The Best Time to Purchase New Hiking Boots

A good pair of hiking boots is a necessity and there’s no doubt they’ll see you through many adventures. From anywhere between $100 to $250+, these shoes can be a costly investment. When you know when and where to shop, you can snag major deals on hiking boots and any other outdoor gear necessities. Check the major shopping holidays in the US before you drop a load on any new boots. These sales offer steep discounts and can save you up to 70% off a pair of boots.

Memorial Day Sales

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of hiking season. The weather is warming up, snow is melting, and hikers are getting ready to drop their hiking backpack and scoop up their hydration pack. At the start of summer, new boot models are released and last year’s models are on sale. If you prefer to splurge on a new model and jump at one the second it hits the shelves, Memorial Day is the best time to shop. If you don’t mind sporting a model a year or two old, you can usually find last year’s model of your favorite hiking boots with huge discounts during Memorial Day sales.

While the sales are great, pickings are always limited. Memorial Day is the time of year that every hiker is looking to get a new boot. Stores are selling out quicker than any other time of the year and prices are skyrocketing.

The REI Anniversary Sale usually runs through the last week of May, overlapping with Memorial Day. It is a great place to find discounts on outdoor gear, including all of your hiking and backpacking essentials. They typically offer extra discounts and perks to REI members. However, it may be difficult to find exactly what you’re looking for; you’ll find most outdoor brands are selling out fast.

Labor Day Sales

Late summer is our personal favorite time to purchase new outdoor gear. August and September is near the end of hiking season, meaning stores are dropping major discounts on gear. Retailers are trying to wrangle in more customers with lowered demand as summer hiking season is coming to an end. They also need to sell their current inventory to make space for next season’s models.

Big outdoor retailers are where you want to shop for those Labor Day steals. We tend to find that some name brands will just add sales to specific items, rather than their whole store, or not partake in any sales at all. But, it is always worth a quick online search to see if your favorite brands are offering crazy discounts. Retailers like REI, Backcountry, and Evo are always stacked with great Summer clearance discounts. These big retailers offer different products for each season of the year, meaning Labor Day is the time they start dropping deals up to 40%-50% on their summer items to make space for fall and winter. While Labor Day Sales are less popular than Memorial Day or Black Friday, we still recommend it as the best time to purchase new summer gear.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the holy grail of shopping deals. They have been the busiest shopping days in the US for years and have recently started becoming a global event. This shopping holiday used to be exclusively for in-person shoppers only, but the integration of online deals has been getting stronger every year. Every store, including name brands, retailers, and outlets, will offer some sort of deal on current models and any old models they may still have in stock. Black Friday deals can range anywhere from 20% off, up to 50% off. If you don’t see the deal you want, discounts will continue over the weekend and new sales will be dropped for Cyber Monday.

For any hikers that don’t mind sporting last year’s models, or a discontinued style or color, Black Friday is a great time to shop. Deals oftentimes last through the entire weekend, meaning products are selling out quickly. Be sure to do your research ahead of time and compare prices of the boot you’ve got your eye on through different retailers. Although Black Friday is well known as the largest shopping holiday of the year, it may not be the best deals and biggest discounts of the year.

Pro Tips

Do Your Research

One of the best ways to score a great deal is to know exactly what you’re looking for before you start shopping. That way, you can keep an eye out for the specific items you need and pounce when you see them at a good price. We’ll stalk our next boot for a few months and wait until we see the right deal to snag it. Not sure what kind of hiking boots you need? Do plenty of research ahead of time so you know what kind of boot to look for, which features you want, and what size you need. Check out our blog on Choosing the Right Hiking Boot.

Don’t Neglect Outlet Stores

Any hikers that prefer to save over splurge, outlet stores will be your best friend. Closeout deals, stacked discounts, and deep savings are the joys of outlet stores. Outlets carry discontinued styles and colors, past year’s models, and all those leftover sizes. We recommend any novice hikers looking to score a new boot checks outlet stores before heading to the big retailers. Always shop smart: outlet stores carry limited inventory, so it’s easy to settle for a clearance boot that isn’t your dream boot. Research what kind of boot you want and what features you are looking for and never settle for something that doesn’t check off every item on your list.

Shop in Store at Night

Once you are ready for that boot splurge, we recommend trying on new hiking boots at the end of the day. Feet swell throughout the day with blood and other fluids, resulting in your feet being the largest at the end of the day. The swelling process can start early in the day with excessive exercise, or for those who are constantly on their feet. In order to avoid purchasing boots that are too tight, we recommend trying on new stompers at the end of the day.

If you’re looking for the best time to purchase new hiking boots, make sure to keep these tips in mind! With a little bit of planning, you’ll be sure to find everything you need (and more) at a price that won’t break the bank.

Always leave no trace!