I was paddling a cranberry pink, 7-foot-long inflatable kayak stuffed with 4 days’ worth of gear. My knees flexed against my thigh straps, and my tiara, which I had taped to my helmet ...

Tents and other camping gear, kayaks, grills, and more essentials are on sale, offering a rare chance to get your hands on this stuff for cheap before the masses rush to it in the spring.