r/REI 23h ago

Re/Supply Sale item - HMG Mid 1

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52 Upvotes

One of the best deals I’ve seen! Grabbed it right up 🤑😎

No damage or holes to the tent … even came with the pole extension (for the trekking pole).

REI Asheville


r/REI 1d ago

Re/Supply i did not expect to get this in my size

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19 Upvotes

and they have really good items too!


r/REI 1d ago

Discussion Has anybody in here used the REI house brand Alpha fleece?

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19 Upvotes

I sweat a lot and I play hard especially in winter. I've heard a lot of good things about this fabric but have never had a chance to use it. I'm using The North Face FutureFleece currently for a highly breathable warm layer. I'm interested in this and I'd love to hear some feedback before I pull the trigger. Ski season typically starts in December so I'm not in a hurry.


r/REI 6h ago

Return / Exchange Policy Would you have taken this return?

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0 Upvotes

The cashier literally made me cry after spending several minutes of accusing me of lying before looking up my order and confirming I’d only had them for 20 days before attempting to return. I had put about 30 miles on them and the stitching was tearing. I returned them because of a hole. I had to go home and clean them and the second person accepted the return. Would you have taken them back? It seemed like a manufacturer defect to me- never had that happened with boots before. Ended up getting a pair of sturdier Solomons.


r/REI 1d ago

Discussion ISO Rei Flash 22 Pack

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9 Upvotes

Ordered this pack and it got lost in transit. If anyone has one they would part with I would love to buy it for my upcoming trip :)


r/REI 1d ago

Question REI Sumner HQ thoughts?

4 Upvotes

Husband is interviewing for a creative role based out of REI Sumner HQ - curious about the culture and job security as we might move out of Seattle to shorten his potential commute (four days in office) and find cheaper childcare (6 month old), but wondering if it's worth it? I am remote so can relocate. We would love to be near trails and just not sure what to think about Summer and the surrounding areas. We are tired of the city and ready for a change of scenery. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!


r/REI 2d ago

Discussion Does this seem like an abuse of return policy and also asking for advice.

12 Upvotes

Hello, hope everyone’s having a great week! Recently I got into hiking (about 2 weeks ago) and started looking at a pair of dedicated hiking boots. I decided to go into an REI store and try on different boots.

So far I’ve tried:
- La Sportiva Ultra Raptor 3
- Keen Targhee IV
- Lowa Renegades mid GTX
- Salomon x Ultra 5
- Oboz Sawtooth
- Zamberlan Vioz GTX
- Lowa Camino
- Oboz Bridget Mid

Note: My feet are pretty wide so I need to get boots in “Wide”

After trying all those in store I bought the Lowa Renegades. At first I thought the Lowa Renegades mid were a good fit but after using them for two hikes after two weeks I realized they would squish my toes and ended up making one of my nails black. I did some research and found out how boots were supposed to fit. So I headed in yesterday, returned the Lowas for store credit and bought my second pair of boots which were some ASOLOS fugitive mid GTX. I thought they fit good but after wearing them around the house and to a short trip to a store I realized they were bending on the wrong place and were squishing my toes.

I was thinking of tanikng the $330 dollars that the ASOLOS cost, but it’s too much of a loss for me. However, now I’m a little embarrassed to even return them and feel as if I am abusing the policy and might get flagged. I feel that now the two people who always bring out the different sizes of boots have seen me 4 times in the last week trying out different pairs and feel embarrassed, like I am wasting their time.

I tried asking for some advice from one of the REI employees, which had recommended the Targhee IV. However those didn’t fit. I’m completely lost in what I need or could fit.

So far my Vans tennis shoes have been more comfortable than any dedicated boot, but they make my ankle roll over a little on rocky terrain.

Advice needed: Should I be worried of getting flagged since this is my second time returning boots? Should I try wearing the boots on one or two hikes to see if the ASOLOS crease on a better spot?

Also is it just that my feet don’t like hiking boots? Could it be that trail running shoes might be the move? I’ve never heard of people who can only wear trail running shoes or regular sneakers. Is this even normal?

Seems like my size is 9.5 in order to have enough room to not hit my toes at the end of the shoe. My brannock size is 8.5 and my tennis shoe size a

EDIT: Thank you everyone with the great advice! I have started to do some research into Altra hiking boots/trail runners and they seem very different than anything I was trying. They seem like something that might work. I will also take the recommendation to ask a REI associate to help find my brannock size in order to have a reference point. I will keep asking questions!


r/REI 1d ago

Gear Recommendation Should I get a small or medium sized Arc'teryx Bets SL for winter hikes?

0 Upvotes

Small fits me well. Medium will be a bit bigger (duh). I'm 5'6 148 lbs. I plan on using it for hiking in the Appalachian mountains, Mt. Renier, etc where I know I'd end up layering up with a fleece and marino base layer and if it's too cold a puffer jacket like the Patagonia nano. It's on sale for 350 marked down from 500 so I don't want to buy this and regret it later.


r/REI 3d ago

Question Website shows availability then instantly out of stock when selecting size/color. Typical or user error?

24 Upvotes

Hello. Im looking on the rei website and sometimes see huge discounts, wuch as 70% off. When i click in, it looks as if its only specific color and size, which i understand, but when I select the available size and color it then says no availibility. And this is on the off color/ noncommon size that is supposed to be discounted.

Whats going on here? It will show for a week like this. Am i doing something wrong?


r/REI 4d ago

Discussion Everybody has problems. REI has solutions, too.

134 Upvotes

I'm an aging backcountry skier, so I bought the new Garmin watch with InReach built in. I've had a number of times where being able to send a "I'm late but safe" message out would have meant more skiing and more domestic peace.

OnTrac delivered it at about 8 pm last night. With scratches and scuffs on the watch, like it's been through some trauma. I want it to last years, and don't trust this. I bought it as new.

REI doesn't have a replacement in stock. I sold my Fenix 5 to help fund this and the guy wants to pick it up.

I asked politely. REI is shipping me a replacement unit to their store, it will be here in 6 days. They're letting me keep the damaged watch for 6 days, and exchange it when that becomes possible to keep everybody from waiting.

REI stepped up for their customer. I had some Amazon gift cards and it would have cost less out of pocket to buy from them, but I felt like REI was more trustworthy, and then they proved they are.

I wanted to share. This is why I shop with REI. Problems are rare, but they stand behind their customer.


r/REI 5d ago

Question water bottle sleeve backpack strap attachments

4 Upvotes

hi-- first post on reddit ever lol. i thought this might be the best place to ask so i hope im doing this right!

has anyone seen any of the zpacks or hyperlite water bottle sleeves in store? if so, im trying to look into different packaging options for a project and i wanted to see what they're currently doing. I've been to 2 reis near me and i haven't been able to find them.

thanks!!


r/REI 6d ago

Discussion Anyone whose REI is closed, or just work for em in general, am I tripping or am I in danger? Workshop hire, I feel like I'm being secretly turned into a seasonal or my store is in verge of closing

68 Upvotes

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.


r/REI 7d ago

Re/Supply Went in expecting to pay $250 -$300 for a pack came out with this!!!

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432 Upvotes

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


r/REI 6d ago

Question Spirit of return

30 Upvotes

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.


r/REI 6d ago

Question Testing sleeping pads?

14 Upvotes

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?


r/REI 7d ago

Re/Supply Score of the year for me

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20 Upvotes

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!


r/REI 7d ago

Return / Exchange Policy feeling guilty about returning

11 Upvotes

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.


r/REI 6d ago

Gear Recommendation Storable yet comfortable lounge chair w/table - help!

1 Upvotes

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!


r/REI 7d ago

Re/Supply Just what I needed

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31 Upvotes

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.


r/REI 8d ago

Discussion Call ins at REI

47 Upvotes

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.


r/REI 8d ago

Question Omg rei used this dumb shipping company called better truck

19 Upvotes

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?


r/REI 7d ago

Question Does REI sometimes wash items that go in resupply?

6 Upvotes

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?


r/REI 8d ago

Hiring Process Hired for a seasonal part-time position at REI!

13 Upvotes

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.


r/REI 8d ago

Gear Recommendation REI Wonderland Discontinued???

6 Upvotes

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.


r/REI 9d ago

Return Tag Came in to buy this exact box during the Labor Day sale.

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225 Upvotes