Pants are the pants for you. But even if you prefer to just walk, these lightweight ripstop nylon pants (designed as warm-ups for dancers) do double-duty as a windproof and water-resistant hiking layer, which is why we had to include them even though they blow past our budget by $3. While they’re not a replacement for a set of truly waterproof rain pants, they’re more than capable of standing up to moderate rain and windy mountain passes. And with a weight of about 4 ounces, you’ll forget you’re carrying them when they’re packed away. That’s why they’ve been a staple for thrifty thru-hikers for years, especially on trails like the PCT, where the weather is usually friendly. The pants are unisex, but more or less sized for women; if you’re used to men’s sizing, go up a size. Pro tip: add a wash-in water repellant treatment like Nikwax TX Direct to boost wet weather performance.

FroggToggs Ultralite Jacket ($25)

No list of budget hiking gear would be complete without a jacket from Frogg Toggs. The Ultra-Lite Rain Jacket, a $25, sub-6-ounce jacket has been a mainstay in thru-hiker’s gear lists for decades. As best we can tell, almost nothing has changed about the design since we first put it through the paces over ten years ago. Of course, with any jacket this cheap, there are a few downsides. It has a baggy fit and not much in the way of adjustability. There’s a drawstring in the hood, but it doesn’t lock down as well as our favorite hardshell hoods, and the elasticized wrist cuffs are far from the most comfortable we’ve tested. The bigger concern? Durability. The non-woven polypropylene fabric can rip and tear easily, and this is by no means a jacket that can handle frequent bushwhacking or scrambling. But for well-groomed trails, the low cost, scant weight, and better-than-Gore-Tex breathability are hard to match. It’s also available as a set with rain pants for $30. That’s probably the better deal, though we’re less impressed with the pants than the jacket simply due to the increased wear and tear that pants are subject to.

Buying Used and Thrifted

Purchasing used gear is another way to stretch your dollar further. Ebay, Goodwill, and other thrift stores and online marketplaces are all good sources to scour, though it might take some time and effort to find what you need. Here are a few tips to find outdoor apparel diamonds in the rough.

• While it’s possible to find good used apparel at general thrift stores like Goodwill or Salvation’s Army, you might have better luck at outdoor consignment shops. Prices at these specialist shops tend to be a bit higher, but you also won’t have to sort through piles of denim jeans and cotton shirts. If there isn’t one in your area, there might be one to stop by on your next hiking trip. Nearly every mountain town has a consignment shop nowadays, and there are many great deals to be found.
• Don’t write something off because you don’t recognize the brand. There isn’t much that can go wrong with simple apparel pieces, like polyester shirts, wool sweaters, or nylon shorts. If it’s comfortable and seems to be high-quality, it probably is.
• Thanks to their durability, fleeces are a good bet if you can find them gently used. For ultralight layers, lightweight Polartec fleece is the way to go. Polartec Microfleece or Polartec 100 are thin and breathable enough to serve as active layers, while thicker fleeces are good insulation layers in moderate temperatures.
• Military surplus stores (including Ebay stores that sell surplus equipment) can be a good source, especially for fleeces and synthetic layers. Look for military fleeces made with Polartec 100 or “field liner” jackets for an affordable (if not exactly fashionable) synthetic puffy.
• You probably won’t find great deals at vintage shops or buying older gear that has become fashionable, like Patagonia Synchilla jackets or The North Face puffies.