Rachel is an outdoor industry professional with over 15 years of experience — she started as a ski instructor in 2009 and hasn't really stopped moving since. She's completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, spent a year living and traveling full-time out of a van, and has logged years of sport climbing, bouldering, skiing, and backpacking across the U.S..

She writes about all of it here: gear that actually works, lessons that took miles to learn, and the kind of practical trail knowledge that doesn't talk down to you. This blog is built on the belief that getting outside is for everyone — not just the people who go hardest, fastest, or have the most expensive kit. You'll find AT journals, gear reviews, trip logs, and honest advice across all of it. No gatekeeping.

How to Time Your Outdoor Gear Purchases (And Actually Get a Deal)

I have been cheap about gear for a long time. Not in the "buy the knockoff and regret it" way — in the "I will wait four months for the right sale and then pounce" way. Before my AT thru-hike I spent a year tracking prices, stacking coupons, and figuring out exactly when REI, Backcountry, and a handful of other retailers would discount the gear I actually needed.

What I found is that outdoor gear pricing is pretty predictable once you understand a few things: retailers run on seasonal inventory cycles, they have predictable annual sales, and if you know when to look, you can put together a serious kit without paying full price for most of it.

This is everything I know about timing gear purchases — broken down by retailer, by gear type, and by time of year.

The Basic Logic of Outdoor Gear Pricing

Outdoor gear is seasonal. Retailers stock for spring/summer in January–February and for fall/winter in August–September. When new inventory comes in, last season's gear gets discounted to clear shelf and warehouse space. That turnover is your window.

A few other things that create discount opportunities:

New model releases. Most major gear brands update their line in the spring. When a new tent, pack, or boot model drops, the previous version goes on clearance. The older model often performs identically — you're just not carrying this year's colorway.

Holiday sales. Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Black Friday/Cyber Monday are all reliable discount windows at major outdoor retailers. Some of these are legitimately good; some are manufactured urgency. Knowing which is which matters.

Membership programs. REI's Co-op membership and Backcountry's Expedition Perks program both offer exclusive discounts, annual rewards, and early sale access. These pay for themselves quickly if you're buying any significant gear.

REI: The Most Predictable Sale Calendar in Outdoor Retail

REI runs on a very consistent annual cycle. If you shop REI without understanding this cycle, you're leaving money on the table.

The four major REI sales

Member Days Sale — March (mid-month) This is when REI distributes annual member rewards (formerly called the dividend). Members who spent money on full-price items in the previous year receive 10% back as store credit — that hits your account around March 1. Two weeks later, the Member Days Sale runs, usually around March 13–23, with a 20% off coupon for one full-price item and 20% off one outlet item. The move is to wait for the sale before spending your rewards — stack the coupon on top and use the rewards credit for the remainder. That's the single best deal REI offers all year.

Anniversary Sale — May (Memorial Day weekend) REI's biggest sale of the year, typically running in the third week of May. Discounts go up to 40% off, members get an additional 20% off coupon, and it covers everything from tents and sleeping bags to apparel and footwear. This is the best time to buy big-ticket items if you missed the March sale.

Labor Day Sale — September Another 20% off coupon event, following the same structure as the Member Days Sale. Good for fall and shoulder-season gear — base layers, rain shells, midlayers. Inventory is fresh from the fall season stock.

Holiday Sales — November REI runs a pre-Black Friday sale (previously called Gear Up & Get Out) usually in mid-November, with a 20% off coupon for members. They participate in Cyber Week with deals running from the Saturday after Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday — including an extra 25% off outlet items in recent years. REI does not run Black Friday sales in-store; they close for #OptOutside.

REI Outlet and Re/Supply

The REI Outlet is their permanent clearance section — past-season items, overstocks, and closeouts at 30–70% off, available to anyone. Worth checking before you buy anything full-price.

The national Garage Sale — the beloved chaotic in-store event with returned gear at deep discounts — was suspended company-wide in 2020 and replaced with Re/Supply, a year-round used gear section at most locations. That said, some individual stores still hold their own local garage sale events, selling returned gear, rental equipment, and clearance alongside each other in one-day members-only blowouts. The Framingham, MA store ran one in 2024 with rental fleet gear mixed in with returns and clearance — genuinely good stuff at steep discounts. These aren't announced centrally, so call your local store directly to ask. The online Re/Supply shop closed in October 2025, but in-store Re/Supply sections remain active year-round. Both are members-only.

REI membership math

The Co-op membership is a lifetime $30 fee. You earn 10% back on full-price purchases annually, plus 20% off one full-price item and one outlet item during each of the three annual coupon events. If you buy $300+ in full-price gear in a year, the membership breaks even in year one and is pure savings after that. The REI Mastercard stacks on top — 5% back on REI purchases — for 15% total rewards on full-price gear.

Backcountry: Semi-Annual Sales and Flash Deals

Backcountry.com runs two major sales per year plus regular flash sales and brand-specific promotions.

Winter Semi-Annual Sale — January through February End-of-year clearance on winter gear — insulation, ski apparel, base layers, cold-weather sleeping bags. Up to 50% off select items from brands like Patagonia, Marmot, Cotopaxi, and Rab.

Summer Semi-Annual Sale — August The bigger of the two, running through mid-to-late August. Up to 50% off summer and shoulder-season gear — backpacking packs, tents, hiking apparel, trail footwear. This is a good window for buying hiking gear to use the following season or for gifts.

Black Friday/Cyber Week — late November Backcountry typically launches their Black Friday sale the week before Thanksgiving and runs it through Cyber Monday, with discounts up to 70% on select items. Premium brands like Patagonia often see smaller discounts here — Backcountry's Expedition Perks members (free to join) typically get an exclusive 20% off coupon for one full-price item from premium brands during this window.

Flash sales and brand events Backcountry runs regular short-window flash sales — sometimes 3 days, up to 70% off — and brand-specific promotions throughout the year. Signing up for their emails is worth it; these are how you find out about them.

While you’re there, check out Steep and Cheap. It’s Backcountry’s outlet and I usually get all of my ski accessories there: jacket, shell, vest, bibs, base layers, ski socks, etc. I’ve got a fluctuating body and now have 1 set of bibs in every size from small to 2X. I got ‘em all on Steep and Cheap and spent less than $500 total on all of them combined.

Sierra (Sierra Trading Post): Everyday Discounts, No Calendar Required

Sierra operates differently from REI and Backcountry. As a TJX company (same parent as TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods), it's an off-price retailer — meaning it buys closeout, overstock, and past-season inventory from brands and sells it at permanent discount, usually 30–70% off retail.

There's no calendar to track. The inventory rolls in opportunistically and changes constantly. You're not waiting for a sale event; you're browsing for what happened to show up.

What this means in practice: Sierra is best for flexible shoppers who aren't locked to a specific product or model. You might find exactly what you need at a great price, or you might find nothing useful. The store rewards regular browsing over planned purchases.

For seasonal strategy: Sierra drops prices even further on seasonal items after peak season — winter jackets hit their lowest prices in March, summer gear is cheapest in May. The TJX Rewards credit card earns 5% back and offers 10% off your first in-store purchase, usable at Sierra, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods.

I’ve gotten deals on:

• chacos ($12-$40!!)
• socks
• dehydrated camp meals
• hiking shorts
• base layers (Smart Wool and Kari Traa)
• sports bras
• dog toys, dog gear, and dog treats
• sports underwear
• sweaters
• car camping gear like collapsable sink, packing cubes, ultralight towels, etc.

Other Retailers Worth Knowing

Moosejaw — Regular sales and a good outlet section. Often runs 20% off sitewide promotions and has a solid rewards program. Good for brands that REI doesn't carry.

Steep & Cheap (owned by Backcountry) — Flash deal site with rotating steep discounts on single items, usually for 24–48 hours. Worth bookmarking if you're patient and flexible on specific models.

Campsaver — Consistently runs 20–40% off on outdoor gear with less fanfare than the big players. Good for price comparison.

Brand direct — Patagonia, Arc'teryx, Black Diamond, Osprey, and others run their own sales events. Patagonia's Worn Wear program sells refurbished gear at significant discounts. Worth checking brand sites directly for gear you have specific model loyalty to.

Gossamer Gear, Enlightened Equipment, and small ultralight brands — These cottage manufacturers rarely discount, but some run annual or semi-annual sales. Sign up for their email lists and be patient.

When to Buy Each Type of Gear

Tents Best windows: September–October (end of camping season clearance) and January–February (making room for spring models). End of season is always the steepest discount — stores want the inventory gone. REI's Anniversary Sale in May is also strong for tents. Avoid buying tents in April–June at full price unless you need one immediately.

Sleeping bags and quilts Follow the same seasonal logic as tents. January–February and September–October are the clearance windows. One caveat: down sleeping bags from premium cottage brands (Western Mountaineering, Feathered Friends, Enlightened Equipment) are rarely discounted — if you want one, buy when you can afford it, not when it's on sale, because the sale often never comes.

Backpacks Less seasonal than tents and bags — packs don't go stale the same way. The REI Anniversary Sale and Backcountry Semi-Annual Sales are your best bets. Black Friday is hit or miss depending on the model. For non-seasonal gear like packs, price alerts on specific models pay off more than waiting for a specific time of year.

Hiking boots and trail shoes New models release in spring. Last year's version goes on clearance starting in July–August. This is a good gear category to buy a model behind — trail shoe technology doesn't change dramatically year over year, and the discount can be 30–50%. REI's Labor Day Sale and Black Friday are solid windows for footwear.

Base layers and apparel End of season is always cheapest: winter base layers hit lows in February–March, summer apparel in August–September. Backcountry's semi-annual sales are strong here. Patagonia and Outdoor Research both run significant apparel clearance.

For base layers specifically, Sierra (Sierra Trading Post) is worth a dedicated trip if you're in New England — the Keene, NH store in particular turns up excellent finds on premium brands at steep discounts. I've scored Kari Traa base layers there for 50% off, which almost never happens anywhere else. Kari Traa rarely shows up at REI or Backcountry, so Sierra is genuinely your best shot at that brand.

Rain gear and Snow shells New shell models drop in spring. Previous-year shells go on sale in July–August and again in November–December. Buying last year's model makes sense here — Gore-Tex and similar membranes don't meaningfully change year to year. I was able to snag the perfect pair of Gore-Tex ski bibs by Burton on Steep and Cheap (Backcountry’s online outlet) for just $120 in early November for the upcoming ski season!

Headlamps and small accessories Less price-sensitive to season. Memorial Day, Black Friday, and Amazon Prime Day (July) are your best bets. These items respond well to price trackers — set a Honey or Google Shopping alert and wait.

Bear canisters and food storage Rarely go on deep discount, but REI's 20% off one full-price item coupon is the play here. I snagged an Ursack and a headlamp combined for under $90 during a member coupon event — that's the move for gear that doesn't go on sale otherwise.

Sleeping pads Inflatable pads from brands like Therm-a-Rest and Sea to Summit follow seasonal clearance patterns similar to tents — best discounts in September–October and January–February. The NeoAir XTherm in particular rarely goes on deep sale since it's a perennial bestseller, but REI coupon events will work on it. Foam pads like the Z-Seat and Zlite don't fluctuate much in price — buy whenever you need one.

Water filters The Sawyer Squeeze is one of the most price-stable pieces of gear on the market — it rarely goes below $30–35 at any retailer. Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday are your best shots at a meaningful discount. Worth setting a price alert and waiting rather than chasing it seasonally.

GPS devices and electronics Garmin devices (inReach Mini, etc.) go on sale most reliably around Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. The inReach Mini and similar devices occasionally see $50–75 off during these windows. REI's Anniversary Sale sometimes catches GPS and electronics too. Chargers, headlamps, and small electronics respond well to price trackers — set a Honey or Google Shopping alert on the specific model you want.

Camp shoes Crocs, sandals, and lightweight camp shoes follow the same end-of-season logic as trail footwear — clearance pricing in August–September and post-holiday in January. Crocs specifically run significant promotions several times a year through their own site. Xero Shoes sandals rarely discount at third-party retailers but occasionally run their own site sales.

Trekking poles Watch for end-of-season clearance and the REI Anniversary Sale. Carbon poles from brands like Black Diamond and Gossamer Gear don't discount often through third parties, but REI coupon events will work on them. The Black Diamond Trail Shock Pro in particular holds up so well that buying a used pair is also a solid option — these things last for years.

Skis The best time to buy skis is March through April, when ski season winds down and shops aggressively clear inventory to make room for summer stock. Discounts of 30–50% on current-season skis are common; last year's models can go even deeper. Early season (October–November) is the worst time to buy — shops know demand is high and price accordingly. Demo sales at ski areas are another underrated option: resorts sell off their rental and demo fleet in spring at significant discounts, and the gear has been well-maintained. Backcountry's Winter Semi-Annual Sale (January–February) catches some ski gear too, though selection varies.

Ski boots Ski boots follow the same end-of-season logic as skis — March and April are when shops want them gone. That said, fit matters more than timing with boots. If you find a boot that fits perfectly in October, buying it then is better than waiting for a spring sale and ending up with something that doesn't fit right. A badly fitting boot on sale is still a badly fitting boot. Local ski shops often have demo/rental boot sales in spring, which can be worth checking if you're flexible on model. REI and Backcountry carry ski boots and both hit them with end-of-season clearance.

A Practical Approach

The most efficient gear-buying strategy I've found:

Make your list before you need it. Know what you want before a sale hits. The worst time to decide what to buy is when you're staring at a sale countdown with 12 hours left.

Set price alerts. Google Shopping, Honey, and CamelCamelCamel (for Amazon) will notify you when a specific item drops to your target price. Set them and forget them.

Get the REI membership. If you buy any gear at REI with any regularity, the $30 lifetime fee pays for itself. Stack your rewards with the Member Days coupon in March for the best outcome.

Sign up for Backcountry Expedition Perks. It's free, and the Black Friday member coupon alone is worth it if you're buying anything from a premium brand.

Check the outlet before you buy full price. REI Outlet, Backcountry's sale section, and Sierra should all get a look before you pay retail anywhere.

Don't buy seasonal gear in-season. If you can plan a season ahead, you'll consistently pay less. Buy your summer hiking gear in November. Buy your winter layers in March.

Last year's model is usually fine. Especially for tents, shells, and footwear. The performance difference between this year's and last year's version of most gear is marginal. The price difference can be 30–50%.

FAQs

What's the single best time of year to buy outdoor gear? It depends on the gear type, but May (REI Anniversary Sale) and late August (Backcountry Summer Semi-Annual, end-of-season clearance beginning) are the strongest general windows. Camping gear averages around 24% off in June, when Father's Day and Fourth of July promotions overlap — a solid month to check multiple retailers.

Is REI membership worth it? Yes, if you shop there with any regularity. The $30 Co-op membership pays for itself after $300 in full-price purchases via the 10% annual reward. After that it's pure savings, and the three annual coupon events add significant value on top.

Does Patagonia go on sale? Rarely at full retail. Patagonia doesn't discount aggressively, and many items are excluded from REI and Backcountry coupon events. Your best options are their Worn Wear program, their own outlet section, and Backcountry's Black Friday member coupon for premium brands.

What about ultralight cottage brands like Gossamer Gear or Enlightened Equipment? These brands almost never discount — their margins are thin and production is small-batch. Gossamer Gear runs occasional sales; Enlightened Equipment does periodic custom quilt promotions. Sign up for their email lists and be patient. For most ultralight gear, you pay full price or you buy used.

Is Sierra (Sierra Trading Post) legit? Yes. Sierra sells 100% authentic brand-name merchandise as overstock or closeout inventory. You're getting real gear from previous seasons at real discounts. The trade-off is inconsistent selection — you can't plan for a specific item, you browse for what showed up.

Should I buy gear used? For a lot of it, yes. Some good options:

Online: GearTrade is a solid consignment marketplace with free shipping labels for sellers. REI Re/Supply (in-store) and the used gear forums on WhiteBlaze are also worth checking regularly.

For brick-and-mortar used gear shopping, New England has some genuinely excellent options:

• Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington, VT is one of the best used outdoor gear stores in the country — 44,000 square feet of new and consignment gear covering camping, skiing, climbing, and paddling, plus in-house repair services.
• IME (International Mountain Equipment) in North Conway, NH has a deep consignment shop with ski gear, packs, climbing equipment, tents, and sleeping bags — worth the trip if you're heading into the Whites anyway.
• Gear Haus in Manchester, VT is a smaller consignment shop covering hiking, camping, and ski gear.
• Outdoor New England runs both consignment and trade-in programs. Gear Again serves the Upper Valley area of VT/NH.
• In Colorado, Gear Exchange is the go-to — locations in Boulder, Durango, and Fort Collins with a wide consignment selection covering all mountain sports. Worth knowing if you're passing through or relocating. I got a Stio Gore Tex jacket that still had the tags on it for only $110 (normally $400+) when I was out there visiting Durango, CO!

Tents, packs, and trekking poles are often barely used before they're resold and represent the best value in the used market. I'd be more cautious with used sleeping bags, shoes/boots with significant mileage, and anything with wear on seams or technical components — those are worth inspecting carefully in person before buying.