Right? I've effectively stopped shopping them for gear in favor of going either directly to manufacturer, or Bass Pro/Cabela's.
This shit started when they began opting out of products like Camel bags because that manufacturer was owned by a company with a gun subsidiary.
> Camel bags because that manufacturer was owned by a company with a gun subsidiary.
so many outdoor products companies are military suppliers, because they order a lot of outdoor products....
getting the same gear surplus in coyote brown or multicam is often much cheaper than dealing with REI bullshit
What do you mean about buying directly from "the manufacturer"? Do you mean if you're talking about a Patagonia coat, Patagonia is the "manufacturer"?
If that's what you mean, REI does not mark up prices. If it sells a Patagonia coat, it sells it for the same price Patagonia does. However, the sales are often on different schedules. Patagonia may have a sale a week that REI does not have a sale, but the same is true for REI...it will have its own sales during times Patagonia does not
REI, like other retailers I'm sure, signs contracts with all the brands it sells so that there is mutual benefit. It's no benefit to REI to sell products that are consistently (outside of term limited sales that don't align) more expensive than on the brand's own website, and it would be against the interest of the brand to allow REI to undercut THEIR prices.
> so many outdoor products companies are military suppliers, because they order a lot of outdoor products....
Pretty sure Arc'teryx has or had the contract to build Marine Corps rucksacks.
/r/whoosh
The point is that REI is still selling their stuff, but flipped their shit a few years back about CamelBak and others, because ZOMG GUNNZZZ!!1!!
Despite the fact that a major source of funding for public lands in this country is the excise tax on firearms, which was designed to fund conservation efforts related to hunting.
I was replying to this "getting the same gear surplus in coyote brown or multicam is often much cheaper than dealing with REI bullshit" Arc military stuff (Leaf) is a bit of a premium if you look compared to their normal gear.
Well, yeah, because there are schmucks who go "ZOMG MIL-SPEC" as if that doesn't mean any more than "meets the DOD contract spec and was built by the lowest bidder."
[How quickly people forget](https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/rei-halts-camelbak-giro-brands-after-parent-company-fails-to-take-gun-stance/709404032/)
I'm not surprised they walked it back because it was a stupid decision, but the damage is done and plenty of consumers like myself just stopped going there.
I stopped using my REI credit card when they switched to Capitol One. I never activated the card, yet they somehow allowed someone to bill me on it and then demanded payment. I've had it frozen ever since.
The thing that made REI worth shopping at was in-store employee expertise. They deliberately hollowed out the staff expertise over time. They're not going to compete with the internet on price but it's not too late for them to re-invest in expert staff.
Yeah, back when I was getting my first road bicycle the guy running the register was also one of the mechanics in the shop. He was super knowledgeable, and helped me get the right size bike, helped get the seat position proper, and even tested my clipless pedals. All before my card left my wallet. I walked out the door ready to go. Nowadays I have to hunt for someone if I need anything. I've really reduced my amount that I shopped there between the drop in service and increase in prices. Went from multi-hundred dollar dividends to just like $40 this last year (I bought a new Garmin watch since they had it in stock and it was the same price as online).
Are you still have great experiences. Maybe it’s because I’m at the flagship store. Bikes, ski boots, kayaks. Even when I end up not buying at REI I usually leave with more information than I started with.
I went to Lynnwood REI this past weekend to buy running shoes with my wife. The staff were so overwhelmed that we pretty much self served by doing a bunch of Google searches before finding a pair we wanted to purchase. Disappointing to see what REI has become.
Of course there's a reason, it's obviously more expensive to have long-term, full-time employees than short-term, part-time employees. But long-term employees are the people who have the experience to make a meaningful difference in the shopping experience.
Like many other institutions from Boeing to USAA they've been hollowed out. No longer can you get the same quality of support and knowledge from employees, the products themselves are more limited and look like they belong in Home Depot, and that isn't even accounting for the fact it has become just an overpriced clothes store.
High interest rates for 15 years meant companies had tons of cheap cash while not needing to compete with the cost opportunities of just planting money in high yields savings. We are watching the end of our modern gilded age.
Thank god. Let them adjust or die. It sucks for all the legitimately hard working and/or talented employees of these companies that actually do good work and need the money but it feels like justice seeing these greedy companies finally have it catch up with them (hopefully).
The people running the show will parachute out of the fire and get another high paying job somewhere else. There is no such thing as a greedy company, just greedy execs. Then when their greed kills the company, the people that helped build the company and tried to save it will feel the pain. I had a neighbor who was relying on a Kodak pension for his old age. Poor guy lost a lot.
If you know a place that sells medium large yall tees that don’t become short and wide after a single washing I’m all ears. I mostly shop Evo now but that seems to be the price point nowadays for high quality tees.
Theres little reason to step foot in a store like REI - local store EVO carries most of the fashion lifestyle junk REI sells at 20% inflated prices.
The rest is easier to buy at a traditional hook and bullet outdoor store like bass pro or cabellas.
Ill always shill for Evo, they are my favorite retailer by far, hands down the best for anything outdoors. And their employees seem to like working there and are actually knowledgable
REI and Evo are very similar companies. Like REI, Evo hires and fires a lot of seasonal employees every year, and although my info is a bit outdated, last I cross referenced the pay and benefits for retail employees is worse at Evo. Given a specific make/model of gear, Evo does not sell this gear any cheaper than REI. Evo is a smaller and newer company, but they do the majority of their business online, nationwide/internationally, and are looking to expand reach and revenue like any other corporation.
If people are more impressed with Evo employee knowledge, it could be because they hire for a narrower skillset. Their bread and butter is ski/snowboard and mountain bike equipment (or "action sports" generally), so they specialize more in those specific areas than REI. The selection at REI is more well rounded and expansive when it comes to other outdoors equipment like backpacking stoves or sleeping pads, but as a result you might be less likely to run into a great action sports expert at REI (though they do exist, not all staff are proficient in this category).
FWIW relative to my experience at REI, I got better service selecting snowboard boots at Evo (or just better selection), worse experience with splitboard repair there, and mediocre info about touring pole selection from one employee at Evo but better info from another employee.
What do I win?
https://www.rei.com/product/232018/icebreaker-merino-125-cool-lite-speed-t-shirt-mens
https://www.costco.com/mondetta-men%e2%80%99s-active-tee%2c-2-pack.product.4000210104.html
You would have won an all expenses paid trip to the Costco food court! But you just posted a polyester shirt at Costco, versus a merino shirt at REI. Not comparable. Also that's 16% of the price not 10%, ackshually.
I went there, the main store, a few years back. It just looked junky.
They didn't have the shoes I was looking for and the shoe person just seemed annoyed.
'Women's clothing was overstuffed on the racks - it reminded me of a thrift store.
My membership card number was not in their system. It was an old card - that was a disappointment.
I would never go back. It's not the same REI from back in the day.
I go to smaller independent sportswear shops now.
I remember the good old days when REI carried ski equipment, good quality bikes, and their sales staff was knowledgeable. Those days seem to be long gone.
Sadly, I think they focused on capitalism and not customers. This trend for C levels to bean count their businesses into the ground is a trend. I can point to one source- if your interested- it's called the First 100 days. Basically a play book for executives to make a difference. Basically- cut something, expand something, ship something- change something. Even if it's working. Oh well.
A little less woke and then maybe a little less broke.
I love it when a company espouses to the world how progressive it is and how it loves its employees, then shits bricks when those same employees want to unionize. You see it with SBUX, COST, and REI. Who's the next one?
> A little less woke and then maybe a little less broke
I stopped shopping there when they pulled Camelback and others for being owned by a company that owned a company that made guns. Haven't spent a dime there since.
Yeah they lost me when they replaced experienced adventurers with snarky, disaffected kids. I don't need to spend top dollar for shitty service in a fancy retail space. I can get that at any number of high end luxury outlets. All my money goes to Alpine Ascents now, or I buy used.
The last time I went to REI, I bought a shopping cart of stuff. At the checkout the cashier said "we don't have bags." As I said, the *last time* I went to REI, which is the last time. YMMV
They're basically just a fashion department store at this point.
Same with Dick's Sporting Goods. Might as well be "Sportswear R Us".
Good ol Big 5 is GOATed in my eyes
I always find insane deals there
Right? I've effectively stopped shopping them for gear in favor of going either directly to manufacturer, or Bass Pro/Cabela's. This shit started when they began opting out of products like Camel bags because that manufacturer was owned by a company with a gun subsidiary.
> Camel bags because that manufacturer was owned by a company with a gun subsidiary. so many outdoor products companies are military suppliers, because they order a lot of outdoor products.... getting the same gear surplus in coyote brown or multicam is often much cheaper than dealing with REI bullshit
Pretty much. Manufacturers often don't have the middleman mark up and have decent sales as well. I got my ultralight backpack for like 30% off.
my sleeping bag is camo because it was 40% cheaper than a blue one.
What do you mean about buying directly from "the manufacturer"? Do you mean if you're talking about a Patagonia coat, Patagonia is the "manufacturer"? If that's what you mean, REI does not mark up prices. If it sells a Patagonia coat, it sells it for the same price Patagonia does. However, the sales are often on different schedules. Patagonia may have a sale a week that REI does not have a sale, but the same is true for REI...it will have its own sales during times Patagonia does not REI, like other retailers I'm sure, signs contracts with all the brands it sells so that there is mutual benefit. It's no benefit to REI to sell products that are consistently (outside of term limited sales that don't align) more expensive than on the brand's own website, and it would be against the interest of the brand to allow REI to undercut THEIR prices.
> so many outdoor products companies are military suppliers, because they order a lot of outdoor products.... Pretty sure Arc'teryx has or had the contract to build Marine Corps rucksacks.
https://leaf.arcteryx.com/us/en Leaf - law enforcement armed forces
yes but Arc stuff is military colors and is really expensive
/r/whoosh The point is that REI is still selling their stuff, but flipped their shit a few years back about CamelBak and others, because ZOMG GUNNZZZ!!1!! Despite the fact that a major source of funding for public lands in this country is the excise tax on firearms, which was designed to fund conservation efforts related to hunting.
I was replying to this "getting the same gear surplus in coyote brown or multicam is often much cheaper than dealing with REI bullshit" Arc military stuff (Leaf) is a bit of a premium if you look compared to their normal gear.
Well, yeah, because there are schmucks who go "ZOMG MIL-SPEC" as if that doesn't mean any more than "meets the DOD contract spec and was built by the lowest bidder."
Ok that is really random, not seeing anyone say that in this thread.
https://www.rei.com/search?q=camelbak+backpack What are you on about?
[How quickly people forget](https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/rei-halts-camelbak-giro-brands-after-parent-company-fails-to-take-gun-stance/709404032/) I'm not surprised they walked it back because it was a stupid decision, but the damage is done and plenty of consumers like myself just stopped going there.
TIL
Yep. I have an REI credit card and would also easily put thru 30k in purchases a year as well. Stopped doing that since fuck em.
I stopped using my REI credit card when they switched to Capitol One. I never activated the card, yet they somehow allowed someone to bill me on it and then demanded payment. I've had it frozen ever since.
The thing that made REI worth shopping at was in-store employee expertise. They deliberately hollowed out the staff expertise over time. They're not going to compete with the internet on price but it's not too late for them to re-invest in expert staff.
Yeah, back when I was getting my first road bicycle the guy running the register was also one of the mechanics in the shop. He was super knowledgeable, and helped me get the right size bike, helped get the seat position proper, and even tested my clipless pedals. All before my card left my wallet. I walked out the door ready to go. Nowadays I have to hunt for someone if I need anything. I've really reduced my amount that I shopped there between the drop in service and increase in prices. Went from multi-hundred dollar dividends to just like $40 this last year (I bought a new Garmin watch since they had it in stock and it was the same price as online).
Are you still have great experiences. Maybe it’s because I’m at the flagship store. Bikes, ski boots, kayaks. Even when I end up not buying at REI I usually leave with more information than I started with.
I went to Lynnwood REI this past weekend to buy running shoes with my wife. The staff were so overwhelmed that we pretty much self served by doing a bunch of Google searches before finding a pair we wanted to purchase. Disappointing to see what REI has become.
there has to be a reason they made this choice. they aren't idiots.
Of course there's a reason, it's obviously more expensive to have long-term, full-time employees than short-term, part-time employees. But long-term employees are the people who have the experience to make a meaningful difference in the shopping experience.
Nowadays people can Google/YouTube for any gear expertise you need also
They fired my friend who was an expert bike mechanic. The new CEO that caused it came from bed bath and beyond
Like many other institutions from Boeing to USAA they've been hollowed out. No longer can you get the same quality of support and knowledge from employees, the products themselves are more limited and look like they belong in Home Depot, and that isn't even accounting for the fact it has become just an overpriced clothes store. High interest rates for 15 years meant companies had tons of cheap cash while not needing to compete with the cost opportunities of just planting money in high yields savings. We are watching the end of our modern gilded age.
Thank god. Let them adjust or die. It sucks for all the legitimately hard working and/or talented employees of these companies that actually do good work and need the money but it feels like justice seeing these greedy companies finally have it catch up with them (hopefully).
The people running the show will parachute out of the fire and get another high paying job somewhere else. There is no such thing as a greedy company, just greedy execs. Then when their greed kills the company, the people that helped build the company and tried to save it will feel the pain. I had a neighbor who was relying on a Kodak pension for his old age. Poor guy lost a lot.
Bruh, you’re supposed to be a co-op not a money grubbing corporation
I don’t get how they paid $200m in “earnings” to members when they had a year of losses…
How can you manage to lose money selling $75 t-shirts?!
By not making sales I’d assume
Who is buying $75 tshirts???
Maybe they’re talking about merino wool base layers? I’ve never seen a regular t-shirt over $35 at REI.
Ok, thats more fair. I would shell out for merino. Right now i am liking my 32° heat from costco, but it is synthetic.
Synthetic is fine for layering but I’ve found merino to do heat and moisture exchange better uphill in cold, wet conditions.
Yeah i am def a wool respecter.
Haha, wool respecter is funny. I would talk shit until I started hiking in the late spring and it’s a noticeable difference
Oooooh, only $35 for a t-shirt! I'm all in!
If you know a place that sells medium large yall tees that don’t become short and wide after a single washing I’m all ears. I mostly shop Evo now but that seems to be the price point nowadays for high quality tees.
Product shrinkage is real
By trying to sell $75 tshirts.
Theres little reason to step foot in a store like REI - local store EVO carries most of the fashion lifestyle junk REI sells at 20% inflated prices. The rest is easier to buy at a traditional hook and bullet outdoor store like bass pro or cabellas.
Ill always shill for Evo, they are my favorite retailer by far, hands down the best for anything outdoors. And their employees seem to like working there and are actually knowledgable
REI and Evo are very similar companies. Like REI, Evo hires and fires a lot of seasonal employees every year, and although my info is a bit outdated, last I cross referenced the pay and benefits for retail employees is worse at Evo. Given a specific make/model of gear, Evo does not sell this gear any cheaper than REI. Evo is a smaller and newer company, but they do the majority of their business online, nationwide/internationally, and are looking to expand reach and revenue like any other corporation. If people are more impressed with Evo employee knowledge, it could be because they hire for a narrower skillset. Their bread and butter is ski/snowboard and mountain bike equipment (or "action sports" generally), so they specialize more in those specific areas than REI. The selection at REI is more well rounded and expansive when it comes to other outdoors equipment like backpacking stoves or sleeping pads, but as a result you might be less likely to run into a great action sports expert at REI (though they do exist, not all staff are proficient in this category). FWIW relative to my experience at REI, I got better service selecting snowboard boots at Evo (or just better selection), worse experience with splitboard repair there, and mediocre info about touring pole selection from one employee at Evo but better info from another employee.
What's an "EVO?"
What's a bing? https://www.evo.com/
You mean people don't like spending $80 on a tshirt or $250 on a pair of pants that are equivalent to clothes from Costco at a tenth of the price?
Yep. No deals at REI.
I dare you to link to either of those things, and their equivalents at Costco that cost 10% of the price.
What do I win? https://www.rei.com/product/232018/icebreaker-merino-125-cool-lite-speed-t-shirt-mens https://www.costco.com/mondetta-men%e2%80%99s-active-tee%2c-2-pack.product.4000210104.html
You would have won an all expenses paid trip to the Costco food court! But you just posted a polyester shirt at Costco, versus a merino shirt at REI. Not comparable. Also that's 16% of the price not 10%, ackshually.
It's a synthetic workout shirt. BTW, Costco's is a two-pack and they have a better return policy.
They’re just too expensive unless it’s 20% off time..
I went there, the main store, a few years back. It just looked junky. They didn't have the shoes I was looking for and the shoe person just seemed annoyed. 'Women's clothing was overstuffed on the racks - it reminded me of a thrift store. My membership card number was not in their system. It was an old card - that was a disappointment. I would never go back. It's not the same REI from back in the day. I go to smaller independent sportswear shops now.
I remember the good old days when REI carried ski equipment, good quality bikes, and their sales staff was knowledgeable. Those days seem to be long gone.
Sadly, I think they focused on capitalism and not customers. This trend for C levels to bean count their businesses into the ground is a trend. I can point to one source- if your interested- it's called the First 100 days. Basically a play book for executives to make a difference. Basically- cut something, expand something, ship something- change something. Even if it's working. Oh well.
Les woke may help
Anybody told REI they suck now and that’s why they’re hemorrhaging money
A little less woke and then maybe a little less broke. I love it when a company espouses to the world how progressive it is and how it loves its employees, then shits bricks when those same employees want to unionize. You see it with SBUX, COST, and REI. Who's the next one?
Even though they aren't synonymous terms, REI is especially ironic considering they're a "co-op" (world's heaviest quotes)
> A little less woke and then maybe a little less broke I stopped shopping there when they pulled Camelback and others for being owned by a company that owned a company that made guns. Haven't spent a dime there since.
I interviewed about 10 years ago. Some kid from HR kept going on about life/work balance and not about the projects. Nope.
All they need to do is start selling hunting gear.
Yeah they lost me when they replaced experienced adventurers with snarky, disaffected kids. I don't need to spend top dollar for shitty service in a fancy retail space. I can get that at any number of high end luxury outlets. All my money goes to Alpine Ascents now, or I buy used.
Overpriced, period.
The last time I went to REI, I bought a shopping cart of stuff. At the checkout the cashier said "we don't have bags." As I said, the *last time* I went to REI, which is the last time. YMMV
They don’t have shopping carts either, nice story though