The 2026 REI Labor Day Sale: Our Top 25 Picks
Our team dug through Over 7,000 sale items so you don't have to — here are the 25 deals actually worth buying
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August 28th, 2026
REI's Labor Day Sale & Clearance runs Friday August 28 to September 7, 2026, with up to 40% off gear, apparel, and footwear, and up to 50% off clearance. With thousands of items on sale, the hard part isn't finding a deal — it's finding the deals worth your money. So our thru-hiker team did the sorting for you. We combed the entire sale and pulled the top 25 deals on gear we've actually tested, from trail-proven backpacks and tents to the socks and water filters we reach for every trip.
Below are our 25 must-not-miss picks, plus deeper dives into the best camping deals and hiking and backpacking deals if you're shopping for a specific kind of trip. Every item here is something we'd tell a friend to buy.
If you’re not an REI member yet, $30 buys a lifetime membership with benefits:
10% member dividend on eligible purchases
free U.S. shipping
extended window for satisfaction guarantee (in most cases, it’s one full year)
member coupons, such as 20% one full-priced item
The Top 25 Deals at REI’s Labor Day Sale
Save on Treeline-vetted Gear
| Product | Retail Price | Sale Price | Discount | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEMO Tensor All-Season Pad | $219.95 | $164.89 | 25% | $55.06 |
| Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLITE NXT | $239.95 | $179.89 | 25% | $60.06 |
| Altra Lone Peak 9+ Trail-Running Shoes Men's Women's |
$160.00 | $119.99 | 25% | $40.01 |
| Jetboil Flash 1.0L Cooking System | $144.95 | $108.69 | 25% | $36.26 |
| BioLite Range 400 Headlamp | $59.95 | $44.89 | 25% | $15.06 |
| Danner Trail 2650 Hiking Shoes Men's Women's |
$189.95 | $142.39 | 25% | $47.56 |
| Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion Socks Men's Women's |
$26.00 | $19.49 | 25% | $6.51 |
| REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie Men's Women's |
$59.95 | $41.29 | 31% | $18.66 |
| Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1 Tent | $499.95 | $374.89 | 25% | $125.06 |
| REI Co-op Swiftland Hybrid Running Pants Men's Women's |
$89.95 | $62.89 | 30% | $27.06 |
| REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket Men's Women's |
$99.95 | $74.89 | 25% | $25.06 |
| MSR DynaLock Ascent Carbon Backcountry Poles - Pair | $189.95 | $142.39 | 25% | $47.56 |
| Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft | $249.95 | $187.39 | 25% | $62.56 |
| Ortlieb Back-Roller - Pair | $220.00 | $164.99 | 25% | $55.01 |
| Exped MegaMat | $279.95 | $209.89 | 25% | $70.06 |
| KEEN Targhee IV Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots Men's Women's |
$190.00 | $142.49 | 25% | $47.51 |
| Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated | $169.95 | $127.39 | 25% | $42.56 |
| The North Face Wawona 6 Tent | $585.00 | $438.69 | 25% | $146.31 |
| Helinox Cot Max Convertible | $529.95 | $397.39 | 25% | $132.56 |
| REI Co-op Magma 15 | $399.00 | $299.19 | 25% | $99.81 |
| Garmin inReach Mini 3 Plus | $500.00 | $449.99 | 10% | $50.01 |
| Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 Bikepack Tent | $549.95 | $412.39 | 25% | $137.56 |
| Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT | $269.95 | $202.39 | 25% | $67.56 |
| MSR PocketRocket Deluxe Stove | $84.95 | $63.69 | 25% | $21.26 |
| Astral Loyak Water Shoes Men's Women's |
$110.00 | $82.49 | 25% | $27.51 |
Read more in our complete REI Labor Day sale coverage:
Turn your summer kit into a shoulder-season kit with these gear swaps
FAQ
When does the REI Labor Day Sale start and end?
The sale runs Friday, August 28, through Monday, September 7, 2026 — eleven days, ending on Labor Day. Prices are the same in stores and on rei.com, but some deals are online only.
Two shorter windows sit inside it. REI is running flash deals with savings up to 60% at REI Outlet on Aug. 31–Sept. 1 and again on Sept. 3–4. Those are separate from the main sale, and they move fast, so if something on your list is a maybe, it's worth a second look on those dates.
Do I have to be a member to get the sale prices?
No. The headline discounts — 25% off all Darn Tough socks, 25% off all Therm-a-Rest sleeping pads, 25% off selected REI, Altra, KEEN, Osprey, and Therm-a-Rest gear, 20% off Thule and Yakima racks — are open to everyone.
Members get three things on top: an extra 20% off one REI Outlet item, an extra 25% off bike shop installation services, and access to a handful of member-only markdowns that aren't available to logged-out shoppers. If a price on our list doesn't match what you're seeing, check whether you're signed in.
Is it worth joining the co-op just for this sale?
Probably, and the math is unusually clean this time. Membership is $30, one-time, for life — not an annual fee. Join before September 7, spend $50 or more in the same order as your membership, and you'll receive a $30 bonus card for a future purchase (within 30 days). That's the membership cost back immediately.
After that, you're getting free standard shipping with no minimum, a full year to return most purchases, roughly 10% back annually as the Co-op Member Reward, 20% off bike and snow shop services, and access to Re/Supply used gear. If you buy anything from REI more than about twice a year, it pays for itself.
Do sale purchases count toward my 10% Member Reward?
No — and this is the single most misunderstood thing about shopping REI sales.
The Co-op Member Reward explicitly excludes sale, clearance, and discounted merchandise, as well as Outlet items, used gear, gift cards, classes, shipping, and tax. So when you buy something at 25% off, you are trading away the ~10% you'd have earned on it at full price.
The sale still wins, but by less than the sticker suggests. On a $100 item:
Buy it on sale: pay $75, earn no reward. Net cost $75.
Buy it at full price: pay $100, earn a ~10% reward of $10 next March. Net cost $90.
So a "25% off" tag is really worth about $15 on a $100 item, not $25 — the sale discount and the reward you're giving up partly cancel each other out. Still a good deal. Just not as good as the sign says, and worth knowing before you talk yourself into something you don't need.
Three things to keep in mind: the 10% reward is not guaranteed, you won’t get it until next March, and it expires a year later.
I bought something two weeks ago that's now on sale. Am I out of luck?
No. REI honors price adjustments in certain scenarios. If you bought an item in the run-up to Labor Day and it's now discounted, you can request the difference back through REI's price adjustment form — same product, same color, same size.
Two catches: REI does not price match competitors, and REI Outlet items don't qualify. (Outlet prices are the ones ending in $0.73.) If you bought anything in the second half of August, it's worth ten minutes to check.
Can I return something I bought on sale?
Yes. Sale items are covered by REI's standard 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, which gives members a full year to return most purchases. The exception is electronics, which only have a 90-day return window. Non-members have a 90-day return window on all eligible items. Re/Supply used gear purchases and anything marked Final Sale are final sale for both members and non-members. Ordinary wear and tear or damaged gear is also excluded. If you're buying something expensive and you're not certain, confirm the specific terms at checkout.
Can I stack the 20% off Outlet coupon with the sale prices?
The member Outlet coupon applies to one REI Outlet item, and Outlet inventory is separate from the main sale. So it isn't really stacking on top of a Labor Day markdown — it's a second, parallel discount on a different pool of gear. Use it on the most expensive Outlet item you actually want, since it's one per member.
Note also that Outlet purchases don't earn the Member Reward and don't qualify for price adjustments.
What's not in the sale?
Enough to be worth planning around. A few patterns from our own testing:
Backpacks are thin this year. The Osprey packs on sale are the Kestrel, Kyte, Stratos, Sirrus, Manta, and Mira lines. The ventilated Exos Pro and Eja Pro are not.
Insulation is largely absent. If you were hoping to pick up a down jacket for fall, this is not the sale for it.
Some brands essentially never discount at REI, sale or not. Adjust expectations accordingly.
Do sale items ship free?
Members get free U.S. standard shipping with no minimum order, including sale items. Non-members pay standard shipping rates unless the order clears REI's free-shipping threshold — another way the $30 membership pays for itself if you're ordering more than a couple of items.
When's the next REI sale if I miss this one?
REI's calendar is fairly predictable. Historically, the Labor Day Sale is followed by Black Friday and Cyber Week in November — typically the deepest discounts of the year — followed by holiday sales in December, with the Anniversary Sale landing in May and a Fourth of July sale in mid-summer.
Practical translation: if you need it for a fall trip, buy now. If you're stocking up for next spring, Black Friday will likely beat this. If you're building a thru-hike kit for 2027, split the difference — buy the durable pieces now and hold the rest.
What's the difference between the sale, clearance, REI Outlet, and Re/Supply?
Four different things people constantly conflate:
The Labor Day Sale is temporary markdowns on current, in-season inventory. Aug. 28–Sept. 7 only.
Clearance is discontinued or end-of-run product, marked down up to 50%. Limited sizes and colors, and it's not coming back.
REI Outlet is a permanent separate storefront for past-season and overstock gear. Prices end in $0.73. No Member Reward, no price adjustments, but members get one extra 20%-off item during this sale.
Re/Supply is REI's used gear program — trade-ins resold at a discount, members only, and generally final sale.
