REI: Tourons are Us?

“OK maybe I'm getting a little too annoyed but I can't believe REI doesn't offer Banff/Jasper topo's. So I sent them a little email and they responded:

Q:It may be a small item but I'm still amazed I can't locate a topo for Banff/Jasper.

A: Good afternoon,

Thanks for the e-mail for topos of Banff/Jasper.

REI carries a guidebook for Banff/Jasper but right now, we don't have a topo on CD Rom.

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?originalTextQuery=714832&storeId=8000&stat=7889&productId=47835682&vcat=REI_SEARCH&langId=-1&catalogId=40000008000


WTF???????

They assumed I wanted a topo CD? And the book is definitely for tourists. Then I started getting really annoyed when I think about how they have paper topo's of Everest.

They sell more of these than they would Banff topo's???????

Can I reiterate, WTF????

Now I'm really annoyed. And not only that, lately when I've gone to get clothing it's almost like the sales people assume you are buying for lounging around your back yard. I can't explain specifics but when I went there looking for raingear/fleece the first question was almost like was I buying it to be stylish?

Maybe it has to do with my region but I'm pretty sure I don't look like Mr. Suburban Dad when I go there. usually it's the weekend, I'm disheveled and hungover.

Thank you. I will stop ranting....for now.

BTW - does anyone use CD topo's for backpacking?”

“Of course you are stylish!

Do you actually backpack?”

“I think almost 3 minutes for that remark is a bit lame from you people! ;) Maybe it's b/c of thanksgiving?

The "stylish" inquisition was odd, especially after I asked the person to tell me why the SD raingear was $40 cheaper than the Marmot gear.
last edited: 11/29/04 8:10:49 AM”

“Here's a HUGE shock for ya BM...there are actually other places you can buy stuff than REI. I know! Call me a nut!

:)”

“Oh, I enjoy your rants!

I suppose they are trained to push "style".

Disheveled?
Maybe it's time for a $50 haircut.”

“i went to the new one in Rockville on Friday! if you think the guys' clothes look like they're for "lounging around your back yard," you should see the girls' section! i was looking for hiking pants that weren't zip-off, and they had ZERO. after that we went to Galyans, which sucked even worse! i'm never going back there again. they used to have a whole section that was just long underwear, and now they have ZILCH.”

“Which REI is it, BearM?

Rockville?

Where in Rockville?
last edited: 11/29/04 8:20:15 AM”

“Other places, Nigal? Like who??????

There is Hudson something or other here. And I often go there.......first............

Wait! This is about REI having Everest Topos but not Banff, Dammit!

It was the REI at Bailey's Crossroads. What we have, 4 in Metro DC now with the Rockville "substation"? What's Gaylans?

WTF! I demand an answer!
last edited: 11/29/04 8:21:21 AM”

“I'll have you know I own a wide selection of "Lounging around your backyard" clothes! ;)”

“Hudson Trail Outfitters had a store nearly Tenley Circle......Wizconson Avenue”

“howdy, Homer! :-)”

“I call those shorts and a T shirt.”

“Lyra, you really should be a writer for one of those J. Peterman catalogs!”

“Homer?”

“Aero's real name is Homer, MarkO!

ok, until i just looked it up, i thought J. Peterman was just a Seinfeld creation! i'll be hornswaggled.”

“Ha!”

“I've been dipped in sheep schit, but never hornswaggled!

Yo, Homer!”

“Good timing BM, it's almost exactly one year to the day that I started a post about how REI was "just another retail store" that didn't appeal to serious BP'ers anymore! http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/27295,-1.php

What's funny is how some here took me to task for it, oh well.

LOT's of us in the West use TOPO routinely. In fact I posted a thread yesterday asking a stupid question which Lumberzac answered.”

“Yes, I use CD generated topos all the time. Maintain my hiking and benchmark database with them.”

“bmag, lots of people like CDs better than buying paper topo, cause then they just make and print out their own custom maps.”

“LOL wanderer! Must be a Holiday thing, eh?

I think if I didn't use waterproof topo's I might be doing a lot of "guessing".

Wait, I don't have a computer, dammit! The future is now and passing me by.

OK. Let's approach this differently - Who knows of anyone who did Everest and bought their paper topo at REI??????????
last edited: 11/29/04 8:43:47 AM”

“You're all washed up, Bear.”

“Our Rei doesn't carry any paper topos anymore and hasn't for about 5 years. They used to have the entire state and it was good.
Birch and I do use CD topos.”

“Y'all are a bunch of bourgeoise/soccer parent/SUV driving snots!

And I hope I spelled "bourgeoise" wrong because a peasant shouldn't be able to spell it!

I hate all y'all and y'all be the first against the wall when the revolution comes!
last edited: 11/29/04 8:49:50 AM”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Suburban Dad and the people buying things to look stylish are the ones who keep your local REI in business.”

“We have four, maybe without Dad we would have one? Yes, that would suck if the 3 others that I never visit went out of business.

Or I would have to make the extra effort of shopping at Campmor?

Or REI's prices might be a bit more reasonable?

;)
last edited: 11/29/04 9:06:16 AM”

“And I hate Embeded ads, dammit!
last edited: 11/29/04 9:05:33 AM”

“Soccer people know how to put a foot to an ass....

I like the paper maps too.

I don't like the future.....I wanna go back......”

“I posted on another thread that I was impressed with the new EMS look. They've come back from being a chi-chi casual clothing store. Their 'Catazine' is quite good. Maybe they can help you.

Meanwhile, try www.mec.ca for topo maps of Canada (Banff/Jasper's still in Canada I hope, I haven't checked lately and y'never know with you guys).

He!!, I'll call the this afternoon (they're on the West Coast and their order department isn't open yet. Worse comes to worse I'll take the order and mail you the map(s).”

“I was proud of myslef the other day when I walked into REI, looked around for like an hour and left with nothing - i didn't have the money to spend, I was just killing time. But I can see how REI seems to cater towards the yuppies - across the street there is a galyans, of course by street I mean like 12 lanes of interstate, but galyans is worse - the salespeople there know nothing, i bought my backpack there because i knew what I wanted and the price was better like 3 years ago, but i don't think i'd ever go there again. As for REI, I know quite a few people that work there - the people I know are hardcore backpackers/canoers, and if you asked them anything I know they'd help you out for what you need, but maybe they're a rare breed - of course they're the only ones I know because they are that way...”

“It's all about looking good.

I was selling some quick draws to a poser "climber" a few years ago, he wanted a certain color...nothing else would do. When I asked why he had to have that specific color he said..."They have to match my biners of course"


Standing along side him was a rather well known climber, guide book author and local celebrity (the shrub didn't have a clue) he smiled at me and asked us a question..."You know how you can tell a real climber???? NONE of his gear matches"

The guy just mumbled something about having to go to REI to get them and left.

I'm sure there are many employees that are hard core, but in many locations you will have posers.
last edited: 11/29/04 9:25:05 AM”

“Oy.”

“Thinking back to the days when I started backpacking, there was very little that was for the backpacking community. People improvised. Svea was the first backpacking stove, and those little brass contraptions were cranky as hell and not exactly the lightest thing around. REI is still a wonderland in comparison, but I do notice that more and more "travel gear" is on the racks.

Try shopping either EMS or Sierra Trading Post online. As for maps, there must be a Canadian agency that sells topos as does our Geological Survey. Try Googling Canadian topographical maps. There may even be a US firm selling them for all I know.”

“Just don't Google Gremlin, no tellin' what he might do!”

“So far no one has mentioned on this thread that Banff is not in the US, but in Canada. Canada is not covered by the USGS maps. They are a separate country. :-)

I seem to remember Hodgeman calling the Canadian equivalent of the USGS a joke, but I could be wrong. For the Yoho trip a couple summers ago, I ordered privately published maps from an outfit up there - the maps were quite good and were available for many areas. I will see if I can remember their URL and will post later....”

“This is great. I wanna see BM (BearMagnet) go off more often. LOL!

Hey, Other BM, people did note Banff is in Canada. I started looking back through to see if anyone called for USGS maps for it. I went through maybe the first 10 and didn't see anyone saying that.

Although, it is a mighty funny point. LOL!”

““Just don't Google Gremlin, no tellin' what he might do!”
MarkO


Next year's cookoff entry would be marinated bearmagnet.”

“Next year's cookoff entry would be marinated bearmagnet.”
geobeet
1:57:47 PM
11/29/04

Oh the fun I won't have with that!

Someone else care to?”

“As much time as BM spends on the computer, Topo mapping software sounds like a good investment.”

“Why is it that bearmagnet is "BM" and I'm "Other BM," even though I've been around a lot longer than him? Come to think of it, he can have the "BM" nickname.... ;-)”

“"Other BM" is a lot worse I think...

Parent: Honey, did you have a regular BM?

Child: No, I had the "other BM"...

Parent: OK, let's give you some Imodium...”

“I make sure I get plenty of fiber everyday.”

“Interestingly, my original handle would yield the initials/nickname "MB."”

“Banff's still in anada? Whew!

Did you try www.mec.ca?”

“yes, goddamn them for making money and wanting to offer their products to a wider audience.”

“Not yet, grem. I got all confused once I learned banff was in another country. I thought Canada was East of Florida but I can't find it on my map.”

“I asked the person to tell me why the SD raingear was $40 cheaper than the Marmot gear.

SD found a cheaper Vietnamese sweatshop.”

“I don't mind REI offering the fru-fru stuff (although the pink flamingos nearly did me in) so long as they still carry or can get the stuff I need. I just want their employees to be able to give me information that's not on the hangtag. So far that's still the case at the store I like to go to.”

“BE COOL, BEARMAGNET, PLEASE!

We'll be happy to pretend that it's in Florida - honest.

President Bush is visiting Canada next week and we don't want him to know.

Thanks, man.”

“They can carry anything they want, Y2, as long as it includes the topos I need and salespeople who either know the "whys & whatnots" or tell you they don't know the "whys and whatnots" but know someone who does.

Now until that day, I get to rant, dammit!”