I've really enjoyed reading this thread. Now my farthing's worth (for those of you who're old enough to know how cheap is a farthing!):
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The carrying of loads of kit goes against the ethos of Bushcraft and I am guilty of being something of a "kit monster" - a bit of a paradox! Whilst I have my established kit, I'm always on the lookout for new stuff - provided that it's inexpensive, probably useful and hopefully a tad ingenious.
New kit development/testing adds a little variety to what sometimes can be a bit of a routine. It gives my mind something to do when I'm "at one" with nature.
The 99p Store and Poundland offer some fantastic little gems - I often see these items resold on eBay for much more than the purchase price. I've replaced my Maglite torches with the 9 LED aluminium torches from these shops. They burn brighter, for longer and have an on/off switch. Waterproof? I've not properly tested...
They also sell plastic head torches - I generally still use the above torch in a home-made headband. In my opinion, these head torches aren't tough enough for general bushcraft use.
I long ago replaced my British Army Mess Tins with West German ones (shallower) and this enables me to get a small First Aid container into my PLCE Bushcraft Pouch (along with other stuff). That said, the 99p Store sells large mess tins and they're just as tough/dentable as the genuine issue ones. Although sold in pairs, you need only one mess tin unless you're carrying kit for a girlfriend/wife/sister/daughter/etc (I hope I'm not being sexist)...
Both shops also sell a small folding hand trowel. Much lighter than any shovel and ideal for making pit type fires. More compact, too - I swear by mine. Basic yet unsurpassed, for my simple needs.
My latest acquisition is an enamelled tin with lockable lid. Untested as yet but it looks like it'll be an excellent small billy can - provided that the "enamel" is the traditional enamel on camping crockery and not enamel paint! My plan is to try one as a self-contained brew kit. Watch this space!
Car boot sales have yielded heaploads of great kit over the years. One of my best acquisitions is an excellent condition Lowe Alpine "Liberty APS ND" 60+15L rucksack for £4. (I thought it was a little over-rated until a mate who works at Cotswolds explained that it was a woman's ruck, not optimally designed for a bloke!)
Absurdly, little more than a year later, I picked up the larger male equivalent. It was a little muddy and required a very small repair to the inside compartment divider where the stitching was coming apart - but at an incredible £2.50 without haggling, who could complain?! A trustworthy pack. Even without the repair (still pending!), it worked perfectly along 100 miles of South West Coast footpath.
A final point: cheap kit means that you can afford several back-ups. I've kitted out my van with an essential "go pack" arrangement for very little cost.
