We’ve helped generations of people find the right gear for them since 1938. Now, we’re using our team’s hard-earned knowledge and expertise to recognize best-in-class gear at the co-op.
Through the REI Co-op Editors’ Choice Awards, we honor the top-performing products in a set of rigorous field tests conducted by co-op staff and members. We also factor in how a product is made and its impact on the environment, along with REI member and customer feedback. Recipients include the equipment and apparel we’ve been recommending for years, along with the latest industry-busting products to hit shelves.
This fall, we’re awarding tents for car camping and backpacking, a sleeping bag, a child carrier, headlamps and more, all available at REI. Come back seasonally to check out our newest award winners and learn more about how the program works below.
Kelty Cosmic 20 Sleeping Bag
High-quality down insulation and an entry-level price make this sleeping bag a solid choice for car campers and backpackers.
Osprey Poco Plus Child Carrier
This luxe kid carrier backpack features a smooth-riding suspension and ample gear storage—perfect for epic adventures.
Salomon Sense Ride 3 Running Shoe
This featherlight trail shoe fits most feet and has top-notch traction, which make it equally happy in the alpine, desert and forest.
AeroPress Go Travel Coffee Press
This coffee press offers unparalleled taste in a package that’s small enough for big adventures.
REI Co-op Kingdom 6 Tent
Enjoy maximum living space and comfort in this two-room shelter that excels in mild conditions.
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL Tent
Score enough room for the whole gang in this surprisingly lightweight backpacking tent.
Black Diamond Spot 350 Headlamp
Sacrifice nothing: Burn time, brightness and comfort all come at a great price in this lamp.
Petzl Actik Core Headlamp
For fast activities where brightness matters, this rechargeable light is the right lamp for the job.
Awards Methodology
Gear is personal. No product here will be the perfect option for every person. But we believe the REI Co-op Editors’ Choice Awards celebrate the gear that’s the best for most folks. Here’s how we know.
We canvas the landscape and take stock of all that’s available to you at REI. From there, we consider what specific needs most people who use the product may have. (If we were talking about backpacking tents, for example, we’d want to make sure we had options for various capacities, weights and prices.) We then narrow down the list, making sure there are options for every shopping need, and enter what’s left into an extensive test—which can last months or even a year, depending on the category—against as many as 20 other top picks. We do this all to see how these products perform where it matters most: outside.
REI expert staff and co-op member-testers head into the field to evaluate everything from a product’s usability to its features, vetting all claims from the manufacturer. We also factor in sustainability attributes. At the end of the round-robin review period, we ask our testers to rate each product on a set of criteria (for example, we evaluated brightness, battery life, comfort, features and price in our headlamps Gear Guide). Then we average the scores and scrutinize the data, also considering what our members and customers are saying about these products when reviewing them on REI.com.
You’ll find the highest-scoring equipment and apparel in our Gear Guides. Gear that’s just about perfect? Those products are recognized with an REI Co-op Editors’ Choice Award, which you can find here. No product will be the ideal option for every person. But we believe our awards honor the gear that’s the best for most.
Editor’s note: Inventory can be unpredictable this year with COVID-19, so some of the award-winning items might be out of stock temporarily.