The REI Anniversary Sale is the outdoor world’s official call to summer. It’s the time when the best outdoor gear is up to 50% off, when most of us have a few trips on the books, and when we’re finally able to shoulder the pack and hit the trail.
This year the sentiment is there, but the trips are just a little further out, due to the pandemic. But that doesn’t mean the gear deals are waiting. REI went huge for their biggest sale of the year, and we have the best deals hand-picked below.
Freewaters Open Country Flip Flops – $30 (50% Off)
For those who appreciate a simple leather sandal built for the beach and backyard hang, the Freewaters Open Country flip flops are ideal. With basic arch support, an EVA midsole made of recycled cork, and rubber bottom with great traction, it’s a sandal that will last you years. Plus, each pair purchased supports clean drinking water projects in Kenya, Haiti, and the Philippines.
They are on serious sale, and will be gone before you know it.
See the Men’s Freewaters Open Country Flip Flops See the Women’s Freewaters Open Country Flip FlopsNalgene Wide Mouth 32 ounce – $5.99 (50% Off)
Everyone is familiar with the iconic Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 ounce bottle. It’s the OG backpacking bottle, and remains a go-to gift, last-minute purchase, and swag statement, in addition to an excellent water bottle. These bottles refuse to break, are BPA-free, and hold a full liter of water.
REI is discounting them heavily — 50% off — and they already aren’t terribly expensive. Stock up for summer.
See the Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 ouncePatagonia Nano Puff Jacket – $139.99 (30% Off)
The Patagonia Nano Puff is an iconic synthetic insulated jacket. Made with 75% recycled materials, it’s a decently warm layer that packs into its own pocket, weighs right around 12 ounces, and has an impeccable build. It uses PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco synthetic insulation, and the fabric is bluesign approved.
The Nano Puff is the do-it-all synthetic puffy, and it’s seriously discounted in this REI Anniversary Sale.
See the Men’s Patagonia Nano Puff See the Women’s Patagonia Nano PuffREI Kingdom 6 – $349.30 (30% Off)
The REI Kingdom 6 is the castle of any campground. Built to truly and comfortably house six adults, or a large family and their dog(s), the Kingdom 6 has 83 square feet of usable floor space, two massive doors, and a peak height of over six feet. The tent has an interior divider to separate it into two rooms — one for kids, one for adults — and it has a mesh top for easy star gazing. The sheer number of pockets, vertical side walls, and quality materials make the Kingdom 6 the premium choice for any serious car camping family.
REI has significantly discounted the Kingdom 6. Get it while you can.
See the REI Kingdom 6NEMO Tensor Insulated – $119.96 (25% Off)
The NEMO Tensor Insulated air pad is one of the comfiest, well constructed backpacking pads on the market. Coming in just under a pound, it’s an ultralight pad that works for all four seasons. It has a 3-inch height, a two-way flat valve for easy inflation and deflation, unique quilted baffles for side sleeping, and comes in standard, wide, and wide extra long sizes. The whole thing packs a bit smaller than the Nalgene above, too.
If you want a premium backpacking pad at a solidly reduced price, the NEMO Tensor Insulated is an excellent option.
See the NEMO Tensor InsulatedOsprey Aether AG 70 and Ariel AG 65 – $232.50 (25% Off)
The Osprey Aether and Ariel backpacking packs are often the standard that most other packs are measured against. They have a huge assortment of features essential to efficient packing, load carrying, and comfort. These include a robust stretch mesh pocket on the back, compression straps throughout, a removable top lid, a separate sleeping bag compartment along the bottom, and a J-Zip into the main chute (along with standard drawstring access) to easily get your gear. The Aether and Ariel now use the Anti-Gravity suspension, which is excellent for mobility and sweat control, and the heavily padded waist belt can be swapped out to fit you precisely.
These are premium packs from Osprey, and they are rarely on sale. We like the 70 and 65 sizes for backpackers who want to carry a decent amount, but any size range will do wonders for your back.
See the Men’s Osprey Aether AG 70 See the Women’s Osprey Ariel AG 65Katadyn BeFree 1 L – $33.71 (25% Off)
Katadyn’s BeFree water filter is simple, and that’s why we love it. It’s a soft plastic water bottle and water filter in one — the lid is the filter, and it holds one liter of water. When it’s not full, the BeFree collapses easily into a pocket. Most water filters tend to clog easily and generally have slow filter rates. The BeFree gushes out of the large pop cap spout, allowing you to filter dirty water right into your mouth like a normal bottle of water.
These are excellent to throw in a day pack or full backpacking pack, and at 25% off they make great gifts for any backpacker.
See the Katadyn BeFree 1 LArc’teryx Cerium LT – $284.25 (25% Off)
The Arc’teyrx Cerium LT remains our favorite lightweight down puffy. It’s roughly 11 ounces, features three zippered pockets, comes with a small stuffsack and packs down extremely tiny. It does all this while providing impressive warmth with 850-fill goose down and strategically placed synthetic Coreloft insulation. It is simple, impeccably made, and will keep you toasty in sub-freezing temperatures. Plus, it’s a styled fit and looks good in-town, too.
Arc’teryx gear is expensive, and the Cerium LT is not an exception. It rarely goes on sale, so 25% off this piece adds up to a lot of savings.
See the Men’s Arc’teryx Cerium LT See the Women’s Arc’teryx Cerium LTSmartwool Merino 250 Base Layer – $70 (30% Off)
We have highlighted the Smartwool Merino 250 base layer crew tops before during a sale, and we’ll continue to do it, because the product is outstanding. If you need a merino wool baselayer, the Merino 250 from Smartwool performs well for technical or casual environments, has a fit that works for most people, and manages to hit the perfect mark between resting warmth and active breathability.
It’s comfortable, long-lasting, multi-functional, and seriously discounted in this sale.
See the Men’s Smartwool Merino 250 Crew Top See the Men’s Smartwool Merino 250 Crew TopColumbia Silver Ridge Cargo Shorts – $33.69 (25% Off)
The Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo Shorts have a reputation as simple, affordable hiking shorts. They feature ripstop nylon fabric with an Omni-Wick treatment that focuses on breathability above all else. They come with a UPF 50+ rating, large side cargo pockets, front hand pockets and two back pockets — in short, plenty of storage. There’s an integrated webbing belt and they have a classic, baggy fit.
For men who need a pair of hiking shorts that will last, and don’t want to spend a fortune, the Silver Ridge are the pair to get.
See the Men’s Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo ShortsAll images courtesy REI, All Rights Reserved.
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