5 Outdoorsy Deals: Fishing Rod & Reel for $25, Sleeping Bag for $26, more

Have you been reading The Hunger Games? You really should be reading The Hunger Games. We're all agog at how well Katniss Everdeen and the rest of the dystopic and photogenic gang take to roughing it in President Snow's teenage maelstrom of murder. We like to imagine that we'd be whizzes at procuring a rabbit dinner with a single lethal arrow or securing our sleeping bags to a tree branch 100 feet high for a tense little snooze, but we'd probably be the first to be knocked off. Still, the trilogy has given us an appetite for some hardy outdoors adventure, so we've made that the focus of today's roundup, with top offers from Best Buy, Amazon, eBay, and Gander Mountain.

1. CamelBak 25-oz. Better Bottle Water Bottle
   Vendor: Got Your Gear via eBay
   Price: $9.95 with free shipping
   Lowest By: $9

   Is It Worth It?: Regardless of how intense a hike you plan on taking, you should always make sure to bring water with you before setting off into the woods. When your throat becomes parched from wheezing your way up a hill, you'll be thankful you have this CamelBak bottle in your bag.

2. SPOT 2 Satellite GPS Messenger
   Vendor: Best Buy
   Price: $79.99 with free shipping
   Lowest By: $70

   Is It Worth It?: When you're out camping in more remote areas, knowing your whereabouts can literally be life-saving. This Editors' Choice SPOT 2 Satellite GPS Messenger offers precisely that functionality, making Best Buy's price of $79.99 too low to dismiss. The weather-resistant SPOT lets you send messages or contact 911 in areas without cell coverage and updates your position on Google Maps so that anyone with an Internet connection can find you. Keep in mind, though, that a $100/year subscription is required for service.

3. Coleman Big & Tall 4-in-1 Sleeping Bag
   Vendor: GoCampingCheap via eBay
   Price: $26.26 with free shipping
   Lowest By: $22

   Is It Worth It?: The worst thing that can happen when you're camping (aside from poison ivy and mosquitoes, of course) is ending up with a sleeping bag that's clearly designed for a much smaller human being. That's not a concern with this 36x90" sleeping bag in blue/gray. Sized for a slumberer up to 78" tall, this cozy sleeping bag also features a temperature comfort rating of 40° to 60° Fahrenheit, four configurations, and removable lightweight sheet.

4. Shakespeare Ugly Stik Fishing Rod and Reel
   Vendor: Poor Fish via eBay
   Price: $24.99 with free shipping
   Lowest By: $10

   Is It Worth It?: Even if you're not a hunting or fishing enthusiast, chances are you will enjoy, at least, the retailer of this 6-foot long spinning rod's name: Poor Fish. Cast this rod's size 35 graphite spinning reel, already loaded up with 8 lb. test fishing line, and stoke the fire for dinner.

5. UTG Law Enforcement SWAT Vest
   Vendor: Amazon
   Price: $35.70 with free shipping
   Lowest By: $8

   Is It Worth It?: It's unlikely that you're a member of a SWAT unit, but if you love paintball, you'll quickly see the utility of this protective vest. It's cushioned (naturally), and you can use its many large pockets for extra canisters. At a price this low, you won't even mind if it ends up rainbow-colored (even though that means you probably lost). And if the UTG vest isn't to your liking, you can always give this tactical vest a try instead.

Front page photo credit: CampingTravel