Black Friday is traditionally the season when you shop for televisions or Christmas presents, and not so much for outdoor gear. But that has changed in the past few years with REI’s Get Up Get Out Sale and other retailers trying their hand at Black Friday outdoor deals. Now is a great time to score a deal on tents, backpacks, sleeping pads, and Garmin devices. REI’s sale is over, but aside from REI brand items, we’ve found the same deals elsewhere. Be sure to check out our other early Black Friday deals coverage for more.
We test products year-round and handpicked these deals. Products that are sold out or no longer discounted as of publishing will be crossed out. We’ll update this guide through November.
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Table of Contents
The Most WIRED Deals
Backpack Deals
Photograph: Mountainsmith
Our favorite lumbar pack, The Tour is loaded with pockets, which gives you far more stash spaces than would seem possible in a pack this size. We’ve had no trouble fitting a change of clothes and a couple of meals in here, in addition to the gear you’ll need for a full day on the trail or on a bike. The 13L version is also on sale for $75 ($25 off).
Mystery Ranch packs have a devoted following for a good reason. They’re tough and well-thought-out. This 27L pack is a great size for all-day use, whether you’re headed into the woods or just around town. The MOLLE webbing on the back provides plenty of expansion options, and Mystery Ranch’s trademark 3-panel zip system is one of those things you never knew you needed until you try it, and then you can’t live without it. Note that this deal is only on the black color in large.
If the 2-Day Assault pack above is too militaristic for you, this smaller, lighter pack is well worth it. The Catalyst 18 is the standard daypack in Mystery Ranch’s lineup, but features the company’s three-zip design. That said, all hunting- and outdoor-related gear is 30 percent off with this code so there’s plenty to choose from.
Photograph: GoRuck
We love GoRuck’s over-the-top sturdy packs. Packs don’t come better made than this. The Bullet is the smallest of GoRuck’s bags and makes a good pack for around town (the laptop compartment is awesome) or short, lightweight hikes. GoRuck’s packs aren’t cheap, but this deal makes the price a little easier to bear.
We haven’t tested this exact pack, but I have been testing the similar Deuter Speed Lite 30 ($124) all fall (it’s also on sale), and I own the Trail 25 ACT from a few years back, which is similar. Both of those are very comfortable, sturdy packs, and the Pro 33L here looks to be the same. It has a nice set of internal organization options, a decent hipbelt for this size pack, and Deuter’s trademark venting system to keep your back cool.
My son grew up in this pack, which carried him everywhere from the mountains of Colorado to the hot barren mesas of Chaco Canyon. It’s not cheap (though this deal takes some of the pain away), but it’s well-made, and, most important, stable and comfortable. It’s also the easiest kid-hiking-pack I’ve tested to take on and off, which you will inevitably do, a lot.
Fitness Tracker Deals
Photograph: Garmin
The Instinct 2S Solar (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is the best value for the money in the sports watch category. It has insanely good battery life thanks to its small, sharp monochrome screen. The Instinct can track an incredible array of fitness-related features and it has three GPS systems to pinpoint location and distance, even at sea or under tree cover.
Garmin’s Forerunner line of GPS-enabled fitness trackers is bewilderingly complex, but this is our favorite (8/10, WIRED Recommends). You get great battery life in a lightweight, comfortable watch. There’s all the detailed fitness tracking you’d expect, especially for running, hiking, and cycling. It also has pretty good sleep tracking. The Music version, which allows you to store and listen to music via Bluetooth headphones, is also on sale for $300 ($100 off). If you’re not sure which Garmin to get, have a look at our guide to picking the right model.
If you’re breaking off your toothbrush handle to reduce weight in your hyperlight pack, you need an inReach Mini. It’s tiny—a mere 3.5 ounces—and utilizes the super-fast Iridium satellite network, which will let you send an SOS from anywhere on the planet. It’s our favorite tiny satellite messenger for traveling off-grid.
Photograph: Apple
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is only a month old but it’s already on sale. It’s our favorite smartwatch for outdoor sports. It packs a new (and bright) 3,000-nit display, the latest S9 chip for faster processing, and the new ultra-wideband chip for precision-locating your phone. It’s a great option if you’re heavily into outdoor sports and are looking for a rugged, full-functioning smartwatch to take along with you. It’s also the Apple Watch with the best battery life thanks to its massive size.
This is the best price we’ve seen for the Fitbit Charge 6 (7/10, WIRED Review), the latest addition to the Charge lineup. Its predecessor remains our favorite fitness tracker, but this model struggles at times. The companion app leaves a bit to be desired, there’s no fall detection, and Bluetooth connectivity is glitchy. You should also be aware that to access every feature, you’ll need a Fitbit Premium subscription that costs $10 per month. All that being said, at this price, the Fitbit Charge 6 is a simple and focused fitness tracker with a pretty robust suite of health metrics.
Withings just released the ScanWatch 2, so the first generation of the company’s watch to be cleared by the FDA is now heavily discounted. This hybrid smartwatch (8/10, WIRED Recommends) looks exactly like an analog watch with a host of reliable health and fitness features.
E-Bike and Scooter Deals
Photograph: Propella
This is our best all-around affordable electric bike. Propella’s 7-speed bike (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the lightest, most efficient, and most comfortable in this category.
Rad Power Bikes is one of the first direct-to-consumer ebike companies, and as such has been the subject of some painful lawsuits as the market has grown. However, it’s still a very popular bike, very affordable, and very fun and easy to ride. All of their bikes are on sale but most people I know ride the basic RadRunner, which is insanely powerful for the price, if a little unwieldy for smaller riders.
This is the affordable, DTC version of the now defunct VanMoof (8/10, WIRED Recommends). You get a stylish, attractive bike for not a lot of money. All of Wing’s bikes are currently on sale.
Photograph: Aventon
We’ve tried several Aventon models and appreciate the high level of quality for a relatively low price point (the accessories are better than Lectric’s, too). This fat-tire ebike (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is affordable, versatile, and has built-in commuter essentials. We also like the Soltera.2 and the Abound, which are also on sale.
The Fluidfreeride Mosquito escooter (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is lightweight and easy to carry, but still packs a top speed of 24 miles per hour, a loud horn, drum breaks, plus front and read lights. It has a quick folding system too, and you can even fold the handlebars. This price is a nice deal on it.
Photograph: Ride1Up
Ride1Up positions the Cafe Cruiser as its light, affordable daily cruiser (7/10, WIRED Recommends) but with a 750W motor and a 65-pound frame, it’s pretty big and powerful for an entry-level bike. Still, at this price (and for these specs!) it’s a pretty amazing value.
This is the latest version of our favorite micro ebike. The next big trend in electric bikes is micro-mobility, which refers to tiny personal vehicles. Tiny bikes are more affordable, easier to transport, and easier to store. And just like mini anything, they’re completely irresistible.
We love pretty much everything Peak Design makes, which is amazing because almost everything is currently 10 to 15 percent off. I (Adrienne) particularly like the Bike Mount, which locks your phone in place with the Everyday Case (which is also on sale, unless you want the iPhone 15 or Pixel 8 versions). The bags are on sale today.
Apparel and Footwear Deals
Photograph: Icebreaker
An Icebreaker hoodie was my introduction to merino wool, and it remains one of the best jackets I’ve ever owned. This jacket is 100 percent merino and incredibly warm, despite not being all that thick. That makes it a great option for days when the weather may vary considerably–it’s warm enough for a cold morning but won’t be a burden in your pack the rest of the day.
This shirt is an updated version of the all-season version we like. This one is 100 percent merino and fits fairly snug, making it a good choice for layering. The price varies by color, but most are $86. The women’s version is also on sale, in some cases for even less (select colors).
I like these zero-padded socks for everyday use and hiking. They’re plenty soft and not too tight. They’re only about 50 percent merino (the rest is various forms of nylon) so they won’t be quite as odor-resistant as full merino socks, but they make a good intro to the world of wool socks. If you prefer some extra cushion in the heel and toe areas, the Light Cushion and Full Cushion versions are also on sale.