The Best Outdoor Deals From the REI Anniversary Sale 2026

It's nearly summer. Birds are migrating, flowers are blooming, and REI's annual anniversary sale is live.

The event marks the outdoor retailer’s biggest sale of the year. It kicked off May 15 and runs through Memorial Day, May 25. Many items are up to 30 percent off, but REI Co-op members save up to 20 percent on any full-price item and an extra 20 percent off any REI Outlet item. To get the discount, add the promo code ANNIV26 at checkout.

I’ve highlighted the best deals on gear I’ve loved over years of testing. There’s something for nearly all your favorite summer activities: tents, stoves, sleeping bags, and plenty of outdoor apparel. Be sure to look at WIRED guides to outdoor gear, like the Best Tents, Best Sleeping Bags, Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads, Best Rain Jackets, Best Backpacking Water Filters, Best Merino Wool, and Best Binoculars.

Updated Wednesday, May 20: I've added a new section of merino and outdoor apparel, two new tent deals, and our top pick from Zenbivy's Memorial Day sale.

WIRED Featured Deals

• A power station for going off grid: Goal Zero Yeti 1500 Portable Power Station for $1,125 ($375 off)
• Recharge your watch with the sun: Garmin Instinct 3 Solar for $400 ($100 off)
• The best value backpacking tent: REI Co-op Half Dome 2 Tent With Footprint for $197 ($132 off)
• A comfy backcountry sleeping pad: Therm-a-rest Neoloft Sleeping Pad for $195 ($65 off)
• The best value puffy jacket: REI Co-op 650 Down Jacket for $97 ($32 off)
• The Best Backcountry Sleep System: Zenbivy Light Quilt Convertible for $246 ($85 off)

Deals on Tents

Need a new shelter from the storm? REI tents are some of the best deals around, even more so during sales. There are also plenty of other brands on sale as well. If you'd like to learn more, see our guide to the best backpacking tents and best car camping tents.

REI's Base Camp tent is WIRED's favorite car camping tent. It's extremely well-designed and proved plenty weatherproof in testing. The traditional dome tent design, with two crossed poles and two side poles, holds up well in wind, and the tent floor is high-quality 150-denier (150D) polyester. There are loads of storage pockets, double doors, great vents, and huge windows, making it comfortable even in summer heat.

The REI Half Dome 2 is the best budget two-person backpacking tent. I’ve toted it on many a backpacking trip and found it to be plenty sturdy, quick to set up, and capable of fitting two people and their gear. It even comes with a footprint (which I never bother with, but it's nice to have it if you have to deal with prickers or pointy rocks).

The Big Agnes Copper Spur series is our top pick for freestanding ultralight tents. This is a high-quality, well-designed tent that's lightweight, easy to set up, and roomy enough to be livable in the backcountry. The “awning” design (where the front fabric is held aloft with trekking poles or sticks) is a nice extra, and the mix of 15D nylon and 20D ripstop—while also feels fragile—has held up well over time. The four-person version, which is one of the lightest 4P tents on the market, is also on sale.

Nemo's Dagger Osmo line of tents is reasonably light with roomy interiors. They have proved very storm-proof in my testing. The three-person version has long been my tent of choice for trips with my kids. Setup is simple thanks to the single main pole design (which forks at each end) with a cross pole in the middle. There are two spacious vestibules for storing gear, and if you leave the rain fly off, the mesh room is excellent for stargazing.

Nemo's Dragonfly tents are great. I really like the generous amount of mesh at the top, which provides some nice ventilation on warm summer nights and is perfect for falling asleep under the stars when the weather permits. The Osmo fabric continues to live up to the hype, with much less water absorption than nylon tents in rainy weather, and there's a good amount of room for storing all your stuff.

MSR's Groundhog stakes aren't cheap, but they're the best tent upgrade you can make. They're super strong. I've never had one bend or pull out on me, and for the strength, they're pretty light. I carry a mix of stakes when backpacking, including 4 of these, some carbon fiber pegs, and some shepherd hooks. That way, no matter the terrain, I've got something that'll work.

Deals on Camping Gadgets and Gear

Need a new power bank, stove, or headlamp? They're all on sale.

Goal Zero's new Yeti 1500 is one of the best camping and overlanding power stations we've tested. The new LiFePO4 chemistry battery is rated for 4,000 charge cycles (about 10 years of average use), and there's a new high amp output (30 A) for tying into van and overlanding setups. Goal Zero also engineered it to be able to handle the high-vibration environment of off-roading. With 4 AC outlets and USB charging at up to 140 watts, the Yeti 1500 can keep your wired world running for well over a week, no grid required.

Yes, your phone has some features of a dedicated satellite messenger, but we still think you're better off with a dedicated device. Garmin's new inReach Mini 3 now offers some of those phone features—like voice and photo messaging—along with the emergency features and excellent service worldwide. It's also still tiny, well-built, and it has great battery life. The cheaper Garmin Inreach Mini 3 (which does not have the new photo sharing features) is also on sale for $400 ($50 off).

The Garmin Instinct Solar is our favorite rugged and affordable outdoor watch powered by the sun. It has long battery life and yes, recharges any time it's in the sun. GPS is enabled, and there are tons of sports tracking and navigation features. It's cheaper than a Fenix and just as reliable.

My favorite of Coleman's current lineup, the Cascade 3-in-1 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) features heavy-duty cast iron grates, comes with a cast-iron griddle and grill, and can fit a 12-inch pan and a 10-inch pan side by side. It's sturdier and all-around more robust than other Coleman stoves, well worth the extra money if you're serious about camp cooking. That said, the much cheaper stove below will get you by if you're only using it a few nights a year.

This is our favorite camp stove for most people. Technically, this version is a little fancier than our top pick, with electronic ignition and a nice pale green paint job. Is it worth an extra $30? That's up to you. If it's not, snag the less fancy version for $59 at Walmart.

The thing to keep in mind when you shop REI brand gear is the company's basic proposition: you get 90 percent of the designer item for 70 percent of the price. It's a strategy that works quite well and has generated some really great, affordable gear. This chair is a good example of that. It's not as nice as the Nemo above, but it's still comfortable (it does wobble a little, side to side when you move) and nearly half the price.

Whenever I can, I like to cook over open flame using my firebox stove, which often means cutting wood. The best portable saw I've found is this Silky folding saw. It's light enough to bring bike packing (5.3 ounces), and it folds down to about 9 inches long, which slips in a pannier no problem. This thing is razor sharp, though, so be careful when using it in the backcountry.

Petzl's Tikka headlamp is one of our favorite headlamps. It provides plenty of light to cook by in the backcountry, runs on three AAA batteries (we recommend Panasonic Eneloop rechargeable batteries), and lasts over 5.5 hours. It's also compatible with Petzl's USB-rechargeable Core battery ($30).

The thing to keep in mind when you shop for gear bearing the REI brand is the company's basic proposition: You get 90 percent of the designer item for 70 percent of the price. It's a strategy that works quite well and has generated some really great, affordable gear. This REI chair is a good example of that. It's not as nice as Nemo's Moonlite Elite backpacking chair, but it's still comfortable (it does wobble a little, side-to-side when you move) and nearly half the price.

If you go camping regularly, ditch those green propane bottles and save money with this propane growler, which is about the size equivalent of five or six green propane bottles. The Ignik Deluxe is a 12-pound propane tank with a nice padded/insulated sleeve and a handy strap for carrying. I also like the MOLLE webbing on the case, which makes it easy to tie down.

This ultralight backpack is typical REI gear: it's a reasonably priced, reasonably light, no-frills pack that gets the job done. It's very comfortable and capable of carrying a 25-pound load without breaking your back (or pack). The Flash Air 50 Pack is also on sale for $224 ($75 off). The Air version dispenses with the top lid, making it marginally lighter. But, hot tip: You can remove the top lid pocket from this regular Flash to get pretty close to the Flash Air for less money.

Merino Wool And Outdoor Apparel Deals

I live in merino wool these days—it's just so good. See our guide to the best merino wool clothing and best merino wool T-shirts for more wool goodness.

Icebreaker's 200 Oasis base layer is a 200-gsm base layer. This is about what most of us call a mid-weight base layer, making it a good choice for everything from cool-weather hiking in the fall or spring to skiing in the front country. The 100 percent merino fibers here are not quite as soft as the Smartwool above, but they're equally good at regulating body temperature and wicking away moisture. This is also the fastest-drying merino top in our base layers guide.

REI's 100 percent merino base layers are some of the best deals around on merino wool, and that's when they're full price. On sale, they're a true steal. I like this half-zip for the extra ventilation the zipper provides, but you can't go wrong with the regular top (on sale for $60), and the pants (also on sale for $60).

Smartwool's 100 percent merino base layer is my top pick for cooler weather in our guide to the Best Base Layers. It's a great all-around choice, and the loose fit makes it work as a long-sleeve T-shirt in the shoulder seasons. That extra bit of roominess makes it possible to use it as a second light layer over something thinner. I prefer this 100 percent merino version, but the 85 percent/15 percent merino-nylon blend version, the Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino, is also on sale for $75 ($25 off).

One of my favorite bargain three-season puffer jackets, the REI 650 down jacket, is a cheap, packable option for cold summits or stargazing on chilly nights. The stitched-through baffles mean this one isn't as warm as some jackets, and it is more susceptible to wind. But at this price, it's worth buying.

I am a fan of merino wool, which this sun hoodie is not, but it's tough to find any sun shirt at such a great price. The Sahara Shade Hoodie offers UPF 50+ fabric (a polyester and spandex blend) to protect you from that high-altitude sun (or any sun, for that matter). It's soft and stretchy, providing a good range of movement, and it also features thumbholes in the sleeves to keep them from riding up and exposing your arms.

Do your pants have a hatchet loop? Didn't think so, but you can fix that oversight with these Fjällräven Vidda Pro trousers. The Vidda Pros use Fjällräven's G1000 fabric, a 65 percent recycled polyester and 35 percent cotton blend, with pockets everywhere and extras like ventilation zippers, reinforced knees (with openings for pads), and that sweet, sweet hatchet loop on the leg. The women's version is, unfortunately, not on sale.

Sleeping Bag and Sleeping Pad Deals

Whether you need a cheap car camping bag or something more robust for fall and spring trips, we've got you covered. Be sure to read our guides to the best sleeping bags, best camping sleeping pads, and best backpacking sleeping pads for even more options.

REI's Magma line of down gear includes some of the best deals around. The Magma 15 sleeping bag has long been an affordable bag that's perfect for shoulder season trips when the temp potentially swings lower than you're expecting (the comfort rating is 21 degrees Fahrenheit). There are three lengths and three widths, making it easy to get something that's perfect for your body, and the 850-fill-power goose down (Bluesign-approved) packs down nice and small. If you don't need the shoulder season coverage, the Magma 30 is also on sale for $262 ($87 off), and makes a great summer sleeping bag.

I just spent a week sleeping under this quilt at the Biggest Week in American Birding. The Magma quilt was surprisingly warm. I did have on a puffer jacket, but I managed to stay comfy down to 30 degrees. Like the sleeping bag version above, this is 95 percent of what you get from far more expensive quilts. It's light (20.3 ounces for the medium), packs down small, includes straps to keep it on your sleeping pad, can be completely unzipped and used like a comforter, or snapped up in a proper foot box on colder nights.

The Zenbivy sleep system is hands-down the best way I've slept in the backcountry. The Light Quilt is my current favorite product of the line. It's not the lightest (that's the Ultralight Quilt), but it's light enough for me at 1 pound, 12 ounces (or 793 grams) for the 25 degree Fahrenheit large version (and somewhat cheaper than the Ultralight). You can read my full review of the Light Bed for more on why I think it's the best.

This is one of my favorite ultralight sleeping bags. There are lighter quilts out there, but when you need the warmth of a mummy bag on those colder nights, this is what I use. It also has the smallest pack size of any bag I've tested in this temperature range. With the included compression sack, this thing is truly tiny. The down fill is PFC-free, 850+ hydrophobic down. The zippers are on the small side, but they slide well and rarely (if ever) snag on the bag. I've slept in this bag down to 20 degrees and never been the least bit cold.

Nemo's Forte 20 is a 20-degree synthetic-fill sleeping bag, but the comfort rating is 30 degrees. In my testing, this feels more like where you'd want to stay temperature-wise with this bag. The outer shell uses a 30-denier recycled polyester ripstop with an inside liner made from 20-denier recycled polyester taffeta. The fill is what Nemo calls Zerofiber insulation, which is made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled content fibers. The Zerofiber packs down remarkably small—this is the most compact synthetic-fill bag I've tested in this temp range.

I had to surrender my ultralight cred to the Reddit mods for carrying this robust pad, but it is totally worth the improved sleep. The 6 or so extra ounces are more than made up for by how well I sleep—rest and recovery are a key part of long miles, kids—on this pad compared to, well, every other backpacking sleeping pad. It's that good. Alas, it is also kinda pricey … which is why you should grab one now on sale.

The Tensor All-Season hits all the sweet spots. It weighs an acceptably light 18.2 ounces, provides a good 3 inches of padding, and has an R value of 5.4. (The R value of a sleeping pad denotes its level of insulation; the higher the number, the warmer you stay, and 5.4 is enough insulation for colder spring or autumn nights.) That works out to the best padding and R rating for the weight. It's also mercifully quiet—none of that annoying crunching noise every time you roll over.

If you're gearing up for a winter trip, this is a good deal on a great winter sleeping pad. The Tensor Extreme Conditions has the highest R value of any pad we've tested (8.5) yet somehow manages to pack down to about the size of a Nalgene water bottle and weighs just 21 ounces (587 g).

This is my new favorite winter sleeping pad. It doesn't have quite the R-value of the Tensor Extreme above, but I find it more comfortable, and when paired a Therm-a-Rest Z-lite, I stayed plenty warm even on a night spent at minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit this past winter. I like it so much a bought a second one for whoever is foolish enough to come with me on such trips.

The big fat camping pad that started the trend of big fat camping pads, the Megamat is a revelation. Trust me, you have no idea how comfortable tent camping can be until you sleep on a Megamat. The 4-inch-thick Exped MegaMat is soft and surprisingly firm thanks to the closed-cell foam inside it, which relieves pressure and feels about as close to the mattress in your bedroom as you're going to get in the woods.

When I sold my Jeep, I had to give up my overlanding dreams and return to being a mere camper. But this Megamat, which cuts in to fit around the wheel wells of an SUV, has brought some of those overlanding dreams back to life. I throw this in the back of my wife's Rav4, and while it's not a perfect fit (check Exped to see which vehicles are supported), it's close enough that I can get a good night's sleep in the car.