The Best Time to Buy a Tent - Amateur Adventure Journal

If you’ve ever spent any time shopping for a tent, you know that they can cost a lot of money.

Tents can be one of the most expensive pieces of camping gear you’ll buy. And it’s a piece of equipment you probably don’t want to skimp on since a quality tent can make the difference between a comfortable camping trip and a cold, wet night outdoors.

I remember buying my first tent after college and struggling to find a quality tent at an affordable price. I ended up paying much more than I expected to spend, but now I know better than to pay full price for a tent!

One way to buy a good tent at a good price is knowing the best time to buy a tent. Finding a good sale a great way to save money on a tent without sacrificing quality.

If this is your first time buying a tent and you don’t know if you’ll use it very often, consider renting camping gear instead. But if you’re ready to invest in your own equipment, here are the best times to buy a tent.

Looking for even more ways to save money on camping and outdoor gear? Check out these 8 ways to save money on your next outdoor adventure.

Best Times to Buy a Tent

There are several times throughout the year when you’re almost guaranteed to find a good deal on tents.

I’ve listed these sales chronologically so you can easily figure out when the next deals on camping gear are coming up, depending on when you’re ready to buy a new tent.

Here are the best times to buy a tent.

REI Members-Only Sales

One of the first sales of the year for outdoor gear is REI’s annual members-only sale.

The members-only sale occurs in March each year.

During this sale, REI members can get 20% off one full-price item and another 20% off one outlet item. Since you’ll only get the discount on 1-2 items, this is a good time to buy a tent if it’s the only (or most expensive) piece of camping gear you want to purchase.

If you’re not a co-op member, you can sign up for a lifetime membership for a one-time fee, but don’t sign up just to access the members-only sale because there are plenty of other great deals later in the year!

REI Anniversary Sale

If you missed REI’s members-only sale or you aren’t a co-op member, you don’t have to wait too long for REI’s next big sale.

REI’s anniversary sale happens every year in May.

During the anniversary sale, save up to 30% off whether you’re a member or not. Members also get to save an additional 20% off one item. So if you’re willing to wait until May, the anniversary sale may get you the bigger discount on a tent!

Summer Holiday Sales

If you want to buy a tent during peak camping season, check for holiday sales during the summer months.

Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day are all popular times for doing things outdoors, so tents and outdoor gear will often go on sale around these holidays. These sales typically run in the days leading up to the holiday so make sure to check for sales BEFORE the holiday arrives.

As I write this article, Backcountry, REI, Eddie Bauer, and Marmot are all running Fourth of July sales. These retailers are offering up to 25-50% off select merchandise for their holiday sales.

End of Season

Another great time to buy a tent is the end of the camping season.

The reason this is one of the best times to buy a tent is because retailers will be clearing out their inventory before new models and products are released the following year.

For most of the U.S., the end of the season is in the fall. So even if you live in a warmer climate, major retailers will probably be offering their sales in late summer to fall. Check for sales on tents in August and September.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the best days to buy a tent.

These are the days when some retailers offer their best deals of the year.

Black Friday sales are held the day after Thanksgiving each year. Cyber Monday deals are available at online stores the following Monday. However, these shopping days have become so big that some stores announce (and even begin) their sales earlier and earlier, so this is another time to start looking for the best tent sales in advance.

Note that you won’t be able to buy a tent at an REI on Black Friday because they close their stores on this day. If you can, buy your tent during a different sale and #OptOutside instead!

End of the Year

After Black Friday, the holiday shopping season has begun.

Retailers may end their biggest sales on tents after Cyber Monday but bring back new discounts towards the end of the year.

In the past, REI has offered up to 50% off merchandise for end-of-year sales.

These are all of the best times of year to buy a tent so if you have a camping trip coming up, keep an eye out for all of these times to find sales on tents!

Other Ways to Save Money on Tents (All Year Round)

If you can’t wait for one of the best times to buy a tent, there are still other ways you can save money any time of year. Here are a few more suggestions to save money on tents and other camping gear.

Shop at Outlets

Outlets aren’t just for clothing. Some outdoor retailers have outlets too.

Check out Steep and Cheap (the outlet for Backcountry) or the REI Outlet for huge discounts on brand new tents and more.

Buy Second Hand

You can save tons of money by buying a preowned tent.

Sometimes people sell their tents if they want to upgrade their gear or if they realize they don’t use their tent enough to justify the storage space. And bingo, you can buy a perfectly good tent for a fraction of the cost to buy a brand new one.

There are some secondhand stores that focus exclusively on outdoor gear. Some are online marketplaces such as Requipper. Depending where you live, you may also have a consignment shop for outdoor gear near you, such as Wonderland Gear Exchange in Seattle.

You don’t need to find a consignment shop specifically for outdoor gear in order to buy a tent though. The most popular secondhand marketplaces like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and OfferUp may have a selection of tents too.

Subscribe to Email Lists

An easy way to get an instant discount on a tent is to subscribe to emails from outdoor retailers and brands.

You may not get as a large of a discount as you would if you waited for one of the best times to buy a tent, but even 10-15% off can add up to big savings if you’re buying an expensive tent.

These offers will typically appear as soon as you open a retailer’s website. For example, Coleman and Backcountry offer 15% off if you sign up to receive their emails.

Shop Online with Honey

Honey is a browser extension that finds coupons from across the internet when you’re shopping online.

When you are checking out, Honey will automatically apply any deals it can find on your purchase.

No clipping coupons or spending time hunting for promo codes. And it’s all free – win-win!

Conclusion: The Best Time to Buy a Tent

There are several times of the year that you can find the best discounts on tents.

Keep an eye out for sales on tents around the holidays (summer and end-of-year holidays) as well as the end of the camping season. REI’s annual sales are a great time to save money a tent, too.

If you miss these sales, there are several other ways you can save money on a tent at any time of the year.

As always, enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Leave no trace on all of your adventures.