10 Best Deals: Camping, Hiking, and Fitness Gear
The weather will start to warm up soon, and retailers are continuing their annual winter clearance events ahead of spring….
It’s that time of year again. Retailers are having blowouts to clear out winter gear as temperatures prepare to climb. That doesn’t mean the sales are all on cold-weather apparel though. If you look closely, you can find deals on gear perfectly suitable for warm weather hidden among all the puffy jackets and insulated sleeping bags. Whether you’re currently snowed in or sweltering under a record-setting February heat wave, we’ve uncovered a few great discounts on our favorite outdoor gear.
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Clothing and Apparel Deals
These have been my favored warm-weather shirts for climbing and day hiking for years. They have just the right amount of stretch to not limit my mobility when I’m reaching for the next hand hold on the rock wall, and yet they fit snugly to wick away moisture and dry quickly.
Way back when synthetic polyester fleece was introduced in the 1970s, it was a fluffy, high-pile fabric that bears little resemblance to the carpet-like fleece products of the 1990s and later. But retro is in, and this full-zip jacket is seriously comfy and seriously warm. Due to its warmth, it’s ideal for lounging around at home, wearing around town, and engaging in low-intensity outdoor activities like camping, rather than doing high-intensity trail running or taking long hiking trips.
Replace the handkerchief around your neck with a Buff, a tubular piece of fabric you don’t have to tie. Slip it on over your head. I use one almost everywhere outdoors, from high-altitude mountain climbing to steamy summer hikes. They have an SPF-50 rating for blocking sun rays, and you can easily pull them over your head or face to protect against dust.
Men’s Sizing, Women’s Sizing for $23
Layering is the big secret to managing your body temperature outdoors. That starts with the base layer worn next to the skin, and while it should provide some warmth and comfort, it should be thin so you don’t overheat when strenuously climbing, hiking, or running. After all, once you’re down to your base layer, what else can you remove? The Merino 150 is luxuriously soft and doesn’t bunch up. Despite being made of merino wool, these boxers are perfectly capable of handling summer temperatures because they’re thin. There are also long bottoms for $60 ($25 off) if you’re looking for more warmth and three-quarter length bottoms in women’s sizing for $67 ($29 off).
Camping and Hiking Deals
Give me a headlamp that accepts disposable batteries any day. Rechargeable ones are great close to home, but in the backcountry when the batteries run out, it’s much simpler to pop in some fresh ones (in this case, three AAA batteries). At 350 lumens on its highest setting (of three brightness levels), it’s been plenty bright for me on even the darkest trails and mountains. The product description is wrong—you get 60 hours of runtime on the lowest setting, but that setting is suitable for camp tasks and milling about inside your tent at night.
Keeping food organized on a camping trip with a lot of people can be a real pain. Once you’ve got enough eats for five to 10 people, piling it all into a storage box doesn’t work. This fold-up mobile pantry weighs 18 pounds, and the shelves and frame are metal so it won’t collapse under the weight of a full load of groceries.
Tent manufacturer Big Agnes makes homes away from home in Colorado with attention to detail that outpaces the competition. We here at WIRED love ’em for their low weight and thoughtful design features, such as easy-to-use guy line buckles and plenty of pockets. The 12-ounce Big House will sleep four campers snugly and hold their odds and ends in the four interior pockets. With two doors, no one will be climbing over each other, either.
Fitness Gear Deals
I rank these highly in my Best Reusable Water Bottles guide because even in a crowded market, Hydro Flasks stand out for the durability of their powder coating. I’ve banged several around climbing gyms, hiking trails, and my cars’ floorboards for years without a scratch or a dent. There are larger and smaller sizes on sale, too.
Men’s Sizing for $90, Women’s Sizing
They’ve been superseded by the Wildhorse 8, but the 7’s are still some of our favorite running shoes, thanks to their lightness, breathability, and excellent traction. They run small, so expect to go up a half-size from your normal sneaker.
No, they don’t taste salty. They actually taste pretty good. Drinking water during strenuous activity isn’t enough. You need to replace electrolytes lost through sweating for your body to function. Pop a couple of these dissolvable tablets on your tongue throughout the day to keep yourself recharged. I use these for all outdoor pursuits, even in grueling desert conditions, and they really do help me feel refreshed.
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