(Part 1 is here, Blades)
It takes planning but you should strive to buy things at the end of the season when they go on clearance, thus the delay between this post and part one. Now is the time to buy blankets and sleeping bags! Check out these deals that took me less that 20 minutes of online work.
Walmart
If you’re not in a hurry, take the free shipping since Walmart is trying to take business away from Amazon. Still, here is the selection I found at the local store.
And do try to buy quilts whenever possible. I know, they don’t feel like “plush” fleeces but quilting is a time honored way of making small cells of insulation to trap air and keep you warm when you move. Believe that those Amish great-grandmothers knew what they were doing.
Here is a tip I saw from a Walmart employee on how to save money: “Serious deals emerge every Tuesday when those aisles transform into hidden bargain goldmines. Keep an eye out for yellow stickers ending in ‘5’ or ‘0’ marking deepest discounts. It’s like a special savings event happens weekly if you just know when and where to look.”
Big 5 Sporting Goods
Yes, it’s the Harbor Freight of the camping world. But as long as you don’t plan to hike a Fourteener in Colorado, their bags work well. Just add 20°F to all the temperature ratings to bring them into reality. Inventory at my local store matched the sales on the website pretty well, too.
and in real life
Of note: mummy style bags will keep you warmer than the square ones but the latter will usually unzip all the way to double as a blanket. I have both on my gear shelf.
And like Harbor Freight look for the coupons in the mail for when things aren’t on sale. $10 off a $30 purchase also helps rein their products into reality.
Lastly…
Don’t forget some hand warmers! They have converted potentially miserable camping nights into toasty ones many times for me when tossed down next to my feet in the sleeping bag.
And back at Walmart, I did a test last week on these prayer style candles. They burned over 80 hours! If you’re not much into Catholic iconography you can go with the clear glass ones on the bottom shelf for a real deal of a price.
