Hiking gear can be expensive and we all feel it when we’re making purchases for the first time. One question I’m asked on a regular basis is where I buy all of my gear since I’m the queen of money saving. So, this week I’m going to point you in the direction of some hiking deals and discounts sites I have found over the years.
- Clothes – My favorite place to find leggings and athletic shirts is TJ Maxx. Just be prepared to wear neon colors. But, you’ll be able to find designer clothing for as little as $5! I’ll take the hot pink if it means I can save $40. I’m also a huge fan of the Columbia and The North Face outlets. My favorite Columbia outlet is at the Camarillo Outlets, and I find great deals at The North Face outlet at Ontario Mills. Another great place to shop for deals is the clearance rack at Eddie Bauer. During the end of season sales, you can snag clearance items and take an additional 40% off!!
- Backpacks – Ok, this is the one thing I don’t recommend getting at a discount store. Trying on a pack in a store is completely different than using it out on the trails. I highly recommend getting an REI membership before buying a pack at REI so that if it doesn’t work out in practice, you have the opportunity to return it if needed.
- Shoes – I’m a Merrell wearing mama, so I typically purchase my shoes and boots at the Merrell outlet in Camarillo. However, Nordstrom Rack and Marshalls have been known to keep both Merrell and Salomans in stock for $30-$50 and I’ve even seen Keens make the rounds for $60! If you know your brand and size, definitely keep an eye on Amazon too.
- Little Gear – This is super general, but when it comes to my backpacking stove, sleeping pad, hydration bladder, water filtration, etc., I have always gone to Amazon. Not only is it easy, but 90% of the time Amazon prices are much lower than even the discount hiking sites.
- Big Gear – When it comes to sleeping bags, tents and the bigger item purchases, the discount hiking sites are going to be your best bet. Sierra Trading Post, Steep and Cheap and Backcountry are great places to start and compare pricing.
Another great resource, if you’re not afraid of used gear, are online classifieds. There are multiple groups on Facebook geared (pun intended) towards selling new and used hiking equipment. A simple search in the search bar will yield multiple results.
Do you have a favorite place for finding hiking deals and discounts? Let us know in the comments below!
The Pink Hat Hiker 
thanks for the awesome clearance sites! I guess I didn’t realize Nordstrom Rack and others would have good hiking/outdoor clothing, etc. I’ll definitely look next time I’m out.
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The discount stores are my favorite place to look for stuff! At the end of summer, they almost always have great hiking sandals as well. 🙂
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do you find things at, say, Goodwill too? I look but don’t always find good stuff – hit or miss like TJ Maxx can be
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You know, thrift stores totally used to be my jam….when I was younger and had the patience to look through the clutter haha. But now I just stick to the discount stores for the most part. I found that the thrift experience got to be very popular, and it got harder and harder to find things. But with gear, most people try to resell it than donate it too, so it’s not easy to find hiking gear. At least in my experience.
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