REI membership: is it worth it?

[mattkime]

REI is pretty decent when it comes to bike stuff.

[Racer X]

Yoyodyne ArtWorks wrote:
I don't think you earn dividends on sale priced merchandise. Back in the Eighties REI had great prices, now not so much. I think it got trendy and yuppiefied and that drove up prices.

Yes, just like Eddie Bauer. EB used to be an expedition outfitter. You could buy fishing and hunting gear in their stores. Now it walking shoes and tank tops.

[Bimwad]

hal wrote:
Even in a good sized city like sacramento, REI is often the only store in town that carries particular things needed for outdoor excursions. Almost everything they sell is at retail list price - yes, it's expensive, but it's there.

Right.

The question is, if not REI, then where can one go for sporting goods in a B&M store, particularly the camping/hiking/outdoors-focused products they focus on, instead of the broader spectrum that includes ball/stick/athletic fashion branded stuff?

REI isn't in every state, but in most of them.

Cabela's/Bass Pro has similar coverage, with the addition of hunting/fishing gear, but they leave large areas uncovered as well.

In the West, there's Big 5, but they're a regional chain with smaller stores.

There are even smaller regional chains and indies, but those are disappearing along with the hobby shops, etc.

I suppose there's Dick's, which is a nicer version of the departed Sports Authority.

REI isn't cheap, but neither is regular pricing at the other national chains, and the stuff they carry will be more functional than fashionable.

[davester]

A couple of things that weren't really emphasize above is that your annual REI dividend is roughly 10% of your non-sale purchase total, meaning that what you actually pay is 10% less than the marked price, and their return policy is far more generous than just about anybody's.

[NewtonMP2100]

........would you join a place......that would have you as a member.......???

[max]

Bimwad wrote:
[quote=hal]
Even in a good sized city like sacramento, REI is often the only store in town that carries particular things needed for outdoor excursions. Almost everything they sell is at retail list price - yes, it's expensive, but it's there.

Right.

The question is, if not REI, then where can one go for sporting goods in a B&M store, particularly the camping/hiking/outdoors-focused products they focus on, instead of the broader spectrum that includes ball/stick/athletic fashion branded stuff?

REI isn't in every state, but in most of them.

Cabela's/Bass Pro has similar coverage, with the addition of hunting/fishing gear, but they leave large areas uncovered as well.

In the West, there's Big 5, but they're a regional chain with smaller stores.

There are even smaller regional chains and indies, but those are disappearing along with the hobby shops, etc.

I suppose there's Dick's, which is a nicer version of the departed Sports Authority.

REI isn't cheap, but neither is regular pricing at the other national chains, and the stuff they carry will be more functional than fashionable.
In the Northeast, before I ever seen an REI, when I worked Adirondacks, EMS was the only place to get your gear.....

http://www.ems.com/

[Robert M]

Max,

EMS is closing the store in Carle Place, Long Island. Fortunately, an REI is located practically acrosss the street. There are also a few other very good stores for gear, i.e. Edelmans, Camp-Site, etc.

Robert