Who wants to shop in a turkey coma? Everything is already on sale. For that matter, who wants turkey? Thanksgiving brisket is the way forward. Anyway, if you need to restock your backpacking, hiking, biking, camping, outdoor-loving gear quiver now is a great time to do it.
While REI is conspicuously not have a Black Friday sale, there are sales at Backcountry and Public Lands, along with some great deals at our favorite cottage industry brands like Six Moon Designs, Zenbivy, Gossamer Gear, and more. Below are the best deals on all our favorite tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, pads, cookware, outdoor apparel, and more. Not sure what you need? Check out our many outdoor gear guides.
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Tent Deals
Need a new shelter from the storm? There are more tent deals right now than we usually see this time of year, giving you some great options for not a lot of money. Check out our guides to the best backpacking tents and best car camping tents for more details.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Six Moon Design’s Lunar Solo (7/10, WIRED Review) is my favorite single-wall ultralight solo tent. It’s not without its quirks (read the pitching tips), but if you want something more than a tarp, that still weighs just 26 ounces (740 grams), this one is hard to beat. It’s well ventilated for a single-walled tent, with the ability to raise up the front door when weather is nice. I also like that it only needs one trekking pole (or one pole if you don’t hike with trekking poles). You’d be hard-pressed to find a tent even half this nice at this price.
The Copper Spur UL 2 is currently our top pick for lightweight freestanding backpacking tents, and it’s been a popular choice with readers for years. This is a high-quality, well-designed tent that’s lightweight, easy to set up, and roomy enough to be livable in the backcountry. The “awning” design (with trekking poles or sticks) is a nice extra, and the mix of 15D nylon and 20D ripstop, while it feels fragile, has held up well over time. The 3-person Copper Spur UL 3 is also on sale for $450 ($150 off).
Sea to Summit’s “3-plus season” tents are capable enough in almost any weather while staying crazy light—just 3 pounds, 12 ounces for this two-person model. I used the three-person version on a five-day trip to Loon Lake in northern California in early October, a true “shoulder season” trip with daytime highs in the 80s, nighttime lows in the 40s, and overnight winds of up to 60 mph. My favorite design detail is that the pole bag is kept rigid by an insert of opaque white plastic. Clip it to the tent’s ceiling, pop in your headlamp, and illuminate your abode. —Michael Calore
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Nemo’s Dagger Osmo line of tents are reasonably light with roomy interiors and have proved very storm-proof in my testing. The three-person version has long been my tent of choice for trips with my kids. Setup is simple thanks to the single main pole design (which forks at each end) with a cross pole in the middle. There are two spacious vestibules for storing gear, and if you leave the rain fly off, the mesh room is excellent for stargazing.
The Nemo Mayfly is a three-season backpacking tent with a trail weight of 3 pounds, 8 ounces for the two-person version I tested. Split between two people, each is carrying under 2 pounds. The Mayfly uses a semi-freestanding design to keep weight down, which does mean you have to stake out the foot end. It’s on the small side as well, at 27.9 square feet of living space, with two 7-square-foot vestibule areas. I find it plenty livable for two, and the cross pole gives you a wider roof area than most tents this size. I love the white mesh (instead of black) and the super simple clips that keep the rain fly secured.
Sea to Summit’s ultralight Alto tent (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is designed to keep weight down on your solo adventures. At just 33 ounces for a semi-freestanding tent, it remains one of the lighter options on the market, and at this price it’s hard to pass up. The mesh netting helps keep weight down, though for something warmer, the Plus version, which has less mesh, is also on sale for $412 ($137 off), an equally outstanding deal.
Goassamer Gear’s The Two is an ultralight, two-person shelter that weighs just about 2 pounds (slightly more if you account for the trekking poles you need to pitch it). Probably my favorite part of this tent in terms of ultralight performance is how small it stuffs down—to about the size of Nalgene water bottle, which means I can shove it in the side pocket of my pack. The seams are factory-taped and the dual doors make it easy to get in and out.
Deals On Merino Wool, Rain Jackets, and Shoes
I live in merino wool these days. Actually, I don’t even care of its merino anymore, wool is just that good. See our guide to the best merino wool clothing, and best merino wool t-shirts for more wool goodness.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Icebreaker’s 200 Oasis base layer is a 200-gsm base layer. This is about what most of us call a mid-weight base layer, making it a good choice for everything from cool weather hiking in the fall or spring, to skiing in the front country. The 100 percent merino fibers here are not quite as soft at the Smartwool above, but they’re equally good at regulating body temperature and wicking away moisture. This is also the fastest drying merino top in our base layers guide.
The Smartwool Classic merino tee is an honorable mention in our guide to the best merino wool t-shirts. It’s a nice shirt, especially at this price which brings it down below even the cheapest options in that guide. It’s a Nuyarn blend (88 percent merino, 12 percent nylon), with the merino spun around the nylon. Mine has held up incredibly well. I’ve had it for several years and it’s still going strong. It does run on the large side, and has a looser fit, so size accordingly, but this is a great, low price way to fill out your merino t-shirt collection.
Unbound Merino is having it’s only sale of the year. We’ve got a post with the best deals, but if you get only one thing, grab this t-shirts. It makes a great gift for an outdoorsy person too. This t-shirt is incredibly soft, and because it’s 100 percent merino wool it’ll stay odor free for ages. The cut of Unbound’s crew neck s not overly technical like many merino t-shirts. This is just a regular, stylish t-shirt that doesn’t make you look like an Alex Honnold wannabe. It’s also lightweight and packs down to a tiny roll, which is perfect if you’re looking to simplify down to one bag (really, is there any other way to travel?). While I like the merino crew neck, the v-neck is also on sale for $80 ($10 off).
Courtesy of Huckberry
Huckberry’s Proof 72-Hour Merino is our favorite merino wool T-shirt. The cut and style are not overly sporty, making it more versatile than some others, from everyday wear around town to a trip to the gym. Mine is still soft after six months of wear and washing. At 87 percent 150-gsm superfine merino wool (16.5 micron) and 13 percent nylon, this T-shirt makes a great starter for those new to merino wool—there’s enough nylon that it’s stretchy, and not the least bit itchy. Note that sizes are limited here, but there are still a few of these left at this price.
My quest for an ultralight backpacking rain jacket came to an end when I encountered the Gaurdian Air from 7Mesh. It weighs just 212 gram on my scale (size large), packs down small, and most importantly, has held up well, keeping my dry hiking in some very heavy rains. t uses Gore-Tex ePE as its breathable, waterproof membrane, which I would call slightly breathable. Do I wish it had pit zips? Yes, yes I do. But otherwise this is a fantastic featherweight jacket.
Speaking of ultralight rain jackets, Mont-Bell’s Versalite is a legend. I’ve never managed to get my hands on one, but WIRED tester Chris Haslam love his. It’s light (6.4 ounces, 192 grams), packs down tiny (2.8 x 2.8 x 5.5 inches), and the two-layer 10-denier ripstop fabric offers seriously good protection against wind and rain. Mont-Bell has used two layers of Windstopper Gore-Tex here, which is technically rated as “water-resistant” but with taped seams and a generous DWR—it has a 20,000 mm HH rating, which is better than many. Note that this sale is on the western sizing.
Mountain Hardwear’s Ghost Whisperer down jacket will be a pick in my next update for the Puffer Jacket Guide. It’s one of the best technical down puffers I’ve tested — thanks to the 800-fill down it’s warm, light, and packs down small. The medium weighs just about 8 ounces on my scale, though it does seem to run a bit small, I had to size up to large, the medium was a bit tight. Unfortunately the men’s version is pretty much sold out. The jacket version, without the hood, is also on sale.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Merrell’s Vapor Glove shoes have been a perennial favorite at WIRED, topping our Barefoot Shoes guide for years. They’re quite thin (6mm stack height) and plenty flexible, allowing your feet to bend and shape to the terrain. That said, the Vapor Glove (and the Trail Glove as well) do not have the extra wide footbox you’ll find in some barefoot shoes. I find the ankle and arch fit to be spot on, but I do wish they had a wider toe box so my toes could spread out more.
Backpack Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
The best ultralight day hiking pack, the Cima 15 is made of 100D recycled ripstop with a wraparound UHMWPE stretch mesh that forms the two side pockets and back pocket. The straps are quite cushy and comfortable, better than most straps you’ll find on small capacity packs. You might think 15L won’t hold everything you need, but it does. I manage to cram the essentials plus my camera gear, binoculars, and more in it and it stays comfortable. There’s an internal sleeve for a water bladder that happens to fit a 13-inch laptop if you want to use it to commute to work.
This travel backpack from Six Moon Designs makes it so you no longer have to pick between optimizing for air travel or carrying long distances at your destination. It’s the only bag I’ve used that maximizes your allotted carry-on space while remaining comfortable for a walk across a mid-sized European city or even a day on the trail. The bag’s square shape and suitcase handle make it easy to show the flight crew you’re compliant, but once you deplane, you have adjustable shoulder straps built by a brand that makes gear for serious backpackers. There’s also a padded harness with water bottle holders and a zipper pouches for Clif Bars or a flashlight. —Martin Cizmar
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
If I were going to live out of a single bag—traveling the world for the rest of my life—this is the bag I would bring. The GR2 is a gear-hauling monster with a ton of built-in organization options. This deal is on the 40L version, which I think is the perfect size for #onebag travel. It still manages to qualify as a carry-on bag for US flights (you may have trouble with that overseas though). The 34L waxed canvas version is also on sale for $340 ($115 off). And yes, it can double as a rucker, though there are better options if that’s your main use case. See below.
This deal is only on a couple of colors, and only the X-Pac fabric, but this is the cheapest we’ve seen the GR1 go for in quite some time. The GoRuck GR1 (7/10, WIRED Review) is the pack that launched the company, and it’s still the best and most versatile of the GoRuck lineup. This deal is on the smaller 21L pack, which I think is the perfect size for rucking, everyday carry, and weekend trips. I have lived out of the 21L bag (with a shoulder bag for my camera gear) during a weeklong trip. It was a squeeze, but it worked. The 21L GR1 is deceptively large and always seems to swallow more gear than I think it can.
If rucking is your thing, this is the GoRuck to get. It’s very close to the GR1 in size, layout, and fabric options, but the Rucker adds more handles, one on each side. The handles are so that the Rucker can be used as a weight (or kettlebell) in workouts. The interior has a Ruck Plate pocket for holding weight (the 20L version can handle up to 3-pound plates while the 25L can do up to 45-pound plates). The interior pockets are the same as the GR1, but instead of zippers, you get Velcro closures.
Gossamer Gear makes some of our favorite packing cubes for travel and backpacking. They’re light and spacious and the dual-chamber dirty/clean cube linked to here has a “dirty” side that seals up tight and keeps everything tidy. The clear cube $15 ($5 off) is also great. It zips and has multiple mesh pockets. It works both as a clear bag for liquids when you’re going through airport security, or a tech pouch for chargers and other sundries when you’re camping.
Oddly enough, for someone who isn’t a big fan of lumbar packs, this is probably my most-used bag. It’s our top pick for all-day adventures thanks to its array of pockets. The Tour is loaded with stash spaces, allowing me to carry my camera, binoculars, snacks, rain jacket, and more. Thanks to the shoulder strap (sold separately, $14) and the ability to tuck away the belt, the Tour can also be used as a shoulder bag. I even modified mine with a couple extra loops to secure it to the handlebars of my bike.
Photograph: Adrienne SoPhotograph: Adrienne So
Nemo’s Resolve is a great pack that incorporates a low-waste footprint into the design. It uses solution-dyed fabrics, and eschews straps and buckles in favor of bungees and pull-tabs. This does make adjusting it fussier, but once you’re used to it and have the fit dialed in, it’s not an issue. The Resolve is a comfortable pack. While technically frameless, it feels like it has some structure. and it sits nice and high on your back. At 1 pound, 15 ounces, it’s also pretty light.
My kid started his hiking career in this pack, which carried him from the mountains of Colorado to the hot barren mesas of Chaco Canyon. It’s not cheap (though this deal takes some of the pain away), but it’s well-made, and, most important, stable and comfortable. It’s also the easiest kid-hiking-pack to get on and off, which you will inevitably do, a lot.
Camping and Backpacking Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
I rarely bring a chair backpacking, but if I did, the Nemo Moonlite Elite would be in my pack. At 18 ounces, it’s one of the lightest chairs around, and it packs down nice and small. It’s comfortable and reasonably stable. Nemo also solved the main problem with all pole chairs; The included base pad keeps it from sinking into soft ground.
This chair is the coziest way to hang out around camp. It is somewhat huge, heavy, and awkward to fold up and carry, but it’s all worth it once you cram everyone you love on it in front of a fire. The even bigger and more awkward three-person version is also on sale for $135 ($45 off).
I’ve noticed that, when trying to lighten their load with a smaller, lighter backpack, people then struggle to fit all their gear. The answer for sleeping bags and clothing is this compression stuff sack, which smashes anything soft down to about half the size of the same item in a regular stuff sack. This works well with sleeping bags and clothing, especially puffer jackets, but also fleece and merino wool.
Photograph: REI
The Petzl Tikka is the best headlamp you can buy. I’ve had the same Petzl Tikka for 14 years, and it’s still going strong. The Tikka is not the brightest, topping out at 450 lumens, but it’s plenty of light to cook by in the backcountry. There are three light modes: bright, brighter, and brightest. There’s also a red light mode to retain some of your night vision. The Tikka runs on three AAA batteries (we recommend Panasonic Eneloop rechargeable batteries), or the included Tikka Core rechargeable battery, and lasts over 5.5 hours.
I have never slept so well camping as I have on this mat. Technically I have the car-friendly model, but in terms of comfort, they’re the same. In our guide to car camping pads the Therm-a-rest MondoKing edges out the Megamat for top pick among the monster sleeping pads, but I prefer the Megamat for it’s extra warmth (it has an R-value of 8.1 to the MondoKing’s R 7.0) and the soft texture of the top. It’s comfortable enough to sleep directly on the Megamat. This was $15 cheaper during REI’s Holiday Sale, but this is still a good deal.
If you’re camping with a buddy and you want to snuggle up at night, this plush two-person sleeping pad is our top pick. The 5R rating means it’s made for cold weather, but even cinched into its included stuff sack, it’s fairly large and heavy, so it’s best for car camping, canoe camping, or any situation where you don’t have to haul it in a pack. (For summer backpacking, consider the lighter three-season 3R version, also on sale.) Each side has its own valve, so both sleepers can use the included inflation bag to pump up the pad to their desired firmness. —Michael Calore
Stove and Camp Cooking Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
My favorite stove for actually cooking real food in the backcountry, the Firebox Nano is a titanium (or steel, but I highly recommend titanium) shell that you can fit with an alcohol burner like the Trangia Spirit burner, or an isobutane burner. You can also use wood to cook directly over flames the way your ancestors did, and you should. For backpacking, with its frequent and pesky burn bans, the Firebox Gas Burner with its diffusion plate is hands down the best backcountry cooking system. It won’t win you any prizes at the next /r/Ultralight get-together (the Firebox Nano on its own weighs 4.25 ounces for the titanium version), but you could be eating some delicious food in the backcountry.
The Stash is our favorite all-in-one backcountry cook system. The heat diffuser design is what speeds up boil times (Jetboil claims 2.5 minutes, which I was only able to match indoor in still air), but the real appeal here to me is the way this kit all packs down into itself. For weekend trips, this is the simplest system I’ve tested when it comes to cooking for two.
Camp Chef’s Explorer 2 is similar to our favorite Camp Chef stove, the Pro 60X. It’s slightly less powerful, but it’s still free-standing, ruggedly built, and cooks extremely hot. It’s a wonderful stove to cook on, and I know more than a few river guides who swear by it. Your giant pot of water for spaghetti noodles will boil in no time, though it’s not great for simmering. If you want to use a griddle, or simmer a sauce, pick up the heat diffuser. It’s overkill in most circumstances, but for large groups, like a scout troop or guided trip, it’s the best choice, hands down.
Courtesy of Coleman
REI sales are the time to grab this upgrade stove. Sure, the basic version below gets the job done, but the cast iron burners of the Cascade are so much nicer and more durable. The griddle plate is also handy, perfect for cranking out pancakes. My only gripe is that I wish there were an option to get two griddles, as I find the grill not nearly as useful.
Walk around any campground in America and you’ll likely see dozens of these, for good reason. They’re easy to use, last a long time, and aren’t all that expensive. The 10,000-BTU burners are plenty to cook on just about any pan you have (I use cast iron pans on mine), and the electronic ignition means you don’t have to keep track of a lighter.
I’m not sure this really qualifies for the “ultralight” moniker, and these pots are unfortunately marred by having a ton of fake influencer reviews out there, but they’re actually quite good. The hard-anodized aluminum is sturdy and provides good heat transfer. The ceramic nonstick coating makes for easy cleanup and the 1.3L size is perfect for cooking for two.
I used to make fun of my editor for being irrationally attached to this spoon, but then he said, why don’t you try one. So I did. And now I am also irrationally attached to this bamboo spoon. So is my daughter who keeps trying to steal it from me. Why do I like it some much? I don’t know, it’s just a really nice spoon. Perhaps it’s because I have an equally irrational dislike of long handled titanium spoons (along with the backpacking “food” in pouches which they are designed for). I have an idea, why don’t you just try this spoon for yourself. It’s $4. You spent more than that on coffee this morning.
Hiking Tech and Fitness Deals
Photograph: Kieran Alger
This is a good deal on Garmin’s most popular satellite messenger, but we always like to add the caveat that not everyone needs one. If you frequently hike alone, or do a lot of high alpine hiking and climbing, it’s probably worth carrying. As with any satellite messenger, you will have to subscribe to a safety plan, in addition to buying the device itself. If you only go on one or two big trips a year, you might want to consider a personal locator beacon (PLB) instead.
The Instinct 3 is our favorite Garmin watch and this deal makes the solar version the same price as the regular. The Instinct line has all the backcountry functionality of the Fenix watches but it’s much cheaper. This latest model includes a built-in flashlight and a metal-reinforced bezel with a scratch-resistant display and built to the durable MIL-STD 810 standard, meaning that’s undergone heavy thermal and shock resistance tests.
GoPro’s Hero 13 Black is our favorite GoPro for recording all your outdoor adventures. It has an interchangeable lens system to offer many more shooting options than other action cameras (in fairness Insta360 just added lenses to its Ace Pro 2, but we haven’t had a chance to try those yet). In addition to the standard wide angle action camera lens you can also invest in an Ultra Wide ($90), Macro ($120), and Anamorphic ($120) lens. All of these are automatically detected by the Hero 13 the minute you attach them. The camera will automatically adjust settings to match the lens and let you get back to what you were doing. It’s lots of fun and video quality is excellent.
Sleeping Bag and Quilt Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Zenbivy is having a site-wide sale on some of our favorite backcountry sleeping bags. I’ve highlighted the Light Bed because it’s my favorite Zenbivy. If you haven’t tried sleeping on a Zenbivy, you’re in for a treat. This is not your typical sleeping bag, not even your typical quilt system. Zenbivy’s bed is combination of a quilt (I prefer the convertible quilt, which comes completely apart, but there’s also a version with a footbox if you prefer) and a sheet. The two parts clip together to prevent drafts and give you the feeling of sleeping at home in your bed, or at least as close to that as you’re likely to get in a tent. Note that to get the deal you’ll need to sign up for the mailing list to get a code.
Nemo’s Forte 35 is a 35-degree (comfort rated) synthetic-fill sleeping bag, making it a good choice for summer. It’s our favorite synthetic bag. What I like most about this bag, and nearly all of Nemo’s sleeping bags, is the wider cut through the torso area down to the knees. This bag is almost a hybrid of a mummy bag and your father’s good old 1970s square sleeping bag. Which is to say, this bag is roomy.
It’s no longer our top pick for side sleepers, but the Questar remains a good option for those who want more room. It uses what Therm-a-Rest calls W.A.R.M. fit, which stands for “with additional room for multiple” positions. Indeed, this bag is very roomy for a mummy design. I was able to draw my legs up when side-sleeping and spread out considerably more than with most of the other sleeping bags I’ve tested.
Closed-cell-foam pads like the Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite Sol are a must-have. They weigh next to nothing (10 ounces for the small), fold up small enough to lash to the outside of any pack, and double as a chair, extra padding on cold nights, table, you name it. I am too old and too soft to be the sort of ultra-minimalist who gets by with just a Z-Lite, but I still have one around on almost every trip I take.
Think of a Rumpl blanket as if your sleeping bag had a baby with the coziest lap blanket that your grandma knitted for you. They’re made from DWR-treated ripstop polyester, so they’re sturdy, durable, and resist getting soaked or stained. But they’re also soft and warm enough to fall asleep under on the couch, and they come in a wide variety of colors and patterns (unfortunately only a couple patterns are on sale right now). —Adrienne So
Paddleboard and Kayak Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Sure it’s odd to be buying a paddleboard in November, when there’s possibly snow on the ground (there is at my house), but a deal is a deal, and this is a good deal on one of our favorite Bote paddleboards. This large, stable SUP is great for beginners, it tracks well and despite the stability it’s surprisingly nimble and easy to steer. If you go all-in on the accessories you can end up with a two-in-one kayak/SUP hybrid, which makes it more versatile.
The Isle Switch 3 is by far my favorite inflatable that I have tested. Do you want to paddle out in glassy, still water and lie on your belly with your dog and watch fish? Then it’s a big, solid, stable paddleboard with a grippy, soft surface perfect for puppy paws. Is there a bit of a breeze and you want to put the full force of your paddling muscles in play? Slip the hooks into the eyes and tighten the straps to put on a big, comfy seat and foot brace. (I used mine as a seat for the kids behind me.) Even the paddle converts from an SUP paddle to a kayak paddle. I can’t believe I’ve never tried one of these before. This deal includes a free electric pump. —Adrienne So
The Breeze Aero inflatable paddleboard (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is well-built and durable, and it packs up reasonably small. It’s also one of the stablest paddleboards I’ve tried, making it a good choice for beginners. It’s easy to unpack and easy to use. Inflating is something of a chore with the hand pump, but once it’s deflated, it’s not hard to stow it away. This deal is on the 11’6″ model (which supports up to 355 pounds).
I have never actually tried one of Oru’s folding kayaks, but my editor and fellow gear tester Adrienne So loves them. The Inlet is one of Oru’s beginner models, but with room to grow as you you get more comfortable with it. It’s light and fast, and folds origami-style into a box that’s 42″ x 10″ x 18″, a bit like an oversized briefcase and still plenty small enough to fit a couple in your trunk. It weighs just 20 pounds and can hold one person up to 6’2″, 275 pounds.
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