Moquistang; one little mustang who does it all.

I wanted to share my top 5 favorite items I bring that are under $20. These are good additions to your pack to either upgrade, save weight, or make your life easier.

1. Nemo Airpin Stakes – $18.95

These stakes are in the weight range of some of my favorite lightest stakes – but offer the ability to create the perfect pitch without tension locks on your guy lines by using its 3 point locking system. At only 2 grams more than the lightest stake, this sturdier more flexible use stake is worth the extra two grams. If you’re using a non-freestanding tent that relies on tension for a solid pitch, you will want a few of these for the guylines that need tension. Use a NemoAir pin on your tension based guylines, and a Vargo Shepherds Hook to stake out the bathtub of your tent and you will have the best of both worlds. My personal stake bag includes 4 NemoAir Pins, and 4 Vargo Shepherd Hooks.

2. Sea to Summit Frontier Collapsible Cup – $14.95

Sea to Summit’s collapsible cups have been my go-to for years and now they’ve come out with an upgraded model that’s even lighter. At just 54 grams, and folding down to less than 2cm, there’s no reason not to toss this in your pack. Sure you can use your pot to drink from if you’re channeling a purist ultralight vibe, but who doesn’t want a drink while they wait for dinner to simmer? This cup holds 12 ounces and the new Frontier line also offers two bowls that the cup can nest in if you choose.

3. Lixada 500ml Titanium Pan – $19.99

While not everyone chooses to bring a pan, this one hits all the marks if you choose to. This pan is slightly wider than the competitor pans making morning pancake flipping a breeze. Weighing in at 93 grams, this one is also good for heating up foil packet dinners during taco night, or those lazy morning scrambled eggs. Anything to avoid another packet of oatmeal! If you decide to add a pan to your cooking arsenal, don’t forget the spatula!

4. Portawipes Compressed Towelettes – $13.97

Honestly, there’s nothing better than this. Ditch the wet wipes, ditch the smashed roll of toilet paper. These are the jam. At the size of a quarter you can bring as many as you want. Add a few drops of water and they expand to a 9.45 inch square. Bonus: they’re also reusable. If you need to take a quick trail bath simple rinse them off and keep going.

5. TiTo Titanium Long Handle Spork – $7.99

While this spoon doesn’t have the polished bowl of the longstanding favorite among backpackers – I really don’t think you’ll notice the difference. Coming in three grams lighter than the most popular spoon, this will be 16 grams in your pack. Bonus: it’s cheaper and comes in fun colors so you’ll always know which one is yours.

Share your favorite under $20 item in the comments below, or challenge yourself to find a good ultralight upgrade to your pack on a budget. It can be done!

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