Spoiler alert: we really dig the REI Co-op Flash 2. This tent is ultralight, has a convenient design, and is very well-priced for the specs and quality. Read our full review to find out why this tent is earning high marks on our list of the Best Backpacking Tents.

The snow is melting and the parks are opening - it’s time to get outside! We’re just as stoked as you are for summer hiking and backpacking season, and REI has you covered with some great deals on gear to get you on the trail. REI’s 4th of July sale runs from June 23rd - July 4th. 

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite has been one of our favorite backpacking sleeping pads for years, and the best just got better with the introduction of the new XLite NXT version. This pad is still made with the high-quality construction that Therm-a-Rest is known for, but it’s warmer and much quieter than its predecessor.

The REI Co-op Trailmade 2 replaced one of REI’s best-selling tents, the Passage 2, earlier this year. With a similar design, a very affordable price point, and exceptional durability, we decided to put the new Trailmade to the test to see how it stacks up against the competition.

Father's Day (Sunday, June 18th) is the perfect time to show your dad (or the father of your children) some love. If the special guy in your life loves hiking, backpacking, or camping, we’ve got you covered with plenty of outdoor-inspired gift ideas your old man will dig.

The REI Half Dome SL 2+ is one of the absolute best value tents money can buy. It’s easy to set up, spacious, and made with high-quality materials, yet it costs significantly less than most tents in its class. We think one of the Half Dome’s best assets is its versatility - it’s large enough for car camping and light enough for backpacking.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for all of us adventure seekers - REI’s Anniversary Sale! May 19th-29th is REI’s biggest sale of the year, and it includes deep discounts on some of our favorite backpacking, camping, and hiking gear.

CleverHiker Tested - Foil packet meals (aka campfire meals) make it easier than ever to enjoy real, hearty food outdoors with good company and on a budget.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better pad than the Big Agnes Zoom UL in this price range. This rectangular sleeping pad is plenty warm for most three-season adventures, and its compact, ultralight design will help keep your pack weight and bulk to a minimum.

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 is one of our all-time favorite backpacking tents and one of Big Agnes’ best selling designs. The Copper Spur strikes an excellent balance between weight, livability, convenience, and weather protection. It’s an excellent choice for backpackers wanting to keep their packs light without giving up convenience and comfort.

The MSR Habiscape was designed for families and groups who want solid weather protection and convenience for their frontcountry camping trips. It’s spacious without being overkill, easy and intuitive to set up, and has an excellent pocket arrangement to keep you organized.

Made with thru-hikers in mind, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 40 backpack is everything you need and nothing you don’t. This pack is essentially waterproof, incredibly durable for the weight, and has convenient pockets galore. We put our Unbound pack to the test over hundreds of miles in the Sonoran Desert, and we think it’s a big win for long-distance hiking and ultralight backpacking.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear's Unbound 2 tent is a fresh take on a tried-and-true ultralight design. We’ve put ours through the wringer over hundreds of miles in the Sonoran Desert, and we found it to be a spacious retreat after hard days of hiking.

Mother's Day is coming up on Sunday, May 14th, and it’s a great opportunity to show the special lady in your life how much you appreciate her. If your mom is outdoorsy, you can’t go wrong by supporting her interests and giving her a gift she can use on her adventures.

Use our Ultimate Day Hiking Checklist every time you hit the trail to make rounding up your gear quick and easy.

Nepal is one of the most spectacularly beautiful countries on the planet. It’s a place where towering white peaks touch the sky, monks peacefully meditate in ancient mountainside monasteries, and lumbering yaks haul goods to quaint villages largely disconnected from the outside world. To put it simply, Nepal is a backpacker’s dream come true.

It’s Member Rewards time at REI! That means REI members have just received 10% of their purchases from last year back to be used in store this year, which is always rad. In this guide, we’ll outline our favorite deals for members and give you the inside scoop on our top recommendations for how to get the most out of your 20% off coupon.

Camping is a classic way to commune with nature and spend time with family and friends. It’s good for the body, mind, and spirit to mix up our routines and get outside for some fun and relaxation. But we know how daunting packing for multi-day camping trips can be. That’s why we put together this checklist to help make packing easy and stress-free.

The Zpacks Mummy Sleeping Bag offers the warmth of a hooded sleeping bag and the ventilation of a quilt all in one. It has one of the best warmth-to-weight ratios among all the choices on the market, and will surely become a top choice for heat-seeking hikers looking to dial in their gear.

After years of honing our backpacking gear to find the balance of weight, comfort, and preparedness, these are the items you’ll find in our backpacks. We put together this Ultimate Backpacking Checklist to help you organize your gear so you have everything you need - nothing more and nothing less.

The C.A.M.P. Corsa Ice Axe is one of the lightest ice axes on the market, making it a top choice among weight-conscious backpackers and mountaineers who need the ability to self-arrest while crossing glaciers and steep snowfields.

f you're looking for the lightest possible shelter that doesn't compromise on space, the ZPacks 7x9 Flat Tarp is just about as light as they come. This minimal rectangular tarp packs down small, provides a ton of room for a single hiker, and is a bit more affordable than other tarps in its weight class.

The Enlightened Equipment Visp (men’s / women’s) is among the best value ultralight jackets on the market for its price, protection, and adjustability. We’ve worn this jacket for hundreds of miles, including stints in Colorado’s monsoon season and the first snow of the year in the Pacific Northwest. We hope our experience helps you decide if the Visp is the right jacket for you.

Making your own backpacking meals can be fun and a great way to take control over your nutrition while saving money. Store-bought freeze-dried meals are convenient and lightweight, but they can be expensive and full of preservatives. Follow the steps below to learn the basics of food dehydration, then try some of our favorite recipes for inspiration.

Aquamira purification drops are a popular water treatment option among backpackers because they’re affordable, lightweight, and easy to use. They work similarly to most other chemical purification treatments, but we find they leave less chlorine taste behind. Like other chemical treatments, you’ll have to wait a bit for Aquamira to do its job. But we find that the peace of mind from knowing our water is completely safe to drink is worth the wait. 

The winter fun has just begun, and REI has you covered with some great deals on cold weather gear. The Holiday Warm Up Sale is on from December 9-19th. It includes big discounts on some of our favorite winter clothing as well as some awesome gift items for the outdoorsy folks in your life.

We often point people to YETI when they’re looking for exceptionally durable, long-lasting, and stylish gear for frontcountry adventures. YETI products have found their way onto many of our Gear Guides because they’re very high quality and built to last – something that really stands out in today’s market.

The John Muir Trail is one of the most spectacular stretches of trail in the world. One of the most important considerations for those hiking the JMT is determining what gear to bring. In this guide, we’ll help you channel your inner thru-hiker in order to minimize your gear weight and maximize your enjoyment on the trail.

Planning for your thru-hike of the JMT can be a daunting and overwhelming task - not to mention the difficulty in procuring one of the coveted permits. In this guide we hope to break down every detail you'll need to begin preparing for what will surely be an adventure of a lifetime.

REI shuts their doors every year on Black Friday to encourage everyone to #optoutside, but first they’re having their annual Gear Up Get Out sale from Nov. 11-21. Whether you’re getting a head start on holiday shopping or treating yourself to something nice, this is a great time to snag outdoor gear at deep discounts.