Our Editors’ Top Gear Picks for Memorial Day Adventures and Getaways

Celebrating Memorial Day weekend with a beach vacay, camping trip, backyard BBQ, or 10k? We salute you. While playing outside might not technically be what this holiday is all about, the long weekend does present an opportunity to enjoy the first longer, warmer days outdoors with friends and family—a good way to honor the military service members who fought for our freedoms.

To help you make the most of the holiday weekend, our editors handpicked the following gear from Outside’s 2024 Summer Gear Guide for almost every activity you might have cooking this summer. With Memorial Day sales in full swing, you can even score most of these top-performing products for bargain prices.

At a Glance

• O’Neil Boardshorts ($28)
• Prana Tulum Bikini ($49 Top; $45 Bottom)
• Xtratuf Sandals ($55)
• Mountain Hardwear Sleeping Bag ($165)
• Big Agnes 4-Person Tent ($486)
• Therm-A-Rest Kids Poncho ($80)
• Vasque Hiking Boot ($102)
• Pingora Day Pack ($140)
• MSR Camp Spoon ($14)
• Allbirds Trail Running Shoe ($96)
• Five Ten MTB Shoes ($120)
• POC MTB Helmet ($150)

All gear in this guide was tested by multiple reviewers. 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.

Comfortable Boardshorts

O’Neill Hyperfreak Hydro Tech 19″

$28 at O’Neill

These board shorts won us over with their comfortable fit. O’Neil’s patented hook and loop Velcro closure system eliminates a bulky drawstring and allows the waist of these boardies to lay flat against the skin, so you don’t have to deal with chafing. These polyester-elastane shorts don’t have the quickest dry time of those we tested, but they offer great freedom of movement at a more-than-fair price. Compare them to our other favorite boardshorts.

Stylish Two-Piece

Prana Tulum Bikini

$49 Top at REI $45 Bottom at Prana

A cute pick for more casual lounging, this color-blocked two-piece suit (top and bottom sold separately) features a good amount of coverage for a bikini and UPF 50-plus rating. Bonus: The material is salt and chlorine resistant, which adds to its longevity. Read more here.

G0-Anywhere Beach Sandals

Xtratuf Riptide Sandals

$65 at REI $55 at Backcountry

This sandal blends fashion with practicality, making it an easy slip-on option you can wear to the pool, the beach, or even for walks around town. Bonus: The Riptide is made from an eco-friendlier BioLite foam that’s biodegradable, and cleaning them is as simple as rinsing them off. Check out our other favorite water shoes and sandals here. 

Wearable Sleeping Bag

Mountain Hardwear Yawn Patrol 

$207 at REI $165 at Mountain Hardwear

Thanks to a clever zipper design, the Yawn Patrol is a sleeping bag, quilt, and extra long poncho all in one. Often, “wearable” sleeping bags are more gimmicky than they are functional. Not this one. Featuring a durable 45-denier nylon outer and 650-fill down, the Yawn Patrol kept us warm and comfortable on many a camping trip with temps ranging from 60 degrees down to the bag’s limit of 30 degrees. Read more here. 

Roomy 4-Person Tent

Big Agnes Bunk House 4 

$486 at Amazon

This four-person tent proved a tester favorite thanks to its relatively roomy interior, tall ceilings, and two vestibules that can stash a lot of gear. Despite its generous size, it’s easy for one person to set up and it packs down into a carry-on luggage-sized bundle. It also stood up well to windy and damp camp conditions. Read our full review here.  

Kids Camp Poncho

Therm-A-Rest Honcho Poncho Kids

$80 at Backcountry $80 at Therm-a-Rest

Do your littles need some convincing to go camping? Paint them a picture of cozy nights huddling around the campfire and roasting marshmallows in this fun little number. This kids’-specific poncho fits most 5 to 10-year-olds, enveloping them in compressible, water-resistant synthetic fill that will keep them toasty on chilly camp nights. And when it’s time to hit the sack, it can be converted to a comfy blanket. Check out our other favorite camping accessories here. 

Versatile Hiking Boot

Vasque Re:Connect Here Mid 

$140 at Amazon $102 at Vasque

The Re:Connect Here Mids are some of the easiest, breeziest day hikers we’ve ever tested. High rebound EVA midsole offers cushion and bounce and the recycled polyester mesh upper is lightweight and breathable enough to keep your feet fresh, even on hot, humid days. With a thin wrap-around tongue, earth-toned colorways, and glove-like fit—plus a heel loop that makes taking them on and off a cinch—these trail runners can pull double-duty on the trail and at the coffee shop. See more of our favorite hiking shoes and boots here. 

Lightweight Day Pack

Pingora Impulse 9 

$140 at Pingora 

Need to move fast on trail but also want to pack more than a running vest can offer? The Impulse 9 has all the best features of a vest, with a comfortable, lightly-padded hip belt equipped with generous zipper pockets. A mesh-covered frameless back panel means you’ll stay cool and dry, too, even with the secure, wobble-free fit.

Long-Handled Camp Spoon

MSR Titan Long Spoon 

$14 at REI $14 at Backcountry 

For those who hate the feeling of getting food all over your hands digging for that last tasty morsel in a meal pouch, the Titan Long Spoon is a blessing. At 8.35-inches, this utensil is long enough for even the deepest bags, with a titanium build that’ll take a pummeling inside your pack and weighs a scant 19 grams.

Eco-Friendly Trail Shoe

Allbirds Tree Flyer 2 

$96 at Allbirds (Men’s) $96 at Allbirds (Women’s)

This eco-friendly shoe delivers top-level performance and comfort on the trail plus casual good looks for hanging out at the Memorial Day barbecue or parade. Testers loved how the knit upper, made of eucalyptus tree fibers and lined with merino wool, delivered a relatively tight, secure fit through the midfoot with a looser, stretchier feel around the toes. The bio-based Pebax midsole is remarkably responsive, with an energetic, bouncy ride. See other top trail shoes here.

Flat MTB Shoes

Five Ten Freerider Pro

$120 at REI (Women’s) $120 at REI (Men’s)

If you’re looking for a do-it-all flat pedal shoe that will excel in every condition, the Five Ten Freerider Pro should be your top choice. Its Stealth S1 Dotty rugby outsole kept us gripped securely on the pedals, even during long, rainy rides in Hood River, Oregon. The stiff sole exudes the feeling of being one with the bike, making pedaling exceptionally efficient. The synthetic upper proved to be very durable as well over our weeks of testing, making this shoe a standout in almost every category. Check out our other favorite bike shoes here.

Full Coverage MTB Helmet

POC Kortal Race MIPS

$150 at Backcountry 

We felt especially safe wearing the Kortal Race MIPS helmet on test rides thanks to its extended coverage on the back of the head and around the temples. But the helmet also felt extremely comfortable thanks to its ventilation—the vents are strategically placed so that if you wear goggles, they won’t cover up any of the holes. The helmet normally retails for $250, but you can now snag it for $100 off. That’s a killer deal for this high-performance lid.