REI commercialization

“Why you all getting so uppity over REI? We are all gonna end up in some ugly suit or dress in some very expensive wooded crate in the end anyway. Just wear what ya wanna wear now cause in the end, I highly doubt your eternal clothing will be technical.”

“Shouldn't you be practicing some rockabilly licks, Dawg?”

“Not me Maam! Ashes to ashes..... =)”

“Sass, could you pass me the bowl of nuts, and watch my cigarette...almost got your MH sleeve there...you need another beer?”

“Yeah, I'm gonna be cremated too...cause I AM NOT WEARING A DAMN DRESS!!!”

“Nope, I already had three, have to drive ya know.

Hey, ready for some mud hiking and camping in a puddle?”

“Hey, now Sass? That sounds like a great idea! However, it will have to be March. My yuppie butt has plans the rest of this month with my other yuppies. None of which have to do with hiking or anything technical. Gonna have to be a weekend, cause I fit in the warrior category. And I wanna do, oh....what is the name of that trail? You wouldn't know would you? The one down towards um.....Green Lake, I think? Over heard some hikers at the bar talking one night about that...sound good?”

“"...cause I AM NOT WEARING A DAMN DRESS!!!”
Wolfeyes
9:20:29 AM
2/15/05

Neither am I!!”

“Hey TD, I have a bus like that! Except it's brown, like a big ol' turd or tootsie roll.


Wolfie, March 12th or March 26th?”

“Yeah, I'm gonna be cremated too...cause I AM NOT WEARING A DAMN DRESS!!!”
Wolfeyes
9:20:29 AM
2/15/05

but wolfie, you look so cute in that short black mini dress with your boxers on ;)”

“MarkO: practice is tonight. And it ain't rockabilly.. lmbo.

Sass: Koo. See there? You are a granola munching earth-day freak. ;)

Ewker: What's your take on this? Is REI selling out? And if so, is it a good thing? Are we about to get slaughtered wiff a bunch of newbies that we will hafta be teaching the ropes to?”

“The 12th looks best so far. The other date is Easter weekend.”

“Wow, I just found out why hippies stink do bad...



”

“HEY! You better leave my two favorite scents alone there, Nigal!! Together, they smell wonderful!”

“why is that chicken wearing a santa hat?”

“LMAO. I'm soooo sending that to some of my hippie friends...”

“Yeah but how can ya tell the difference? LOL!”

“Dear Yahoo!: What is the fragrance patchouli?
Kathy
Silverdale, Washington

Dear Kathy:
If you remember the '60s, chances are you remember the scent of patchouli. We typed this exotic-sounding word into the search box and slogged through listings from vendors of candles, bed linens, perfumes, and aromatherapy products, scanning the results for sites where the descriptive text seemed more factual than sales-oriented.

We learned that the essential oil made from the patchouli plant has a "pungent, powerful, mossy, musty" fragrance. The viscous, orangey-amber oil is extracted from the leaves of a two to three foot perennial bush with purple-tinged white flowers, native to tropical Asia.

From the pages of Botanical.com, an herbal resource first published in 1931, we learned that patchouli, or Pogostemon patchouli, is a tropical member of the mint family, grown in the East and West Indies. Leaves are harvested several times a year, dried, and exported for distillation of the oil, although the highest quality oil is usually produced from fresh leaves, distilled close to the plantation.

The oil is thought to improve with age, and is used with camphor to give India ink its characteristic odor. In the 19th century, the fragrance was used to scent fabrics manufactured in India for export to Europe.”

“Patchouli, about as welcome as a fart in church.

That stuff's purpose is to cover B.O.”

“TD, my thoughts have been posted on this and I riled up that northern woman named Sass ;)

I was at REI the other day to spend some mony and it took me forever to find
hiking clothes that weren't 100% cotton.

I posted basically the same thing you did about comparing REI and Backpacker Mag on the first page of this thread.”

“got yas!!.. well glad we agree Ewker.

I can't see the point of buying clothing at REI if it aint a poly blend.”

“Dang TD. I always just thought it was the sent od failure?”

“"I can't see the point of buying clothing at REI if it aint a poly blend.”

Dividend?”

“if I want non poly clothes I can get them cheaper at other stores. Why pay through the nose for a 100% cotton shirt that says TNF on it. The money I save at other stores on non poly is a whole lot more than my dividend would be.
Nigal, does that make me a conservative cause I want to save money ;)”

“What about WOOL?!

Wolfeyes, my bad. I have a date to dye easter eggs the 26th. I'll pencil it in on the 12th. Lemme know if something changes.”

“Who said anything about a TNF cotton shirt? I find REI's prices to be competetive on many street items. And the sales? Like oh ma gawd!

no Ewker this doesn't make you a conservative because you seem very hung up on image.”

“Sass, don't know about Wool since I never buy it. It doesn't get cold enough down here for it.”

“image..lmao at nigal on this one.

I do agree when they have sales there prices are good but it is even better when they have there super clearance sale at the stores. selection is thin but you can get lucky.”

“The last way i want to spend my free time, when I have some, is by shopping. Bargain shopping is to me a horrible waste of my free time. I needed (well hoped I needed) Fleece Pants. Spent 15minutes in REI for it. I needed raingear (got "lucky" with a poncho for the last time) REI had a sale on Precip and went there for another 15 minutes.

I like trying on stuff or trying out stuff before I buy it so I'll probably go to REI for poles.

My free time is worth more than any extra costs so far.”

“TD said:
I'm just saying that REI taken to its extreme is Bass Pro Shop.
==========
What's wrong with Bass Pro Shop? I wish we had a BPS in California. You can find more types of Deer Hunting Scent there than most places have types of rifles. You can get every kind of hiking boot, every kind of fishing pole, and a fair amount of camping stuff, though not by REI standards.

If you lived in Springfield Missouri, where else would you go to buy an MSR Whisperlite Backpacking stove, or get a decent selection of waterproof boots?

That's kind of how I feel about REI. For a lot of places, it's about the only place to get a decent selection of this stuff. You can go look at the merchandise and try it on for fit and quality. Why wouldn't you want that?

Sure, a few cities have local or regional shops to buy this stuff, but not very many. And while they usually have great customer service, they also usually have a small selection.

Plus, REI has good customer service. I mean, I see what you're saying about wanting them to stay true to their roots, but I don't see REI turning into a SportMart. They're a hiking, biking, camping, kayaking/canoeing store, and that's pretty much what they'll always be.”

“We're getting a Bass Pro Shops about 10 miles away. I'm looking forward to it.”

“Really DH? Where the building it?”

“Every one has his or her own opinon, thats what makes our country work. To some rei has sold out and is not worth going to any more. To some you can't beat the selction, even if you have to work you way though the cotton. To others the cotton is what they are after, if they want to spend the money on it let them. I'm just glade there is a store where i can go to see lots of gear, cloths and anything eles i might need.

Ever been to a super wal-mart to get lets see that new cd, you know its the cheapest place. Do you complain when you have to walk though an entire grocrey store to get it. No, why cause its cheap. The more you carry the cheaper your price can been and most people don't complain about all the food in the way of what they need. Thats they way i feel about REI it may have a lot more then i would every need it to but it still has all i need in one spot. So who cares about anything eles. It's also the best place to wish and window shop.”

“Walmart is further away from me than REI, Probably 5-10 minutes outside the Beltway. No way am I going that far for better deals!”

“You are not telling me anything I don't know, DocNice.

"REI has good customer service." Yes they do.

"a fair amount of camping stuff, though not by REI standards." Exactly.

I'm weird, what can I say. Bass Pro is the Wal-Mart of the camping world. I think you are right when it comes to boats, hunting gear etc. I got frustrated -w- BPS when I tried to ask the salespeople questions regarding the merits of one brand over another. It's like these folks that sell you their 'favorite' brand because they get a bigger commission with it? I had the distinct feeling the times I've been in BPS that their experience is nothing more than they have read. (bad thing, IMHO.)

Anyway, I just kinda fell onto this thread by curiousity. It ain't no biggie wiff me. We will all patron the stores where we feel the most comfortable.

Just like this afternoon. BRMS closes at 7, and REI closes at 9, but guess which store I'm going to, even though it will be a challenge to get there before they close?”

“I can window shop online..saves my time and gas”

“dayhiker - I went to the Bass Pro in Destin FL a couple of months back. Terrible selection of backpack gear. The Atlanta Bass Pro's was much better.”

“We will all patron the stores where we feel the most comfortable.
TownDawg
1:18:26 PM
2/15/05

Dream Dresser is about a 5-10 minute walk outside the Bethesda Metro Station.

No car required.”

“hey BM.. i need to talk to you sometime.. bout DC.. we are considering a vacation there in march.. u might be a good contact.. ?”

“BRMS closes at 7:00???”

“aw yes you can but do you know if that will fit, or is that new stove really as light as they say. Or will that backpack really hold up, or is the weight rating really pushing it. You'll never know on-line. What if you have 3 packs you are looking at. Like me, i'm looking at the Gregory Z-pack the Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone and the REI UL 45L Pack. I've been to all the local stores in my are, they all have the z-pack, nice pack the guy at ems didn't even know what the granite gear was, the other local stores told me the ozone was a good pack but they didn't stock granite gear. Of corse i'll have to go to an rei to try on there pack. But on quick call and i found out that they have all three in stock to fit my 19in torso. I'll call again before i drive the hour to get there but i want to see them all to know which one fits the best. Were eles can i do that, oh well i'll take the cotton in the way.

Oh and here at school the only local store doesn't even stock backpacks till mid march. It's full of skis and snowboards. i wish there was an rei closer, but then i would have no money for school.”

“Anytime, TD. Y2 might know a bit also.”

“ya.. they do tonight.

and REI is open till 9.

so i called ahead.. and told them what i needed.. so they will kno i am coming.. i told them id be in right before 7..

;)”

“Agreed photoguy. You can't test a zipper on-line or sit in a tent.

I like to support the smaller more specific shops too. I shop Moosejaw in MI and I've heard complaints here that they're too expensive. I shop Bivuac in Ann Arbor and can get more technical stuff, at once again a little higher price. I shop my locally owned South Lyon Bicycle and get super personalized service, at a price.

I support both these shops where I can get more technical stuff and REI where I can get mass demand stuff. If they make margin on a cotton tshirt, I'll take it cause they'll reduce the price on a polypro liner cause they don't sell as many. It's all about ROIC dudes. Believe me I live that world every day.

There's room for both. Shop where you want, don't complain about a little higher price from the smaller outfitter, the merchandise mix at REI or the fact that you can't try on-line stuff before you buy. Find what works for you and do it. I for one will not hold it against you.

SHOP KMART!”

“photoguy
"or is that new stove really as light as they say. Or will that backpack really hold up, or is the weight rating really pushing it."

There are tons of online sites with gear reviews.

I just want to say, I don't care that REI has gone commercial in a snobbish way. I care that they have glitzed up the stores and I know that means the cost of the climbing wall is going to be reflected in what I purchase. That's what I don't like.
Let the yuppies wear their Gramicci pants, fleece pullovers and low hikers. Give them an espresso cup and they will be wearing the "uniform" of every casual office worker in the Pacific Northwest! Just make sure they have lots of useless carabiners hanging off their messenger bag. LOL!”

“I love moosejaws catalogs!”

“SHOP KMART!”
dhutch1
1:44:50 PM
2/15/05

I have a new appreciation for KMart these days...aisles you can actually get a cart down, less blob/mobs, and they actually have open checkouts!
I rebelled at WalMart last night and took my 40 items thru the 20 items or less register.”