Holiday deals for motocamping lovers
Happy Thanksgiving, CAMPers and friends. I hope you spend a great day with whomever you choose tomorrow!
Motocamping season seems far away, but I promise you it is not. That's why, as I do every year, I have compiled below a list of some Black Friday deals I came across in the motocamping world: I have divided them in camping and moto related gears, although there is some overlap. Some deals are already live, some will allegedly come live for Black Friday proper. I have indicated which is which.
Please note: this website has no affiliation with any of the vendors mentioned below, and we get absolutely nothing in return if you buy any of these things. I also personally invite you to look into whether any of the companies below violate any of your core values. If you don’t want to give money to Walmart, then you shouldn’t buy from Moosejaw, since it is owned by Walmart. If you don’t want to give your money to companies that actively discourage (obstacle?) the right of their employees to unionize, you may want to reconsider your love for REI or Amazon. If you don’t like companies that oppose the use of public land for off road motorcycling, then, again, REI may not be your first choice. If you think that it is appalling for a company such as Backcountry to sue small businesses that used the word “backcountry” in their products, then Backountry is not the company for you.
I am not telling you who to buy or not to buy from, and I am not saying I share or don’t share the above mentioned concerns - I am just inviting you to do your own research before you give your hard earned money to a company that may be violating one of your core principles, whatever that is. And perhaps, before you make that purchase, check with Moto Camp Nerd: CAMP members get 15% off, and you would be helping a small business.
Finally, don't forget that we will draw the winning ticket of our CAMP Raffle at our Christmas Party on December 14th. The Info on how to get a ticket and about the prizes is at this link: tents, gift cards, cots and what nots. But if you can’t wait, happy shopping!
Michele
CAMPING DEALS
Our friends at Moto Camp Nerd have a sale up to 50% off on many of their camping items, from tents to sleeping pads, from cooking utensils to chairs. Perhaps they have what you don’t even know you want or need. Have a look here.
Backcountry has a lot of deals going on, up to 60% off, and you also get 20% off one full price item. Same thing for Campsaver, Moosejaw, Cabela's and Steep and Cheap (who are the same folks who own Backcountry). REI's sale ended on Monday, November 21st, but there are items still on sale (funny how they say they want to #optoutside for Black Friday, but then they organize a Black Friday sale the week prior, before all their competitors. What’s the word I am looking for… hypocrisy?).
Nothing caught your fancy? Let’s look at tents then. There are many tent options on sale on the usual suspect, but one that caught my eye is the Big Agnes 2 Hotel Bikepack tent - it has a small vestibule to store your gear (not tall enough to stand in it though), and the poles fold very small to fit in most panniers. It is 25% off on REI - you pay $299 rather than $399. And don’t forget the footprint, which is on sale on Moosejaw, here. (Remember that you can win a $650 Big Agnes Wyoming 2 tent + footprint by just getting a $25 ticket for our raffle…)
My new favorite sleeping bag, the Big Agnes 3n1, is 25% off on Moosejaw. Both the 0F and 15F versions are discounted, and they now cost$314 and $278 respectively. I switched to this system this year, and I am loving it. What makes it unique is that it is 2 sleeping bags in one - an external quilt for the summer, an internal warm bag for the Fall, and both of them at the same time when it is really cold. If you can spare the money, this is the ticket. The ultra light version is also 25% off, but it is not as good, in my humble opinion, since the quilt only opens on one side, and not on both.
If you don’t care about carrying a gigantic sleeping bag with you, or if you are considering coming to our Ice S’more in January and don’t want to spend a lot of money for a warm bag, Cabela’s has this 0F rated bag for $70. I own the double version of this, and use it when car camping, and it is heavy, warm and comfy.
If you are looking for a small stove that packs small and is super reliable consider this MSR Pocket Rocket stove. It is $60 (25% off). You can then pair it with this Sea to Summit X pot - the orange version is on sale for 40% off, and now costs only $27. This is a foldable pot that can pack super small in your panniers and is large enough to cook a meal for two. If not, Amazon has the original Jetboil Flash for $86 and this Jetboil Sumo for $140 - both are 15% off.
MOTORCYCLE RELATED DEALS
Mosko Moto has 15% off site wide. Giant Loop has 15-40% off depending on what you get. The bags of both these companies are hard to beat.
Quadlock has 30% on everything - if you are in the market for a phone mount, this is a good deal.
Gerbing has 20% off their entire heated clothing line.
Cardo is supposed to come up with a sale of 30% off some of its helmet comms systems. The sale isn’t online yet, but they are offering 15% off their Packtalk Slim ($290 rather than $340).
Some of you have asked me about what app I use for GPS tracks on my phone. The answer is always the same - I don’t. I use the Garmin XT Zumo navigator (20% off on Revzilla) when riding. If you are considering motorcycling (or hiking) in areas where there is no cell phone coverage, I do recommend you consider getting a Garmin Inreach Mini 2, which Amazon has on sale for $349 vs $399. If you are a Costco member, the Garmin Inreach Mini (previous generation) is on sale for $299, here - this is a much better deal. If you are dead set on just using your phone, GAIA GPS is 40% off right now for the Premium version with Outside Online subscription, i.e $36 for the whole year vs $60. I use it as a redundancy when I hike and don’t want to carry my Garmin Inreach.
If you like REAL maps you can touch with your hands, unfold on a table and fantasize over for hours, or just use to plan your ride, Butler motorcycle maps are now 30% off. These are great maps and they have both paved and unpaved options.
If you are looking for an action cam, Amazon has 20% off the brand new GoPro 11 , which now retails for $400 vs the regular $500. And if you get that GoPro, these Ride Tech camera mounts are 25% off.
In the market for tools to bring on your bike? Our resident mechanic Mike is suggesting you consider buying this Vessel interchangeable driver grip with 3 double ended bits and/or this Wiha 11inOne Multi-Driver. They are both on sale for $12 and $16 respectively. If you are looking for a small ratchet set to carry on our bike, this one is 20% off, and it is only $32.
Interested in a track day in the Midwest? The folks at Motovid have a big sale until December 6. Discounts vary depending on the option you choose. Have a look here.
Finally, I sent you an email about this the other day, but Temple of Moto (my own motorcycle touring company) has 30% off every single tour if you book by November 28. You can see all pricing here. And CAMP members get 50% off the Joshua Tree Basecamp Tour on March 22-26, 2023. All info on that deal here - three spots left!