View Full Version : REI Guidance
Gentle Ben
01-20-2009, 14:03
I am planning to attend a Saturday class in Atlanta on the 24th for more info on a nobo thru hike. I have read so much good info on preparation and GEAR from so many people. I have taken note after note. Will I be safe in just letting those at REI deck me out with all my needs. Can I trust that they have the expertise to help me make the right choices?
I think that if you were to ask for a sales rep that has done some long distance hiking you might be ok. Just have your list ready dont let them buy a bunch of junk you dont need. If you do you can all ways take it back.
It's a crap shoot. You will severely limit your gear choices by going to one store and letting one salesperson's opinions determine what you are going to carry. REI carries middle-of-the-road, conventional gear, which means you won't even get to try some of the specialty gear, like ULA packs.
On the other hand, gear does not make a successful hike, and you can certainly complete a hike with almost any sort of gear. If you're not inclined to do a lot of testing and replacing gear, you cut the process short and get it over with this weekend.
My opinion: if they try to sell you a pack that weighs more than three pounds, look elsewhere for guidance.
Let them introduce their ideas to you. Some folks at REI know what they are talking about, some have no experience. Make you own decisions though. Don't do anything just because someone else says it works. Do it because it makes sense to you.
I hiked with a guy through Maine a couple of years back that had gone to REI and had them outfit him. He ended up in Maine in the middle of summer with a monster Gregory Palisade pack and Whisperlite stove with two fuel bottles. The guy that fixed him up had no clue what he was doing.
My opinion: if they try to sell you a pack that weighs more than three pounds, look elsewhere for guidance.not many packs that they carry weigh less than three pounds.
A good heavy pack that rides like a Cadillac is nothing to shun.
skinewmexico
01-20-2009, 14:30
I'd put a 3 pound limit on the pack, sleeping bag, and tent. And remember........their entire job is to get you to buy stuff.......
Many Walks
01-20-2009, 14:34
Best few bits of advice I can give is to remember it's you and not the salesperson who will carry the gear and survive with it. Keep that on your mind when you're in "gear wonderland". The second is one you'll see here alot, gear up more for hiking than for camping. Finally, a lot of "what if" thinking will just add needless weight to your pack. Listen to what they have to say, but think through and make up your own mind. You're the one who can make the best choices for you. Best wishes on your hike.
Have them give you a suggested list, then post it here before you buy - you'll get all the feedback you can ask for... and so much more!
There are pros and cons to everything, like the 3# pack limit - that would eliminate some very nice 4# packs like the osprey aether series. Limits are very... limiting.
Lone Wolf
01-20-2009, 14:58
Can I trust that they have the expertise to help me make the right choices?
only if they've thru-hiked or done a lot of long distance hiking. even then it's a personal choice
Johnny Thunder
01-20-2009, 14:59
I see that you're in Georgia...I know for a fact that some of the REI team members at one of the Atlanta stores are past through hikers. I hiked with Half Elvis, a former sales dude in Atlanta, for most of the trail...he told me that many of his coworkers were Through Hikers. Also, Big Shanty, who hiked in 07 and might be on here, works in the bike department of one of the REI stores. You should have no problem finding someone who has hiked long distances.
Heavy Pack and lotsa gear = comfy camping, hard hiking - Light Pack and just what you need gear = comfy hiking, hard camping. I like to be somewhere in the middle.
A good heavy pack that rides like a Cadillac is nothing to shun.
It is for me, but I'm more than twice your age. Light gear is essential for me to keep from crippling myself, and for me to enjoy myself.
My personal weight limits: three pounds for the pack; two pounds for the (three-season) sleeping bag; two pounds for the tent. You can see why I don't get major pieces of gear from REI.
A lot of people think I'm a strong, fast hiker. In truth, I am an extremely average person, though tall. I credit any unusual abilities I appear to have to a regular exercise program and lightweight gear.
Blissful
01-20-2009, 15:06
Heavy Pack and lotsa gear = comfy camping - Light Pack and just what you need gear = comfy hiking. I like to be somewhere in the middle.
This sums it up quite nicely (from one who began with one of those huge comfy packs and switched after tearing up her leg).
I'd stick to the advice here on Wb and go see Winton at Mountain Crossings.
If I'm not mistaken you have to pay for the thru-hiking seminars. Not for nothing, you can get lots more info here than from one of two former thru-hikers that work at REI.
For pack, tent and sleeping bag, you'd be better off buying elsewhere.
Living in GA, if I were starting fresh, and wanted someone to outfit me, I'd drive to Mtn. Crossings and get expert advice / gear there.....
REI has a lot of heavy, over priced gear. Much of it is not designed for thru hikes. They have 50 kinds of heavy nalgene bottles and "splash gaurds" to add to those bottles, when what you really need is a bottled water bottle that weighs 1/5 as much and costs 1/5 as much.
As for the staff, most of the 16 yearolds that work at the REI near my house have never been on a backpacking trip that lasted more than a weekend, if they have gone backpacking at all. I don't think there is a single employee there who has completed a thru hike. They also will tend to "suggest" items for your hike. They usually start with the "good, better, best method", where the best thing to take is also (coincidentally) the most expensive. It is great for REI if they sell you the 7 pound, $300 Gregorry Pack, but not so good for you when you realize it is too big and too heavy and you have to replace it on the trail. One thing that should be remembered is that REI is not an impartial giver of advice, they are a retailer looking to get as much money from you as possible. Nothing wrong with them trying to increase profits, but it is important to do some research before hand ,so that you don't waste money on gear that is not right for you.
wcgornto
01-20-2009, 17:12
I'd put a 3 pound limit on the pack, sleeping bag, and tent. And remember........their entire job is to get you to buy stuff.......
Wow!! Three pounds total for the big three. Now, that's light.:D
skinewmexico
01-20-2009, 17:36
Wow!! Three pounds total for the big three. Now, that's light.:D
OK, I'm busted. I meant three pounds EACH! I bet everyone else understood what I was saying.
Cabin Fever
01-20-2009, 17:39
OK, I'm busted. I meant three pounds EACH! I bet everyone else understood what I was saying.
It took me a minute, but I figured it out.
I am planning to attend a Saturday class in Atlanta on the 24th for more info on a nobo thru hike. I have read so much good info on preparation and GEAR from so many people. I have taken note after note. Will I be safe in just letting those at REI deck me out with all my needs. Can I trust that they have the expertise to help me make the right choices?
Talk to Frank Woods at the Perimeter store. He's a Triple-Crown hiker.
garlic08
01-20-2009, 18:23
If you have it as a goal to have anything close to a lightweight pack, do NOT go to REI. They simply do not sell the stuff, like Marta says.
I'd think that your time and money would be better spent with Winton Porter at Mountain Crossings.
theinfamousj
01-20-2009, 19:18
My REI has a few former thru-hikers. The folks who work in the backpack department are extremely knowledgeable.
On the other hand, it is perhaps because I always drop by REI to gear up for school trips (there is invariably a teacher or student who don't have a warm enough bag or we need another tent or something so I rent them from REI) that I happen to know by both sight and name the former thru-hikers. REI employs a lot of people, and I'm talking about three of their many employees.
Also, REI has a few ~ 2.5 lb packs. But again, you have to be armed with knowledge. They also carry light tents, such as the Seedhouse SL 2 (~ 2.5 lbs). And light sleeping bags (REI sub Kilo series). However, these are diamonds in a much larger, much heavier, much cheaper rough.
And when listening to the gear recommendations made in an REI seminar I was amazed at the amount of comfort weight that they were recommending bringing. A spatula? Really? And a mini espresso maker? With a demitasse metal cup?
By the way, the best way to figure out which sales staff are knowledgeable (that I've found) is to wear a Trail Days shirt while standing on the food aisle. If someone approaches you and asks, "Where did you get that shirt?" then they are hitting on you/know nothing (because the shirt clearly says, "Trail Days, Damascus, VA" so where do they think you got the shirt? California?). If someone approaches you and asks, "Can I help you find anything?" then they are oblivious or know nothing. But if someone approaches you and asks, "What year did you summit? I summited in [insert date here]," without even a hello, then they are a former thru-hiker and can tell you which of their colleagues are also thru-hikers.
For that matter, this trick works for finding thru-hikers in pretty much any store. I met a guy at Target once, in the towel aisle.
mountain squid
01-20-2009, 19:22
I'd think that your time and money would be better spent with Winton Porter at Mountain Crossings.
I'll second that (http://www.mountaincrossings.com/).
See you on the trail,
mt squid
Never heard of Winton Porter at Mountain Crossing. Must be a south eastern place.
Worldwide
01-21-2009, 15:41
I'd think that your time and money would be better spent with Winton Porter at Mountain Crossings.
I third the motion for Mountain Crossings.
My opinion of REI is you pay full retail. So what if they have a great return policy. You are able to buy the brands they sell online for almost half the cost. It is easy to have a great return policy if you charge twice the street price of the product since the end user paid for two anyway.
The better gear manufacturers will replace your gear for free. All it takes is a phonecall or an email with a pic of the problem. The manufacturer will send you a replacement to a good "mail drop" location along the trail. For a sight unseen case they may put a charge on a credit card until you return the defective one. If it wasn't operator error they will issue a credit to your credit card. Also this will get an appropriate sized box for the item, and request a return tag to cover the postage. Just say something to the effect of "why should I pay for postage you made the defective <insert random product here> I bought it and carried it the least you can do is send a return tag"
So in short F O O K REI and everything they stand for: high prices, car camping crapola, all hidden under a great return policy. Let the people that walk in the park gear up there if you are on the AT use an outfitter on the AT!
Lone Wolf
01-21-2009, 15:44
I third the motion for Mountain Crossings.
My opinion of REI is you pay full retail. So what if they have a great return policy. You are able to buy the brands they sell online for almost half the cost. It is easy to have a great return policy if you charge twice the street price of the product since the end user paid for two anyway.
The better gear manufacturers will replace your gear for free. All it takes is a phonecall or an email with a pic of the problem. The manufacturer will send you a replacement to a good "mail drop" location along the trail. For a sight unseen case they may put a charge on a credit card until you return the defective one. If it wasn't operator error they will issue a credit to your credit card. Also this will get an appropriate sized box for the item, and request a return tag to cover the postage. Just say something to the effect of "why should I pay for postage you made the defective <insert random product here> I bought it and carried it the least you can do is send a return tag"
So in short F O O K REI and everything they stand for: high prices, car camping crapola, all hidden under a great return policy. Let the people that walk in the park gear up there if you are on the AT use an outfitter on the AT!
i've seen hikers with perfectly good gear send it home at neel gap and buy more of the same stuff cuz it was a little bit lighter. the whole go-thru-the-pack ain't so cool
max patch
01-21-2009, 15:51
I met a guy at Target once, in the bathroom
This ain't that kinda site.:)
skinewmexico
01-21-2009, 16:52
the whole go-thru-the-pack ain't so cool
Probably depends on who's pack it is.
mountain squid
01-23-2009, 19:16
i've seen hikers with perfectly good gear send it home at neel gap and buy more of the same stuff cuz it was a little bit lighter.Every year this happens. That is why I would suggest to prospective AT thru-hikers to visit Mountain Crossings BEFORE making major gear purchases and BEFORE the year of their thru-hike. I would also suggest to visit Mountain Crossings in Mar/Apr when thru-hikers are coming through.
See you on the trail,
mt squid
And when listening to the gear recommendations made in an REI seminar I was amazed at the amount of comfort weight that they were recommending bringing. A spatula? Really? And a mini espresso maker? With a demitasse metal cup?
Too funny. They tried to sell me on the idea of bringing a mini espresso too. They must be overstocked with those. I can't imagine doing a thru hike carrying some of their recomendations. I'll pass on the camp chair too. But hey, that stainless steel margarita glass "only" weighs 7 ounces. Stainless steel? What was RIE thinking??
http://www.rei.com/product/768518
I myself thruhiked in 08 and i also work at the REI in CT.
My personal opinion is that it all depends on who you talk to, someone who hasnt hiked before won't have the backround knowledge to tell you what you'll really need and what you wont. just do your research, ask questions and you'll be set.
Two points i'd like to make:
-if you plan on making any big purchases, wait a day or two just to make sure its what you really need/want
-Keep in mind that you will probably be replacing a lot of your gear along the way. and that you dont need to buy everything right away. there are plenty of outfitters along the way and you can just about everything you'll need
trail ronin
01-31-2009, 17:48
Last years seminar was done by Katie and radar, both thru hikers.
My advice, Go to the seminar.
Go to see Winton. If cornbread still works there, talk to him.
Buy your bag and a few other stuff while you’re there. Nobody rides for free.
Develop your gear list. post it here.
Buy as much stuff online as you can, after you know what to buy. It's cheaper.
If you need to weigh your stuff, pm me. I have a set of digital scales and live in Gainesville.
WILLIAM HAYES
01-31-2009, 18:29
don't do it most of the young guys and gals at REI are what I call urban wanna be hikers the members of this forum can provide you with enough information about lthe gear you will need also check out backpackinglight.com
The REI where I work has 4 former thru-hikers, including me. We're the ones who offer the thru-hiking clinics at the store. I suspect you'll get the same level of experience when you go to your clinic.
The experience of those on the sale floor will vary widely however. Find out when the folks offering the clinic are working and get advice from them. It will help.
BTW, the job of an REI employee is not to sell stuff. It's to help meet a customer's needs. More than once I've told a customer seeking to thru-hike, and wanting lightweight gear to get online and look at niche companies that sell specialty products. With excellent customer service, that person usually comes back for other needs after a thru-hike. Losing the sale on a tent or pack balances out in the long run.
Also, as many have said, check out Mountain Crossings at Neel Gap (mile 30 of the AT). They offer some outstanding lightweight gear (such as ULA and Six Moon Designs) that normally has to be ordered online. There you can actually hold it, try it on, slide into tarptents and check out room, and so forth.
Don't limit yourself to just one place.
sbennett
01-31-2009, 20:16
If you have it as a goal to have anything close to a lightweight pack, do NOT go to REI. They simply do not sell the stuff, like Marta says.
Sure they do. Off the top of my head, they sell the Granite Gear Vapor Trail and the Osprey Exos, both of which weigh less than 3 pounds and both of which might work out just fine. They also sell plenty of lightweight sleeping bags online as well. If they don't have them in the store you can just get them shipped there.
I'm not a huge REI proponent, as I tend to prefer local stores over REI, but simply saying they have nothing lightweight is just wrong.
Since You Are On The Internet Look At There Web Site Use There Compare Feature Look For Weight Price Etc. Make A Decision From There. They Don,t Just Sell Rei Brands. All Though Some Of There House Stuff Is A Good Product. Ask Yourself Is The Item Some One Recommends Something That I Will Use. What Works For One May Be A Hassle For Others
Lot of REI haters on here ... I guess I've never had a bad experience with 'em but I've never tested gear on a 2200 mile trail.
Question: Anybody ever gotten any of the major purchases (tent, bag, pack) from one of REI's garage sales? I've heard you can get discounts of up to 90%, and I was thinking of buying at least a down sleeping bag and a one-man tent. I know the stuff is used, but cheap is cheap!
I've been a member of REI since 1967. They used to be the premier supplier of climbing and hiking gear. Sometime in the 70's they became what I refer to as a "Yuppie" outfitter. Neon clothes, running shoes, sweat bands... Something for everybody.
The lightweight thing happened and the world turned beneath their corporate structure.
Still, if you have a store in your area it doesn't hurt to check it out. Just don't plan on buying the lightest gear there.
I agree with others that REI is a crap shoot. I've gotten I'd say about 90% of my gear for my upcoming SOBO from REI, but it's been through MANY trips, returns, and different sales people. I cannot stress enough to find gear that works FOR YOU. Buy the gear that they recommend-- if you think they're qualified to make a judgement, oftentimes you can tell right away they have no idea what they're taking about-- then go out for a few days and see how you like it. That's the beauty of the REI return policy-- they'll take anything back-- pretty much the reason I've bought most of my stuff from them. Like I said, take it out for a few days, return what you don't like, keep what you do. You'll acquire all of your gear that way through trial and error (and a lot of patience to keep going back to the store a million times) but you'll end up with a set of gear that's great for YOU. Good luck!
While they may provide you with gear that will allow you to complete your hike, I would think that you would have found many lighter alternatives while perusing the posts here on WB. REI carries adequate gear in most cases, but not the ideal gear, especially when you consider weight. If I were planning a thru-hike, I would not want to depend solely on REI as my source of equipment.
Lot of REI haters on here ... I guess I've never had a bad experience with 'em but I've never tested gear on a 2200 mile trail.
Question: Anybody ever gotten any of the major purchases (tent, bag, pack) from one of REI's garage sales? I've heard you can get discounts of up to 90%, and I was thinking of buying at least a down sleeping bag and a one-man tent. I know the stuff is used, but cheap is cheap!
I have made several major purchases at REI, and will continue to shop there because of their excellent customer service policies.
* Gregory Whitney pack (prolly worst purchase decision of my life - but that was before I realized I could get my pack weight below 40 lbs, and that was actually a good thing)
* Marmot 0 deg bag (which I "returned" and re-purchased a year later when they marked it down $100)
* many pairs of hiking shoes and boots
* Marmot precip pants for son
* Marmot rain pants for me (forget what they're called at the moment)
* SD Clip flashlight tent (bought for son at annual sale - even tho it was a return, I couldn't tell that it had ever been taken out of its bag)
* several headlamps
* several pair of hiking pants
...all I can think of at the moment...
Several times I've had to return things - wrong size, stupid purchase decision on my part, toe rand on hiking shoes delaminated after short period of time, etc...
In no instance have I ever had a problem.....I value and will reward companies that implement intentional policies that are customer friendly and that empower front line staff to make their customers happy. Unfortunately, the list of companies that I have experience with that do these things is very short.
Steve