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What does freedom celebrate? Enough to buy stuff? Never mind, don’t answer that. But REI is having a Fourth of July sale, which means if you’ve just discovered that your backpack straps or camping chairs have rotted away, it’s time to stock up on hiking and camping essentials without paying full price.
Several other retailers are also running 4th of July deals, including Crossing and Public landsWe’ve highlighted some of our favorite deals on gear we’ve loved over our years of testing. There’s something for almost all of our favorite summer activities: tents, stoves, sleeping bags, and plenty of outdoor clothing. Be sure to check out our outdoor gear guides like the best tents, best sleeping bags, best sleeping pads, best rain jackets, best merino wool, and best binoculars.
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WIRED Featured Deals
Offers on backpacks, tents and sleeping pads
Check out our guides to the best tents, best sleeping pads and best sleeping bags for more details, along with our testing experiences.
Photography: Backcountry
My son spent much of his childhood in this Deuter carrier, which is one of the most comfortable baby carriers I’ve ever used. It has good storage space and stands up on its own when you put it down. If you have a little one and want to get out and about, this is the best one I’ve tried. It’s rarely on sale, so grab it while you can.
Mystery Ranch was once a little-known packaging company with a cult following. That’s likely going to change now that Yeti has acquired itBut at least I can assume everyone has heard of Mystery Ranch and skip introductions like this. I’ve been testing this backpack for over six months now, and it’s very close to being the perfect everyday backpack. It’s comfortable and roomy, and has the three-zipper system that made Mystery Ranch a legend.
I traveled around the world with an earlier version of this Osprey pack, using it for nearly a year. It held up well to the abuse of overland travel—more than once I saw a bus driver strap it to the roof of a bus by holding it with rope and pulling his weight toward the center of my pack, like a cheese slicer. The Farpoint survived, and so did my gear, thanks in part to the thickly padded sides that provide considerable extra cushioning.
Photography: MSR
Our favorite family tent, the Habitude, is sturdy and lightweight. It easily fits a canoe or paddleboard and is easy to set up—the design is straightforward and the poles are color-coded. There’s plenty of floor space for pads and sleeping bags to keep two adults, two small children, and a large dog warm at night. It also has storage pockets, places to hang lights, and a vestibule.
The Base Camp is a lightweight, airy campervan tent with room for four people. It’s not very light at 7kg, but it’s not too difficult to transport if you’re on a walk-in site. It has double doors for excellent air circulation and is very easy to set up, thanks to the colour-coded pole system. There’s also a vehicle awning sold separately which looks interesting, although we haven’t tried it. If you need a bit more space, the Base Camp 6 is also ideal. On sale for $384 ($165 off)
The Wonderland 6 replaces the Kingdom 6 in REI’s line of large tents. I loved the Kingdom 6, but the Wonderland 6 is a competent replacement. The design and layout are very similar, with an optional two-room interior, plenty of large storage pockets, and double doors. What’s different is the new pole design, which features a bifurcated center pole for added stability.
Photography: REI
Your kids may not need a child-sized pad, but if you want to save some weight and your kids are under 60 inches tall, this pad is great. It has an R-value of 4.5 and we’ve tested it in temperatures as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit and still had comfortable, happy kids. The separate valves for inflation and deflation make it easier for toddlers to understand how it’s done so they can help set it up.
Camp offers
Be sure to read our other relevant outdoor guides for more great camping gear, including the best tents, best hiking gear, best camping stoves, and our camping cooking guide.
Photography: REI
This headlamp is indestructible. I’ve had mine for over 20 years. While I’ve had to replace the strap twice during that time, it otherwise works as well as the day I bought it. Get one AAA rechargeable batteries and you will have light for many years.
I am currently converting a school bus into an RV, and my only power source so far is the Yeti 1500 by Goal Zero ($1,300)It’s a bit more powerful than this, but for weekend camping, where you probably won’t be using a circular saw or vacuum, the Yeti 700 should provide more than enough power. It pairs well with the portable solar panels Also, making it easy to maintain power supply.
I confess I’ve never used it as the trash bin it’s supposed to be. It’s just too pretty. I use it as a laundry bag. It’s made from 600 denier nylon and the inside is lined with a 1000mm polyurethane coating, making it easy to clean with a hose. Spray it with water and hang it to dry. The roll-top closure is similar to that of a waterproof bag. It’s not completely waterproof, but it will keep trash from spilling out.
Photography: Aeropress
The AeroPress Go (9/10, WIRED recommends) is a great solution for brewing coffee at camp for large groups. Everyone can brew their own cup, at any time. Strange and exciting AeroPress method They love it. Even if not everyone likes it, no one is going to hate it. Well, maybe Steve does, but he complains about everything.
Our favorite way to avoid green propane bottles is this gas growler. This model gives you a 0.9-pound propane tank with a nice padded/insulated sleeve and a handy carrying strap, and it makes your campsite look a lot better than an empty tank. It also protects your shins during those inevitable brushes with cold, hard steel that come with lugging around a big propane tank. This size is the equivalent of four green propane bottles.
This chair is the most comfortable way to hang out at camp. It’s a bit big, heavy, and difficult to fold and carry, but it’s worth it when you get all your loved ones in it in front of a campfire.
Photography: Biolite
The Biolite FirePit+ is our favorite high-tech hibachi model. It’s a sleek, portable mesh box with removable legs, a hibachi-style grill, and an ash pan. It has a 10,400mAh rechargeable battery that can power 51 air jets for up to 26 hours. This allows you to precisely control the flame and, to some extent, the heat of the fire. It’s Bluetooth compatible, so you can adjust the airflow (and flame height) on your phone. The FirePit+ can burn charcoal or wood, and thanks to the fans, you don’t need a charcoal chimney and will never have trouble getting a fire going.
Offers on bicycles and clothing
Photography: Darn Tough
The Darn Tough socks are, ahem, very durable. I’m a merino wool fanatic around here and have tried dozens of merino socks, and the Darn Tough have held up better than any others. There are some very comfortable merino socks on the market, some of which have a higher merino content (these are 60 percent), but none have lasted longer than the Darn Tough.
Our review is coming soon, but not only does REI make reasonably priced commuter bikes, the company also makes them in-house and offers a year of free tune-ups. It’s reasonably priced for all the commuting essentials, with a 250-watt motor in a low-entry frame. However, it does offer a bit less torque than you might need if you live in a city with lots of hills.
I like the Trailmade as a jacket to leave in the car as part of my permanent hiking gear – stuff I always have there and ready to go. It’s not the best rain jacket. It won’t keep you dry during Thailand’s monsoon season rains, but it’s good enough for the afternoon thunderstorms that pop up in my area, and it’s an excellent windbreaker. Come on, it’s $35 for a decent rain jacket.