Patagonia Outlet: Everything You Need To Know About The Shopping Experience - Travels With Elle (2023)

When it comes to outdoor apparel and gear, there is perhaps no company more iconic thanPatagonia. Patagonia is highly regarded for producing very high-quality and durable products.

Whether you’re a loyal customer or a Patagonia newbie, you know the merchandise isn’t exactly the most affordable. But today, I bring great news! It’s a little-known fact, but Patagonia actually has a limited amount of outlet locations scattered throughout the United States.

This post will reveal everything you need to know about Patagonia outlet stores, so keep reading to learn more.

*Please note: This post may contain affiliate links. You won’t be paying a cent more, but in the event of a sale, the small affiliate commission I receive will help keep this blog running/pumping out useful content. Thanks!

WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE PATAGONIA?

Patagonia is one of those rare companies that have a brand purpose that’s greater than simply making money. Since it was founded in 1973 by environmentalist and climber Yvon Chouinard, the company has been putting sustainability at the forefront of what they do and is a champion of conservation.

This is exactly why Patagonia appeals to consumers. People want companies to stand up for the issues they are passionate about and a majority of consumers think transparency is one of a brand’s most attractive qualities. In short, Patagonia is in the business to save our home planet.

How are they doing that exactly? Well for one, Patagonia sources all its materials ethically. About 70% of their materials are recycled and certified organic. Their criteria for the best product rests on function, repairability, and, foremost, durability.

They also have a Worn Wear and repair program to keep their product from being thrown away and give it a second life.

Some people might say Patagonia is too expensive, but I would argue that you’re paying for quality clothing. In fact, Patagonia has a lifetime warranty guarantee!

WHAT IS THE PATAGONIA OUTLET?

The Patagonia Outlet is a store where nearly everything is on sale. It’s a place where regular merchandise exists among last season’s products–and everything is in new condition.

There are just six Patagonia Outlet stores in the entire world and most of them are interestingly in unexpected locations. With a little bit of preparation and planning, those who are willing to travel to an outlet store can really benefit from deals that seem almost too good to be true!

Most of what you’ll find at the Patagonia outlets will be last season’s clothing and gear. That means classic styles and fits in no-longer-available colors as well as last season’s clothing lines.

Oftentimes, you will run into gear labeled with an “irregular” sticker. When you actually try these items on, the fit isn’t even all that irregular! These items are a percentage more discounted than their non-irregular fit counterpart.

You’ll also find a limited selection of seasonal best-sellers at Patagonia outlet stores, and they’ll even be in normal colors like black, forest green, or burnt yellow!

Most people assume outlets carry just extreme sizes such as XS and XXL, but that’s not the case at all at Patagonia Outlets.

Pro Tip: Obviously, your results may vary. But if you can swing a weekday visit or weekend morning visit, your chances of finding the best sizing selection are greater.

HOW MUCH OF A DISCOUNT CAN YOU EXPECT AT A PATAGONIA OUTLET?

On any given day, the gear sold at Patagonia outlets will typically be 40-50% off retail. If that isn’t exciting enough for you, well, there’s more!

There are three legendary Patagonia outlet store sales a year: Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. The outlet prices are fantastic as is, but during these epic sale days, everything that’s already on sale is on sale even more! You can commonly find patrons camping out for hours to get the first crack at the deals.

During these special holiday sales, Patagonia outlets typically offer an additional 40% off the already marked down prices of all items! This includes shoes, luggage, clothing, children’s clothing and outdoor gear.

During the additional 40% off sales, it’s not uncommon to pay just $50-60 for jackets that retail for $159+.

With prices like that, yes, you can definitely expect there to be crowds!

WHERE ARE PATAGONIA OUTLETS LOCATED?

The six Patagonia outlets are located in the following cities:

• Dillon, MT
• Freeport, ME
• Reno, NV,
• Santa Cruz, CA
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Dublin, Ireland

If you’re traveling to any of these destinations soon, be sure to add Patagonia Outlet to your itinerary!

CAN I GET PATAGONIA OUTLET PRICES ONLINE?

Technically, you can shop the Patagonia sale online – but it’s definitely not going to be better than what you’ll find in the outlet stores. Sale items can be found on the Patagonia Web Specials page. The majority of items available online tend to be first-quality items that you’d typically find in a traditional Patagonia retail store.

Still, if you’re too far away from a brick-and-mortar Patagonia outlet store, the online web specials are the next best thing! We definitely like to browse their site from time to time.

What I’ve learned over the years: For the best chances of getting online sale gear in your size, you’ll need to stay on top of their sale announcements (the best way to do that is to sign up for their email list). Trust me, the bestseller items tend to go out of stock within the blink of an eye!

PATAGONIA OUTLET: WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE OUTLET STORE

During our last trip to the Patagonia Outlet in Santa Cruz, CA, we were able to pick up a few timeless pieces at greatly discounted prices!

Upon first walking in, the Patagonia Outlet store sure looked like a typical Patagonia store. It was clean and organized, as opposed to being a mad zoo (like I would have expected). Everything was neatly broken out into sections (Men, Women, Kids) and organized/ compartmentalized by activity as well.

We went during the month of July and found that there was slightly more discounted winter/fall season gear than spring/summer gear. We noticed a good variety of sizes for puffy jackets and rain jackets, but fewer sizes available for board shorts, biking gear, and dresses. (Which makes sense, as summer clothing is more in demand at this time of the year.)

I also noticed a larger selection of styles and sizes in the women’s section compared to the men’s section. Despite the dwindling size options, there was some really good stuff in the men’s half of the store. I couldn’t believe it–they had a lot of their classic puffy jackets at discounted prices!

There was a kids section, and though not as large as the Men’s or Women’s sections, there were a ton of great options. I mean, just check out what those mannequins are wearing–too cute (and likely on sale too).

I was blown away at some of the discounted prices I was seeing on the tags. About 80% of the products I saw were on sale, with the remaining 20% being full-priced items dotted here and there about the store. There were even a few select items priced at an extra 30-50% off!

Check out a few of the discounts below:

• Women’s Triolet Jacket – Original Price: $399 / Outlet Price: $198.99
• Women’s Raven Rocks Coat – Original Price: $269 / Online Price: $160.99 / Outlet Price: $107.60
• Women’s Corduroy Jeans – Original Price: $89 / Outlet Price: $43.99
• Mens/Womens Fleece (Extra 30% off!) – Original Price: $139 / Outlet Price: $68.99 $48.29

In addition to racks and racks of discounted clothing, there were sections featuring Patagonia Provisions, the Pataloha® Collection, books, messenger bags, backpacks, duffle bags as well as surfing gear (surfboards, wetsuits, sandals).

All in all, we thought the selection here was really great, especially given that it’s an outlet store. We were expecting nothing but highlighter green, orange, purple, and pink items, but there was a great selection of gear in some really sensible/practical colors (and available in many sizes too).

Want to get a taste of some of the classic pieces that were in stock at the Patagonia Outlet? Here are some items that we found at the Patagonia Outlet that really impressed us:

• Men’s Nano Air Jacket – A super popular lightweight alpine jacket that equal parts warm, stretchy and breathable.
• Men’s Diamond Quilted Bomber Hoody – A very good-looking windproof and water-resistant full-zip hoody, insulated with lightweight Thermogreen® polyester
• Men’s Baggies Board Shorts – Patagonia’s popular chafe-proof board shorts! Another reason these are a bestseller? They are super fast drying due to the lightweight nylon material.
• Women’s Nano Puff Jacket – This jacket is perfect if you’re looking for something that’s packable, windproof, and water-resistant. It comes available in a variety of trendy and classic color choices.

I ended up buying three items: an orange insulated utility jacket (Original Price: $179 / Outlet Price: $88.99), a pair of high-waisted hemp canvas workwear pants (Original Price: $79 / Outlet Price: $47.99), and a recycled pouch (Original Price: $15 / Outlet Price: $6.99).

The retail price for all of these items would have been $273, but ultimately, I paid $142 for everything! That’s more than 48% off my entire purchase!

ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR VISITING A PATAGONIA OUTLET

• There are three legendary Patagonia outlet store sales a year: Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. These sales take place several times a year and offer 40% off the already marked down prices of all items.During these sale days, get there as early as possible!
• On these epic discount days, try to be one of the first customers to ensure you can find clothing in your size.
• Though much of the merchandise will be discounted, the Patagonia Outlet stores may still carry some full-priced items. Be sure to check the price tag before you get too attached to something.
• There is kids’ clothing, but there isn’t as large of a selection as there is with adult clothing.

If you find the opportunity to visit a Patagonia outlet for yourself, take it! Patagonia’s product quality already makes their gear a good investment, but with these steep outlet discounts, it’s a no-brainer.

Hopefully, this post taught you something new about what to expect at the Patagonia Outlets! Now go out there and get those deals.

Looking for more money-saving tips? Read More:

Columbia Employee Store Passes: How To Get In And What To Expect

My Mind-Blowing Experience At The West Elm Outlet: Everything You Need To Know

The Nike Employee Store: How To Get In and What To Expect (Beaverton, Oregon)