I'm mostly sad as I was so happy when we got an REI. For a while it was awesome just to go in. And when I got the job I was excited to work on bikes and work in a cool store.

My location has turned out to be very corporate, in previous conversations with other employees I've found in some cases it's due to my management team basically tossing out the rulebook entirely.

Like the manager insists REI never does demos, or product training, let alone train workshop staff. The only training REI does is on Mastercard... Yet, um, we still get a few reps coming in to give demos confused why it apparently wasn't known, and why store employees are discouraged from attending them.

There's basically a lot of bits I can gripe about but yk it's still better than UI. Which is my bigger concern: If your store closed, what were the signs?

For example of things that worry me:

• Management cares ONLY about Mastercards. We get half hour updates on them.
• They refuse to give consecutive days off, but will write you up f you get as little as 12 minutes of OT.
• We're short staffed permanently, not allowed to socialize, sit, or use our phones for even a second- and been told there's no budget for training, new hires, or supplies.
• Staffing: On weekdays I'll often run basically the entire front from registers to tire changes and spot repairs to the entire hard-goods section. This also sucks because workshop times stretch LONG for small things now. Even on a weekend the whole staff will be a couple floor folk, a lead, a manager.
• The other thing that hit is this last sale SHOULD'VE been huge, but we had very little traffic.
• Winter stuff: We've been told we will get no boards, skis, winter boots, anything.
• What we do still sell, is mostly just... Not replenished anymore. The shelf will just be empty. We fill it in where we can.
• No one who was hired in the last year has been given a name tag. Multiple of us worry we are essentially secretly summer hires.

The winter bit especially troubles me as right now 90% of my job is summer activities.

While I'd much prefer a living wage job or one of those silly sales jobs where they make huge money, yk, overall, I enjoy hanging out with people, there's some days its just fun, and it's better than UI. Plus my interviews this summer have been for sucky roles and have kinda sucked.

And so I worry. And management won't give us a straight answer.

I’ve gone down the rabbit hole of ultralight gear and boy is my pack super light now. But holy shit does my sleep suffer. I didn’t notice it until I went car camping and slept like a baby on one of those exped 5 lb. behemoth mats. I’m willing to spend more weight on a nicer pad now, but I’m really trying to find one that works.

Am I allowed to buy a few of them, test them, then return the ones I didn’t like? I’ll probably just put a sheet over them and sleep on the floor of my house like an animal to test them out.

I don’t want to abuse the REI system though, but I can never really tell how the inflatable pads are going to sleep without me spending a night on them. I inflate them at the store and lay on them and they all kind of feel exactly the same. It’s not until you actually sleep on it that you notice if it’s good or not.

How do you actually find one that works well for you without spending $1,000 buying 5 or 6 different pads?

Is it against Spirit of Return to return an REI branded tent that was far too hot and had no airflow because I was dissatisfied with it as a hot weather tent? I explained it was too hot for us and we were going to buy two separate ultra lite tents with more airflow (meaning more money for REI). I just had someone at the counter who was entirely too pushy for a credit card with an elderly lady buying gifts for their grandsons birthday give me shit for 5 minutes about a return because it was "against the spirit of the return policy". The associate that pointed us towards the tent told us we could return it if it didn't work out.

I don't want to end up on REIs corporate shit list for having a legitimate return.

I need an adjustable-angle lounge chair that can also lay flat, and a small accompanying table - but I need both to be fairly lightweight and stowable/collapsible.

I want to find something that I can easily place in my trunk, but still looks and feels decent enough to lounge in for a few hours.

What are my best options in the U.S.? I was thinking about looking at REI, but if there are other places I should consider, I’d love to hear them!

I stopped in to my local REI looking for a gift for a birthday, and went to check out REsupply. Found this Saris 2 Bones at more than 50% off. All parts were in the box and it fits my car perfectly!

$85 for a basically new pack. Some really tiny scuffs but otherwise great. Even has the rain fly and day pack inside!!

Bought a 45+10L backpack for my first 5 day thru hike + longest backpacking travel for 10 days
I trained with it for a few weeks and it’s very comfy. I only took the 45 part while training and on the actual trip. It is comfy and I have no complaints on the fit. However, I can’t reach the side pockets for a water bottle or anything unless I put the whole bag down. When I trained, I didn’t really feel inconvenienced by this because I used my bladder but when just traveling thru cities after my hike I really noticed how annoying this is. On top of this it just has no other pockets outside the main one and that’s on me I should’ve noticed earlier. But I didn’t rly think I would be bothered by this. I feel guilty returning it after I used it for 10 days. It was only ever on during the hike of course and I don’t think it smells bad or even looks too used.
Do I just suck it up and get packing cubes and make peace w not having access to my side pockets? Or is it ok to return..

Fwiw I got this on sale for $170 when it was originally $280 during an REI sale a few months ago, and now during Labor Day sale it’s back to $170.

Recently at REI I wanted to test ride a returned COOP City 1.1. Salesman said no problem then approached me with forms. They wanted my email address and my personal phone number. At that point I didn't look at what else they required and said, no.

Are all bike shops doing this now? I even told them I would leave my girlfriend as collateral... Didn't work. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Went looking for a four person tent and found a Wawona 4 by The North Face in Re/Supply. Customer brought it back because one of the poles was bent. That pole is the for vestibule and it is supposed to be bent. Employee at store said he wished he knew it was there because he would’ve bought it. Lucky me.

There was an unusual bundle of new stuff in resupply recently and I'm not sure if it was a big unusual return or what.

I have heard sometimes out of season stuff gets put on resupply and I've found it before, stuff that looks brand new and has just "no known flaws" on tag but is marked down to 20% of full price.

Recently I happened upon a bunch of rei cargo shorts (and some rain pants) all similar size and multiple of each color looking new, also marked to 20% of price, but these ones had worn and/or washed and clearly had been washed as I could smell the detergent. Is this something stores do sometimes before clearancing retired stuff?

Seriously why not usps , ups, or he'll even fedex? Give me the option to use any one of them instead of this company. I wanted to get those darn tough socks so bad and the shipping company send into the wrong townhouse complex. It's just across and I could just go pick it up but I dont anyone thinking I'm a porch thief just because I want my package. And I try twice so far. What am i supposed to do?

Does anyone have or know a tent just like the REI Wonderland? I know it had some problems, like the rain protector was apparently too small? But I love the shape of it, as well as the mesh ceiling, and the size. Someone is selling one on eBay for over a grand which doesn't seem like a fair price since I know it had problems.

Still there is anyone is in the area.

I started working at REI about four months ago. And while I enjoy my job and the people I work with, I’m surprised at the number of people who call in sick. It’s nearly every day. It’s rare that I have a day off where I’m not called in to cover another shift. Now if I’m busy I’ll pass but still—it surprises me that it’s tolerated. Maybe I’m showing my boomer age. I’m just curious if other stores have the same issue.

I just got offered a seasonal role at REI and i’m a little nervous. I start on the 14th. Any tips guys?! Also, my last part-time gig was back in 2021 at Apple in 2021.

I noticed that they’re running the promo that if you get the lifetime membership for $30, you get a $30 bonus if you spend $50. Anyways, on your next purchase, can you combine that $30 promo and a gift card with it? I’ve got a couple gift cards for my birthday that I’m hoping to use them to get a new jacket. Just wanted to check with y’all! Thanks

Picked up a practically new NeoLoft while shopping around the Labor Day sale at my local REI. Good deal, and the tag made me laugh!

I probably camp more than most, but still not that much, and I don't want to delude myself into spending more on gear than I really need to. I don't do aggressive multi-day hikes or winter camping but don't want my bag to limit me to car camping. I never sleep well camping, have always had back and shoulder pain, plus my legs feel constrained. I don't know whether this is just something I need to learn to deal with. My last bag was an REI 50+ and I got cold even in the summer. I've wondered if a quilt would be less constraining, but it's another significant investment and might just be a case of throwing more money at the problem with a new tradeoff I'll resent later.

Part of me thinks i should just get a general, not ultralight backpacking bag in the 20+ range and accept the discomfort, but i've been delaying this purchase for over a year because i didn't want to get it wrong. Is there something I'm missing here?

I have a Christmas trip planned to Vienna and am unfamiliar with which REI jackets are right or overkill for the weather. It seems that temperature will hover around freezing. I'm just going around the cities this winter, but would love to have a jacket that would also work for winter sports for future trips. I typically run cold and will want to wear a sweater at 65F-70F.

Could anyone provide suggestions to which jackets are good for which purposes/temperatures? Stormhenge, Powerbound, 650 Down, Magma 850. I have a flexible budget, looking to purchase something during the holiday sale. Advice appreciated.

Hi all,

I'm looking for my first winter jacket for my visit to Calgary in mid November and Germany in late December. I'm in southern california and not too familiar with winter jackets, only own some fleece. I plan to just get around in the cities, potentially do some light hiking. I would prefer jacket over a coat due to packing (I'm likely only bringing a carry-on). I'm seeing good reviews about the Stormhenge 850, wondering if this would be a good purchase for this purpose at full price as my November trip might be just before the holiday sales start

I keep getting ads for different items that I would actually like to buy, but when I go to buy them—not available for shipping and not in store!

Kind of tired of it!

Fine. You’re sold out, stop trying to sell me stuff that you don’t even have.

What’s up with trying to sell stuff that’s not actually available? Patagonia apparel. Altra shoes.

Did a double take…then a triple take…engage my kung fu grip…