Deal of the Week: A Beginner Backpacking Package for Under $500 - Backpacker

Jul 01, 2025

This Backpacker-tested tent, sleeping bag, pad, and backpack is everything a new hiker needs to hit the trail—and right now it's a steal.

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Marmot Tungsten 2P Tent—$187 (25% off) at REI

Cosmic 20 Sleeping Bag (Women’s)—$129 (40% off) at Backcountry

Cosmic 20 Sleeping Bag (Men’s)—Starting at $119 (29% off) at REI

Sierra Designs Gigawatt 60 Pack—$89 (40% off) at REI

Therm-a-rest Z-Lite Sol Sleeping Pad—Starting at $38 (25% off) at REI

Missed your chance to fill the holes in your gear closet over Memorial Day weekend? You’ve got another one over the next week, with the outdoors’ biggest retailers knocking up to half off their prices for shoes, apparel, tents, cookware, and more. It’s a great time for an upgrade—or, if you’re just getting into backpacking, an even better time to grab everything you need for a song. This Backpacker-tested setup is cheap, but punches above its weight when it comes to performance.

First, the tent: The Marmot Tungsten 2P is a palace of a shelter, with double doors, double vestibules, and a solid 30 square feet of floor space. (Tradeoff: a hefty-but-manageable weight The Tungsten clocks in at just hair less than 5 pounds.) For a pad, add on the Therm-a-rest Z Lite Sol Sleeping Pad, a simple, lightweight option beloved by everyone from beginners to long-distance backpackers. The Kelty Cosmic Down 20 got the nod as our favorite budget sleeping bag of the year, thanks to its soft recycled polyester taffeta interior, slightly more generous cut compared to previous versions, and nice features like a draft tube and two-way zipper. Carry it all with the Sierra Designs Gigawatt 60, a pack that won laurels from our testers for its comfortable suspension and stable carry.

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