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It’s Every outdoor fanatic’s favorite time of year. Snow is melting, birds are migrating, and REI is holding its biggest sale of the year, the annual anniversary sale. This year’s event ends on May 27. Many items are up to 30 percent off, but REI Co-op members save up to 20 percent off any full-price item of their choice and an extra 20 percent off any REI Outlet item. To get the discount, add the promo code ANNIV24 at checkout.
We’ve highlighted some of our favorite deals on gear we’ve loved over our years of testing. There’s something for nearly all our favorite summer activities—tents, stoves, sleeping bags, and plenty of outdoor apparel. Be sure to have a look at our guides to outdoor gear, like the best tents, best sleeping bags, best sleeping pads, best rain jackets, best merino wool, and best binoculars.
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WIRED Featured Deals
Tent Deals
Be sure to have a look at our guide to the best tents for more options.
Photograph: REI
Our pick for Best Two-Person Backpacking Tent, REI’s Half Dome is rugged and lightweight (4 pounds), and offers generous living space for two with gear. The tent body is made of 40-denier ripstop nylon for durability at the base and on the floor, with 20-denier nylon mesh (both fabrics are bluesign-approved, which means it has been independently certified to meet strict environmental and manufacturing requirements). It also comes with a footprint, which is a rarity these days. The tent poles are aluminum and interchangeable, which makes it easy to setup and take down.
The Big Agnes Copper Spur series is the king of ultralight tents. I’ve used both the two-person and four-person models over the years, and Big Agnes has continually refined the design to the point that I have nothing left to complain about. This is a high-quality, well-designed tent. It’s lightweight, easy to set up, and stable even in strong winds. The Copper Spur is also very livable, with steep sidewalls to maximize interior space. The ingenious “awning” design makes getting in and out a snap. The only complaint I have is the price, but on sale it’s a little easier to handle.
Most people do not need the Trango 2, but if you are headed into harsh, 4-season, alpine conditions, this is on the best, most bombproof tents I’ve ever used. It’s heavy (almost 9 pounds for the two-person model), and something of a pain to set up, but it’s built to withstand high winds and hard weather, and it does just that. If you’re anticipating bad weather at high altitudes, this is the tent you want.
Photograph: Big Agnes
Are you bikepacking yet? I’m in the early stages myself, but this is the tent my fellow WIRED bikepacking experts recommend. Big Agnes’ bikepacking tents have shorter pole lengths, enabling them to fit between drop handlebars, or in panniers. The superlight, super-premium Copper Spur HV UL3 weights just 3 pounds and 11 ounces, and it has enough space for two (a squeeze for three). It’s also available in lighter, smaller, one- and two-person options, all with twin vestibules and doors, hidden helmet storage, and external webbing for hanging out wet clothes. And yes, if you’re wondering, it works great for backpacking too.
Sleeping Bag and Sleeping Pad Deals
Confused by the options? Check out our guides to the Best Sleeping Bags and the Best Sleeping Pads.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
REI Co-Op’s Magma 15 is our favorite bag for shoulder season trips, when the temps might drop more than expected. It has an excellent draft collar that’s very good at keeping out the chill. The outside is a 15-denier nylon ripstop (bluesign-approved, with a non-fluorinated DWR coating to keep moisture at bay). Baffles are variably spaced and not stitched through, which helps the fill stay put and minimizes cold spots. The Magma doesn’t have a lot of frills; it just gets the job done.
Our favorite summer time car-camping sleeping bag, the REI Siesta Hooded 20 is plenty warm and affordable. It’s also not a mummy bag, because you’re not climbing Denali; why cramp yourself if you don’t have to? The Siesta’s rectangular cut makes for a much roomier, more comfortable bag. The Siesta’s 20-degree rating makes it enough for three-season trips, and unlike most rectangular bags, the Siesta has a hood, which helps on those cold nights.
Nemo’s Forte 20 is a 20-degree synthetic-fill sleeping bag, but the comfort rating is 30 degrees. In my testing, this feels more like where you’d want to stay temperature-wise with this bag. The outer shell uses a 30-denier recycled polyester ripstop with an inside liner made from 20-denier recycled polyester taffeta. It does a good job of holding back the moisture that often forms inside a tent, which I discovered after one very soggy night of testing. The fill is what Nemo calls Zerofiber insulation, which is made from 100 percent postconsumer recycled content fibers. The Zerofiber packs down remarkably small—this is the most compact synthetic-fill bag I’ve tested in this temp range—and retains its ability to trap warmth even when wet.
Photograph: Nemo
Nemo Equipment’s new 2024 Tensor-insulated sleeping pads (8/10, WIRED Recommends) have the best R-Value to weight ratio of anything we’ve tested. The Tensor All-Season featured here sports an R-Value of 5.4 and weighs just 18.2 ounces. That alone is impressive, but what I love about the Tensor is that it’s thick, comfortable, and most importantly, dang near silent. The slightly lighter Trail model is also on sale, as is the Extreme Conditions pad, which is the lightest, warmest sleeping pad on the market.
This minimal pad isn’t the most comfortable I’ve used (that would be the Nemo above), but it gets the job done and is considerably cheaper. It has an R-value of 4.9, and the 30-denier ripstop polyester with TPU lamination has held up well through years of testing. I also like that this pad is relatively wide and roomy—even the “regular” model (I have not tested the wide, but that’s also an option).
This is the beefy, ultra-luxury pad that started the trend of huge car-camping pads. And for that we thank Exped. The MegaMat is one of our favorite sleeping pads, and has slightly better insulation than our top pick in that guide, making it a better choice if you sleep cold or are headed out in the shoulder seasons where colder temps are possible.
Backpack Deals
Don’t forget to check out our guides to the Best Laptop Backpacks and the Best Travel Bags.
Photograph: REI
The Flash 22 is possibly the best value day pack on the market, especially on sale. I was surprised by how comfortable this thing is, despite the very lightweight straps and minimal padding. It carries loads up to 15 pounds without straining the shoulders, and the side stash pockets are fabulously large—big enough for a Nalgene bottle or rain jacket.
The ultralight cousin to the Flash 22, the Flash 18 lacks the hip belt, side stash pockets, and floating lid. What you’re left with is a stripped-down, bare-bones pack that’s great for traveling since you can stuff it down to almost nothing, stash it in your carry-on, and have a nice backpack whenever you need it. Don’t load it up with more than about 8 pounds of gear though, and avoid anything with pointy bits as there’s no padding here.
I spent several days in Michigan’s Porcupine Mountains with this pack, and I loved everything about it except the fit. The organization, the pockets, the lid—everything was fantastic, but it rode up on my hips. That doesn’t stop me from recommending it. Everyone is shaped differently. What didn’t work for me might be perfect for you. As with any pack, we suggest you head into an REI store and try them on if possible.
Apparel Deals
Photograph: REI
Every year, I (Adrienne) repurchase one of these rain jackets for each my children. It’s really hard to find rain jackets that are better value than REI’s at the price point. The kid’s version is a 2.5-layer shell with nonfluorinated (read: PFAS-free) durable water repellent (DWR), taped seams, and an adjustable hood. These will last all year long (at least, as long as your kid doesn’t lose theirs).
This is wildly affordable compared to some of the other sun hoodies that we tested for our guide to the Best Sun Protection Clothing. WIRED reviewer Jaina Grey found it to be super soft and breathable, with thumb holes to protect the back of your hands. It’s UPF 50, and it may be a lot easier to get your kids or sensitive family members to wear clothing instead of smearing sticky sunscreen all over their bodies.
I (Adrienne) cannot tell a lie; I have been wearing Halle pants for almost 15 years, and as the nylon content has gone up, they have started pilling very quickly. Nevertheless, the fit is still dialed for women with straighter hips and, er, athletic thighs. ReZion fabric is UPF 50, will not wrinkle, and is light and breathable. This is a good, versatile summer travel pant that looks nice, can accommodate all sorts of activities, and won’t stifle you.
Fitness Deals
Don’t forget to check out our guides to the Best Fitness Trackers, the Best Barefoot Shoes, the Best Garmins, and the Best Smartwatches.
Photograph: Garmin
Garmin’s two best outdoor sports watches—the Fenix and the Epix lines—are both $200 off. The Epix Pro (Gen 2) (8/10, WIRED Recommends) now has much better battery life, a brighter touchscreen, and nifty features like an in-bezel flashlight for when the battery on all your devices has died and you need to find something in your dark tent, and more navigation features, like being able to find Points of Interest like a coffee shop while you’re on a long run. Can you also do this with an Apple Watch Ultra? Yes, but not if you have an Android phone!
Photograph: Danner
These classic hiking boots are in both our guide to the Best Hiking Boots and our Buy It For Life guide. However, as crazy it is to say that one pair of shoes will last a lifetime, these are it. Each piece of the upper is made from a single piece of leather—that is, one piece of folded leather for the tongue. Fewer pieces means fewer seams and less chance of leaking or points of failure. All you need to do every year is wipe them down with a cloth and a tin of Danner conditioner, and when they finally break down you can send them back to the factory for a full recrafting.
On the off-chance that you’re even remotely interested in what I (Adrienne) am buying, these climbing shoes from La Sportiva are in my cart (all La Sportiva climbing shoes are 25 percent off). Summer climbing season is about to begin and I just wore off all the rubber on the rand on my current pair of La Sportivas, which is a legacy climbing brand. I like the crossing Velcro closures, which make it easy to get the shoe on and off quickly and still allow you to fine-tune the fit if you have high arches or narrow feet.
My favorite running shoes are Altras, which have a zero heel-to-toe drop (there is no difference in the height between the toe and the heel) and a wide toebox so that you don’t crunch your little tootsies. The Timp is the company’s latest trail running shoe, which I have been running in for the past two months. They do feel a little stiffer and tighter than previous versions; I size up a full size from my street size to avoid getting crunched. However, I like the breathable mesh and the padding. The Lone Peaks are my usual shoe and are a whopping 40 percent off.
Stove, Cookware, and Camp Deals
Don’t forget to check out our guides to the Best Camping Stoves and Best Portable Grills.
Photograph: Coleman
The luxury upgrade pick in our camp stove guide, Coleman’s Cascade 3-in-1 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is my favorite way to cook outdoors. The included cast iron griddle and grill plates open up more cooking possibilities—the flattop is great for heating tortillas and cooking pancakes. The flame control is good—dialing in a simmer isn’t hard—and the electronic ignition means you’ll never be searching for a lighter.
This is the fancy version of our favorite camp stove. Here you get electronic ignition and a nice pale green paint job. Is it worth the extra $25? That’s up to you. If its not, you can snag the less fancy version for $52 at Walmart.
Jetboil’s camp stove packs up smaller than most car-camping stoves, making it ideal for you #vanlifers. It offers a spacious cook area when unpacked and I found it easy to get a simmer. What I don’t like is the lack of any windscreen, but provided you can keep it protected, this is a good if somewhat pricey stove. There’s also an all-in-one cook system version that works just like Jetboil’s backpacking stove.
As we note in our guide to the Best Water Bottles, the Hydro Flask was the popular choice before the giant Stanley cup took over the internet. The standard 40-ounce is on sale, and it has double-walled insulation, a variety of lids, and lots of fun colors; it’s also not very easily damaged. If you find you must simply have a similar handled tumbler with a straw, Hydro Flask also has one.
Nemo’s backpacking chair is lightweight—just 1 pound, 14 ounces—and surprisingly sturdy. I love the reclining aspect, and both the mesh and poles have held up well in my testing.
