By Michael Lanza
If you’ve been thinking you need—or want—a new backpack, tent, boots, sleeping bag, rain shell, down jacket, or some other piece of hiking or backpacking gear or apparel, right now is one of the two or three best times of year to grab excellent deals. Most online and brick-and-mortar retailers are holding major sales, offering deeply discounted prices on new and recently new gear. If you want to save yourself serious cash (and who doesn’t?), read on for my recommendations for favorite models of packs, tents, jackets, and other gear, and links to the best sales taking place right now.
Online retail sites like backcountry.com and rei.com are holding sales right now, as are many brands that make high-quality gear like blackdiamondequipment.com, outdoorresearch.com, patagonia.com, ospreypacks.com, hyperlitemountaingear.com, gregorypacks.com, arcteryx.com, himali.com, msrgear.com, mysteryranch.com, seatosummitusa.com, featheredfriends.com, beyondclothing.com, nemoequipment.com, ibex.com, gossamergear.com, and slingfin.com.
See all reviews of gear from Black Diamond, Outdoor Research, Feathered Friends, Patagonia, Osprey Packs, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, Gregory Packs, Arc’teryx, Himali, MSR, Mystery Ranch, Sea to Summit, Beyond Clothing, Nemo Equipment, Montem, Ibex, Gossamer Gear, and Slingfin at The Big Outside.
Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Join The Big Outside to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here for my e-books to classic backpacking trips. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip.

The Black Diamond Approach Down Hoody in the Grand Canyon. Click photo to see “The 12 Best Down Jackets.”
Make smart, informed choices by starting with my expert gear reviews, which draw from my experience of more than 25 years reviewing hiking and backpacking gear, previously as the lead gear reviewer for 10 years at Backpacker magazine and even longer running this blog. See a categorized menu of all reviews at The Big Outside, as well as links to my gear-buying tips, at my Gear Reviews page.
Or click directly to these stories at The Big Outside, where I review only the top-performing outdoor gear and apparel:
“The Best Backpacking Gear of the Year”
“The 10 Best Backpacking Packs”
“The 10 Best Backpacking Tents”
“The Best Ultralight Backpacks”
“The Best Sun Shirts”
“25 Essential Backpacking Gear Accessories”

Jeff Wilhelm backpacking the Teton Crest Trail in the North Fork Cascade Canyon, Grand Teton National Park. Click photo to see “America’s Top 10 Best Backpacking Trips.”
“The 12 Best Down Jackets”
“The Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking”
“The Best Trekking Poles”
“The Best Headlamps”
“The 10 Best Hiking Daypacks”
“The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets”
You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by making purchases through any of the above affiliate links or links at this blog to an online retailer. Thanks for doing that, I appreciate it.

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider 3400 ultralight backpack in the Beartooth Mountains. Click photo to see “The 10 Best Backpacking Packs.”
Make yourself into an expert gear buyer by reading my expert tips on choosing the right backpack, tent, boots, sleeping bag, and rain jacket, and these stories:
“The Top 5 Ultralight Backpacking Tips”
“5 Things to Know Before Buying Backpacking Gear”
“How You Can Tell How Warm a Down Jacket Is”
“5 Smart Steps to Lighten Your Backpacking Gear”
NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.
If you’ve been thinking you need—or want—a new backpack, tent, boots, sleeping bag, rain shell, down jacket, or some other piece of hiking or backpacking gear or apparel, right now is one of the two or three best times of year to grab excellent deals. Most online and brick-and-mortar retailers are holding major sales, offering deeply discounted prices on new and recently new gear. If you want to save yourself serious cash (and who doesn’t?), read on for my recommendations for favorite models of packs, tents, jackets, and other gear, and links to the best sales taking place right now.
Online retail sites like backcountry.com and rei.com are holding sales right now, as are many brands that make high-quality gear like blackdiamondequipment.com, outdoorresearch.com, patagonia.com, ospreypacks.com, hyperlitemountaingear.com, gregorypacks.com, arcteryx.com, himali.com, msrgear.com, mysteryranch.com, seatosummitusa.com, featheredfriends.com, beyondclothing.com, nemoequipment.com, ibex.com, gossamergear.com, and slingfin.com.
See all reviews of gear from Black Diamond, Outdoor Research, Feathered Friends, Patagonia, Osprey Packs, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, Gregory Packs, Arc’teryx, Himali, MSR, Mystery Ranch, Sea to Summit, Beyond Clothing, Nemo Equipment, Montem, Ibex, Gossamer Gear, and Slingfin at The Big Outside.


The Black Diamond Approach Down Hoody in the Grand Canyon. Click photo to see “The 12 Best Down Jackets.”
Make smart, informed choices by starting with my expert gear reviews, which draw from my experience of more than 25 years reviewing hiking and backpacking gear, previously as the lead gear reviewer for 10 years at Backpacker magazine and even longer running this blog. See a categorized menu of all reviews at The Big Outside, as well as links to my gear-buying tips, at my Gear Reviews page.
Or click directly to these stories at The Big Outside, where I review only the top-performing outdoor gear and apparel:
“The Best Backpacking Gear of the Year”
“The 10 Best Backpacking Packs”
“The 10 Best Backpacking Tents”
“The Best Ultralight Backpacks”
“The Best Sun Shirts”
“25 Essential Backpacking Gear Accessories”
Find your next adventure in your Inbox. Sign up now for my FREE email newsletter.

Jeff Wilhelm backpacking the Teton Crest Trail in the North Fork Cascade Canyon, Grand Teton National Park. Click photo to see “America’s Top 10 Best Backpacking Trips.”
“The 12 Best Down Jackets”
“The Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking”
“The Best Trekking Poles”
“The Best Headlamps”
“The 10 Best Hiking Daypacks”
“The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets”
You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by making purchases through any of the above affiliate links or links at this blog to an online retailer. Thanks for doing that, I appreciate it.
Buy smartly. Read my “10 Tips For Spending Less on Hiking and Backpacking Gear”
and “Why and When to Spend More on Hiking and Backpacking Gear.”
and “Why and When to Spend More on Hiking and Backpacking Gear.”

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider 3400 ultralight backpack in the Beartooth Mountains. Click photo to see “The 10 Best Backpacking Packs.”
Make yourself into an expert gear buyer by reading my expert tips on choosing the right backpack, tent, boots, sleeping bag, and rain jacket, and these stories:
“The Top 5 Ultralight Backpacking Tips”
“5 Things to Know Before Buying Backpacking Gear”
“How You Can Tell How Warm a Down Jacket Is”
“5 Smart Steps to Lighten Your Backpacking Gear”
NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See my Gear Reviews page at The Big Outside for categorized menus of all of my reviews and my expert buying tips.
The Big Outside helps you find the best adventures.
Join now to read ALL stories and get a free e-book!
Join now to read ALL stories and get a free e-book!