Memorial Day Road Trip? Check Off These 14 Essentials
For hardcore knuckledraggers, Memorial Day often marks the end of mellow spring projecting climes, and the beginning of barbaric heat, sweat-slick holds, and bugs. But for many of us, it’s simply a long weekend to smash in some climbing.
So if you’re taking advantage of Memorial Day weekend by road-tripping to a distant crag (instead of peering at a dim laptop screen catching up on missed work like this poor author), here are a few pieces of discounted gear and accessories to make the trip a little easier. They probably won’t help you send harder, but they may make the first weekend of summer a bit more fun. Let’s tie in.
NOTE: All of these products are part of REI’s Anniversary (Memorial Day) Sale, which offers discounts up to 30% off through Monday (5/27). When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.
[Also Read: The Ultimate American Climbing Road Trip: 48 States in 15,000 Miles]
1. Goal Zero Nomad 5 for $44.89 (25% Off)
Climbing is all well and good, but if you can’t keep your smartphone charged to scroll Instagram Reels every night in the tent, you’re in serious trouble. For this—not to mention charging your GPS, music speakers, and other tech—solar panels are a great investment. Goal Zero offers a handful of panels in a variety of sizes, but for short trips, Nomad 5 strikes a good blend between price, size, and output.
2. Garmin inReach Mini 2 for $350 ($50 off)
The Garmin inReach satellite messenger is becoming so ubiquitous on the trail it may soon go the way of Jell-O, BandAid, and Kleenex. Everyone and their mother seems to have these suckers clipped to their pack, whether they’re hiking two miles to a boulder clump in a state park or completing a solo climb in remote Kazakhstan.
But hey, they’re popular for a reason. Light, compact, and intuitive, the inReach makes it easy to stay in touch with friends and family, map your route, and trigger an SOS if shit hits the fan. This weekend they’re $100 off, so now is as good a time as ever to make sure you snag one and don’t end up pulling an Aron Ralston.
3. Black Diamond Momentum Harness for $49 ($16 off)
The Momentum probably needs no introduction. It’s been around for years, and it’s a stellar starter harness, with all the bells and whistles for basic cragging, whether you’re clipping bolts and screeching like Ondra or following your buddy up a mellow multi-pitch. A pre-threaded waistbelt, four gear loops, and adjustable leg loops make a versatile package. At under $50 right now, it’s a steal.
4. ENO DoubleNest Print for $64 ($21 off)
ENO hammocks are comfortable, packable, and easy to set up and take down, perfect for chilling at the crag or campsite. (They also make for a very comfy belay stance.) Technically the DoubleNest is designed for two people, but unless you’re quite small, I’d recommend just getting this one even if you plan on hammocking solo.
The real boon here is the durability, though. I owned my first DoubleNest for nearly a decade with zero issues. In the end, it never even broke, it just got stolen. I’m now on my second, and it’s held up for around five years of regular use. There aren’t many things you can buy for $55 that will last you that long.
NOTE: The ENO is cool for car camping, but for a dedicated backpacking trip, I recommend the Kammok Mantis. It comes with an integrated mosquito net and rain fly, and Kammok was super chill about replacing my mosquito net last year when I ripped it in the middle of the night after having a nightmare and flipping out of my hammock.
5. JBL Clip Eco Speaker for $49.99 (37% Off)
This little Bluetooth speaker packs a punch. The carabiner-style clip easily hooks to your harness, backpack, or the corner of a tent, and the battery life is bomber. It purports to give up to 10 hours of playtime, but it also holds a charge really well when not in use. My girlfriend and I recently took this on a month-long motorcycle trip around Vietnam, and I only charged it one time.
The downside is that it doesn’t stand upright on its own. It always falls to one side or the other (muffling half the speaker output) which means it’s only really useful when it’s clipped to something.
As the name suggests, it’s also marketed as “eco-friendly,” which is rad, but, it’s hard to tell with this sort of thing how much is greenwashing. Among other “eco” features, the speaker is made from up to 90% post-consumer recycled plastic and features 100% recycled fabric.
6. NEMO Switchback for $41 ($14 off)
The Therm-A-Rest Z-Lite Sol may have dominated the foam sleeping pad market for years now (yes, I’m talking about “that” sleeping pad). But Nemo has a solid competitor in the Switchback.
It’s a little thicker (0.9”) than the Z-Lite (0.75”), and thus half an ounce heavier. The nodes are also spaced in a hexagonal pattern, which seems to distribute weight a bit better than the Z-Lite. Overall, it’s a bit more comfortable than my Z-Lite, and thus more viable as a standalone sleeping pad.
7. Nomadix Original Towel – L for $30 ($10 off)
Whether you sweat like an absolute monster or (more likely) you plan on taking a shower or going for a swim after you climb, a camp towel is a solid investment. This towel dries fast, absorbs a ton of water, and is made with GRS-certified post-consumer recycled plastic. It also comes in a few eye-catching designs, notably a map of all the U.S. National Parks.
8. Mountain Series Guide Medical Kit for $88.39 (25% Off)
A good medkit should be in every climber’s packing list, even if you won’t be far from the car. I won’t waste your time here rattling off everything included in this kit, but suffice to say it’s designed to care for up to seven people in the backcountry for up to two weeks.
That said, a medkit isn’t really much use if you don’t know what to do with it. That’s why I dig that this kit comes with an illustrated medical guide, offering tips and step-by-step instructions to tackle a variety of backcountry medical emergencies.
9. La Sportiva Tarantulace for $67 ($22 off)
The Tarantulace is one of the most popular do-it-all beginner rock shoes, particularly for outdoor climbing, and for good reason. It’s comfortable, breathable, and versatile, and the lace-up closure offers a fine-tuned fit. At a mere $66, the Tarantulaces will make a great purchase for a newbie climber who may be tagging along on your Memorial Day trip.
10. Mammut Smart 2.0 for $30 ($10 off)
This highly lauded belay device is a nice blend of traditional tuber (ATC) and mechanical braker (GriGri). Designed for basic one-pitch cragging and gym climbing, it has a geometry-assisted design, making it easier to play out slack, catch, and lower your climber.
If you’re looking for the added peace of mind of assisted braking but not trying to shell out $100 for a GriGri, try the Smart 2.0. It takes ropes from 8.7-10.5mm, and at $30, it’s practically as cheap as a normal tube-style device.
11. Mountain Summit 4-Person Enamel Tableware for $26.73 (55% Off)
At 55% off, this is the biggest savings on the list. You get four 12 oz coffee mugs, four bowls and four dinner plates made from rugged enamel-coated steel.
The flipside (and perhaps the reason why they’re so heavily discounted) is some folks in the reviews seem to have had issues with quality control, with mugs coming rusted and/or otherwise defective. I’ve used these Mountain Summit mugs for a long time, and never had any issues, but I guess you’re rolling the dice with this one. Still, it’s over half off.
12. Black Diamond Camalot C4 for $64 ($21 off)
Many new climbers get their cams hand-me-down from a buddy, but if you need to augment your rack last-minute with an extra piece of pro for an objective this weekend, C4s are on sale now. The actual markdown percentage varies depending on the color/size of cam, but they’re up to 25% off. Black Diamond’s HotForge quickdraws are also 25% off. Not bad!
13. Black Diamond Contact Strap Crampons with AB for $127 ($43 off)
Okay, so you won’t need these for a weekend road trip to the crag, but if you’ve had crampons on your list for a while, now may be the time to snag ‘em.
The 10-point Contact crampons were the first pair of crampons I ever bought. They now make ‘em with stainless steel, and they include ABS plates underfoot to stop snow from clumping up under your boots as you walk. I bought my pair used and dirt cheap out of a car trunk in a defunct Toys-R-Us parking lot, but they served me well on a slew of snow climbs and beginner mountaineering objectives from early-season Colorado 14ers to Ecuadorian 5,000ers.
(For some reason the dude I bought these from aggressively tried to upsell me with an old stash of porno VHS tapes—which was rather uncomfortable—so save yourself the hassle and buy them discounted online.)
14. OOFOS OOahh Slide Sandals ($59.95)
Their name may sound like garbled caveman speech, but the OOFOS OOah Slides are worth the hype. According to OOFOS, their proprietary foam reduces load rates up to 88% compared to traditional footwear, and absorbs 37% more impact. I’ve worn these all spring, and those stats aren’t just marketing fluff. These suckers feel like walking on a cloud. The rockered build propels you forward with each step, and they’re light, durable, and waterproof.
You probably won’t win many style points in these (they look like something you’d see Kanye West flaunting), but they are without question the most comfortable sandals I’ve ever worn, and they are my go-to crag slide. If you’re like me, and everyone you know seems to be getting plantar fasciitis, it may be worth investing in a pair of OOFOS OOahhs.
Also Read
- How to Plan a Long-Term Climbing Road Trip
- 7 Stretches for Road Trips
- Our Favorite High-Elevation Crags to Beat Summer’s Heat
- There Are Some Seriously Amazing Gear Deals This Week. Here’s What We’re Buying.
The post Memorial Day Road Trip? Check Off These 14 Essentials appeared first on Climbing.