Gear Picks
The Best Gear Deals at the REI Anniversary Sale
Get kitted out for summer adventures with these steals at REI’s biggest sale of the year, now through May 31.
Featured
$349
from Backcountry
The Mega Mat Duo is the most comfortable mattress we’ve used for car camping, hands down. It’s a 10-centimeter-thick air pad with memory foam insulation. It’s pricey, but it’s the closest we’ve come to feeling like we were in our bed at home while camping.
$450.00
from REI
Though Outside columnist Andrew Skurka loves the Garmin InReach Mini, the device’s bigger and older brother, the Explorer+, offers a few nice features at the cost of size and weight: a bigger color screen, more efficient button layout, better virtual keyboard, and longer-lasting battery.
$350.00
from REI
The Garmin InReach Mini weighs only 3.5 ounces and operates like a full-size Garmin InReach. According to tester Andrew Skurka, “It retains the core InReach functionality (two-way messaging, location tracking, weather updates) in a package that is more portable.”
$599.00
$419.00
from REI
30% off
“The Beta weighs a hair over a pound, but it’s built from bombproof Gore-Tex Pro (the stuff many high-end ski jackets are made from),” wrote our Gear Guy in his guide to spring rain shells. “[It’s] packed with nice features, like a helmet-compatible hood, and has a roomy fit to facilitate lots of layering.”
$99.00
$74.00
from REI
25% off
Senior editor Ariella Gintzler loves the Houdini for its versatile, lightweight material. “The papery quality of the Houdini offers superior next-to-skin comfort; you can wear it over a short-sleeve shirt without that clammy shell sensation against your arms,” she writes. It's billed as a trail-running shell, but works just as well for hiking.
$270.00
from REI
The “AG” stands for Anti-Gravity, Osprey’s term for the Atmos’s swath of torso-conforming mesh that allows airflow while providing balance and support. The unique design creates contact with your entire back, which, combined with tons of adjustability in the torso and hipbelt and four compression straps, allows you to stabilize loads both large and small.
All Gear
$44
$21
from REI
52% off
These Kinco gloves aren’t anything fancy, but sometimes we think the simplest gear is the best gear. “The reinforced pigskin leather is tough, and the thermal lining is warm enough for most days on the slopes,” we wrote. We recommend adding a layer of Sno-Seal to the outer coating for a waterproof finish.
$125
$94
from Huckberry
25% off
Our gear columnist called these shoes “close to perfect.” Their versatile build “sits at the intersection between a runner, a travel slipper, a water shoe, and a low-cut hiking boot,” they wrote. “It’s replaced at least three other pairs I used to rotate through (flip-flops, hiking boots, and work shoes) and looks mostly new even after a couple beatings.”
$128
$99
from Lululemon
23% off
“This sleek 17-liter pack holds more than it looks like it can,” wrote our tester, who included it in our roundup of the best men’s summer workout gear. “Outer mesh pouches swallow socks and shoes, and a big top-loading interior pocket fits a change of clothes and everyday essentials.”
$325
$244
from Backcountry
25% off
The original Ghost Whisperer is our Gear Guy’s favorite lightweight down jacket. The 800-fill-power down is toasty, and the feather treatment helps it stay dry longer, even in wet environments. If you’re concerned about weight, this is the jacket you want—it weighs less than eight ounces.
Sponsor Content
Cairn Obsidian Premium Outdoor Collection
$249.95 / quarter
from Cairn
Receive 4-10 curated outdoor products straight to your doorstep quarterly, including apparel, nutrition, skincare, and more. Discover new brands that are sure to become staples in your adventure kit, or purchase as the perfect gift for the gear junkie in your life.
$24
$16
from REI
33% off
If you’re a skier who wants less cushioning, these are the socks for you. “Icebreaker’s take on the superthin ski sock features moisture-wicking merino wool, nylon, and Lycra,” wrote associate editor Abigail Barronian. “It has little cushioning to speak of, but it still feels substantial, striking a good balance between weight, warmth, and breathability.”
$430
$360
from REI
16% off
We featured the Recon LT beacon in our Winter Buyer’s Guide roundup of the best snow safety gear. “The device’s ergonomic shape and low-profile harness make it comfortable to wear and easy to forget about until you need it, and the advertised 50-meter range held up during tests in the glades of the Sangre de Cristos and in the Alaskan alpine,” wrote our tester.
$160
from REI
Our Gear Guy considers the Fall Line the best and most reliable pair of ski gloves. “No other piece of gear in my ski kit sees more use than the Fall Line,” he wrote. “After all these years, the reason I love them is simple: they’re the right tool for keeping my hands warm while skiing—and tinkering with my gear—all season long.”
$250
$187
from REI
25% off
Columnist Wes Siler crowned the FirePit the best portable grill ever. It works as both a fire pit and an efficient grill, thanks to the fan that makes the pit run “virtually smokeless,” Siler wrote. “With the fan running on high, the entire thing went from cold to ready-to-sear in under 15 minutes.”
$85
$64
from REI
25% off
The Tarantulace is one of the best climbing shoes for beginners. “Rather than the sharp-angled toe of most climbing shoes, the Tarantulace has more of a squared silhouette that offers a bit more wiggle room,” contributor Olivia Harlow wrote in her roundup of the best gear for those new to the sport.
$50
$37
from REI
26% off
If trail weight is an issue, you can’t beat Hydro Flask’s Trail Series bottles, which are 25 percent lighter than their original versions. They’re still double-wall insulated to keep beverages cold for hours. You can fit two pints in their larger, 32-ounce bottle making it perfect for a happy hour sunset hike.
Gear Picks is a curated selection of products we’ve tested and heartily recommend. We stand by this gear—and the brands that sell it—and many of our editors and writers use this stuff weekly. Whenever possible, we provide a link to a past review so you can make sure it’s something that suits your lifestyle—ideally at a steeply discounted price. Happy shopping—and gear-picking.