As many folks will be aware, the Black Friday Sales season is now in full swing. This is a great opportunity to save on any wishlist backpacking gear you may have been thinking about during 2024.
Most of the items listed below are aimed at folks interested in lightweight and ultralight backpacking, and the selection ranges from sleeping pads and quilts to backpacks, shelters, and electronics. Along with REI – whose popular winter sale runs until November 25 – I’ve included some highly regarded cottage gear companies whose products sometimes fly under the non-gear nerd/ultralight radar.
10 Top Deals From the REI Winter Sale
1. Garmin inReach Mini 2 (25% off / $299) —At just 3.5 oz, the inReach Mini 2 is a GPS Satellite Messenger that provides global two-way communication, tracking, SOS messages, and weather reports. I’ve taken one of these on all my backpacking trips over the last five years.
2. Kathoola Microspikes (20% off / $59.89) – Lightweight and easy to slip on, these excellent traction devices are ideal for hiking on icy trails. I’ve been using the same pair of Microspikes for more than a decade, and they’re still going strong.
Into the gloaming (Oregon, 2016).
3. Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Solo (31 % off / $549.99) —While I’m personally not big into high-end GPS watches, I have a few long-time hiker buddies who swear by them, most notably Mike Unger and Naomi Hudetz from Treeline Review and Whitney “Allgood” La Ruffa from Six Moon Designs. Mike, in particular, knows more about the subject than any outdoors person I’ve met, and FWIW, the Garmin Fenix has been his outdoor watch of choice for years.
4. Smartwool Merino Base Layers (25 %off) – Including Quarter-Zip Base Layer Top (Men’s) and Quarter-Zip Base Layer Top (Women’s)
5. Icebreaker Merino Base Layers (25% off) – Including 200 Oasis Long-Sleeve Half Zip (Men’s) and 200 Oasis Long-Sleeve Half Zip (Women’s)
Icebreaker Zip neck base layer – are you convinced? | Copper Canyon Traverse, Mexico, 2013.
6. Nemo Tensor All-Season Sleeping Pad (25% off / $149.89) – Weight 14.1 oz / R-Value 5.4 – Highly regarded alternative to Therm-a-Rest models.
7. Therm-a-Rest Vesper Down Quilt 20F & 32F (40% off / $239.89 ) – The Vesper boasts 900 fill power hydrophobic goose down and tips the scales at 19 oz (regular size).
8. Sea-to-Summit 25% off sleeping bags & sleeping mats – Including Spark 15F Sleeping Bag ($411.69) and Ether Light Sleeping Mat ($179.19)
9. REI Magma 15 Sleeping Bag (30% off / $300.29) – Well-priced, lightweight, and 850 Fill Power.
10. La Sportiva Akasha 2 Trail Running Shoes (30% off / $131.19) – Along with the La Sportiva Ultra Raptors, the Akashas have been my trail runners of choice for hiking in rugged terrain since 2020 / Durability = 700-800 miles per pair.
Hiking in Alaska’s Brooks Range (2021) (Note: Ultra Raptors are currently listed at up to 50% off on Backcountry.com).
REI Member’s Sale (20% off Full Price Item and any One Outlet Item)
Below are 10 more of my favorite items that are currently eligible for the member’s 20% off sale (Tip: For potential extra savings, before pulling the trigger, double check on REI Outlet and RE/Supply to see if an item you’re interested in is already discounted).
1. Therm-a-Rest NeoAir X-Lite ($199.95)—Since 2010, I’ve put well over 20,000 miles on the three NeoAirs I’ve owned. In recent years, I’ve switched to the wider model, and the extra five inches (i.e.,25″ vs. 20″) have made a notable difference comfort-wise.
2. Therm-a-Rest NeoAir X-Therm ($239.95) –I used this 7.3 R-Value mat on my trip to Bolivia/Peru in 2017, where temperatures regularly dropped to -15°C at night. Still the most comfortable mat I’ve used.
A very rare sleep-in during the Ausangate Circuit (Peru, 2017) (Items pictured – Thermarest XTherm, Katabatic Sawatch 15, and MLD Prophet Backpack.
3. Marmot Helium ($429) – The Helium has been one of the best-value lightweight sleeping bags for more than two decades (I used one on the PCT in 2007). Tipping the scales at around 2 lbs, it has 800 fill goose down and is accurately rated to 15°F (-9°C). With the REI discount, it will set you back less than $350. For more sleeping bag suggestions, see Sleeping Bags and Quilts for Thru-Hiking.
4. Patagonia R1 Hoodie Pullover ($169) – Athletic fit, snug balaclava/hood, and long front zip for temperature regulation. One of the most versatile items in my layering system. Over the past 15 years, I’ve regularly used the R1 as an insulation layer when hiking in “cold and wet” environments and a base layer when venturing into deep winter conditions.
5. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 40 Backpack ($369)—I can’t say enough about this pack’s toughness and load-carrying ability. I used it on my traverses of SW Tasmania, the Badlands, Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Range, and Bolivia’s Altiplano. If you are looking for a bit more volume, try the Southwest 55 model.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Southwest during the Badlands Traverse (South Dakota, 2016).
6. Brooks Cascadia 18 ($140)– I’ve been using the Cascadias since the third edition came out in the 2000s. Despite Brooks’ constant (and often unnecessary) tweaks, they remain a favorite of mine if I’m hiking on-trail. For more rugged terrain, I’ve switched over to La Sportiva trail runners. On the durability front, I’ve found that I can still get an average of 500-600 miles out of a pair of Cascadias before they need to be retired.
7. Ursack Major XL ($124) is a 15–liter bear sack made of Spectra fabric, which weighs 8.8 oz. I used two of these during my trip to Denali NP and the Brooks Range in 2021 (See Tips for Hiking in Bear Country).
8. Bear Vault 475 Trek Bear Canister ($89.95) – Lightweight and reasonably priced, the BV475 weighs 2lb 4 oz and can carry around 5 to 6 days of food. I used one of these during a 300-mile (483 km) hike around Olympic National Park in September of this year.
9. Soto Windmaster Stove ($69.95) – Stove of choice since 2021.
10. Merrell Moab 2 Ventilator ($120)– I’ve been a fan of the Moabs since I used them to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in 2007. They are by no means the lightest trail runners, but over the years, I’ve consistently gotten 800 miles out of each pair and have found they offer excellent stability and grip in rugged terrain. I used the Moabs on both the Southwest Tasmania Traverse and the Altiplano Traverse in Bolivia.
Crossing the Salar de Uyuni during the Altiplano Traverse (Bolivia, 2017).
Other Deals on Lightweight and Ultralightweight Backpacking Gear
Hiking the Colorado Trail with the Gossamer Gear Kumo (2015).
MLD Duomid at sunset on the Bailey Range Traverse, Olympic National Park, WA (September 2024).
Tarptent Stratospire 2 / Hornstrandir Loop, Iceland, 2023.
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