Welcome to Deals of Note, where Gear Patrol captures all the best deals of the day. You can also follow all our deal posts in the Deals section. Comments or concerns? We’d love to hear from you at deals@gearpatrol.com.
Soludos Convertible Original Espadrilles
Save 30%: As with summer clothing, summer footwear should be lightweight and breathable to keep you comfortable on the hottest of days. A great option for casual wear is an espadrille which typically features a canvas upper, a jute sidewall and a rubber sole. Soludos makes an affordable option called the Convertible Original Espadrille which has a leather heel that can be folded down. Worn with the heel folded down, the shoe takes on slipper-like qualities and adds a much more laid-back vibe to your outfit. Now, these espadrilles are 30 percent off at East Dane and cost just $60 — not a lot to pay for the amount of wear you’ll get out of them this season. — John Zientek
GORUCK Special Forces-Approved Gear
Save up to 40%: If you’ve been following along with our coverage for a while now, you probably already know that we’re big fans of GORUCK. And if you’re relatively new to Gear Patrol, (welcome!), we’re big fans of GORUCK. Why? Because the brand’s mission is to build products that can hold their own in war zones but also make sense in everyday life. It’s a lofty goal, but GORUCK has managed to find that sweet spot through expert design.
To serve both of those purposes, everything is built to be super-durable with materials like 1000-denier Cordura nylon and functional features like MOLLE webbing and dedicated laptop sleeves come standard. You’d expect these bags to be overbuilt and bulky, but they’re not. Perhaps it all has something to do with the fact that GORUCK’s founder, Jason McCarthy, spent years serving in the US Army Special Forces and knows exactly what a bag should do. His first foray into product design was making go-bags for staff at US embassy in Côte d’Ivoire.
Now, GORUCK makes a full range of backpacks, travel bags, apparel and accessories. (This fall, it’s coming out with a boot, which we’re particularly excited about.) Most of it is currently on sale too, including its flagship product, the GR1, which is our favorite tactical everyday backpack. Normally $295, you can pick one up for $205 for a limited time. There are also backpacks available in larger and smaller volumes, built for whatever your daily needs may be — it’ll be the last bag you’ll ever have to buy. — Tanner Bowden
Made In Stainless Steel Cookware
Save Up to 25%: Traditionally, premium cookware is pricey. But thanks to the direct-to-consumer wave washing over yet another product category, quality can be had for far less.
If you’re not willing to pay the All-Clad price, you now have options — the best of which being Made In. The brand is made in America, offers premium stainless steel and a tried-and-true 5-ply construction that’s made for durability and performance. The 5-ply structure — that being steel on the top and bottommost layers, aluminum layers and an aluminum alloy core — permit fast and even heating, while still being resilient to warping and degradation. If it means anything, I’ve been abusing Made In skillets at home for six months now and they still look and cook like new.
Fitting for a brand made stateside is a (admittedly modest) July 4th sale. The site is offering 10% off everything in the store, with discounts increasing the larger your cart gets. Value tip: the standard stainless and non-stick skillet kit is just under the $150 price threshold for a bigger discount — add a stainless steel cleaner for $10 for some added utility and a few dollars extra off. Discount applied at checkout. — Will Price
Onia Linen Shorts
Save 67%: As the summer heat progresses from pleasant to oppressive, consider augmenting your wardrobe with some linen garments. In general, linen fabrics are breathable, highly absorbent and quick drying — essential qualities for keeping your body cool on stifling days. If you’re in need of a pair of linen shorts, Nordstrom Rack has a great deal on a pair from Onia. Available in nine colors, the Austin shorts are 67 percent off and now cost just $40. — John Zientek
Nelson Rigg
Save up to 40%: Most, if not all, ADV bikes don’t come with panniers as standard but can be optioned with them, plus top bags and tank bags. The problem with the factory bags is they tend to get pricey. Right now, you can get Nelson Rigg luggage gear, like tank bags, saddle bags, and dry bags, for up to 40% off. Cargo space is at a premium on two wheels, this an incredibly affordable way to bolster up your bike and live more comfortably out in the wild for the weekend. — Bryan Campbell
Target Threshold Sheet Set
Save 25%: Buying sheets for your bed is supremely obnoxious. It’s an area few of us invest serious time educating ourselves in, yet we use the product every day of our lives and it’s possible there are more bullshit products than quality products on the market. Amazon’s Deal of the Day on Threadmill Home Linen’s sheet sets, marked down more than 60 percent, is a product in the former group.
For one, this brand is unknown — there is no storefront, few reviews and little reputation around the web. More importantly, the brand advertises thread counts which are in what I’m now calling the “bullshit zone.” One set is 600, the other is 800, both far above what is necessary in a bed sheet and what is possible without double weaving or further fabrication.
For your reference, thread count is a measurement of the number of threads in one square inch of sheet fabric — counting both horizontal and vertical threads. In our guide to all things bed sheets, founder of Authenticity 50 Jimmy McDonald put it more plainly: “pumped-up numbers with inferior, multi-ply yarn, the [thread count] numbers are often lies to begin with. A higher thread count doesn’t equate to better quality. Stay within the 200 to 300 range and you’ll be good.” Ariel Kaye, founder of Parachute, agrees, as did virtually every expert we’ve spoken to about sheets and sheet quality.
Instead of getting yourself tangled with a brand that’s relatively unheard of who has planted a red flag atop the products that are part of the deal, get Target’s sheets, which are also on sale. The sheets from the Threshold line not only topped our list of best cheap sheets, they’re lauded by the likes of Business Insider and Wirecutter as well. Usually $55 or so, they’re marked to just above $40 right now, and we’re certain there’s not an ounce of marketing trickery happening, either. — Will Price
Rancourt & Co. Footwear
Save 25%: Maine is something of a mecca for American-made shoes, and Rancourt & Co. is one of the shoemakers helping keep the dream alive. The brand makes tons of moccasins, boots and sneakers hand-crafted in Lewiston, Maine from high-end materials. These exclusive styles for Huckberry are a great example, as they use Chromexel leather from the famed Horween leather tannery in Chicago. Right now, Huckberry is offering a 25 percent discount on a few styles, so while quality, American-made shoes don’t come cheap, this sale makes them just a bit more accessible. — Andrew Connor
