The 8 Best Deals for Hikers at REI’s Labor Day Sale, Chosen by Backpacker’s Editors

It’s one of the year’s biggest inflection points for hikers: Summer’s warm months are winding down as fall approaches. It’s the perfect time to start tailoring your packing list to shoulder season by prepping for variable weather, longer nights, and crisper temps. Found a hole in your gear closet that you need to fill? Labor Day is a convenient (and cheap) time to do it as brands and retailers across the outdoors discount product across their lineups. We dove into REI’s 2026 Labor Day sale to create a shortlist of the best deals that hikers can grab now. Here are our top 8 editor-tested picks. The MSR Freelite tent in the wild (Photo: Adam Roy) MSR Freelite 1 and 2 Tents $330 (25 percent off)—Freelite 1 $375 (25 percent off)—Freelite 2 Weighing in at a scant 1 lb, 10 oz, the Freelite 1 is a lightweight, semifreestanding solo shelter that’s effortless to pitch. I found that the two aluminum poles—a hubbed, Y-shaped pole and a short crossbar—kept the inner tent steady even through lashing rain in the Colorado high country, while the bathtub floor kept moisture out. Twenty square feet of floor space and 8 in the vestibule were just enough for me (6 foot 2) to stay comfy and keep my gear dry. (Like to backpack with a partner? The 2-person version comes with dual doors.) The MSR Guardian is a category-leading purifier that removes viruses and self-cleans with every stroke, making it nearly impossible to clog. (Photo: Courtesy MSR) MSR Guardian Purifier $300 (25 percent off) MSR’s Guardian is still one of the best purifiers for truly wretched water sources, thanks to its ability to filter out viruses as well as more common bacteria and protozoa. The rugged pump-style model can process a whopping 2.5 liters of water per minute—twice that of most squeeze filters. Thanks to its design, which uses 10 percent of its water to backflush the purifier, it never clogged during our editors’ testing in Jordan. (Photo: Will McGough) Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 Tent $488 (25 percent off) The Copper Spur is the Golidlocks of tents. At 3.8 pounds and 41 square feet of floor space, it’s light enough, roomy enough, and durable enough for just about any backpacker. That versatility earned it a nod as our favorite backpacking tent of 2026: Testers praised the 90-inch length, which provided even taller backpackers with enough room to stretch out, while the proprietary “Hyperbead” ripstop nylon held up to a nighttime rainstorm in Mount Baker National Forest without wetting out. (Photo: Corey Buhay) Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLITE NXT Sleeping Pad $180 (25 percent off) It may not be the undisputed ruler of the category anymore, but there are still few three-season pads on the market as light or warm as the NeoAir XLITE NXT. With an R-value of 4.5 and a unique system of stacked baffles, the XLITE kept our tester warm on a solo trip into the Boundary Waters in Minnesota. It packs down small—just bigger than burrito size—but the 13-ounce pad was still durable enough to avoid being punctured. Therm-a-rest Vesper Therm-a-rest Vesper Quilt 20 $345 (25 percent off) Whether you’re looking to grab your first quilt or trade up from a budget model, the Vesper is a solid choice. Premium 900-fill down keeps the Vesper’s weight to a slim 1 lb, 3 oz while keeping it plush enough to deal with chilly temperatures. A snap collar and sewn footbox do a credible job of keeping drafts out on cold nights. (Photo: Courtesy REI Co-op) REI Traverse 60 Pack $202 (25 percent off) — Men’s $202 (25 percent off) — Women’s For expeditions where our packs’ durability is the main concern, the Traverse 60 is our pick. The aluminum perimeter frame handily carried loads of up to 40 pounds, while the 210-denier nylon body never made it through 100 miles of testing without suffering a scratch. Beyond pure toughness, our testers praised the Traverse’s comfort and expansive feature set, which includes plentiful pockets and a whopping 4 inches of adjustment on the hip belt. (Photo: Courtesy REI) Altra Lone Peak 9 Trail Running Shoes $109 (25 percent off) — Men’s $109 (25 percent off) — Women’s The Lone Peak’s popularity is well-earned, as is its reputation for having a modest lifespan. If it’s your shoe of choice, stocking up on an extra pair or two is never a bad idea. The 9 shaved grams off the weight of the midsole and added on a fully-recycled upper. (The 9+ swapped out the proprietary MaxTrac outsole for stickier Vibram MegaGrip). The post The 8 Best Deals for Hikers at REI’s Labor Day Sale, Chosen by Backpacker’s Editors appeared first on Backpacker.