Outdoor gear has always been expensive, but lately, it feels like we’ve reached a new pinnacle — as if rising prices have outpaced inflation. Wander the aisles of REI or scroll through GearJunkie’s reviews, and you’ll see what I mean. There are now $400 cast iron pans, $600 aluminum coolers, $1,300 camp stoves, and elaborate tents with prices that soar far beyond that.
But are these high price observations accurate, or just an economic illusion? Is gear actually getting more expensive, or have high prices plagued every generation of outdoor enthusiasts?
I wanted to find out. It’s been a topic of debate and discussion among our team for years. And my editors weren’t going to be satisfied with a simple Google search.
So I took to eBay, found a couple of vintage REI catalogs from 1974 and 1991, and charged them to the company card (thanks, AllGear Digital). When the mags arrived, I ripped the packaging open and started flipping through their delicate pages, perusing the prices of the years past.
What I found blew me — and the staff — away.
Our Methods
When I bought these REI catalogs, I did so to compare apples to apples. I wanted to contrast prices as directly as possible for products sold across the decades.
So I painstakingly picked SKUs I could most directly juxtapose, calculated the inflation (with this Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) inflation calculator set to the month and year the catalogs came out), and then derived the percent price change.
It was a challenge. There aren’t many products (or even brands) that REI has kept on its shelves for the past 50 years. And even among those that have stuck around, new features and technologies have affected some product prices more than others.
I did my best to match it all up, and when I couldn’t find an exact throughline (which was for many of these products), I compared prices to the closest equivalent products I could find. I then contacted Jeronimo Carballo, an associate professor of economics at the University of Colorado, to get an expert’s perspective on what could be behind the changes in price that I discovered.
Let’s dive in.
( * ~ Denotes closest comparable product GearJunkie could find)
Boots, Apparel, and Accessories
While there are outliers in both directions, the prices of boots have generally fallen since 1991 and 1974. In fact, some of them, like Sorel boots and the Vasque Sundowner Boots, are notably cheaper now than they used to be. And Rockports? Even the most expensive shoe on the brand’s website today is a third less expensive than its 1991 Cross-Camping Moccasins.
“I think that a lot of the goods that you see a reduction in price have to have to do with the fact that these goods can be produced on big scales,” Carballo said. “The technology has improved a lot in producing these things. And I think that that kind of explains a lot of the evolution that you are seeing in some of the goods, like, for example, boots.”
Carballo explained that since the ’70s, a lot of production has moved overseas, opening up much larger production scales. That tends to bring prices down — even if the technology built into the boots (like waterproof materials and lighter foams and rubbers) gets more advanced over time. This is commonly referred to as “economies of scale.”
Sorel Winter Boots
1974 Price (Sorel Premium Boot w/ Felt Liner): $35 (~$211.87 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 Price (*Sorel Caribou Winter Boot on REI): $200
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): -5.6%
Rockport Moccasins
1974 Price: $110 ($253 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 Price (Edge Hill 2 Double Gore on Rockport): $140
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): -44%
Vasque Sundowner Boots
1991: $149 (~$324.29 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (on Backcountry): $250
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): -22.9%
Some brand-specific apparel and accessories went the other direction, though. Ray-Ban sunglasses have become significantly costlier since 1974 and 1991. When asked about this, Carballo said it’s important to consider manufacturer versus supply factors. Brands like these have a cost to produce a good (in this case, aviator sunglasses). They then gauge how much they can charge on top of that cost to make a profit.
“This markup is usually a measure of how well perceived the company is in the eye of the consumers and how many alternatives those consumers have for a high-quality good,” Carballo said.
However, Carballo pointed out another possible factor in the rise in the price of Ray-Bans. Luxottica, an Italian eyewear conglomerate, owns Ray-Ban and many of its “competing” eyewear brands.
“So they’re not going to be competing a lot,” Carballo said. “They all try to set up prices and actually extract more price from the consumers.”
Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses
1974 (Outdoorsman): $21 (~$127.12 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (*Aviator Classic Polarized on REI): $230
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): +80.9%
I was certain that Patagonia products would have gotten more expensive over the years, too. The brand pays fair trade wages today and has put sustainability and conservation at the forefront of its business model over the last 50 years. Consumer perception of the brand is positive, and demand for Patagonia products is high. It can (and does) charge higher prices for its name.
But when we looked at the classic Patagonia Synchilla Fleece Jacket, the price had actually come down by a full third in the last 32 years.
Patagonia Synchilla Fleece Jacket
1991: $98 (~$225.40 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (on REI): $150
Total % Price Change (1991-2024): -33.4%
Packs
Backpacks were interesting. Most of the packs in 1991 (and all of the packs in 1974) were external frame packs. Brands don’t really make those anymore (OK, some of them do).
By and large, backpacking packs today have internal frames. That’s changed how packs are made and what goes into them entirely.
Between 1974 and 1991, packs got significantly more expensive. But since 1991 and the shift to internal frame packs, the price has come back down — at least judging by these examples.
REI Cruiser Backpack
1974 price: $28 (~$169.50 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991 price: $95 (~$218.50 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
(% Price Change 1974-1991: +28.9%)
The Cruiser series was one of REI’s most popular and cost-effective external frame backpacking packs. Although it has been discontinued, I wanted to know how it would compare to the brand’s most cost-effective internal frame pack today. The REI Trailmade 60 fit the bill.
2024 price (*REI Trailmade 60 at REI): $180
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): +6.2%
(% Price Change 1991-2024: -17%)
Jansport External Frame Pack
1974 (Cascade 2): $45 (~$297.83 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991 (Bryce 67L): $185 (~$423.90 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
(% Price Change 1974-1991): +42.3%
Jansport doesn’t make any backpacking packs anymore, let alone external frame packs like the Cascade or the Bryce. It has shifted entirely to daypacks, travel packs, and school bags. There was no current model with which to compare these prices.
But Jansport was one of the premier hiking pack brands in days of yore. To get a sense of a similar brand today, I compared the Jansport external frames with one of Osprey’s most popular, similarly sized packs.
2024 (*Osprey Atmos AG 65 Pack on REI): $340
Cascade 2 Total % Price Change (1974-2024): +14%
Bryce 67L Total % Price Change (1991-2024): -19.8%
MountainSmith Backpacks
1991 (Bugaboo 36 L Pack): $130 ($299 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (*Zerk 40 L Pack): $220
Total % Price Change (1991-2024): -26.4%
REI Internal Frame Backpacking Pack
1991 (Traverse Series Valhalla Pack 66 L): $125 (~$287.50 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (Traverse 60 L at REI): $250
Total % Price Change (1991-2024): -13%
Knives
Knives today come in a variety of shapes, styles, and colors; they fold, snap open, and have multipurpose blades. Some even come with ferro rods attached for firestarting.
I expected modern knives to be more expensive than in 1991 and 1974, especially considering that many outdoor knives made in 1991 were designed with materials that are somewhat obsolete today. Modern premium knives come at a much higher price point than those we’re comparing below.
The difference was compelling, nevertheless.
Swiss Army Knife
1974 (*Handyman): $14.25 (~$86.26 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991 (Super Tinker): $28 (~$64.40 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (Super Tinker on REI): $45
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): -47.8%
(% Price Change 1991-2024): -30.1%
Buck Folding Hunter
1974: $22 (~$133.18 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (at Buck): $65
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): -51.2%
*Buck Alpha Guide Pro
In 1974, the Buck Folding Hunter was one of the brand’s most premium knives. It’s still a classic, but it doesn’t use the top-of-the-line steel and other materials that are used in Buck’s premium knives today. So, we picked one of Buck’s top hunting knives to compare premium (apples) to premium (apples).
2024 (*663 Alpha Guide Pro Knife on Buck): $225
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): +68.9%
Filters & Stoves
This one made my jaw drop. Looking back, in 1991, water ” purification systems” were wildly expensive compared to affordable filters like the Sawyer Squeeze and LifeStraw, which are popular today. It’s no wonder people tended to use bleach, iodine, or boiling water for purification instead.
What’s the deal with that?
Here’s some wild context: In 1974, REI did not have a single water filter in its catalog. Water filters were still a relatively new phenomenon among hikers in the 1970s. They didn’t become affordable and common until well into the 1990s.
Carballo had a very interesting take. Because water filtration is necessary around the world, and because so many organizations spend so much time and resources attempting to provide cost-effective filters for developing countries, it’s possible that technology was researched and developed without outdoor recreation necessarily in mind.
Katadyn Pump Water Filter
1991 (PF Pocket Water Filter): $240 (~$551.99 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (*Hiker Microfilter at REI): $90
Total % Price Change (1991-2024): -83.7%
MSR Water Filter
1991 (Waterworks Filter): $140 (~$321.99 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (*MiniWorks Filter on REI): $120
Total % Price Change (1991-2024): -62.7%
Stoves are another story altogether. The tech behind gas stoves in 1991 (and even in 1974) isn’t that different from what’s used in many of the camping stoves available today. However, in the case of the MSR Whisperlite, the price has nearly doubled. This could be another case of brand names and reputation affecting consumer prices.
MSR Whisperlite Stove
1991: $47 (~$108.10 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (on REI): $200
Total % Price Change (1991-2024): +85%
Water Bottles & Kitchenware
Despite the level of product suffusion and brand competition for camp cookware and kitchen supplies, these products became notably more expensive across the board. Even generic things like Army Surplus Canteens have shot up in price since 1974 and 1991.
And don’t even get me started on coolers …
Yet again, brand names and recognition could be to blame. Most of the kitchen cookware, coolers, and water bottles on REI’s website today are from YETI, HydroFlask, Nalgene, Sea to Summit, GSI, MSR, or other well-known brands.
Army Canteen
1974: $0.79 (~$4.78 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991: $5 (~$11.50)
2024 (on Amazon): $10
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): +109%
Wide Mouth 1L Water Bottle
1974: $1.10 (~$6.66 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991: $4.14 (~$9.52 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 Nalgene: $17
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): +155%
(% Price Change 1991-2024: +78.6%)
Soft Cooler
1991 (20 qt): $33 (~$75.90 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (22L at REI): $120
Total % Price Change (1991-2024): +58.1%
Nesting Cookware
1974 (1, 2, 3 qt.): $8 (~$48.43 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991 (1, 1.5, 2.5 qt.): $30 (~$69 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (*GSI Outdoors Glacier Series 2.1 qt., 3.1 qt., skillet, 2x strainer lids): $90
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): +85.8%
(% Price Change 1991-2024: +30.4%)
I wanted to know how the cost of REI’s 1974 nesting kitchen cookware set compared to the cheapest, most generic nesting cookware I could find. I browsed Amazon until I found a similar set. And the difference in price lends weight to the idea that brand names might be driving the prices of camp cookware up.
2024 (BeGrit 8-in-1 Cookware Set at Amazon): $23
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): -52.5%
(% Price Change 1991-2024: -66%)
Lights & Lanterns
Flashlight technology has changed a lot in the last 50 years. LEDs replaced incandescent bulbs, the energy density of standard disposable batteries has increased while their cost has come down, and now many flashlights and headlamps use rechargeable batteries. There are some very expensive and powerful flashlights out there today.
But standard flashlights have been getting cheaper over the years, judging by our samples. Again, this seems to indicate that economies of scale have made the cost of production cheaper, which has trickled down to consumers.
Basic Headlamp
1974 (REI Everyday Headlamp): $3.40 (~$22.50 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991 (*Petzl Micro Headlamp): $27.50 (~$63.25 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (*Petzl Tikka Headlamp at REI): $35
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): +55.5%
(% Price Change 1991-2024: -44.6%)
2-Cell Aluminum Flashlight
1974 (Kel-Lite 2-Cell C Flashlight): $11.45 (~$69.31 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991 (*Mag-Lite 2-Cell D Flashlite): $22 (~$50.60 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (*ML50L MagLite 2-Cell C Flashlight at MagLite): $42.50
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): -38.7%
(% Price Change 1991-2024: -16%)
Lantern
1974 (Gaz L200 Butane Lantern): $11.75 (~$73.13 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991 (*Coleman Peak 1 White Gas Lantern): $37 (~$85.10 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (*Coleman NorthStar Propane Lantern at Coleman): $70
Total % Price Change 1974-2024: -4.3%
(% Price Change 1991-2024: -17.7%)
Sleep Systems
Inflatable air mattresses have gotten more expensive. Many of the modern air mattresses you’ll find at REI today are designed with ultralight materials and are self-inflating; some are well-insulated, and others use materials like memory foam to improve comfort.
In the case of Therm-a-Rest, the brand has been a leader in inflatable mattress tech since it started in the ’70s. Its prices have risen as it has become more popular. It has also largely kept its production domestic to the U.S., which is usually more expensive than overseas production.
However, goose-down sleeping bags seem to be getting cheaper. That’s surprising because down fill is still very costly to harvest from geese, and today, companies like Patagonia and The North Face are investing in traceable, responsibly sourced down. Many companies also use ultralight materials in their bags and offer treated down, which is water resistant.
So, when I checked my math on the price of sleeping bags, it caught me off guard. I had expected them to increase in price as technology has improved so much. However, my assumptions were misguided … again.
Inflatable Air Mattress
1974 (REI Backpacker 5 panel nylon tube): $15 (~$90.80 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991 (*Therm-a-Rest standard): $44 (~$101.20 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (*Therm-a-Rest Basecamp Sleeping Pad at REI): $115
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): +26.7%
(% Price Change 1991-2024: +13.6%)
Sleeping Pad
1974: $11.50 ($71.43 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991 (Ridge Rest Sleeping Pad): $13 ($29.90 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest at Amazon): $32
Total % Price Change (1974-2024): -55%
(% Price Change 1991-2024: +0.07%)
Goosedown Sleeping Bag
1974 (The Gerry Camper): $87 (~$526.65 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
1991 (*REI Renaissance Bags 15 degree 550 fill): $190 (~$436.99 in 2024 adjusted for inflation)
2024 (*REI Magma 15 w/ 850 fill Waterproof down at REI): $430
2024 (*Mountain Hardwear 550 fill 15 degree Bishop Pass): $285
REI Magma Total % Price Change (1974-2024): -18.4%
(% Price Change 1991-2024): -1.6%
Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass Total % Price Change (1974-2024): -45.9%
(% Price Change 1991-2024): -34.8%
The Price Is Right — Or Isn’t It?
While I was genuinely shocked at how many of the products that I compared had become cheaper when I’d adjusted for inflation, I probably shouldn’t have been. My random pool of samples was split almost exactly down the middle, with some products having gone up in price while others came down. But if I had expanded my search to examine all outdoor equipment and supplies, I might have noticed a more distinct trend.
According to BLS data, the consumer price of outdoor equipment and supplies has been steadily decreasing since at least 2000. It spiked significantly during the pandemic, and Carballo said a lot of that could have to do with global supply chain issues. The drastic rise in outdoor participation caused by the pandemic is another factor affecting that value. Still, the overall trend is a decrease in price.
Carballo also pointed out that it’s important to consider household incomes over time.
“If you’re trying to compare the affordability of the goods, it’s not just about the prices,” Carballo said. “How costly was buying these goods in 1974 or 1991 for the average American compared to today?”
The most recent year tracked by the Federal Reserve Bank’s real median household income data is 2022. It reports a median income of $74,580 for that year ($83,341.06 in 2024 adjusted for inflation). In 1991, it was $59,710 ($137,330.81 adjusted for inflation). The data only goes back to 1984, when the median income was $56,780 ($130,591.92 adjusted for inflation).
There are a lot of takeaways from all this. To me, the biggest one is that the question of “Has gear gotten more expensive over time?” is a very complicated one. I did my best to answer it, but I’m sure I’ve missed, overlooked, or otherwise fudged something here.
My second biggest takeaway? The assumption I made, that we were paying unfair prices today and that previous generations of outdoor enthusiasts had it easy with their $55 backpacks and $8 camp cookware, was wrong. I said it at the beginning of this article, and it rings even truer now: Outdoor gear has always been expensive. I just didn’t realize that so much of it is comparatively more affordable today than it used to be.
