[azbackpackr]

I've been a member of REI since 1971. However, I have always ordered by mail. At first it was via the catalog, and now I use the internet.

I have only been to an REI store twice. Both times it was the Tempe store. The first time was about 2 years ago. The second time was this past Saturday, at about 1 p.m.

Both times I had really bad service in the shoe dept. I have narrow feet, so I usually start by asking the salesman if there are any shoes (I was looking at trailrunners) that run narrow. On both visits the so-called "salesman" did not really seem to understand my question. On this last visit I was brought a pair of shoes, but then the salesman disappeared. He never returned to see if the shoes fit, or if I needed another size. He never mentioned the fact that the store sells Superfeet which might be used to take up the volume in otherwise wide shoes. He never offered to try this option, seeing as he never did actually return.

Honestly, I don't know how that store stays in business. We also went to to Sportsman's Warehouse. They have mostly inferior quality shoes and backpacking gear, compared to REI. But their salesmen do try to help you and they do try to sell what's in the store! Sportsman's Wearhouse employees mostly seemed to be over 30, whereas REI's seemed to be much younger. Like, about 14.

Another thing you get if you, like me, are a middle-aged woman, is a salesman who assumes you know nothing about backpacking or the outdoors. This is just amusing. They can't help their prejudices, I suppose. I get that wherever I go, especially when talking to males.

[big_load]

They haven't done that bad by me, but I'm not too surprised. I don't think it matters what store you're talking about, good shoe folks seem hard to find. I've noticed that backcountry experience among REI staff really runs the gamut. Some are fairly knowledgable, and others I'm not sure have ever gotten beyond the pavement before. I can't blame them too much. It's a tough way to make a living and so many of the customers are both clueless and impervious to good advice.

[te-wa]

Arizona Hiking Shack

trained footwear fitters
'nuff said

[jeffmacewen]

I think your experience could be transposed upon Scummit Hut and 99% of the other "outdoor outfitter" places in the state. The employees tend to be self-estimated elitists who took the job to get a discount...

[azdesertfather]

I just can't get past the fact the REI is so dang expensive. I can't seem to justify going in there very often because of that reason. Living out on the east side, I have found that Big 5 Sporting Goods has a pretty good store...the sales people aren't any better than the REI guys (same young guys probably making a similar low wage), but they at least have this novel idea called a "sale" every now and then, where they price things reasonably!!

Perfect example...last week I needed to buy another Camelpak, 2 liter. Big 5 had them at $69.99, but had them on sale that week for $20 off at $49.99. How much was the exact same Camelpak at REI? $85.00.

[te-wa]

REI is a yuppie clothing store that sells gear on the side. I dont shop there but once a year maybe..
just another one of the dozens of stores that insist you must replace your gear and wardrobe every season, and then claim to be "green aware" with their recycled paper bags. What a sham. Its really sad to see a place that was started as a CO-OP turn into such a marketing and consumerism monster, isnt it Liz?

ok off my soapbox now. try SierraTradingPost dot com for sales on Camelbak

[jeffmacewen]

Campmor is another good place to watch...great sales

[big_load]

Campmor is another good place to watch...great sales

One of the few advantages of living in NJ is being able to shop at the Campmor store. (Although the traffic on Rt. 17 is pretty scary).

[jeffmacewen]

Campmor is another good place to watch...great sales

One of the few advantages of living in NJ is being able to shop at the Campmor store. (Although the traffic on Rt. 17 is pretty scary).

Aw, yes - I bet that's nice, indeed!!

[Hoffmaster]

Man, you guys are a bunch of complainers. Take the time to research what you want so that you don't have to talk to sales people when you go into the store. Also, every time this topic comes up, it is always said that "REI is too expensive!" Where the heck are you shopping and getting cheaper prices? Most of the online retailers, AZ Hiking Shack, Summit Hut, Babbitt's, etc, all have the same pricing. You know why? Cause that's what the stuff costs. In most cases you get what you pay for. When Popular was still around, you could get stuff really cheap, but you'd replace it after a season. There's a reason why cheap stuff is cheap. Shop the internet for bargains; Campmor is great for this and so is Sierra Trading Post and some other sites like Travel Country.

[azbackpackr]

Matt, you have no idea how much time I have spent over the past several years trying to find trailrunners and other shoes in my size. From what I have gathered, finally emailing Vasque/Redwing, and getting a response, Vasque and New Balance are the only ones who do make a trailrunning shoe in my size. However, I so far have not been able to find a vendor who sells them! I have slightly better luck with hiking boots. I recently purchased a heavy pair of Vasques and a lightweight pair of New Balance. Although both were labeled AA Narrow, I still have to put orthotics inside--they are not narrow enough. Plus, my shoe size, 10 and 1/2, is not one many manufacturers make, so that causes more problems. I can find old lady shoes in my size, but not very many trailrunners.

At least at Summit Hut they try to fit you. They use orthotics. They offer to see if the shoe is made in a narrow size, and if it is they offer to order you a pair. At REI as I said, they are not trained shoe salesmen.

I do online shop at Campmor and Sierra Trading Post. In fact, I found that pair of narrow Vasque boots at Campmor. Most of my other gear is very old, and very comfortable. I use foods I can buy at Safeway. But my shoes have to fit me! It's kind of important!

As for the elitist attitude, yes, that is a definite problem you run into, at backpacking specialty stores and also at bicycle shops. I can remember this being a problem 30 years ago, and it is still a problem. I think bike shops are worse, though. I bought my bike at Absolute Bikes in Flag because they treated me so well. They were not all stuck up. They changed out the seat post and stem before I even said I wanted the bike, just for me to ride it around the block!

These stores are just shooting themselves in the foot if they don't train their help well. We can always go somewhere else.

Popular used to carry moderately good quality products when they first opened. They carried good shoes, too. They made some very bad business decisions--first by over-expanding with way too many stores, and later on by carrying really shoddy merchandise that you could buy cheaper at Walmart. That is how they were able to whine that they couldn't compete with Walmart--because they had started carrying the same brands as Walmart! This was not true when they first opened. I am very sorry they couldn't keep it together, because there was a Popular store in Show Low, and now there are NO backpacking stores anywhere in the White Mountains!

[SuperstitionGuy]

Some of the gear I used for years were the result of want-to-be backpackers who purchased goods at stores like REI and then carried to much out to Reavis Ranch in the late fall or early winter. They would leave behind stoves, fuel, tents, cookware, and even sleeping bags just to be able to hike out when the weather turned bad and hoped they made it out to their vehicles alive. Occasionaly I would walk them out as well and carry some of their gear which one time included a very nice shotgun. Unfortunately they wanted the shotgun back when we reached their car at the Rogers Trailhead. I should have just left them up there and picked up the gear they could no longer carry and headed out to my vehicle which was at the Reavis Trailhead by Apache Trail. Just curious to know how often you experienced HAZ backpackers have picked up left or lost gear yourselves on your trips into the back country?

[Rob del Desierto]

My only decent found gear involves a 200-foot rope we found in Grand Gulch.

[Hoffmaster]

At REI as I said, they are not trained shoe salesmen.

I guess I can't understand why, if you know the above statement to be true, you go in there expecting the opposite and then get disappointed. It's not like REI advertises having knowledgeable shoe sales people. Everyone knows that it's just a bunch of college kids who enjoy the outdoors (and some that just needed a job). I doubt any of them care about professionally fitting shoes. If the shoes fit, cool, buy them. If not, whatever. I think you're expecting way too much from REI.

[jeffmacewen]

Man, you guys are a bunch of complainers. Take the time to research what you want so that you don't have to talk to sales people when you go into the store. Also, every time this topic comes up, it is always said that "REI is too expensive!" Where the heck are you shopping and getting cheaper prices? Most of the online retailers, AZ Hiking Shack, Summit Hut, Babbitt's, etc, all have the same pricing. You know why? Cause that's what the stuff costs. In most cases you get what you pay for. When Popular was still around, you could get stuff really cheap, but you'd replace it after a season. There's a reason why cheap stuff is cheap. Shop the internet for bargains; Campmor is great for this and so is Sierra Trading Post and some other sites like Travel Country.

Speak for yourself. Bargains are out there to be had. My biggest issue with SH, etc, is the fact that they stock the crap that their employees like\wan, rather than the best or most practical...

[jeffmacewen]

Some of the gear I used for years were the result of want-to-be backpackers who purchased goods at stores like REI and then carried to much out to Reavis Ranch in the late fall or early winter. They would leave behind stoves, fuel, tents, cookware, and even sleeping bags just to be able to hike out when the weather turned bad and hoped they made it out to their vehicles alive. Occasionaly I would walk them out as well and carry some of their gear which one time included a very nice shotgun. Unfortunately they wanted the shotgun back when we reached their car at the Rogers Trailhead. I should have just left them up there and picked up the gear they could no longer carry and headed out to my vehicle which was at the Reavis Trailhead by Apache Trail. Just curious to know how often you experienced HAZ backpackers have picked up left or lost gear yourselves on your trips into the back country?

Another good place to get it is on craigslist; lots of them buy spankin' new gear, use it once, and sell it for cheap. Especially here near the college...

[azdesertfather]

Man, you guys are a bunch of complainers. Take the time to research what you want so that you don't have to talk to sales people when you go into the store. Also, every time this topic comes up, it is always said that "REI is too expensive!" Where the heck are you shopping and getting cheaper prices? Most of the online retailers, AZ Hiking Shack, Summit Hut, Babbitt's, etc, all have the same pricing. You know why? Cause that's what the stuff costs. In most cases you get what you pay for. When Popular was still around, you could get stuff really cheap, but you'd replace it after a season. There's a reason why cheap stuff is cheap. Shop the internet for bargains; Campmor is great for this and so is Sierra Trading Post and some other sites like Travel Country.

Hoffmaster, i'm surprised you'd say that. maybe i've just had really bad luck, and should give them another look. as i said, big 5 is usually a little less expensive on the exact same gear (same brand and everything), even when they don't have it on sale. The Camelpak I just bought was another example. Even if Big 5 hadn't had it on sale that day, I would have still paid $15 less for the thing. I've never been able to get anything in REI for a reasonable price, and just quit going. But if you like it, that's cool.

Just for kicks, I picked something at random off the REI store and checked its price, then checked Campmor and Sierra Trading Post:

The North Face Cat's Meow +20 Sleeping Bag - Long
REI - $159
Campmor - $119.97
Sierra - didn't have it

Teva Terra-Fi 2 Sandals - Men's
REI - $80
Campmor - $39.97
Sierra - $49.95

Brunton Eclipse 8099 Compass
REI - $70
Campmor - $74.95
Sierra - didn't have it

So in two out of three I tested totally at random, REI was more expensive, significantly so. In the third, I have to give them credit, they were a little bit less.

As the old saying goes,

REI
Really Expensive Inventory

They didn't get that label for nothing

[jeffmacewen]

I miss Bob's Bargain Barn...

[te-wa]

I agree REI is retail, and no more expensive than anyone else when not in "sale" mode
compare prices on new gear even at Campmor
I used to think Campmor was cheaper too, until I realized they sell last year's models, or have sales. Well, so what.. everyone has sales, even REI. (Just not too often)
the thing that makes me giggle (inside, at least) is to think people will camp outfront of REI to be first in line for a stab at some sidewalk sale they have once a year. Now thats funny. Get a life!

rei's pricing reflects msrp just like Mountain Gear Now, Backcountry, BackcountryGear, TravelCountry, Outfitters at Harpers, Rock/Creek, Campsaver, Moosejaw, and other big box stores. They dont have a 'mark-up'.

Supes guy and Page Rob- I have thought about this for a moment and found my favorite/most practical gear is what I make for myself. Matt has one of my first generation tarptents and although the stitching looks like a drunk did it and the whole thing has been redesigned since, its still a nice little shelter, one that would never see the sales floor at REI because its too light. They dont sell "light"
they sell "colorful"

[SuperstitionGuy]

Oh TeWa, could I have used one of your tarptents when I was backpacking Arizona! You just can't imagine some of the terrible places I had to hole up for the night or for bad weather. I called it crack sleeping, wedging myself under a shallow narrow overhang of rock in hopes that the rain run off wouldn't waterfall on me. Or that the critter whose home I had taken for the night would not come back and spray or claw me out of it. I used painters plastic but it had no loops or grommets so I could tie it down. Just a few rocks or cracks in the rocks to wedge it in and hope that it held through the storm. My best shelter was actual caves or indian cliff dwellings but they were to few and far between.