The Gear List: Save up to $100 on premium gear to upgrade your campsite
Nobody said that sitting on the ground and eating trail mix was the only option.
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Welcome to The Gear List, a semi-regular series where we spotlight the best discounts and deals on tactical gear, outdoor equipment, and everything in between.
What’s better than good gear at a good price? Great gear at a great price, of course. The problem is that premium brands typically don’t have to cut prices to move products. When they do — usually in an effort to clear out inventory before seasonal shifts — it’s an awesome opportunity to save money or make the jump to gear we usually can’t afford. That’s exactly what’s happening now, and we found some killer deals on some of the biggest names in outdoor gear. This is a perfect chance to upgrade your campsite, backyard, or totally tactical fanny pack.
Right now, you can score big savings on gear from some of our favorite premium brands. Light a campfire, keep your drinks cold, track every mile, and keep your batteries charged the whole time with some of the best names in the business. The gear on this list isn’t just great for stepping up your campsite, some of it can even make life in the field a little more enjoyable (Although, if that’s what you’re looking for, we have other recommendations and budget-friendly picks).
Prices like this on top-shelf gear aren’t sustainable, so we can’t predict how long they’ll last. If you see something you like, the time to buy is now. Alternatively, you can grab some of it for free — but only if you live in Alaska.
These prices were valid at press time, but prices can change and deals do expire.
Price: was $89.99, now $69.99
Seller: Amazon
I’ll take opposing opinions in the comments section, but there might not be a better way to upgrade your camping (or field) experience than to invest in a quality sleeping pad. Klymit has a reputation for making products that offer a lot of value for the money, and the Static V sleeping pad is a great example. Extra bolstering on the perimeter will help keep you from rolling off, the oversized air valve allows it to be inflated in 10 to 15 breaths, and the 2.5 inches of cushioning are far more than you’ll get from a cheap foam sleeping pad.
The Static V is available in a few colors but your best bet is to go with sand, which can pull double-duty as your camping and military sleeping pad. The insulated version you see here costs $10 more right now (compared to $59.99 for the uninsulated option), but the R-value of 4.4 is well worth it on chilly nights. Will this be the best $70 you ever spent? I don’t know; answer in the morning.
Price: was $439.00, now $266.30
Seller: Amazon
Please, tell me you’re not camping with your issued tarp on your own time. The military might have you believe that tents make you soft, but there’s a reason everyone else swears by them: they make recreational camping way better. I’ve seen modern dome tents sell for less than $100 and several times that much. Right now, you can land this $440 Marmot Midpines tent for almost 40 percent off.
This warm-weather tent is rated by Marmot as a six-person tent for car camping. With that kind of size, it probably is a little big for backpacking, but you can pull it off if you spread the load across a few people. Having extra space is advisable, anyway; it’s common practice to use a three-person tent for two people or a two-person tent for solo camping. With the Midpines, you’ll get airy mesh sides, a seam-taped tub to keep you and all that gear you can fit inside dry, and a rainfly for stormy nights or a little extra privacy. I’ve personally put my Marmot tent through the wringer in heavy rainstorms and can vouch for the brand’s quality control. This big tent is a steal at $266.
Price: was $349.99, now $299.99
Seller: Ace Hardware
If you haven’t experienced a Solo Stove smokeless fire pit, you’re missing out. The dual-walled fire pits channel cool air to create a hotter flame and practically eliminate smoke. In my experience with the brand, you can expect a little smoke when you first light a fire or whenever you use green wood. Other than that, Solo Stove absolutely lives up to the hype.
The Bonfire has an outer diameter of 19.5 inches, so it’s great for groups of four or five people. At 20 pounds, it’s easy to bring along on a car camping kit or bring to a friend’s house for a backyard cookout. Solo Stove also makes a bunch of great accessories like a grill top and heat deflector. Remember that this fire pit will still get very hot, so you’ll need to use all the usual precautions associated with using an open flame.
Price: was $20.00, now $15.00
Seller: Ace Hardware
Yeti has been compared to the designer handbag of middle-aged men who want to feel more adventurous than they are. It’s true that most Yeti coolers and drinkware will be used in suburban backyards than the fishing trips they were intended for, but that doesn’t take anything away from the fact that the brand makes some genuinely good gear. One of my favorites is the Yeti Rambler. I bought one of my own and love it. The dual-walled stainless steel tumbler has no problem keeping my morning coffee hot and my evening cocktails cold. You can take your pick from several colors, but this olive-drab green is tough to beat.
Price: was $319.99, now $218.40
Seller: Amazon
You’re never more than a few months away from some kind of fitness test or physical event — at the very least, you don’t want to fall out of a unit run and end up on sergeant major’s shit list. A GPS watch can be a huge training asset and Garmin makes some of the best options out there. The Forerunner 935 is aimed at serious runners who are committed to pushing limits and shattering personal best times. Use it to turn every hike, camping trip, and trail run into a training evolution that pushes you close to your goals.
In addition to the usual GPS and fitness features you’d expect from the Forerunner series, this watch can help you balance your training load, track your training progress, and measure more advanced metrics like your VO2 max. It can even measure your stride length and ground contact time to improve your running form. When it comes down to it, the only way to get faster is to put in the work. The Forerunner 935 can help you train smarter rather than harder, and right now it can also save you more than $100.
Price: was $27.99, now $14.60
Seller: Amazon
It doesn’t matter if you’re camping for fun or conducting a field exercise, hydration is key. Hydration bladders are great, but I’m a big advocate of carrying a water bottle in addition to your reservoir drinking system. Stainless steel bottles are a massive upgrade over traditional water bottles. They’re stronger, easier to clean, and have less of an impact on the environment. This one from ThermoFlask offers all those benefits while using two layers of stainless steel and vacuum insulation to keep hot drinks hot for 12 hours and cold drinks cold for 24 hours. The 18-ounce bottle includes two lids; one with an open mouth and one with a straw and flip-up drinking nozzle. At less than $15 on sale, this is one of the most affordable ways to upgrade your camping experience – whatever that looks like.
Price: was $59.99, now $42.93
Seller: Amazon
Sure, camping is all about getting closer to nature, but that doesn’t mean you don’t still rely on electronics. From your headlamp and GPS device to your phone and Bluetooth speaker, there are always going to be batteries that need to be charged. This Anker 325 Power Bank is a quality item that can keep you charged up on the go without blowing the budget. The 20,000-milliamp-hour battery can charge your phone up to five times and is optimized to deliver electricity as quickly as possible when your battery is low, and act as a trickle charger when it’s not. Two output ports let you charge devices simultaneously.
Price: was $36.72, now $27.84
Seller: Amazon
Is it possible to write a Task & Purpose deals post without including a knife? Maybe, but that seems really risky. Best to play it safe and point out that this Kershaw can be yours for less than $28. I’ve recommended versions of this knife before because the stonewash-finished 8Cr13MoV blade is a reliable workhorse, the pocket clip can be moved from end to end and side to side, and the price is right for a true EDC knife that you won’t have to baby. This iteration comes with rugged G-10 handle scales that provide immense grip in addition to being damn near indestructible.
Don’t even think about camping or setting foot in the field without a decent knife. This one is a great entry point into the world of knife addiction – I mean, collecting – and is built to handle exactly the kind of use you’ll subject it to in the field.
Price: was $184.99, now $132.35
Seller: Amazon
If your idea of camping looks more like a holiday cookout than an Instagram-worthy backpacking adventure, this Coleman Cabin tent might be just what the doctor ordered. In exchange for extra size and weight, you’ll get more headroom from the boxy shape and better protection against the elements if nature turns against you. Cabin tents are perfect for car campers who can afford a few extra pounds in exchange for a more robust tent. It takes as little as one minute to get this one set up and ready to provide shelter with screened windows, welded floors, inverted seams, and a built-in rainfly to keep you comfortable. Choose from four-, six-, and 10-person sizes.
Price: was $130.00, now $91.00
Seller: Amazon
So, you’ve added all this gear to your shopping cart and realized that you might not have enough room for it in your pack. If you’re planning on car camping or taking military vehicles into the field, it might be a good idea to grab a second bag to carry the odds and ends that don’t make it into your personal pack. The 15-liter Camelbak Coronado daypack is just the right size to carry extra camping gear, and the front is covered in MOLLE to attach extra pouches and equipment. When you’re not in the field or camping, it makes for a great weekend bag for clothes and hygiene gear. The full price of $130 might be a stretch, but this bag is a bargain at $91.
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