Camping, hiking, snowshoeing, riding bikes, playing in the snow, and all the other activities we do outside require certain things to make the experience more enjoyable. Whether it’s a simple pair of hiking shoes or all the necessary items to stay warm and dry in the snow, gear is required. All that gear costs money, and multiplied across five members of our family, it adds up. So how do we save money on outdoor gear and still get what we need? We’ve found a number of ways that help us get the gear we need without spending a fortune.

How we save money on outdoor gear for the whole family

First off, we tend to be minimalists and don’t buy multiples of the same item.

For example: everyone has one heavy winter coat, one lighter weight jacket, one rain coat, etc. And I buy a size or two too big to maximize the length of time they get used. This applies to boots and shoes as well, and it does help that our winters are fairly mild. If we lived in a more northern area with harsher winters, we wouldn’t be able to be as minimalist, but we would still be mindful of the amount of gear we had.

Second, we utilize hand-me-downs where possible.

The boys are using Sunshine’s old walking bike, and they don’t care that it’s pink. That said, I wouldn’t make them wear her old pink coat (I sold that on eBay). On the other hand, the blue jacket we found for Sunshine at the L.L. Bean outlet store when we went to Boston a few years ago will be handed down to the boys.

Third, can I buy that item used?

Consignment stores can be a good resource for used gear, though prices will be higher than other sources of used gear. Check out children’s consignment stores such as Kid to Kid, sports consignment stores such as Play It Again, or an outdoors-specific consignment store. We have High Tor Gear Exchange in Charlottesville, and it’s always fun to browse through to see what treasures can be found.

Search Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. I found our Travel Berkey filter on Craigslist a few years ago for a steal. The seller thought the filters were bad and was done messing with it. I bought a new set of filters, but after properly priming the original set, realized they were fine. So we have an extra set of filters ready to go when we need them (they last for ever, so it’ll be a few more years)

Don’t forget to look on eBay. I find it easier to find shoes for Sunshine than the boys since boys tend to be harder on their shoes. But I’ve still had good luck finding shoes (I love Keens for their durability) for them; it just takes more time and patience. Make sure that the soles don’t show a lot of wear as different wear patterns can be bad for growing feet and bodies. Do your due diligence and check pictures before bidding. Ask for pictures if they don’t show the soles.

Yard sales can be hit or miss, but if you catch the right ones, you can find some great deals. We purchased a nearly new North Face jacket system for Jeremy and an equally nearly new Kelty child carrier at a community yard sale when Sunshine was a baby. Both were a fraction of their original price.

Fourth, I check outdoor retailer sites for the gear we need.

I always look on Sierra (formerly Sierra Trading Post) for shoes, boots, and winter coats. I’ve found some very good deals over the years and saved a significant amount of money.

I find a lot of REI‘s products to be too pricey for our budget, but there are ways to save money at REI. Shop when they have sales, and check out their outlet and their curated used gear. If you can’t find what you need at a discount, your REI co-op membership (a one-time $20 fee applies) will pay you a 10% dividend once a year on all full-price purchases. The membership also comes with members-only deals and discounts, including adventure trips (my sisters have taken several of their trips and had lots of fun).

Moosejaw and Backcountry are sites that sell clothing and gear from a variety of brands for just about any outdoor activity you can think of. They don’t always have the lowest prices, but their rewards programs might tip those prices into the affordable range, so be sure to check them out.

Moosejaw has a rewards program that allows you to earn up to 10% of your purchase back in Moosejaw Reward Dollars. Those reward dollars can be applied to future purchases.

Backcountry has a referral program that rewards you for sharing the Backcountry love. Share your referral link with a friend (or two, or three…) and they’ll get $10 off their first order. You’ll receive $10 off your next order after they’ve placed their first order. (Referral link discount only works for new Backcountry customers)

I do check Amazon as well. Amazon will not always have the cheapest prices, but if you need it fast, that free two day shipping with your prime membership can be invaluable.

Cabela’s sells a wide variety of clothing, shoes, and gear for a number of outdoor activities. Depending on what you’re looking for, the Cabela’s brand may be a more affordable option to choose. We have a Cabela’s branded credit card and use the points to purchase items from Cabela’s. Our most recent score was two Cabela’s brand sleeping bags for the boys, on sale, paid for with points and no money out of pocket.

Fifth, I visit certain stores in person (if I have time and am in the area)

Try local or regional outfitters. Here in central Virginia we have Great Outdoor Provision Co. When I needed a backpack for Wood Badge, I ended up purchasing it there rather than Amazon. GOPC had the pack for cheaper, plus I got a 10% discount because I’m a Scout leader.

Outlet stores. We don’t live super close to any outlet stores, but we’ve found good deals on rain coats and jackets while traveling and visiting Columbia and L.L. Bean outlet stores.

TJMaxx, Marshalls, and Ross sometimes have Keens and other brands of outdoor activity shoes. It’s more of a treasure hunt, but you can find them if you check regularly.

I’ve also found Keens, Merrells, etc. at Nordstrom Rack. In fact, I bought my very first pair of Keen Newport sandals at a Nordstrom Rack years ago at a significant discount off the regular price.

Sierra (formerly known as Sierra Trading Post) used to have just a few stores in the west, but they’ve expanded and you can find them in the east now too. They’re always fun to look through, and you never know what you’ll find.

We like visiting Cabelas for a number of reasons, and if you’ve never been to one, you should. They’re fun for all ages (seriously!) and most stores offer free overnight RV parking and dump facilities. They carry a wide variety of outdoor clothing, shoes and gear.

Sixth, I use coupon codes and sales

I used to google around for current coupon codes, but now I use Honey or Ebates to find the codes for me (more on Ebates in a minute).

Honey is an extension that scans for discount codes and automatically applies them when you check out.

I also go directly to the company’s website. Sometimes prices are cheaper there than on other sites, or you can’t find their products on other sites. You can also sign up for their email list and receive notification of upcoming sales. Oaki periodically runs sales on the boots and trail suits they sell on Amazon and they send out emails giving their subscribers a heads up. I’ve purchased trail suits and rain boots for the boys on sale using this method.

Seventh, I use cash back shopping extensions.

Honey and Ebates are very similar in that they scan for discounts available on a site. However, Ebates also gives you a percentage of your purchase price in cash back. The percentage varies from store to store. I’ve used both extensions, but have found Ebates to have the better discounts on the sites I frequent. The two extensions can’t be used simultaneously (no stacking discounts), and I found all the dropdown notifications annoying. I only have Ebates active right now ( a more manageable number of dropdown notifications), but you should give both a try to see which gives you the best results based on your shopping preferences and habits.

Ebates can also be used in-store when you link your credit card to your Ebates account. Sign up for an Ebates account using my link and you’ll receive a $10 credit to your account after your first qualifying purchase of $25 or more. Cash back accumulates and is usually paid out quarterly.

Active Junky is my favorite site for getting cash back on gear for the outdoors. You do have to start at the Active Junky site and click through to the site you want to order from, but it’s a small inconvenience for the returns. I find their cash back percentage to be higher than Ebates, but they also have a much smaller, curated list of sites that they work with. My biggest score so far has been the $30 cash back I received when I bought my Chacos. But that’s a story I’ll share another day (soon!) when I tell you why I switched from Keen sandals to Chacos.

Sign up for an Active Junky account using my link and you’ll receive a $10 credit to your account after your first qualifying purchase of $25 or more. Free money to spend on more gear! Cash back accumulates and is paid out every 90 days.

Do you have any more tips or tricks to save money on outdoor gear?