REI Trailmade Budget Backpacking Gear: What Is Worth Buying

Introduction

REI started in 1938, when a group of friends set out to find better prices on mountaineering equipment. More than 85 years later, it is the largest consumer-owned co-op in the United States, with over 23 million active members. The co-op still carries premium gear, but it also builds its own affordable backpacking line called Trailmade. The real question for anyone shopping on a budget is whether that entry-level tier holds up across a full day on the trail and a night at camp.

This guide covers the Trailmade 20 sleeping bag, the Trailmade sleeping pad, the Trailmade 2 tent, and the Trailmade 60L pack, along with the fleece, rain jacket, down jacket, pants, and Sahara t-shirt that round out a complete kit. Pricing in the Trailmade line sits at the higher end of the budget category, so the value case matters as much as the specifications.

What the REI Trailmade Collection Offers

Trailmade is REI’s affordable backpacking line, and the pieces are designed to work together. The core bundle includes the Trailmade 20 sleeping bag, the Trailmade sleeping pad, and the Trailmade 2 tent with a footprint. Bought as a bundle, that trio costs $380. Bought separately, the same three items come to $385, so the bundle saves $5 and arrives in a single storage bag.

The line does not cover everything. REI does not make a budget pot, stove, or backpacking shoe under the Trailmade name, so a complete kit will still mix in gear from other brands. Matching colors across the collection are a deliberate part of the design language, which makes the pieces easy to identify as a set.

REI Trailmade 20 Sleeping Bag

The Trailmade 20 is a mummy-style synthetic bag. In regular length it weighs about 3 lb 4 oz and costs $100 on its own. It has a small zippered pocket near the top and a soft hood that feels genuinely cozy.

The stated comfort rating is 31°F, with a lower limit of 21°F. On a night when temperatures fell into the high 30s, the bag stayed warm and comfortable, and it ranks among the warmest and coziest budget bags around. The main compromise is the lack of a draft collar, which means the hood has to stay cinched around the face to seal out cold air.

REI Trailmade Sleeping Pad

The Trailmade sleeping pad costs $80 on its own and uses a self-inflating design. Open the inflate valve at camp and it fills on its own before bedtime, with a separate deflate valve for packing up in the morning.

The headline number is an R-value of 5.5, which is high for a pad at this price and warm enough for genuinely cold conditions. The surface is thick and cushioned, and it delivered one of the more comfortable nights of sleep on a backpacking trip.

That comfort comes at a cost. The pad weighs about 2 lb 7 oz and takes up a lot of room in a pack. For backpackers counting grams, that is a significant penalty, and it is the single biggest reason the pad does not suit every kit.

REI Trailmade 2 Tent

The Trailmade 2 is a two-person tent that costs $200, with a one-person version available for $180. It pitches with two poles that cross at the sides, and the minimum trail weight is 4 lb 4 oz.

Inside, the tent feels spacious for two people, with ventilation openings that help with airflow. Setup is straightforward and the construction feels durable and high quality. The trade-offs are weight and organization: only two interior pockets are provided, and there is no getting around how heavy the tent is for backpacking. Split between two people, that weight becomes more manageable.

REI Trailmade 60L Pack

The Trailmade 60L pack costs $180 and is the least expensive backpacking pack REI makes. The 60-liter capacity is a deliberate choice, since budget gear tends to be bulkier and heavier, and a larger pack makes that gear easier to carry.

Organization is a strength. There are two hip belt pockets, two water bottle pockets, a lid, and a large stuff pocket on the back. Under the lid, REI prints a how-to-pack diagram along with a QR card for adjustment guidance. The padding is generous across the back panel, the shoulder straps, and the hip belt.

That padding is also the pack’s weak point. Loaded with the Trailmade bundle, clothing, and a few extras, total pack weight went over 35 lb, and the extra cushioning made the pack feel clunky rather than efficient. It carries comfortably, but it is not a light pack, and the front stretch pocket is limited to small items such as a sit pad, camp shoes, or a sun hoodie.

REI Trailmade Fleece

The Trailmade fleece costs $60 and works as a straightforward midlayer. It is cozy, similar in weight and style to other budget fleeces, and slightly more expensive than a few of them.

REI Trailmade Rain Jacket

The Trailmade rain jacket costs $70 and is noticeably lighter than many budget rain shells, which makes it easy to justify carrying as insurance. Dry conditions meant it stayed packed away, so its wet-weather performance was not put to the test.

REI Co-op 650 Down Jacket

The REI Co-op 650 down jacket costs $130 at full price and has been a dependable insulated layer for years. It is warm and packs down reasonably well for its fill weight.

Its limitation is the hoodless design. In cold, windy conditions, a hood or a warm hat becomes necessary, and newer budget insulated jackets now offer a hood and a cozier feel for similar money. That does not make this jacket a poor choice, but it does make it less compelling than it once was.

REI Trailmade Pants

The Trailmade pants cost $70 and come in a wide range of sizes, which is a real advantage over many budget hiking pants. The fit is better than average, and the fabric is comfortable enough to wear around camp in the evening.

REI Sahara T-Shirt

The Sahara t-shirt costs $35 and is one of the most popular hiking t-shirts in the United States. It lasts for years, feels comfortable on the trail, and works well even for hikers who normally avoid hiking in t-shirts.

What Is Worth Buying

Buying the Trailmade bundle and the 60L pack together comes to $560. That is a lot for a budget kit, and the line does go on sale regularly. The bundle has been spotted for more than $100 off, which changes the value calculation considerably and makes waiting for a discount worthwhile.

Of everything in the collection, the Trailmade 20 sleeping bag is the one piece that earns a place in an ideal budget backpacking kit. At $100 it is warm, cozy, decently compressible for a synthetic bag, and versatile across three seasons, which is a lot of capability for the money.

The sleeping pad is comfortable and warm, but it is heavy and bulky enough that cheaper and lighter options are likely available. The tent is spacious and easy to pitch, yet lighter and less expensive tents exist. The clothing fits well and does exactly what it needs to do, but it does not stand out enough to justify full price when a sale is usually close.

Conclusion

The Trailmade collection is high quality budget gear with a clear identity: durable construction, generous features, and a design that works as a system. It is also heavier and pricier than the cheapest options on the market, so it rewards a specific kind of buyer, someone who wants an easy, cohesive kit from a trusted co-op and is willing to carry a little more weight to get it.

If you are building a kit piece by piece, start with the sleeping bag and wait for a sale on the rest. If you are buying the whole set, the bundle plus the 60L pack is the most straightforward path, and it becomes genuinely good value once the seasonal discounts land.