Our days are growing warmer, which means outdoor retailers are blowing out the last of their winter stock with great deals. Some discounted gear can be used all year long, such as merino wool boxer briefs and insulated travel mugs. Others, such as ski goggles and puffy jackets, will come in handy on trips overseas to ski resorts and alpine playgrounds, now that we’re able to do some traveling again.
Be sure to check out our other buying guides, from the Best Barefoot Shoes to the Best Everyday Sun Protection Clothing.
Updated March 30, 2022: We’ve updated pricing, removed expired deals, and added new ones like the Mountain Hardwear Canyon Shirt, Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pant, and Nite Ize SpotLit Collar Light.
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Table of Contents
Sweet Protection Looper MIPS Helmet
Photograph: Moosejaw
Head over to our guides on the Best Snow Gear for Spring Skiing and Best Gear for Skiing and Snowboarding for more ideas.
Sweet Protection is a heavyweight brand among outdoor sports helmets known for its proven protection and durability. MIPS stands for multi-directional impact protection system, which consists of an inner layer that allows your head to rotate within the shell of the helmet to reduce the rotational force on the brain.
Hestra gloves and mittens are among my favorites, thanks to their durable construction. I’ve put a few pairs through the wringer and always get years of use out of them. These mittens are packed with synthetic insulation to keep your digits warm on the slopes and water-resistant leather on the palms and back of the hands to keep them from wetting out. The discount varies, depending on the size and color you choose.
Snow-loving parents pay a premium price for sleds at the beginning of the season. If you have little kids that are too small for renting snow tubes, this is a good option.
You definitely have lost at least one pair of ski socks by now. We love these merino wool Icebreakers for their warmth and durability. They go up over the calf and come with a lifetime guarantee.
Arva Evo4 Avalanch e Beacon
Photograph: Arva
Hopefully, you’ll never have to use it. But if you ski or snowboard in the backcountry, it’s a good idea to carry an avalanche beacon, in case you get caught in one. The Evo4 is an entry-level model from a reputable company. Just don’t forget to turn it on.
Your ski or snowboard wax is probably wearing off by now. If you don’t want to take your gear to a shop, you can try ironing on your own wax. Don’t forget a scraper to go with it.
These ski and snowboard goggles can be used for any snow sport. I use them for mountain climbing. The ChromaPop lens provides sharp, clear contrast for spotting hazards and dips in the snow. They’ve given me no problems with fogging or their field of vision, and they’re comfortable enough to wear for hours on end.
Alps Mountaineering Tasmanian 2
Photograph: Moosejaw
Check out our guide to the Best Hiking Gear to Get You Started. We also have guides to the Best Tents and Best Camping Gear for setting up a home away from home in the woods, desert, and plains.
Four-season tents, such as the Tasmanian, replace much of the mesh on three-season tents’ inner walls with solid but breathable fabric for greater protection against the cold. If there’s frost on the grass in the morning, you don’t want it inside the tent. The Tasmanian is a tight fit for two people who keep their packs outside (in the vestibule) at night. Or it can house one person with plenty of spare room.
For a fast-and-light day hike, you’re going to want a pack large enough to carry a rain jacket, lunch, emergency bivvy, and an insulating layer—but the pack shouldn’t be too large. The UL 20’s 200-denier ripstop nylon means you won’t have to baby it if you hike on overgrown trails. The exterior water bottle pocket also means you don’t have to risk a leak by carrying your water bottle internally.
If you’ve ever camped with a table, it can be hard to go without. This one weighs 9 pounds and measures 28 inches by 28 inches, which will fit two diners (or four, in a pinch). If you need more room, the Regular Junction table is on sale for $65 ($35 off) and measures 43 inches by 28 inches.
Photograph: Backcountry
Hydro Flask makes some of my favorite insulated water bottles. They do a fantastic job of keeping hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold all day. The powder coating is among the most scratch- and chip-resistant of all reusable water bottles on the market, and they stand up well to long-term abuse without breaking. The discount varies by color.
Keep an eye on your pup with this lightweight LED light that clips to any dog collar. It weighs only an ounce, lasts for up to five hours on a charge, and has four selectable colors. You’ll be able to tell where your little buddy is after dark, even if they’re having too much fun in the mud.
Don’t bring a regular cotton terry towel to the campground. They take forever to dry out, especially if it’s humid outdoors. This soft, synthetic microfiber body-sized towel will dry out much more quickly after your shower.
Grayl Ultralight Compact Water Purifier Bottle
Photograph: Grayl
Unless you’re absolutely aiming to have the lowest weight possible, ditch the water purification drops and tablets and go with a water filter. The Grayl is a filter and a bottle all in one. You fill it up, press down the plunger, and have 16 fluid ounces of potable water within 15 seconds. The filter lasts for 300 pints. You can also take the Grayl hiking or traveling since it weighs only 10.9 ounces.
Once you set up camp, give yourself (and a close friend or partner) a relaxing perch in the air. The DoubleNest Hammock fits two adults for a combined weight rating of 400 pounds, and when you’re ready to pack up and head for home, it stuffs into the included stuff sack and goes down to the size of a grapefruit.
This is one of the recommended items in my Guide to the Best Home Emergency Gear, but it pulls double-duty as a camping lantern. Aside from the flashing mode, there’s a low 50-lumen mode for preserving battery life and a high 425-lumen mode for when you want a ton of light. Generally, I use the low-power mode, since it’s bright enough to read by and the three D-cell batteries will last up to 330 hours.
Marmot Featherless Hoody
Photograph: Moosejaw
Check out our guide on How to Layer Outdoor Clothing for tips on where insulated jackets should fit into your clothing system, along with our guide to the Best Winter Base Layers for more recommendations.
I prefer synthetic-insulation puffies like the Featherless Hoody in damp or snowy environments where temperatures can hover around freezing because they dry out faster than goose down. There’s also a hoodless version for $131 ($44 off) if you’re not a fan of hoods flopping behind your head.
The polyester fabric is thin, but the fit is roomy enough to stuff a base layer underneath for more warmth on chilly hikes. It makes for a great summer shirt too, since it has zippered mesh pocket vents and can be vented by unbuttoning it. The women’s sizing is on sale for $46.
These nylon hiking pants dry out significantly faster than cotton pants and are tough enough to resist scratchy tree branches and bushes on overgrown trails. The 13 percent Spandex content also gives you enough stretch to climb over fallen logs and rocks without limiting your mobility.
Photograph: Smartwool
You don’t always need long underwear in cold weather, especially if you’re moving around a lot while skiing, snowshoeing, or hiking. A lightweight pair of merino wool short underwear is more versatile than long johns, and they can even be used as the months grow warmer. Wool insulates when damp too, so if you happen to sweat you can be assured these will still keep you warm.
Alternatively, you can go with synthetic boxer briefs. Even though they don’t insulate you when wet as wool briefs do, they dry out much more quickly. I’ve used Give-N-Go 2.0’s in conditions from 40-degree rain to 95-degree deserts. They’re a year-round piece of gear to keep in your rotation. The women’s bikini brief is on sale for $13.
Patagonia’s Capilene base layers are in heavy rotation among my outdoor gear closet staples. The synthetic polyester fleece is warmer than such a thin layer should be, thanks to its waffle grid pattern, and it wicks away sweat without remaining soggy for long. Only certain colors are on sale, and the men’s sizing is on sale, as well.
Cotopaxi Fuego
Photograph: Moosejaw
The Fuego is packed with 800-fill goose down, which is treated with a durable water-repellent finish to help lessen the amount of moisture it absorbs. Fill power is a way of measuring the warmth-to-weight ratio and compressibility of the goose down. A high number (such as the Fuego’s 800) means it’ll be warmer than a garment with a lower number and can compress down smaller in your pack. The men’s sizing is also on sale, and there are hoodless versions available for women’s sizing and men’s sizing.
Select colors are on sale. High-loft pile fleece is coming back. Early polyester fleece material was very fluffy, like a shag rug. The Retro-X is your chance to wear a classic, like the fleece from the late ’70s and ’80s. Because it traps more air in its long fibers, pile fleece tends to be very warm. The women’s sizing is also on sale for $139.
Sometimes there’s nothing better than snuggling up inside a fleecy wool hoodie when the sky is pelting your home (or tent) with cold rain. The Harrison’s high-pile, fluffy material is made from a majority of recycled wool that’s blended with synthetic fibers. It also features an adjustable hood for keeping out the windy drafts.
Most flannels, even from outdoor apparel companies, tend to be made of cotton. Not so with the Sahara. It’s a blend of polyester (mostly) and nylon, with a little Spandex for stretchability, which means it has 50 SPF sun protection and will dry out much more quickly than a cotton shirt. Senior editor Adrienne So has this shirt and loves it.
Rainwear and Accessory Deals
Outdoor Research MicroGravity
Photograph: Outdoor Research
Keep your head dry by making your way to our guide on the Best Rain Jackets and Best Umbrellas for more of our favorite ways to enjoy—or at least get through—those rainy spring days.
The MicroGravity (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a lightweight, three-layer shell designed for climbing. Its helmet-compatible hood and ability to pack down into its own pocket make it a worthwhile addition to your climbing or hiking pack, but it’ll also serve you well on rainy days in the city.
When you’re wrapping your noggin in a knitted cap, I always recommend merino wool over synthetic fabrics. They breathe better and don’t itch. This Marmot version is 100 percent merino wool, unlike many other beanies for this price that are a blend of merino and acrylic fibers.
The Minimalist is a hard-shell rain jacket that uses Gore-Tex Paclite, an entry-level version of Gore-Tex that’s more affordable than three-layer Gore-Tex but still blocks wind and rain more effectively than a soft-shell windbreaker. Despite the marketing buzz, hard-shell jackets aren’t very breathable, so this is better for withstanding heavy rain showers than for, say, jogging.
Photograph: Outdoor Research
We generally feel safe going maskless outside, but if you need to pop into the lodge, wet snow and rain and disposable masks do not mix. The Outdoor Research mask fits well and folds down easily into a pocket. Check out our list of the Best Face Masks for more.
Bogs is based in the Pacific Northwest, so the company knows a thing or two about warm, dry feet. If you live in a rainy climate, you probably have a pair or two of these already. Bogs is also posting a clearance sale of up to 40 percent on its website.
The Lite Hikers aren’t the thickest or warmest socks Wigwam offers, but you may not always want an ultra-thick sock, even in cold weather. Some people’s feet run hot, especially if they’re doing intensive activities, such as hiking. I’ve used Wigwam socks on and off over the years, and I’ve been impressed by how long a pair can last.
If you don’t see anything you like here, now is the time to check out your favorite outdoor gear manufacturer. Here are a few of our favorites.
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