Our Favorite Backpacking Gear Available at REI’s Labor Day Sale

In case you missed it, REI is running one of their mega-sales, happening now through September 4.

Gearing up for a long-distance hike will put a dent in your wallet, so we combed through the current sale offerings to find our faves at great prices. If you’re planning to throw some goodies in the cart, the following items are a good place to start.

In no particular order:

Osprey Exos 58

$165 (originally $220)

This is one of our favorite packs for thru-hikers, featured prominently in our 2017 Best Packs roundup. It’s a near-perfect middle ground between lightweight packs and more featured options, and one of the most popular choices on the Appalachian Trail.

Black Diamond Ion Headlamp

$11.73 (originally $25)

This lil guy weighs 1.7 ounces, and is a no-frills way to light up your campsite. Our editor uses this headlamp and swears by its bright beam, low battery consumption, and comfortable strap. Also it’s less than $12?!

Bonus: This is an REI Garage item, so you can take 20% more off with a coupon on the page. 

Brooks Cascadia 11 GTX Trail Shoes

$104.83 (originally $150)

For the majority of our readers, the debate is pretty much over for boots vs trail runners. This model from Brooks is tried and true, with minimal break-in period. This means less blisters, which means happier hikers. These are the women’s model, but there are plenty of men’s shoes listed as well.

Big Agnes Fly Creek II UL mtnGLO Tent

$319 (originally $400)

Big Agnes owns a significant chunk of the freestanding tent market for thru-hikers, and despite our original leeriness at tents with lights built into them, the addition of illumination weighs ~3 ounces.

Bonus: This is an REI Garage item, so you can take 20% more off with a coupon on the page. 

Big Agnes Air Core Ultra

$52 for the regular (originally $70)

A few ounces heavier than the other ubiquitous yellow sleeping pad, but this is still a killer deal. The Air Core is easier to inflate than earlier models, and the air chambers on the edge of the pad are slightly larger than the ones in the middle, which will (hopefully) keep you securely in the middle.

MSR Pocket Rocket II

$33.69 (originally $45)

This easy-to-use, reliable staple from MSR is a popular option on the trail. Weighing in at under 3 ounces and boiling water in just a few minutes, this is a solid choice for hikers looking for hot food at the end of the day.

REI Merino Quarter Socks

$7.73 (originally $14)

What’s the 17th tenet of long-distance hikers? One should never pass up a good deal on merino hiking socks? This counts as a good deal.

Bonus: This is an REI Garage item, so you can take 20% more off with a coupon on the page. 

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Compression Dry Sack

$29.89 for the 10L (originally $35)

This isn’t a monstrous discount, but these dry sacks are A) pricey and B) worth their (nominal) weight in gold. You’ll be glad to compress your clothing/tent/sleeping bag to save space, plus you’ll have the added security of keeping it dry in the rare (ha) chance you run into bad weather during your long-distance hike.

REI Revelcloud Jacket

$89.73 (originally $129)

This compact insulation layer tucks right into its own pocket. The insulation is PrimaLoft Silver, which gives it a solid warmth-to-weight ratio while still retaining much of its insulation properties if it happens to get wet. This is a lightweight layer, so if you get cold easily, you might want to go for something beefier.

Bonus: This is an REI Garage item, so you can take 20% more off with a coupon on the page.