I know what you mean. The cost of camping is getting pretty expensive. Then I started looking at other peoples "passions" and I would be hard press to "hang" with any of them. Example: cycling, some of those bikes are over $5,000 aproaching twice that amount. Star gazing: check out some prices of those telescopes lately? Kyakis: I could buy a four wheeled motorized vehicle for the cost of the elite models. Even something as simple a photography. All the specialize equipment cost a bundle.
But the one thing that I learned about all the "passions" that we all have, is that there is a way to do it on the "cheap". Not having to have it all. Or the very newest and best. Get what you can afford and do without and make it happen. My dad used to tell me: you can have anything that you want, you just can't have it all. Cheers!! :D