REI "garage sale" goodies

Two weeks ago I found the Surly LHT in a serendipitous moment at the bike swap meet. And that meant my husband and I could think about trying some bike touring, but we only have a large big car-camping style tent.

So this week, I went to the annual REI "garage sale" in hopes of finding a tent that would work for bike-touring. We have been using the REI credit card for some temporary big expenses that we paid back right away, and we had $89 in dividend credit to apply to our purchases.


I got there 20 minutes after they opened and I only found one tent that might work- I looked at it - just a few snags in the mesh on the door and carried it around for a little bit. I put it back because it was a 4 person tent and we just don't need one that large. Apparently, other shoppers also picked up tents and put them back because- Oh look- an REI Half-Dome 2 (same tent but the two person version) with a label that read: "used once, returned because it's too heavy" (5 lbs). That was one of the 3 brand new tents we had been considering - and it was less than the amount of our credit - in essence with the dividend credit - it was FREE!

I also found a good deal on a sleeping bag that is smaller and lighter than any that we already had and will also be better for bike-camping.

So I left feeling pretty lucky.

There's an REI around here?

You've been having excellent luck lately! Awesome!

That's awesome! I think at some point we will also try bike camping but right now, we are just car camping. You will have to let us know how it goes!

Owlie- You are pretty close to REI- it's at Tucson Mall- It's south of River, between Stone and Oracle. Take River to Stone, go south on Stone and there you are.

Excellent purchase, azfiddle!

We considered going to the REI garage sale here in Overland Park, KS, but decided that it would be a zoo. We went there on their grand opening day in the fall (new store), and had to park SO far away, and the lines were CRAZY. And there wasn't much we really needed this time, although it's always fun to look. I'd already spent our dividend on stuff we needed anyway...oh well. Hope you and your DH can put that tent to good use. That's a good one -- I remember from when we were looking at tents awhile back.

People start lining up hours before the scratch and dent sale starts, around here. There are amazing deals to be had. I routinely do small repairs on items purchased there that turn something into fully serviceable at a great deal kind of gear.

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Originally Posted by azfiddle

Owlie- You are pretty close to REI- it's at Tucson Mall- It's south of River, between Stone and Oracle. Take River to Stone, go south on Stone and there you are.

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I clearly don't get out much. :o

I did hear that REI is getting stricter on returns, It seems some of the stuff is really "garage sale". Great job on the tent. We are Hennesay Hammock users which is great when we have trees. All the Desert riding we've been doing lately has me using my hammock as a bivy sack so I just purchased a sleeping pad at Sierra Trading Post - using it this coming weekend. Interesting that Sierra Trading Post can sell stuff for less than I can buy wholesale through our bike gear distributors, some the same with REI so we decided to keep our store focus on racks, bags, panniers, bikes etc and not venture into bike camping gear.

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Originally Posted by Irulan

People start lining up hours before the scratch and dent sale starts, around here.

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I'd forgotten until I read this that we heard that people might be camping out the night before...that's when we decided no way we wanted to be in that kind of consumer madness. I avoid Black Friday on principle, and this sounded similar.

the deals can be pretty spectacular.

We're getting an REI in two weeks!!

I think that half my gear and clothes came from REI Garage Sales. I've gotten some awesome things for cheap cheap there over the years. Too many to list them all. Right now I'm wearing an Isis fleece jacket that I got for $4.

We have a tiny REI here in town. Walking distance from my apt even. They used to have large garage sales every few months. Now they have a small inside garage sale every Saturday. I try to stop by and check it out. I have $40 dividend plus a $20 gift card to spend sometime. I seldom shop retail at REI.

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I did hear that REI is getting stricter on returns,

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...considering that some people have abused the heck out of the program, I am not surprised. However, as a repair facility, I see real inconsistencies in what they will or will not take back under warranty. I've even sat down the manager and asked them to explain why item A gets warrantied and item B doesn't, and I can't get a straight answer.

Well, I was happy they took back the x country ski boots that ripped my feet to shreds!
I've never been successful finding clothing there. Everything is just too big. But, we've bought camping equipment and things like Camelbaks there, as well as our skis.

I wouldn't qualify that as abuse. It's the folks that do the whole PCT and then take their tent back saying "it didn't hold up" or similar. Years of use (not abuse) and then a return... that's what ruins it for legitimate returns.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

Well, I was happy they took back the x country ski boots that ripped my feet to shreds!
I've never been successful finding clothing there. Everything is just too big. But, we've bought camping equipment and things like Camelbaks there, as well as our skis.

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They've gotten better about carrying smaller sizes in the past few years, Crankin. I've got quite a lot of REI clothes, and I think we're about the same size. I've gotten several tops in XS, and the zip-off pants I recently bought were a 2P. They also had 0P, which I now realize I should have gotten. The 2's were a bit loose when I got 'em, but I figured the 0's would be too small so never even tried them on. I've lost a few lbs. since, and now the 2's are falling off me. They are also stretchy so the 0's probably would have been fine. Funny too, the old zip-off pants I have from them (at least 10 years old) are 4P. So there is is size inflation there like so many other places, but at least they carry smaller sizes now.

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Originally Posted by emily_in_nc

They've gotten better about carrying smaller sizes in the past few years, Crankin. I've got quite a lot of REI clothes, and I think we're about the same size. I've gotten several tops in XS, and the zip-off pants I recently bought were a 2P. They also had 0P, which I now realize I should have gotten. The 2's were a bit loose when I got 'em, but I figured the 0's would be too small so never even tried them on. I've lost a few lbs. since, and now the 2's are falling off me. They are also stretchy so the 0's probably would have been fine. Funny too, the old zip-off pants I have from them (at least 10 years old) are 4P. So there is is size inflation there like so many other places, but at least they carry smaller sizes now.

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And they're about the only outdoor retailer that carries larger women's sizes -- a lot of them don't have anything over 12 or 14.

I did notice some xs sizes as I walked through, after I exchanged my hiking shoes last winter. I can wear a regular xs in some brands, but I really need a petite in most tops. Not to get off topic, but when size creep is affecting outdoor clothes, I just shake my head. I generally buy things like hiking pants from Athleta, because they have petite sizes.
Both DH and I have been successful with Prana, Outdoor Research, and Zoic. DH is the male equivalent of a petite, and he has an even harder time. He's gone from a medium to a small in almost everything, and the thing is, he's kind of buff in the upper body, so it doesn't make sense. And a lot of the male outdoor stuff doesn't even come in size small.

REI brand hiking pants come in Petite length. I love these that I got there last fall (these are the ones where the 2P is now a bit too large, though):

http://www.rei.com/product/861674/re...-womens-petite

Looks like they've changed the design a bit as last year's model had zip off's both at the shorts and capri length; this year's only the capri length. They are super comfy with just a little stretch, and the length is just right on me.