Top 10 Winter Outdoor Equipment Deals
Don’t waste it all month indoors. Life is too short to spend half of it hiding from the cold. The outdoors can be enjoyed all year round, whether you’re heading to a campground – peacefully deserted at this time of year – or sticking to your own backyard. Check out these great deals for everything you need to go camping and get away at night for crispy homemade wood-fired pizza.
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Hiking and camping equipment
Much of the US, UK, and Canada are under a wave of cold, though now is the perfect time for warm-weather hiking across much of the desert in the US Southwest. Regardless of. Every season is hiking and camping season. Check out our Hiking 101, Best Camp Stoves and Best Tents guides to find out more.
Even with relatively moderate nighttime temperatures, sleeping right on the ground can suck a surprising amount of heat from your body and leave you chilled. The Xlite is my favorite inflatable sleeping pad for backcountry adventures and alpine climbs. It weighs only a pound or less (depending on size), provides significant warmth under the sleeping bag, and rolls up into a very compact fabric tube. Mine lasted five years with no noticeable wear.
For overnight camping and hiking trips, it is recommended to bring a very small towel or two. Handy for wiping condensation and drizzle from tents and backpacks, they also allow you to quickly dry off after rain or remove a hot pot lid from a camping stove. Sea to Summit are some of the best. Its synthetic terry fabric absorbs a lot of liquid and dries quickly.
The Colorado-based company is one of our favorite tent manufacturers. While typically pricey, it offers quality materials and thoughtful features, such as (in this case) eight interior pockets. The Big House’s nearly vertical walls, double doors, and 83 square feet (7.7 square meters) of space make it a luxurious home away from home. There are also Big house for 4 is on sale for $300.
Filtering water for an entire group of people is time consuming and tiring if you use a small personal water filter. Take the muscle work out of getting clean water by making gravity work for you. Simply fill a dirty water bag with four liters of water from a river or stream, connect it to a filter and a clean water bag, hang it from a branch, and step aside. It takes about four minutes to get clean water. Separating dirty and clean water into separate bags reduces the risk of cross-contamination – a nice touch.
Patagonia Clothing
Patagonia is affectionately known as Pattagucci for its usually high prices, though I argue that it is usually worth the price. Now that so many great Patagonia clothing items are on sale at significant discounts, it’s not a problem. Check out our guide to the best base layers and our how-to for layering outerwear while you’re here.
I usually point people to Down jacket REI Co-op 650 when someone asks me to recommend a nice warm padded jacket for about $100 but with Patagonia’s excellent Nano Puff that sells for just a tick more, add this to the list (if you’re valid until February 8th). It has 60 grams of PrimaLoft Gold synthetic insulation packed into a lightweight 10 ounce body and a form-fitting fit that can be layered under a waterproof layer. Only available in women’s sizes and multiple colors.
I am a firm believer in the value of a synthetic shirt for outdoor activities. Cotton stays damp with sweat and takes a long time to dry, while these 100% polyester shirts dry much faster. I also use Capilene climbing shirts as they are stretchy enough to make big moves up the wall without restricting movement. They can be used as a training shirt at the gym as they dry quickly and are even three times nicer than urban shirts.
Women’s sizes, Men’s sizes ($119)
Retro, 1970s style fleece is back. Forget the fleece carpeting that was everywhere in malls in the 90s and 2000s. This high pile fleece jacket is one of the softest and coziest fleece jackets on the market. Made from 100% recycled polyester, it serves as either the toasted middle layer or the outer layer.
Offers in the backyard
You cut the grass and pull the weeds. You can also get out and enjoy this backyard every moment you can. Whether it’s lazing around or making pizza, do something new this year. Also, take a look at our Best Lawn Games, Gear to Screen Movies Outside and Best Gear to Make Your Backyard More Fun for ideas.
Photo: Celestron
Senior Product Reviewer Scott Gilbertson called them his budget choice if you’re looking for affordable binoculars. He noticed some chromatic aberrations such as purple fringing, but overall they are a good choice for spotting birds visiting backyard feeders and birdhouses.
Here is a hammock for relaxing. Without a raincoat or mosquito net, it’s better to hang out lazily in the backyard and in the campground than to spend the night in the forest. I spent a few days on the north shore of Long Island, swaying gently in the summer breeze with a beer and a book. From the hammock fabric to the included hanging straps, the quality has been consistent and I see no reason to spend more on more expensive hammocks. The instructions are easy to understand even for beginners.
If you don’t want to install an 800-900 degree (Fahrenheit) pizza oven in your kitchen, the best choice for making fancy cake at home is to buy this outdoor pizza oven. In her review (8/10, WIRED recommends), Senior Associate Review Editor Adrienne Soe says she loves its compact size and how well it handles cast iron pans. It heats up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius) in just 15 minutes. This version only runs on wood, although there is a wood and propane version that also sells for $615.