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WIRED
25-05-2025
- Business
- WIRED
The 61 Best Outdoor Deals From the REI Anniversary Sale
It's the best time of year to pick up all the tents, running shoes, sleeping bags, and gear you'll need for summer fun. Just remember these deals end soon. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. It's nearly summer. The flowers are in full bloom, the birds are well north, and REI is kicking off its annual anniversary sale, the outdoor company's biggest sale of the year. This year's REI sale started May 16 and runs through Memorial Day, May 26. 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 ANNIV2025 at checkout. Several other retailers have launched early Memorial Day sales, including Backcountry and Public Lands, plus some of our favorite smaller retailers like Sea to Summit and Zenbivy, along with many others you can find on Garage Grown Gear. We've highlighted some deals on gear we've loved over our years of testing. There's something for nearly all our favorite summer activities—tents, stoves, sleeping bags, and plenty of outdoor apparel. Be sure to look at our guides to outdoor gear, like the Best Day-Hiking Packs, Best Tents, Best Sleeping Bags, Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads, Best Rain Jackets, Best Backpacking Water Filters, Best Merino Wool, and Best Binoculars. Updated Sunday, May 25, 2025: We've added a new section of water filter and stove deals, our favorite Sea to Summit sleeping bag, an Oru folding kayak, our favorite headlamp and other deals on camping/backpacking essentials. Backpack Deals Don't forget to check out our guide to the Best Day-Hiking Backpacks and the Best Travel Bags. The Flash 22 is possibly the best-value day pack on the market, especially on sale. I was surprised by how comfortable this thing is, despite the lightweight straps and minimal padding. It carries loads up to 15 pounds without straining the shoulders, and the side stash pockets are fabulously large—big enough for a Nalgene bottle or rain jacket. The Flash 22 is made of 70-denier recycled ripstop nylon, which is on the lighter side, but mine has held up well, even coming through some rough canyon hikes in Utah without any more than mud stains. The ultralight cousin to the Flash 22, the Flash 18 lacks the hip belt, side stash pockets, and floating lid. What you're left with is a stripped-down, bare-bones pack that's great for traveling, since you can stuff it down to almost nothing, stash it in your carry-on, and have a nice backpack whenever you need it. Don't load it up with more than 8 pounds of gear though, and avoid anything with pointy bits, as there's no padding here. One of our favorite day-hiking packs, This Mystery Rack pack was my introduction to wider shoulder straps, which provide more comfort without the bulk of extra padding. The result is a comfortable pack that's light (1 lb, 6 oz) and packable, making it a great extra pack when traveling. The side pockets are big enough for a Nalgene water bottle and the 25-L capacity carries everything you need for a day. It also fits under the seat of even small planes. This is a great little pack for hitting the trail or just walking around town. Nemo Resolve Photograph: Adrienne So Our favorite day-hiking pack for the eco-conscious looking to travel light, Nemo's Resolve pack is 100 percent recycled, infinitely adjustable, and repairable, and once it's reached the end of its life, it can be sent back to Nemo for total recycling. The Resolve has a somewhat strange system of bungees and pull-tabs, instead of straps or webbing, but it's comfortable, sitting nice and high on your back. At 1 lb, 15 oz it's pretty light, considering all the hardware that it has on it. Osprey has been making Talon packs since 2007. This model is the smaller cousin to the 33L version in our guide to the best day-hiking packs. The success of the Talon line is well deserved, the 100-denier high-tenacity nylon (Bluesign-approved) makes for a durable pack while remaining reasonably lightweight (2 pounds, 1 ounce for the S/M size). The dual zippered panel-loading design makes getting to your stuff a snap, and there are plenty of extra pockets inside and outside to help you stash all your gear. Trail Running and Road Running Deals These are the only shoes that have ever inspired me to write 1,000 words. They are really that good. Think of these as the barefoot answer to Chacos. Except where Chacos are like putting tractors on your feet, the Z-Trails flex and bend as you walk, giving your feet the freedom of movement you expect from a barefoot shoe. Despite being sandals, these have 10 mm of cushion, which is a good bit for a barefoot shoe, making the Z-Trail a good option for newcomers. This is last year's version of my favorite Salomon X Ultra 5 hiking boots, which I just tested over the weekend in the Columbia River Gorge. Salomon makes our favorite hiking boots—the company offers impressive levels of protection and traction, while being lightweight and remarkably easy to take off and put on. I like how the heel grips so I don't smash my toes while going downhill, and it's so sticky that I can climb up rocks like an ant. —Adrienne So I have worn the women's version of this shoe for years and years. Altra is the best running shoe if you want a shoe that has a barefoot feel (zero heel to toe drop, big toebox) but retains traction and protection against rocks and prickers. —Adrienne So These are Altra's version of the Brooks Glycerin Max—a super-plush, comfy road running shoe. If you want a very cushioned shoe but are addicted to Altra's big toe box (no need to be embarrassed, I am too), these are the shoes to get. Also, don't forget to check out our guide to the Best Barefoot Shoes. —Adrienne So Sleeping Bag and Sleeping Pad Deals Confused by the options? Check out our guides to the Best Sleeping Bags and the Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads. Photograph: Scott Gilbertson REI Co-op's Magma 15 is our favorite bag for shoulder-season trips when the temps might drop more than expected. It has an excellent draft collar that's very good at keeping out the chill. The outside is a 15-denier nylon ripstop (Bluesign-approved, with a non-fluorinated DWR coating to keep moisture at bay). Baffles are variably spaced and not stitched through, which helps the fill stay put and minimizes cold spots. The Magma doesn't have a lot of frills; it just gets the job done. Our favorite summertime car-camping sleeping bag, the REI Siesta Hooded 20, is plenty warm and affordable. It's also not a mummy bag, because you're not climbing Denali; why cramp yourself if you don't have to? The Siesta's rectangular cut makes for a much roomier, more comfortable bag. The Siesta's 20-degree rating makes it enough for three-season trips, and unlike most rectangular bags, the Siesta has a hood, which helps on those cold nights. It's no longer our top pick for side sleepers, but the Questar remains a good option for those who want more room. It uses what Therm-a-Rest calls W.A.R.M. fit, which stands for 'with additional room for multiple' positions. Indeed, this bag is very roomy for a mummy design. I was able to draw my legs up when side-sleeping and spread out considerably more than with most of the other sleeping bags I've tested. Photograph: Scott Gilbertson This is our favorite ultralight sleeping bag. There are lighter quilts out there, but when you need the warmth of a mummy bag on those colder nights, this is the best sleeping bag I've tested. 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. It's got most of the benefits of a quilt and none of the negatives. 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. It does a good job of holding back the moisture that often forms inside a tent, which I discovered after one very soggy night of testing. The fill is what Nemo calls Zerofiber insulation, which is made from 100 percent postconsumer recycled content fibers. The Zerofiber packs down remarkably small—this is the most compact synthetic-fill bag I've tested in this temp range—and it retains its ability to trap warmth even when wet. Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Our favorite backpacking sleeping bag, the Bishop Pass 30 offers the best warmth-to-weight ratio while also managing to pack down small and not be too expensive. It isn't perfect, but it strikes the best compromise for most backpackers. I have slept in this bag for more than two weeks, with nighttime temps ranging from 28 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and, yes, it was too much in the heat, but on those warmer nights, I unzipped it and covered myself like a warm blanket. It's a versatile bag. Note that for the men's bag, only the long version is on sale. Both the long and regular size women's 30 bags are on sale. I haven't had a chance to write about it yet, but I tested the Bishop Pass 0 over the winter and was pleasantly surprised at how warm it was. I took it out on several nights where temps dipped into the single digits (below the comfort rating of 13 Fahrenheit) and stayed warm. I did wear some merino base layers and a wool hat, but sleeping bag comfort ratings assume this. If you need a colder-weather bag, without dipping into extreme temps (and extremely pricey sleeping bags), this is a good option. The Zenbivy Bed 25 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is hands-down the most comfortable backcountry sleeping experience I've ever had. It wouldn't be my top pick for extreme situations, but so long as your expected temperatures fit in Zenbivy's range (the comfort rating is 35 degrees Fahrenheit), it doesn't get more comfortable than this. The Zenbivy isn't just a sleeping bag. It's a sheet, hood, and quilt-style bag that can be combined in various ways. Zenbivy's Light Bed is a brand-new option that takes the basic clip design of other Zenbivy beds and lightens up the load. I've been testing this bag for several months, and it is everything I loved about the original above, but lighter weight. I'll have a full review very soon, but if you've been tempted by the Zenbivy, but wanted to keep your base gear weight down, this is the option you've been look for. The price I've put here includes both the bed/sheet portion and the quilt. Note that Zenbivy is having a 25 percent off sale on almost everything on its site right now. Nemo Tensor All-Season Sleeping Pad Courtesy of Nemo Nemo's new 2024 Tensor-insulated sleeping pads (8/10, WIRED Recommends) have the best R-value-to-weight ratio of anything I've tested, and the All-Season is our top pick for backpacking trips. It has an R-value of 5.4 and weighs 18.2 ounces. That alone is impressive, but what I love about the Tensor is that it's thick, comfortable, and most importantly, nearly silent. The slightly lighter Trail model is also on sale, as is the Extreme Conditions pad, which is the lightest, warmest sleeping pad on the market. The darling of ultralight hikers everywhere, the XLite NXT is our pick for backpackers looking to shed pack weight but preserve some margin of comfort. The XLite delivers a comfortable night's sleep while remaining well under 1 pound for the regular size. At 3 inches thick, it's plenty of protection from the ground, and the R-Value of 4.5 means it'll be plenty warm in most three-season conditions. Sea to Summit's Ether Light XT is only marginally heavier than the Therm-a-Rest above. The extra 4 ounces for the Sea to Summit pad gets you quite a bit more cushion too—this is a 4-inch thick pad, compared to the 3 inches of the Therm-a-rest X-Lite, which makes this a better ultralight option for side sleepers. I also like the baffle design better, and it seems to be a little more durable, making this an excellent alternative ultralight pad. Note that this one is an REI Outlet deal; the XT has been replaced by a newer model. Tent Deals Check out our Best Tents guide for more WIRED-tested recommendations. REI Half Dome SL 2+ Courtesy of REI REI Co-op brand gear represents some of the best deals in the hiking/backpacking market, and this tent is a perfect example. Our pick for Best Two-Person Backpacking Tent, REI's Half Dome is rugged and lightweight (4 pounds), and offers generous living space for two with gear at a reasonably price. The tent body is made of 40-denier ripstop nylon for durability at the base and on the floor, with 20-denier nylon mesh for the body. The Half Dome comes with a footprint, which is a rarity these days, and nice to have. The tent poles are aluminum and interchangeable, which makes them easy to set up and take down. Sea to Summit's ultralight Alto (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is designed to keep weight down on your solo adventures. At just 33 ounces for a semi-freestanding tent, it remains one of the lighter options on the market, and at this price it's hard to pass up. The mesh netting helps keep weight down, though for something warmer, the Plus version, which has less mesh, is also on sale for $275 ($275 off), an equally outstanding deal. Sea to Summit's '3-plus season' tents are capable enough in almost any weather while staying crazy light—just 3 pounds and 12 ounces for this three-person model. I used it on a five-day trip to Loon Lake in northern California in early October, a true 'shoulder season' trip with daytime highs in the 80s, nighttime lows in the 40s, and overnight winds of up to 60 mph. My favorite design detail is that the pole bag is kept rigid by an insert of opaque white plastic. Clip it to the tent's ceiling, pop in your headlamp, and illuminate your abode. — Michael Calore The Big Agnes Copper Spur series is the king of freestanding ultralight tents. I've used the two-person and three-person models (on sale for $450) over the years, and Big Agnes has continually refined the design to the point that these are pretty near perfect. This is a high-quality, well-designed tent. It's lightweight, easy to set up, and stable even in strong winds. The steep sidewalls give you more livable space than most tents, and the 'awning' design (with trekking poles or sticks) is great. The only complaint I have is the price, but on sale it's a little easier to handle. Bikepacking (backpacking on a bike) is awesome, and brands are catching on. Big Agnes was an early adopter among the mainstream brands, designing tents with shorter pole lengths to fit between drop handlebars or in panniers. The Copper Spur UL3 Bikepacking tent is our favorite of the bunch we've tested. It weighs just 3 pounds, 11 ounces (1.6 kilos), and has enough space for two (a squeeze for three). It's also available in lighter, smaller, one- and two-person options, all with twin vestibules and doors, hidden helmet storage, and external webbing for hanging out wet clothes. Nemo's Dagger Osmo (8/10, WIRED Recommends) line of tents are reasonably light with roomy interiors. The three-person version (also on sale) 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. Photograph: Scott Gilbertson The Nemo Mayfly (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a three-season backpacking tent with a trail weight of 3 pounds, 8 ounces for the two-person version I tested. Split between two people, each is carrying under 2 pounds. The Mayfly saves on weight by using a semi-freestanding design, which means you have to partly stake it out. It's on the small side as well, at 27.9 square feet of living space, with two 7-square-foot vestibule areas. I find it plenty livable for two, and the cross pole gives you a wider roof area than most tents this size. I love the white mesh (instead of black) and the super simple clips that keep the rain fly secured. This is my favorite single-wall ultralight solo tent. I have a full review coming later this month, but after spending quite a while with this tent I'm something of a convert, at least for summer camping. The Lunar Solo makes it easy to combat the main problem with single-wall tents: condensation. Thanks to plenty of mesh, and a top vent in the vestibule (like my all-time favorite backcountry shelter, the Hilleberg Akto (10/10, WIRED Recommends), I haven't had much issue with condensation in the Lunar Solo. It's not without its quirks (read the pitching tips), but if you want something more than a tarp, that still weighs just 26 ounces (740 grams), this one is hard to beat. Hiking and Biking Deals REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket Courtesy of REI Every year, I repurchase one of these rain jackets for each of my children. It's hard to find rain jackets that are better value than REI's. The kid's version is a 2.5-layer shell with a non-fluorinated (read: PFAS-free) durable water-repellent (DWR) coating, taped seams, and an adjustable hood. These will last all year (at least, as long as your kid doesn't lose theirs). — Adrienne So I bought my father, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and husband each one of these shirts last year. Roark Clothing is a small company that makes some of my favorite active apparel, and the Bless Up shirt is the perfect summer shirt. It's perforated and made from synthetic fibers, so it's perfect for super-humid beach days when the temperatures are above 90 degrees. —Adrienne So Fjällräven's hiking pants—er, sorry, trousers—are legendary, and having now spent most of spring in a pair of these Abisko Trail trousers, I understand why. They're light but surprisingly warm and especially good at blocking the wind. The G-1000 Lite Stretch recycled fabric gives you a nice, stretchy freedom of movement, and having had Lyme disease already, the ability to cinch down the leg cuffs and keep things out is invaluable. (I've also put a good bit of repellant on the fabric with no staining or other damage.) I also like that the G-1000 can be waxed to refurbish the waterproofness (though I haven't had to do this yet). I still prefer Darn Tough's lightweight hiking socks, but these Smartwool socks are a close second and well worth buying at this price. Can you ever have too many wool hiking socks? I'd say no. These are 56 percent merino wool, so there's a good bit of stretchiness, yet they stay pretty odor-free even after a couple of days on the trail. Grab two pair and rotate them to keep your feet dry and happy. I haven't had a chance to add them to my Best Merino Wool Clothing Guide, but these are the best merino ankle running socks I've tried. They're not the highest merino content (54 percent, the remainder is nylon and elastane), but they're thin, light, and work well with barefoot shoes (and other shoes). They also resist odor surprisingly well for only about half merino. — Adrienne So This is wildly affordable compared to the other sun hoodies we tested for our Best Sun Protection Clothing guide. WIRED reviewer Jaina Grey found it super soft and breathable, with thumb holes to protect the back of your hands. It's UPF 50, and it may be a lot easier to get your kids or sensitive family members to wear clothing instead of smearing sticky sunscreen all over their bodies. — Adrienne So Photograph: Michael Venutolo-Mantovani This is our second best helmet in our guide to the Best Bike Helmets. It's chock-full of extra features, like a magnetic rear light that snaps off for easy recharging and a pullout tab so that you can easily lock it up on the rack. It comes in a wide array of fun designs and colors. —Adrienne So The Giro MIPS helmet has rechargeable lights on both the front and back of the helmet. It has an unassuming commuter-friendly design, and of course it has MIPS to protect against rotational impact. —Adrienne So The CTY e2.1 (7/10, WIRED Review) is our favorite commuter ebike. It's a class 1 ebike with a 250-watt Suntour HESC motor, a 418-Wh battery, and a whole host of commuter extras, like front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, big 2-inch-wide tires, gel grips, lights, and a hefty kickstand. It weighs a 54 pounds and has a little less torque than some of our other favorite ebikes, so it might not have quite enough oomph to get you up some of the bigger hills, but for the price it's a lot of ebike and will serve most people well. Water Filter and Stove Deals Photograph: Scott Gilbertson The simplest, most convenient method of filtering water, the Katadyn BeFree Water is one of the lightest filters on the market (2.3 ounces, or 65 grams, for the filter and bottle). It's a great option for when you want to go as light as possible, such as trail running or day hikes. The design of the BeFree is part of its appeal. The filter is inside the collapsible container. Scoop up some water into the container, screw on the lid, and drink. The collapsible soft bottle rolls down to a tiny package, making it easy to stash in your pack or trail running vest. The MSR Guardian is fantastically expensive, but it's our pick for trips with sketchy water sources. It's also heavy and requires pumping, but the Guardian filters down to 0.02 micron, which will remove even viruses. It's also designed to be self-cleaning, which makes field maintenance incredibly easy. It's rated to pump 10,000 liters, and because it screws right onto a Nalgene bottle, it's pretty easy to crank out a couple of liters in hardly any time at all. This MSR Gravity filter changed backpacking for me. Pumping water for a family of five, day after day on the trail, sucks all the fun out of backpacking. This filter eliminated the pumping and returned my sanity, which is why it's our favorite backpacking water filter for large groups. All you have to do with this filter is scoop up 10 liters of water in the dirty water bag, attach the hose, connect your water bottle, and sit back and relax. The filter is good enough to keep you safe from all the usual protozoa and bacteria, and the flow rate is a solid 1.5 liters per minute when the filter is clean. We're in the final stage of testing for a backpacking stove guide that will be up very soon, and the MSR PocketRocket 2 will be our top pick for propane canister stoves. It's simple to use and boils water quickly (about 3.5 minutes for 1 liter at sea level). It's also more durable and therefore more reliable than the other ultralight stoves I've tested. And it weighs just 2.6 ounces. The WhisperLite Universal is a legend for good reason. It'll burn just about anything (isobutane-propane, white gas, gasoline, kerosene), making it a great choice for traveling internationally or wherever you don't know what kind of fuel will be available. Flame control is a little tricky, but we have managed to get it to simmer, as long as the wind isn't too bad. Just be forewarned that it sounds like a jet engine. Amazon REI ($56) Backcountry ($56) I'm not sure this really qualifies for the 'ultralight' moniker, and these pots are unfortunately marred by having a ton of fake influencer reviews out there, but they're actually quite good. And if you're cooking for a group, this 3-liter pot is about as light as it gets. This is my go-to pot for family backpacking trips. The hard-anodized aluminum is sturdy and provides good heat transfer. The ceramic nonstick coating makes for easy cleanup (especially paired with the GSI scraper below). You can also nest the 2L version ($49) inside this one for more cooking options on the trail. If you want to go nuts with it, I haven't tried it, but you can theoretically also nest the 1.3L version ($49) inside the 2L. Sea to Summit REI ($52) Backcountry ($52) Sea to Summit's Frontier pan is my all-time favorite backcountry cooking vessel. It's not ultralight to bring an 8-inch frying pan backpacking, but when you're ready to move beyond boil-in-a-bag food and whatever those disgusting gel tubes are, the Frontier pan is the way to do it. When you want to build a cream sauce from dried milk (it can be done!) or need to sauté those brook trout, a good pan that distributes heat reasonably evenly is indispensable. The Frontier manages to do that, and it has a nice curved edge, making it easy to work with and easy to clean up. The Frontier pan checks all the boxes thanks to its great design and ceramic coating, and it somehow manages to weigh just 13 ounces. No, it's not an earth-shattering deal, but this is possibly the best piece of backpacking gear I own. GSI's pot scraper is the unsung hero of backcountry cooking, turning cleanup from a tedious chore to a couple of seconds' work. Now, if you seriously burn something, this thing will not save you (boil water in the pan to loosen the burnt bits), but for every other situation, scraping down your pot with this tool will get you 99 percent of the way to a clean pot. I consider this one indispensable; you might as well grab one while it's a couple bucks cheaper. Camping Deals This chair is the coziest way to hang out around camp. It is somewhat huge, heavy, and awkward to fold up and carry, but so long as you have room for it in your vehicle there's no better way to relax around the fire with your loved ones. Do you crave a chair when you're backpacking? If so, this is one to get. It's just about the lightest on the market at 18 ounces, packs down very small, and solves the number one problem with all pole chairs: the included base pad keeps it from sinking in soft ground. Nalgene water bottles for half off, what's not to love? I've always preferred the timeless classic to the latest style, which might be part of why I've never used another water bottle (well, not counting reusing Smartwater bottles when backpacking). Nalgenes are lighter than stainless steel and, frankly, the only sane option for hiking. Grab two of the big 48 ounce bottles, stick them in the sides of your Mystery Ranch Coulee 30, and your family will never be thirsty again. This is the built-in straw version of the most durable water bottle we've tested. So long as you're not hiking with it (it's heavy) this is a great water bottle, and it comes in a variety of fun colors. 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 all-around sturdier and 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. Our favorite way to avoid the green propane bottles is this gas growler. This model gets you a 1.2-pound propane tank with a nice padded/insulated sleeve and a handy strap for carrying, and it makes your camp setup look much nicer than a bare tank. It also saves your shins during those inevitable run-ins with cold hard steel that come from lugging around a big propane tank. This size is the equivalent of five green propane bottles. I have yet to do a trip with a satellite communicator, but I do understand why people use them. If I were to bring one along, this is the one I'd get. It's tiny, light (3.5 ounces), and easily stashable. It utilizes the super-fast Iridium satellite network, so you can send a rapid SOS from pretty much anywhere. There are extra features like waypoints and interval tracking, and it plays nice with compatible Garmin watches. This is my own personal REI purchase for this year, which is a life jacket for my 1-year-old puppy. We do a lot of boating during the summer, and while my spouse insists that dogs can swim, I am not quite sure I trust her. At the very least, it gives my dog a few handles for me to grab if she gets swept away. —Adrienne So The Petzl Tikka is our favorite headlamp. I've had the same one since 2012, and it's still going strong, which beats every other headlamp or flashlight I've tried in that time. The Tikka is not the brightest light. The models linked here top out at 350 lumens, but it's plenty of light to cook by in the backcountry or trace the source of that transmission fluid dripping off the oil pan. This Tikka runs on three AAA batteries (we recommend Panasonic Eneloop rechargeable batteries) and lasts over 5.5 hours. Photograph: Scott Gilbertson 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 bikepacking (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, be careful when using it in the backcountry. I like these dry bags for organizing things in my pack. They're not dry bags in the since that you can submerge them and your gear will be fine, but the 30D silnylon with PCF-free DWR sheds a little rain no problem and makes finding your stuff so long as you use different colors for each thing. I put all my cooking gear in a red bag (red for fire), all my water filtering stuff in a blue bag for, wait for it, water, and so on. I find the 3 and 5 liter bags the most useful, but you can get all the way up to 35L. NRS straps are a must-have for anyone strapping … well, anything to anything. Whether you're a river guide cinching gear to your boat or, like me just want to make sure the paddleboards stay on the Jeep roof, these are the best straps I've ever used. I have NRS straps that are over 30 years old and still going strong. I find the 1-inch straps the most useful. You can grab a two-pack of 6-footers for $13 or a two-pack of 12-footers for $14. The 12-foot-long Oru Kayak folds into a small, flat package for storage and transport. Photo: Nicolas Zurcher Oru's foldable kayaks are genius—all the boat, none of the size. The lake is light, reasonably fast, and the cheapest way to get into the world of folding kayaks. As with all Oru's offerings, the Lake folds origami-style into a roughly 30-inch square that's just 15 inches deep—small enough to fit in a car trunk or hall closet.
WIRED
16-05-2025
- Business
- WIRED
The 24 Best Outdoor Deals From the REI Anniversary Sale
May 16, 2025 11:10 AM It's the best time of the year to pick up all the tents, stoves, sleeping bags, and gear you'll need for summer fun. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. It's nearly summer. The flowers are in full bloom, the birds are well north, and REI is kicking off its annual anniversary sale. This year's REI sale starts May 16 and runs through Memorial Day, May 26. Many items are up to 30 percent off, but REI Co-op members save up to 20 percent off any full-price item of their choice and an extra 20 percent off any REI Outlet item. To get the discount, add the promo code ANNIV25 at checkout. Several other retailers have also launched early Memorial Day sales, including Backcountry and Public Lands, along with some of our favorite smaller retailers like Sea to Summit and Zenbivy, along with many others you can find on Garage Grown Gear. We've highlighted some of our favorite deals on gear we've loved over our years of testing. There's something for nearly all our favorite summer activities—tents, stoves, sleeping bags, and plenty of outdoor apparel. Be sure to look at our guides to outdoor gear, like the Best Day-Hiking Packs, Best Tents, Best Sleeping Bags, Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads, Best Rain Jackets, Best Backpacking Water Filters, Best Merino Wool, and Best Binoculars. Backpack Deals Don't forget to check out our guide to the Best Day-Hiking Backpacks and the Best Travel Bags. The Flash 22 is possibly the best value day pack on the market, especially on sale. I was surprised by how comfortable this thing is, despite the lightweight straps and minimal padding. It carries loads up to 15 pounds without straining the shoulders, and the side stash pockets are fabulously large—big enough for a Nalgene bottle or rain jacket. The Flash 22 is made of 70-denier recycled ripstop nylon, which is on the lighter side, but mine has held up well, even coming through some rough canyon hikes in Utah without any more than mud stains. The ultralight cousin to the Flash 22, the Flash 18 lacks the hip belt, side stash pockets, and floating lid. What you're left with is a stripped-down, bare-bones pack that's great for traveling since you can stuff it down to almost nothing, stash it in your carry-on, and have a nice backpack whenever you need it. Don't load it up with more than 8 pounds of gear though, and avoid anything with pointy bits as there's no padding here. Sleeping Bag and Sleeping Pad Deals Confused by the options? Check out our guides to the Best Sleeping Bags and the Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads. Photograph: Scott Gilbertson REI Co-op's Magma 15 is our favorite bag for shoulder season trips when the temps might drop more than expected. It has an excellent draft collar that's very good at keeping out the chill. The outside is a 15-denier nylon ripstop (Bluesign-approved, with a non-fluorinated DWR coating to keep moisture at bay). Baffles are variably spaced and not stitched through, which helps the fill stay put and minimizes cold spots. The Magma doesn't have a lot of frills; it just gets the job done. Our favorite summertime car-camping sleeping bag, the REI Siesta Hooded 20, is plenty warm and affordable. It's also not a mummy bag, because you're not climbing Denali; why cramp yourself if you don't have to? The Siesta's rectangular cut makes for a much roomier, more comfortable bag. The Siesta's 20-degree rating makes it enough for three-season trips, and unlike most rectangular bags, the Siesta has a hood, which helps on those cold nights. 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. It does a good job of holding back the moisture that often forms inside a tent, which I discovered after one very soggy night of testing. 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—and retains its ability to trap warmth even when wet. Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Our favorite backpacking sleeping bag, the Bishop Pass 30 offers the best warmth-to-weight ratio while also managing to pack down small and not be too expensive. It isn't perfect, but it strikes the best compromise for most backpackers. I have slept in this bag for more than two weeks, with nighttime temps ranging from 28 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and, yes, it was too much in the heat, but on those warmer nights, I unzipped it and covered myself like a warm blanket. It's a versatile bag. Note that for the men's bag, only the long version is on sale. Both the long and regular size women's 30 bags are on sale. I haven't had a chance to write about it yet, but I tested the Bishop Pass 0 over the winter and was pleasantly surprised at how warm it was. I took it out on several nights where temps dipped into the single digits (below the comfort rating of 13F) and stayed warm. I did wear some merino base layers and a wool hat, but sleeping bag comfort ratings assume this. If you need a colder weather bag, without dipping into extreme temps (and extremely pricey sleeping bags) this is a good option. The Zenbivy Bed 25 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is hands down the most comfortable backcountry sleeping experience I've ever had. It wouldn't be my top pick for extreme situations, but so long as your expected temperatures fit in Zenbivy's range (the comfort rating is 35 degrees Fahrenheit), it doesn't get more comfortable than this. The Zenbivy isn't just a sleeping bag though. It's a sheet, hood, and quilt-style bag that can be combined in various ways depending on what you want. Zenbivy's Light Bed is a brand new option that takes the basic clip design of other Zenbivy beds and lightens up the load. I've been testing this bag for several months and it is everything I loved about the original above, but lighter weight. I'll have a full review very soon, but if you've been tempted by the Zenbivy, but wanted to keep your base gear weight down, this is the option you've been look for. The price I've put here includes both the bed/sheet portion and the quilt. Note that Zenbivy is having a 25 percent off sale on almost everything on its site right now. Nemo Tensor All-Season Sleeping Pad Photograph: Nemo Nemo's new 2024 Tensor-insulated sleeping pads (8/10, WIRED Recommends) have the best R-value-to-weight ratio of anything I've tested and the All-Season is our top pick for backpacking trips. It has an R-value of 5.4 and weighs 18.2 ounces. That alone is impressive, but what I love about the Tensor is that it's thick, comfortable, and most importantly, nearly silent. The slightly lighter Trail model is also on sale, as is the Extreme Conditions pad, which is the lightest, warmest sleeping pad on the market. The darling of ultralight hikers everywhere, the XLite NXT is our pick for backpackers looking to shed pack weight, but preserve some margin of comfort. The XLite delivers a comfortable night's sleep while remaining well under 1 pound for the regular size. At 3 inches thick, it's plenty of protection from the ground, and the R-Value of 4.5 means it'll be plenty warm in most three-season conditions. Tent Deals Check out our Best Tents guide for more WIRED-tested recommendations. REI Half Dome SL 2+ Photograph: REI Our pick for Best Two-Person Backpacking Tent, REI's Half Dome is rugged and lightweight (4 pounds), and offers generous living space for two with gear. The tent body is made of 40-denier ripstop nylon for durability at the base and on the floor, with 20-denier nylon mesh for the body. The Half Dome comes with a footprint, which is a rarity these days, and nice to have. The tent poles are aluminum and interchangeable, which makes them easy to set up and take down. Sea to Summit's ultralight Alto (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is designed to keep weight down on your solo adventures. At just 33 ounces for a semi-freestanding tent, it remains one of the lighter options on the market and at this price it's hard to pass up. The mesh netting helps keep weight down, though if you want something warmer, the Plus version, which has less mesh, is also on sale for $275 ($275 off), an equally outstanding deal. Nemo's Dagger Osmo (8/10, WIRED Recommends) line of tents are reasonably light with roomy interiors. The 3-person version (also on sale) 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 rainfly off the mesh room is excellent for stargazing. Photograph: Scott Gilbertson The Nemo Mayfly (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a three-season backpacking tent with a trail weight of 3 pounds, 8 ounces for the two-person version I tested. Split between two people, each is carrying under 2 pounds. The Mayfly saves on weight by using a semi-freestanding design, which means you have to partly stake it out. It's on the small side as well, at 27.9 square feet of living space, with two 7-square-foot vestibule areas. I find it plenty livable for two, and the cross pole gives you a wider roof area than most tents this size. I love the white mesh (instead of black) and the super simple clips that keep the rainfly secured. Hiking Apparel Deals REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket Photograph: REI Every year, I repurchase one of these rain jackets for each of my children. It's hard to find rain jackets that are better value than REI's. The kid's version is a 2.5-layer shell with a non-fluorinated (read: PFAS-free) durable water-repellent (DWR) coating, taped seams, and an adjustable hood. These will last all year (at least, as long as your kid doesn't lose theirs). — Adrienne So I haven't had a chance to add them to my Best Merino Wool Clothing Guide, but these are the best merino ankle running socks I've tried. They're not the highest merino content (54 percent, the remainder is nylon and elastane), but they're thin, light, and work well with barefoot shoes (and other shoes). They also resist odor surprisingly well for only about half merino. — Adrienne So I still prefer Darn Tough's lightweight hiking socks, but these Smartwool socks are a close second, and well worth buying at this price. Can you ever have too many wool hiking socks? I'd say no. These are 56 percent merino wool so there's a good bit of stretchiness, yet they stay pretty odor-free even after a couple days on the trail. Grab two pair so you can rotate them to keep your feet dry and happy. REI Co-op Sahara Shade Photograph: REI This is wildly affordable compared to the other sun hoodies we tested for our Best Sun Protection Clothing guide. WIRED reviewer Jaina Grey found it super soft and breathable, with thumb holes to protect the back of your hands. It's UPF 50, and it may be a lot easier to get your kids or sensitive family members to wear clothing instead of smearing sticky sunscreen all over their bodies. — Adrienne So Camping Deals We're in the final stage of testing for a backpacking stove guide that will be up very soon, and the MSR PocketRocket 2 will be our top pick for propane canister stoves. It's simple to use and boils water quickly (about 3.5 minutes for 1L at sea level). It's also more durable and therefore more reliable than the other ultralight stoves I've tested. And it weighs just 2.6 ounces. Do you crave a chair when you're backpacking? If so, this is one to get. It's just about the lightest on the market at 18 ounces, packs down very small, and solves the number one problem with all pole chairs: the included base pad keeps it from sinking in soft ground. Nalgene water bottles for half off, what's not to love? I've always preferred the timeless classic to the latest style, which might be part of why I've never used another water bottle (well, not counting reusing Smartwater bottles when backpacking). Nalgenes are lighter than stainless steel and, frankly, the only sane option for hiking. Grab two of the big 48 ounce bottles, stick them in the sides of your Mystery Ranch Coulee 30 and your family will never be thirsty again. Coleman Cascade Classic Camp Stove Photograph: Coleman This is the fancy version of our favorite camp stove. Here you get electronic ignition and a nice pale green paint job. Is it worth the extra $30? That's up to you. If it's not, you can snag the less fancy version for $59 at Walmart.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Juan Sanchez announces public land commissioner candidacy
Former Democratic Party of New Mexico vice chair Juan Sanchez is the first candidate to announce a bid to become the next Commissioner of Public Lands. (Courtesy photo) While Belen resident Juan Sanchez only decided to run in the 2026 Democratic primary for New Mexico Land Commissioner in the last few months, he's been thinking about it for longer, he says. 'I've been traveling the state for the last 10 years, working in natural resources, conservation and public engagement, and some of the things I've realized while doing that is, we are a state that is so rich in our lands and our culture and all the things around us, and it feels like it came to me over the last few months that this is something I think I could do,' Sanchez told Source NM. Sanchez so far is the only candidate for land commissioner in the 2026 election. Voters twice sent current Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard to the State Land Office, and so the state constitution term-limits her from running again. She is instead seeking the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, the Los Alamos Daily Post reports. A former natural resource specialist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and consultant for the New Mexico Acequia Commission, Sanchez also is a former vice chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, and worked as political director for U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), who endorsed his candidacy. 'I'm a 13th-generation New Mexican,' Sanchez said. 'I learned to start caring for the land at a very young age, from my grandfather, who was a rancher, and just like his father and his father before them, all on the same piece of property in northern Socorro County. I'm really proud of the experience I've accumulated, and the people I've met because I learned so much from our elders, and want to continue a legacy of managing land in New Mexico for generations to come.' The following interview has been edited for clarity and concision. Source NM: Can you talk about equitable access to state lands? What does that mean to you, and why is it a priority for your campaign? Juan Sanchez: We live in a place where the State Land Office manages over 9 million acres of public lands, and the other 13 million acres of mineral rights as well. But of those 9 million acres, there's 1 million of them that are landlocked and are not accessible to the public. As someone who takes a lot of pride in accessibility to the outdoors and making sure folks in communities around the state can go and enjoy those areas, it's something I plan to make a priority. We live in a beautiful place to go out, explore and learn about the land and our culture. But also, there's opportunities with the outdoor economy, as well: teaching our young students and our young children in our schools about these lands and creating equitable access, and being able to open up these lands to all these different folks is definitely a priority. Your campaign website talks about ensuring rural and Indigenous communities have a voice in land use decisions. What does that mean for people who don't understand what land use is, and how will you ensure it ? That's something I'd like to build on from Land Commissioner [Garcia Richard], who I think has done a great job in creating the Cultural Resources Office. They're going into these communities and finding out what makes them special or sacred. Some of these areas definitely do need some protection. A great example of this is the Caja Del Rio up in Santa Fe County, which the current land commissioner has protected from mineral exploration, oil and gas, as well as large transmission. She was in consultation with tribal communities, with traditional Hispanic communities that have been there for centuries, and learning about how sacred and important that land is to the way of life. Looking at Garcia Richard's time in office, is there anything else you would continue? The Cultural Resources office is absolutely one of those; the other one is the Office of Renewable Energy, she created that, and then it was put into statute a couple years later by the Legislature. The Cultural Resources Office has not been put into statute yet, so the next commissioner can decide whether or not to keep that or no longer have that. With the Office of Renewable Energy, continuing to try to expand and diversify some of the money we make off our state lands is something that will be important to me. It's important to maintain a relationship with the oil and gas industries. They are the revenue that comes from our state lands, predominantly. I appreciate the most recent work that was done this last legislative session, the royalty rate increase; that's something I support. I think it'll be great for New Mexicans and for our public institutions. Is there anything you would do differently? A lot of the work at the Surface Resource Division is something I'd really like to expand upon, make my own and try to find ways to diversify our economy through outdoor recreation and accessibility to lands, whether that be hiking, hunting or fishing. We have communities like our tribal and historical land use Hispanic communities that have been collecting wood in these areas for keeping their homes warm. What does the phrase 'water is life' mean to you, both as a new Mexican and as a candidate for this role? I'm a content creator and I have about 100,000 followers on my social media. Just this morning, I posted about how, when I was on a run yesterday, I was running along one of our acequias, and the water just started coming through for the first time in the year. You could actually watch the water pouring in. Look, I spent about five years as a consultant with the New Mexico Acequia Commission, working with leaders across the state, predominantly in Northern New Mexico, maintaining water access and traditional way of lives. Whenever we talk about our acequias, our water, we're talking about the life blood to our lands and to our life. As the waters start pouring through our acequias, they start to grow in our fields, they start to feed our plants, they start to give water to the animals we end up eating later on. It's a balance. Our communities cannot survive without clean water, and I'm really adamant about the idea of protecting that and protecting the ways of life, learning from our tribal and our historical communities on how they've survived with scarcity of water, and finding ways to continue to protect it, for us and for future generations. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
GB mulls pool study
Mar. 5—A work session after Monday's Great Bend City Council meeting had members looking at future projects funded by the Quality of Life Sales Tax. A major overhaul of the Wetlands Waterpark, which would be a bond project, was discussed, as was the plan for improvements on the south side of Brit Spaugh Park. Wetlands Waterpark The Quality of Life Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) would be a bond project that was in the original Quality of Life Survey, Burns said. "At that time, it was $6 million at 20 years at 3%. Those interest rates are no longer. ... The rate is currently at 5.27%" Burns noted that he's said multiple times that the pool is "a ticking time bomb" because of its age. "This is a 1936 pool," he said, later noting it could "fail at any moment." The substrate is leaking and the pool "is going to be needing some big time work in the future." Public Lands Director Scott Keeler and his crew keep it going, Burns continued. However, "My worst fear would be that we don't have a pool in the middle of summer." Last year, approximately 22,000 kids and adults used the pool while it was open. Burns asked the JEO engineering consultants to look at concept drawings. At present, the pool is "just shy of 12,000 square foot." The concept drawings have about half of that square footage. The cost ranges from $729 per square foot to $1,100 per square foot. He asked JEO for a ballpark figure of what Great Bend's pool might cost. "They're a little leery to give you any concrete square footage number, just because every scenario is different." While one concept is based on a 6,000 square foot pool, Mayor Cody Schmidt said he would hate to cut the present pool size in half. "I understand we have a budget and we have to keep on that budget, but I think there were things that we need to dive into and have studies done." Using a previous estimate of $875 per square foot, Burns said a 7,000 square foot pool would come to $6.125 million. He was aiming for a $6 million bond. At $729 per square foot, it would be $5.8 million. "So, I think until we dive in with an aquatics consultant ... I think that's when you're really going to know what that should cost." The improvements that turned the municipal pool into the Wetlands Waterpark are 20 years old. One thing the city was unable to do back then was add a Lazy River feature. Burns said one concept looked at does have that feature. He cautioned that two additional lifeguards are needed in that case and the city has trouble finding lifeguards every summer. Other features could also be considered, depending on the layout chosen. Council members suggested talking to Hoisington and Larned officials about their newer pools. There was also discussion about the admission price of the waterpark. In Hoisington, residents have $1 added to their monthly water bill and can use the pool at no charge. Burns said Great Bend could cover the cost of admissions if water bills were increased $2-3 per month. Talking with an aquatics consultant is the next step. Timing would be important, Burns said. "The idea here would be ... you go through this pool season and the next pool season for 2026. The day it closes, that following Monday, you're starting demolition in order to be back up and running for 2027. It's going to be a tight turnaround based on whatever square footage you do." Burns concluded that in his discussions with Keeler, the city could also look at repairing the 1936 pool with a commitment of $1 million or "a couple million dollars." "You could shine this thing up," he said, "but the concrete is ... just going to continually deteriorate." Councilwoman Rickee Maddox responded, "Is that lipstick on a pig?" Brit Spaugh Project The Brit Spaugh Park project was tabled last April when the lone bid came in at about $2.8 million, while the expected price was $2.1 million. "I think some of it was how we bid," Burns told the council. "We only had one bidder on that. I think if we put that back out to bid with some different parameters on the bidding, I think we could get a little bit lower costs." Money previously set aside, the monies budgeted for 2025 and 2026, along with unencumbered funds available, comes to $1.8 million. The Great Bend Recreation Commission previously pledged $340,000. "I don't know if that's still there. That would be a conversation with them," Burns said. The Rec has already looked at adding basketball courts that were previously in the Brit Spaugh Project to the park across from Eisenhower Elementary School. The Brit Spaugh Project includes pickleball courts directly east of the National Guard Armory that is across the street from the park. "That's something that we'd still like to get done," Burns said. "We paid $111,000 total for the drawings on that ... hoping that there was some private money that came into that. We did not get any. So we do have that project shovel-ready whenever we do want to go forward.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State bans controversial industry with landmark ruling: 'I don't believe that cost is worth it'
In a win for marine conservation, Washington state has permanently banned commercial fish farming in its waters. The Washington State Board of Natural Resources announced it voted to prohibit commercial net pen aquaculture on state-owned waters, marking the end of a 40-year industry in Puget Sound. The decision means Washington is the first place worldwide to remove and permanently ban commercial net pens. This move will help safeguard wild salmon populations and the endangered orcas that depend on them. The ban follows a 2018 incident where a net pen collapsed off Cypress Island, releasing over 250,000 Atlantic salmon into Puget Sound. Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz emphasized the environmental stakes: "No one can say these facilities don't have an impact. They do. There's a cost to our agency, there's a cost to our waters and our bedlands, there's a cost to our salmon and our orcas. I don't believe that cost is worth it." While many celebrated this as a victory for ocean health, some tribal leaders and industry experts raised concerns. Ron Allen, chairman of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, pointed to the potential economic impacts. "The board has chosen to prioritize politics and misinformation over scientific evidence and collaborative stewardship," he told the Global Seafood Alliance. "Even more troubling is the disregard shown for our Tribe's sovereign rights to utilize our marine resources in our own fishery for the economic betterment of the Tribe." To address these concerns, the rule includes exceptions for hatcheries that restore or boost native fish stocks. This provision helps maintain tribal fishing rights while supporting wild salmon recovery efforts. Other tribal nations strongly support the ban. Lisa Wilson, Lummi Indian Business Council member, stated, "Banning net pens is not only a step toward environmental stewardship, but also a critical measure to uphold and respect the Treaty rights of all Tribes. The Lummi nation stands firm in our commitment to safeguarding our shared resources and cultural heritage." Should we be harnessing the ocean to power our homes? Absolutely Leave it be It depends I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The DNR reports 80% of public comments backed the ban. Emma Helverson, executive director of the Wild Fish Conservancy, praised the decision, saying, "Their leadership reflects an understanding that the pollution and detrimental effects of this industry directly undermine public, tribal and government efforts to protect and restore wild salmon and starving orcas." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
