REI Labor Day Sale Picks as an Outdoorsy Adventure Mom
Every year, REI has an awesome Labor Day sale with many of their products 25% off. This is the perfect time to stock up on camping, hiking, and outdoorsy gear that you may need or want to better enjoy time in nature with your family. Here are my top picks for REI’s Labor Day Sale 2026. All of these are on great discount (~25% off) right now!
The Kelty Couch: I bought this during a different REI sale and absolutely love it. It’s way more high quality than the grocery store camping chairs I had for years which were falling apart! It’s super comfortable, with space for 3 making it ideal for families with children for cuddling and cozy camp times. I love how it packs up into its carrying case, which actually can also double as a dog mat if you have a pet along with you. Buy it here.
A child hiking carrier: We have used the Deuter Kid Comfort for our son since he was old enough to safely be carried in it (usually around 6 months) up through 3 years old. I can’t even tell you how many hikes we were able to do because of this piece of gear! These are expensive, so it’s extra critical to get it on deal. I can’t recommend this enough for outdoorsy families with babies and toddlers – it is the main gear we used to get out. Buy it here at 25% off. And what makes it extra nice is buying it at REI, you can return it within one year even after using it if you take it out for a few hikes and don’t like how it fits.
A double nest hammock: This is the MVP for camping trips in our family; we got it before my son was born and have not camped without it! You will also need hammock straps which are also on sale. These hold up to 400 pounds so you can enjoy the hammock with your littles or your significant other. Also, their color schemes are super pretty! Buy your hammock here.
An infant-safe sleeping bag OR a toddler-safe sleeping bag: Safe sleep is critical for infants and toddlers, and luckily there are these amazing sleeping bags that are safe for kids aged 6 months – 3 years. These are rated for down to 40 degrees which is plenty warm enough for summer camping where we live in Washington. We’ve been using these since my son was 8 months old on his first camping trip.
A kids’ down jacket: This reversible down jacket has been my son’s favorite outerwear gear since I got it for him, and I’m honestly bummed it only goes up to 4T because I would have bought it up a size for this season. The colors are beautiful, it’s a very warm jacket that kept him cozy on all our cold-weather adventures, and it will definitely get handed down because it still looks brand new after a season of heavy wear. Perfect for 12 months-4T.
A kids’ waterproof rain jacket: My son lives in this rain jacket in the wet months (which is quite often in the Pacific Northwest). It’s held up beautifully and will also be getting passed down when he outgrows it. Buy yours here.
Kids’ synthetic layers: We have both wool and synthetic layers. These synthetic layers from REI are really nice because they are warm and super durable. Your little can hike in them on their own if it’s not super cool, and not worry too much about ripping because they are sturdy (unlike wool, which we also love, but I monitor usage much more closely for those to prevent tearing). Kids can wear these as pajamas or base layers too. Get the bottoms here and the top here.
A kid’s chair: Kids love having their own kid-sized items. This one is really sturdy, and is awesome for families with multiple children (when not everyone may fit on the couch!) They have two cute designs, one with an astronaut and one with a koala.
A bright head lamp: Trust me, with kids along, you need your hands free and a standard camping lantern is great for the table but you will want a head lamp to navigate the campsite and bathroom trips at night. Buy it here.
This sun hoodie for moms: I bought this sun hoodie sized up for pregnancy and I absolutely love it. I’ve tried 4 different sun hoodies (different brands) and this one may be my favorite? It’s stretchy, has fun colors, is UPF 50 protective (!), and lightweight. I’ve been living in it all summer.
A two-burner camping stove: These are absolutely essential for camping adventures and how we cook all of our food on our outdoor travels. We’ve even brought it along on hotel trips and just used it outside, to help save on food cost. Traveling with a family is expensive and bringing food from home helps a ton with cost reduction.
A high quality tent: We bought our tent at REI a few years ago and they no longer make it. But if I were going to buy a new tent, this is the one I’d get. My main recommendation is to get a tent LARGER than the intended size of your family. You will need space for a pack-and-play with your littlest campers, and you’ll probably want air mattresses for yourself and your bigger kids because why be uncomfortable while camping? My second recommendation is to get a dark room tent (which this one is, and top rated as well). This will help with nap time. Sometimes I wish I had thought of this before I bought the tent I have. I think this 6-person tent is ideal for families of 4.
