As many of my US readers will be aware, the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales are now in full swing. This represents a great opportunity to save on any wishlist backpacking gear you may have been thinking about during the pandemic.
Over the past few days, I’ve been scanning the net for the best hiking and backpacking gear deals on offer. What follows is a compilation of heavily discounted items from Backcountry, Campsaver, and Moosejaw, along with other great offers from cottage gear companies such as Gossamer Gear, Enlightened Equipment, Mountain Laurel Designs, and Six Moon Designs.
(Note: In line with the overall philosophy of this website, the following offers consist almost entirely of gear that is lightweight or ultralightweight).
Storewide Sales
- Backcountry.com – 20% off one full-priced item (exclusions apply).
- Campsaver – 20% off one full-priced item and 20% off any item in the OUTLET. Ends December 7.
- Enlightened Equipment – 20% off stock items and 10% off all custom quilts, apparel, and accessories. Sale ends November 29.
- Garage Grown Gear – Up to 40% off a wide variety of items from cottage UL gear companies such as Katabatic Gear, Nashville Pack, Toaks, and Waymark Gear Co.
- Gossamer Gear – Up to 25% off backpacks and shelters. Sale ends December 5.
- Hammock Gear: 15% to 20% off a wide variety of items including quilts, hammocks, and shelters. Sale ends November 29.
- Moosejaw – Thanksgiving sale. Up to 30% off brands including Prana, Outdoor Research, Mountain Hardwear, Black Diamond, and Smartwool.
- Mountain Hardwear: 25% sitewide. Sale ends December 2.
- Mountain Laurel Designs – 5% off all purchases with code ULTRA200ROCKS. Sale ends November 29.
- Nashville Pack -10% off at checkout with code NashyNovember10. Sale ends November 30.
- Six Moon Designs – 20% off all backpacks and 20%-25% off most of its shelters. Sale ends November 30.
- UGQ Outdoor – 10% off all products (including made-to-order items). Coupon: BLACKFRIDAY2021. Sale ends November 28.
- Ursack – 30% off bear-resistant food sacks. Sale end December 3.
Footwear
All of the models mentioned below are featured in my in-depth article, Trail Runners Vs Hiking Boots: A 30 Year Perspective. I’ve either used each of the listed items personally or have hiked with long-time backpacker mates who have done so:
Campsaver
- 25% off La Sportiva Ultra Raptors – Men’s & Women’s
- 25% off La Sportiva Jackals – Men’s & Women’s
- 25% off La Sportiva Bushido 2 – Men’s & Women’s
- 25% off La Sportiva Wildcat
- 25% off La Sportiva Akyra
- Up to 42% off Altra Lone Peak 5 Women’s
Backcountry.com
- 20% off Brooks Cascadia 16 – Men’s & Women’s (discount applied at checkout)
- 20% off Brooks Caldera 5 – Women’s (discount applied at checkout)
- 20% off Merrell Moab 2 Vent – Men’s & Women’s (discount applied at checkout)
- 20% off Hoka One One Speedgoat 4 – Men’s & Women’s (discount applied at checkout)
- 20% off Altra Lone Peak 5 – Men’s (discount applied at checkout)
- 20% off Salamon XA Pro 3D V8 – Men’s & Women’s (discount applied at checkout)
- 20% off Topo Athletic Terra Venture 4 – Men’s & Women’s (discount applied at checkout)
- 25% off La Sportiva Jackal Men’s & Women’s (discount applied at checkout)
- 25% off La Sportiva Ultra Raptor Men’s & Women’s (discount applied at checkout)
- 25% off La Sportiva Bushido 2 Men’s & Women’s (discount applied at checkout)
- 25% off La Sportiva Wildcat Men’s & Women’s (discount applied at checkout)
REI
Bedrock Sandals
SPOTLIGHT: La Sportiva Trail Runners – Over the past three years, a lot of my hiking has been done in La Sportiva trail runners. Particularly the Akashas (discontinued) and the Ultra Raptors. This past summer I used a single pair of the latter model for over 400 miles in extremely rugged terrain up in Alaska, after which I put another 250 miles on them before they were eventually retired. The aforementioned models fit my feet well (i.e. medium width & volume), as do the La Sportiva Wildcats. On the other hand, I’ve found the Bushidos to be too narrow overall, and the Akyras, while having plenty of traction and cushioning, are a little too high and narrow in the heel for my liking. Summary: As of November 2021, the Ultra Raptors have become my go-to trail runner for extended trips in rugged conditions, while long-time favorites, the Brooks Cascadias, still do the trick for everything else.
Shelters
For more shelter ideas see Tents for Thru-hiking:
Six Moon Designs
- 20% off Six Moon Designs Deschutes
- 20% off Six Moon Designs Skyscrape Trekker
- 20% off Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo
- 25% off Lunar Duo Explorer
Gossamer Gear
Backcountry
- 20% off Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL1 Solution Dye (discount applied at checkout)
- 20% off Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 Solution Dye (discount applied at checkout)
- 20% off MSR Carbon Reflex 1 (discount applied at checkout)
- 20% off MSR Hubba Hubba NX (discount applied at checkout)
Mountain Laurel Designs
- 5% off all tarps and tents until November 29 with code ULTRA200ROCKS. Includes old favorites such as the Solomid, Duomid, Trailstar, and Pro Poncho.
SPOTLIGHT: Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo
I used this comfortable, lightweight (26 oz) tent for a month during my recent trip to the Pacific Northwest. It holds up well in inclement weather, the setup is quick and easy, and for one person, there’s more than ample room to spread out. It was the first SMD shelter I’d tried since taking the Gatewood Cape for a spin many years ago, and overall I was very impressed.
Sleeping Bags & Quilts
For more options, see Sleeping Bags and Quilts for Thru-Hiking.
Enlightened Equipment
- 20% off stock items and 10% off all custom quilts. Includes thru-hiker favorites such as the Enigma and Revelation. Sale ends November 29.
Backcountry
- 25% off Rab Down Sleeping Bags, including the Neutrino 400 (21F) and Mythic 200 (34F)
- 33% off Marmot Helium 15F
Garage Grown Gear
- 5% off Katabatic Quilts including the Flex 30F, Flex 22F, Flex 15F, and the Alsek 22F (pictured below)
Hammock Gear
- 15% off Economy quilts and 20% off Premium quilts – Hammock Gear makes some of the best budget-priced quilts on the market.
SPOTLIGHT: Katabatic Alsek 22F
I’ve been using the Alsek since 2018. Since that time it’s kept me warm in the Scottish Highlands, Lapland and the Alps in the fall, the upper reaches of some of Mexico’s highest volcanoes, and most recently during a late summer trip to northern Alaska. As with the other two Katabatic quilts I’ve used since 2011 (i.e. Palisade 30F and Sawatch 15F – both of which are still going strong), it’s regularly outperformed its temperature rating, and I can’t say enough about the workmanship and overall quality.
Backpacks
For more options see Backpacks for Thru-Hiking.
Mountain Laurel Designs
- 5% off UL frameless classics such as the Burn 38L and Prophet 48L with code ULTRA200ROCKS. Sale ends November 29.
Six Moon Designs
- 20% off all backpacks including the Swift V (40L), Minimalist V2 (50L), and the Swift X (which I used on a 15 day carry in Gates of the Arctic National Park this past summer). Sale ends November 30.
Nashville Packs
- Nashville Pack Cutaway (10% off)
- Nashville Pack Tiempo (10% off)
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
- 20% off the HMG 2400 & 3400 Southwest Backpacks at Backcountry (discount applied at checkout)
Gossamer Gear
- Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 (25% off)
- Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 (25% off)
- Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 (25% off)
- Gossamer Gear G4-20 Ultralight 42 (25% off)
Other Products
REI
- Garmin inReach Mini: Reduced from $350 to $299. Featherlite at 3.5 oz, the Mini has 2-way messaging, tracking, and SOS capabilities. Pairs with your smartphone via Bluetooth. I used this device on my recent Alaska trip and found the battery life to be excellent. For example, over 15 days in Gates of the Arctic, I sent a daily preset message to my family, answered a handful of texts, checked the weather regularly, but didn’t use GPS tracking. The result? After 15 days I still had more than 60% battery life.
Gossamer Gear
Six Moon Designs
Enlightened Equipment
- 20% off Torrid Jacket – Men’s & Women’s – Highly regarded synthetic insulation layer in the thru-hiking and UL backpacking communities.
Backcountry
- Sleeping Mats: Between 15% and 40% off Thermarest NeoAir XLite and ProLite.
- Satellite Messenger: Garmin inReach Mini: $50 off.
- Trekking Poles: 25% off Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork
- GPS Watch: 35% off Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar: This is the watch of choice of my old friend and serial thru-hiker, Mike Unger, who knows as much about backcountry electronics as anyone I’ve met. As someone who only recently upgraded from a Timex Ironman, personally, all of the features make my head spin (e.g. solar charging, tracking, mapping, touch-screen, music, heart rate monitor, and about 10,000 other things). That said, if you’re a gadget geek who loves to hike, this watch seems like a great option.
Suunto
- 40% off Ambit3 Peak Watch – User-friendly, rechargeable battery, GPS, and altimeter. I picked one of these up last year on special. I tend to leave the GPS off while hiking, so the battery typically lasts a few weeks before needing to be recharged.
Moosejaw
- 25% off Smartwool Merino Wool Base Layers and Socks
- Up to 30% off Prana Stretch Pants
- 25% off OR Ferrosi Pants
- 20% off Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Trekking Poles
- Up to 26% off Black Diamond Spot Headlamp
Related Posts
- Backpacks for Thru-hiking
- Tents for Thru-hiking
- Sleeping Bags & Quilts for Thru-hiking
- Trail Runners Vs Hiking Boots: A 30 Year Perspective
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means ‘The Hiking Life’ receives a small commission if you purchase an item after clicking on one of the links. This comes at no additional cost to the reader and helps to support the website in its continuing goal to create quality content for backpackers and hikers.
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The mother load! Thanks Cam!!
Thanks Swami! Timely article for us. Retiring in a couple months and heading out for another thru hike. r
This is in incredibly helpful list.
Thank you!