Outdoorspeople face an existential conundrum: To be comfortable and safe outside, you need weatherproof jackets, boots, and hats. But if you wait to buy your gear on sale—like, say, on Black Friday—then you’re wasting valuable time on a computer, when you could be catching some early snow on the slopes, traipsing from mountaintop to mountaintop, or just sitting by a fire.
Some of our favorite outdoor gear retailers have cleverly sidestepped this problem by starting their sales the week before Black Friday; REI’s Get Up Get Out sale and Moosejaw’s anniversary sale both end on November 25, and Huckberry’s Blackout sale ends on November 26. That gives you a long, relaxing holiday weekend to spend with your family (or not).
Update: Huckberry lowered its prices early, on November 21. These deals are all good through the weekend.
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REI’s Get Up Get Out Sale
REI’s Get Up Get Out sale started last week and runs through November 25.
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Garmin InReach Mini for $275 ($75 off): This tiny, Bluetooth-enabled messenger uses the lightning-fast, worldwide coverage of the Iridium network. It was also one of our favorite satellite messengers.
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Garmin Instinct for $200 ($100 off): Garmin’s rugged watch is in our guide to the best fitness trackers. It’s apt if you need rugged backcountry satellite tracking and long battery life.
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Smartwool Merino Crew Socks for $14 ($6 off): A sale is always a good time to re-up on worn-out socks and thermals. I have the women’s version of these merino wool hiking socks and they have held up after years of wear.
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North Face Thermoball for $261 ($88 off): If you’re just dipping your toe into snow sports, a 3-in-1 jacket is an affordable way to stay warm and dry. The insulation layer is made from post-consumer recycled polyester and the shell is a standard 2-layer nylon with a durable water repellent (DWR) finish.
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Smith 4D Mag ChromaPop Goggles for $224 ($56 off): In snowy, foggy regions, nice snow goggle lenses can be life-changing. Spherical lenses give you a wider field of view, and Smith’s ChromaPop lenses make it really easy to distinguish contrast.
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Eureka Ignite for $75 ($25 off): This compact camp stove is the smaller sister of one of our favorite portable camp stoves. You can also link up an additional JetBoil stove, so you can make coffee while flipping your morning pancakes.
