16 Best Early Black Friday Deals on Outdoor Gear

By Andrew McCollum On Nov 18, 2021

Many of our favorite outdoor retailers find themselves in a pretty pickle on Black Friday. There’s no activity that’s less outdoorsy than cruising retail sites shopping for gear, but you still need rain jackets, a good layering system, and running gear to make it through the winter. If you’d rather spend a crisp, sunny Black Friday hiking with visiting friends and family—or just plotting and planning all the fun things you’re going to do in 2022—these retailers have you covered.

REI’s Get Up Get Out sale is on through November 22; members can also save 20 percent off on select items with the code GEARUP2021. Moosejaw’s Anniversary Sale also runs through November 22. If you need to pick up a big-ticket item, Backcountry is currently offering 20 percent off one item for joining its loyalty program.

WIRED’s Early Black Friday Coverage

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Wearables and Electronics Deals

GoPro Hero10 Black.

Photograph: GoPro

GoPro cameras are a great way to document all your shred-worthy adventures—it’s still the best action camera. A new processor in the Hero10 speeds up capture times, gets more resolution out of the 23.6-megapixel sensor, and adds better image stabilization. Our full review has more details.

If you ski or snowboard in the backcountry and want to make sure people can find you if you get lost, you probably need the inReach Mini. This pocket-sized satellite messenger utilizes the super-fast, low-flying Iridium network instead of the sometimes-slow or patchy GPS or Glonass satellite network. It’s still the top pick in our guide to the Best Satellite Messengers.

REI has a lot of Garmins on sale right now, which is great because Garmin makes some of the most reliable and durable fitness trackers. This is the backcountry watch I wear when camping off-grid because it makes the right compromises—abandoning a big, glowy screen for better battery life and tracking features.

Before I tested the Coros Pace 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), I would’ve said that Garmin’s Forerunner series were the best running watches hands down. They’re still pretty great, and you can find Forerunners at almost any price point. The midrange 245 includes all the industry-standard performance-tracking metrics, along with features like incident detection in case you’re on a long run and, uh, fall and can’t get back up.

Our final Garmin pick is the Venu Sq, which is not only in our guide to the Best Fitness Trackers but the Best Smartwatches too. It combines Garmin’s accuracy and performance metrics, Fitbit’s affordability, and Apple’s … aesthetics? Not quite, but this is a great price for an entry-level tracker.

If you’re progressing in your fitness journey, odds are that you probably need to include some strength training. The Tempo Studio (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a convenient and safe way to do that if you’re still avoiding public gyms, and it’s slightly more accessible at this price point.

Footwear and Apparel Deals

REI Co-op Magma 850 down hoodie.

Photograph: REI

REI’s in-house line of gear and apparel is incredibly affordable for the specs it offers. A water-resistant, packable puffer jacket like the Magma (women’s) is one of the most versatile pieces of camping and traveling apparel you can own. It’s also a great layer under a waterproof shell for more intense outdoor activities. There’s also a lighter version ($70) (women’s version here).

If you’re shopping for early stocking stuffers, everyone can use another pair of liner gloves. They work well on their own for running or hiking, or under-insulated and waterproof mittens in colder weather. They’re also on sale at Backcountry.

One of the biggest hurdles to enjoying snow sports is not having appropriate apparel. A good bib will keep snow out of your underpants and these have synthetic insulation, thigh vents to release heat, and boot gaiters to keep your ankles warm and dry.

This is a sturdy, two-person hammock that packs down small and fits two people. We recommend it in our guide to stress-relieving gifts. It’s also on sale at Amazon and Backcountry.

Moosejaw is offering 20 percent off any full-priced item with the code CHEERS through November 22. Both my colleague Parker Hall and I are fans of Altras for their zero-drop (no difference in height between the heel and toe) design, comfortable wide-toe box, and big lugs on the sole. There’s also a women’s version.

Snow, Camping, and Biking Deals

Solo Stove Bonfire pit.

Photograph: REI

Unlike cheaper fire pits that let embers and smoke waft all over your patio, Solo Stove’s attractive fire pits produce an almost smokeless, hotter, and more efficient fire that’s easier to clean up. We haven’t tried this exact model, but you can read our Solo Stove Yukon review for more details.

Backcountry’s 20 percent off any item by joining the loyalty program is a great way take a Benjamin or two off of big-ticket items. Unlike many snowboards that are mass-manufactured in a number of different factories before a company applies their own branding, Capita’s are hand-made in their own facility, the Mothership, which uses 100 percent clean energy. This is a pretty versatile resort board, but make sure you pick the right size for your height.

REI’s Kingdom tents are the best family tents that both WIRED senior writer Scott Gilbertson and I have ever tried. They’re reasonably priced, have vertical walls and plenty of head height, and are as modular and versatile as a Swiss Army Knife.

There are many, many other water bottles around right now, but we’ll always have a soft spot for a classic, dishwasher-safe, and preferably covered-in-stickers Nalgene.

Use code CHEERS through November 22 to see the discount at checkout. A bike only makes sense as a daily commuter if you have the ability to carry your work computer and a week’s worth of groceries at the same time. I own Ortlieb panniers and writer Stephanie Pearson also recommends them in her guide to the Best Bikepacking Gear.

Early Black Friday Sales Pages

Want to browse the sales yourself? Here are a few places offering early Black Friday deals. Be sure to check out our many buying guides and gift guides for additional ideas.