We have reached November and we are moving quickly towards the holidays. We’re still three weeks away from the actual Black Friday, but several stores have already started the first Black Friday sales, with the guarantee that the prices of some products won’t drop even further during the main event itself. B&H has also just started its sale, so we’ve included some of the items we love from the retailer, along with a few other discounted goodies like electric scooters and binoculars.
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Electric Scooter Deals
Enter code WIRED25 at checkout to get $200 off our most favorite electric scooter. The KQi3 Pro has perks like lights, bells, and roomy handlebars so you can attach a phone holder for navigation. WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu says it offers the best range for the money, and at 20 miles per hour you should get between 15 and 20 miles per charge. It weighs 45 pounds and the handlebars don’t fold up, but it’s relatively easy to carry. (Disclosure: We don’t have much experience with Wellbots, the retailer behind this offer, but it has mostly positive reviews around the web.)
We love Apollo scooters, and the City (7/10, WIRED Recommends) has enough power and range to satisfy. It weighs 57 pounds, so it’s best to have a lift or a garage. The company kicked off its Black Friday sale early, and it includes bundles where you can get up to $200 worth of accessories for free.
Camera deals
If you’re a Nikon fan, this is our favorite of its mirrorless cameras. The Z-series cameras have a lens system that allows more light into the corners of the sensors. WIRED senior writer Scott Gilbertson says the 24-megapixel full-frame sensor has excellent dynamic range and its phase-detection autofocus system is among the best he’s used. The video quality is excellent too. This offer is also available from B&H and Adorama.
This heavy camera is the best mirrorless option for Canon fans. It’s built well, with a sensor that produces a warmer tone – which you might like – and fast autofocus. There is an adapter you can buy if you want to use your old Canon lens with this beast. This offer is also available from B&H and Adorama.
GoPro’s Hero9 action camera is now two generations old, but the Hero10 and Hero11 are still quite expensive. If you don’t mind buying an older (but still good) model, then this is a great option. The Hero9 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) can do almost anything newer models can, especially since it has the same 23.6-megapixel sensor as the Hero10, captures 20-megapixel images, and records 5.3K videos (without stabilization). This offer is also available from B&H and GoPro.
Binocular Deals
Our favorite binoculars are among the most popular for bird watching and the 8×42 magnification is the most versatile (eight is the magnification power and 42 is the millimeter size of the front lens). They are lightweight and come with a comfortable stock strap. The glass gives bright views with little chromatic aberration, so there’s little distortion when viewing something in direct sunlight. This offer is also available at B&H.
These are our recommendations for budget 8×42 binoculars, so this extra discount is welcome. They aren’t as bright and clear as the monarchs above, but they’re great for the beginning birder or the casual birdwatcher.
Be sure to choose the 8×25 size. The price for these binoculars has been $320 for the past few months, although it goes up to $350 on occasion. The Zeiss Terra ED are the compact upgrade pick in our guide to the best binoculars. You’ll get a superb, crisp image in a 10.9 ounce package. They also fold up into a nice pocket-sized package and come with a sturdy, waterproof case.
Laptop & Storage Deals
Need a laptop? It’s not the best deal ever (it’s already dropped to $1,049), but it’s still a nice discount. The MacBook Air (7/10, WIRED recommends) is what most people should buy. It has a nice 13.6-inch LCD screen and a sleek redesign, and the M2 chip offers good performance for everyday tasks. The ports are unfortunately missing. This offer is also available at B&H.
It’s the 2020 MacBook Air (9/10, WIRED recommends) but it’s still excellent, especially at this price. The battery lasted us a full day’s work, and the M1 chip means this machine will instantly wake up from sleep too. It is ideal for everyday tasks and a little more.
That’s the lowest price we’ve ever tracked on this portable SSD. This SanDisk SSD is the fastest portable SSD we’ve tested and it’s durable, so it’ll stand up to daily knocks. If you’re out in the field and need to save your work fast, get this one.
If you need storage but no portability, this is the best hard drive for backups. Scott Gilbertson, Senior Writer at WIRED, recommends incremental backups that usually run overnight, and that’s where it works best. It requires an external power supply and a bit of desk space, but it’s worth it for the peace of mind. The price for this fluctuates often, but it’s also $220 at B&H right now.
The Crucial X6 is our top portable SSD recommendation. It’s not as fast as the SanDisk above, but it’s still faster than most storage options we tested. They are also lightweight and compact. Unfortunately, the build is quite plasticky, so it won’t survive too much abuse.
Deals on backpacks and camera bags
Our favorite camera strap is on sale for the first time. This 9 liter bag (which is often out of stock) can hold a bulky camera, extra lenses and other accessories. You can even attach a tripod to the included straps at the bottom of the bag. It’s made of 840 denier, 1680D ballistic nylon with water-resistant YKK zippers, which means it’s durable and quite comfortable. We also recommend pairing it with Wandrd’s Laptop Sleeve (also on sale for $48), which allows you to store your laptop vertically in the shoulder strap and also offers some protection. This offer is also available at B&H.
This 18 liter camera bag does not look like a camera bag at all. There’s side access to the camera and you can unzip the front to access the rest of your gadgets. There is good organization and a back compartment with a waterproof zipper to protect your laptop. You can also press the Velcro divider inside to convert it into a normal backpack for those days when you want to leave the camera at home. This offer is also available at Brevite, where you can hang it in a variety of colors.
It doesn’t attract attention, looks nice, but can store a mirrorless camera and maybe a spare lens too. There are internal pockets for memory cards and batteries, and the full-grain leather exterior offers a luxury look and feel.
This is WIRED Editor-in-Chief Julian Chokkattu’s favorite camera bag, and the company just launched a wave of fresh colors as well. There’s a side access pocket, and to access all your other camera gear you’ll need to unzip the back. There’s an expandable roll-top you can use to store more items, and plenty of zippers and pockets for all other small gear. You can also store a tripod in the side pocket. It’s comfortable and durable. We recommend the 31 liter model, but other sizes are also on sale. This includes the Photo Bundle, which includes accessory straps, a belt, and the Essential Camera Cube to efficiently store your camera gear in the bag. This offer is also available at B&H.
This is the best discount we’ve seen on this large backpack, ideal for backpackers who tend to carry a lot of gear. WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu took him on a week-long trip to Iceland and he emerged unscathed, with his gear protected even from the elements. He recommends snagging two of the Camera Cube Essential Plus if you have a lot of gear.
This backpack is one of the most versatile we tested thanks to its removable insert. For work, this insert adds expert organization to reach all your notebooks, sticks, and drinks (yes, plural, there are two holders). If you’re spending the day with the kids, take out the bag to replace it with a changing station or any other small clothes and supplies you might need. It is made of 600 denier recycled polyester.
We also like the Pearl Crossbody from Lo and Sons, and it’s a big discount – it’s usually close to $300. You can choose from a bunch of different leathers, accent colors, and interiors. It’s not only pretty to look at, but it’s also an organizer’s dream with multiple large pockets and room for an 11-inch iPad Pro in the center pocket. There’s no flap, so it’s easy to get into those pockets too. They are always completely closed to protect your gadgets.
It’s not a huge sale, but this convertible tote combo is one of our favorite totes, and it’s also one of the best bags made from recycled materials that we’ve tried. Almost everything is recycled, from the 100% recycled polyester interior and exterior to the 100% recycled nylon paracord zipper pulls. A back pocket unzips to reveal its backpack straps that clip onto sturdy D-rings if your shoulder needs a break. It’s water-resistant and padded to protect a 15-inch laptop.
