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Malachai Constant
Member
Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16092 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
I just get my coolers at Costco or Walmart  . Problem is not what they sell it is how they sell it. 
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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huron
Member
Joined: 13 Sep 2004
Posts: 1035 | TRs | Pics
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huron
Member
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 Tue May 29, 2018 5:56 pm |
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Opened the ice axe handled door for the first time in many moons today.
"Are you finding everything?"
"No. I'm looking for mountaineering boots."
"We don't sell those here anymore."
"huh?"
It was true. There was a whole wall of unfashionable suede sidewalk slippers but nothing that would stand up to a crampon.
Now they can get rid of the ice axes too and be rid of their historical burden.
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
Joined: 06 Mar 2007
Posts: 12655 | TRs | Pics
Location: here now |
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
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Wed May 30, 2018 8:41 am |
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 REI Flagship Store had a 7 or 8 mountaineering boot models in stock 2 weeks ago. See REI Men's Mountaineering Boots and check "in store." IMO, it's a paltry selection, all or nearly all GTX  and they lack all-leather upper boots, but REI does sell mountaineering boots.
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huron
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Joined: 13 Sep 2004
Posts: 1035 | TRs | Pics
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huron
Member
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Wed May 30, 2018 1:51 pm |
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Apparently only the Seattle store has them in stock now. Went there. 3 models on display. FF down the block had a wide selection. They are moving 1 block North just a few yards from the REI front door. Good strategy.
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Randito
Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008
Posts: 9513 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
Snarky Member
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Wed May 30, 2018 2:03 pm |
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According to the stock indicators on the website the Seattle, Anchorage, Portland, Denver and Berkeley stores have a selection of mountaineering boots -- unsurprisingly the SoHo location in Manhattan has none. The last time I visited the new Bellevue location, the emphasis seemed to be on "Glamping" equipment and multi-kilobuck mountain bikes.
And of course a huge selection of vacuum on yoga pants.
 Anne Elk
Anne Elk |
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Stumblefoot
Stumblefoot
Joined: 29 Oct 2017
Posts: 13 | TRs | Pics
Location: Port Angeles |
And of course a huge selection of vacuum on yoga pants.
God Bless America
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seattlenativemike
Member
Joined: 06 Oct 2012
Posts: 524 | TRs | Pics
Location: seattle |
FF is more of the real deal anyway. They just need the creosote smell
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Jaberwock
Member
Joined: 30 Jan 2013
Posts: 722 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellingham |
I got a good chuckle the other day when I went in to get a can of gas. Some REI drone was singing praise on a $40 plastic 5 gallon bucket to some bro. At least there's some entertainment value there.
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
Joined: 26 Jul 2009
Posts: 3590 | TRs | Pics
Location: Port Angeles |
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
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Sun Jul 01, 2018 8:42 pm |
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| RandyHiker wrote: | | And of course a huge selection of vacuum on yoga pants. |
I love 'em cause they show off my junk.
Rumi
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
Joined: 26 Jul 2009
Posts: 3590 | TRs | Pics
Location: Port Angeles |
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
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Sun Jul 01, 2018 9:20 pm |
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| Huron wrote: | | FF down the block had a wide selection. |
I really like the FF made gear. But having said that I also have to say that the in-store experience is horrendous. And that has been my usual experience shopping there. And it is not just me. I sent a friend there explaining they had good products. Afterwards he told me his experience was terrible also. I'll take REI almost anywhere for in-store experience over FF. YMMV
Pro Mountain Sports, though small and odd hours of operation, is by far my favorite Seattle gear store for invaluable customer service.
Rumi
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
Joined: 06 Mar 2007
Posts: 12655 | TRs | Pics
Location: here now |
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
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Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:40 am |
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| RumiDude wrote: | | But having said that I also have to say that the [FF] in-store experience is horrendous. And that has been my usual experience shopping there. And it is not just me. I sent a friend there explaining they had good products. |
Interesting. I like the FF store staff, especially Todd and Lisa, both very helpful and knowledgeable.
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
Joined: 26 Jul 2009
Posts: 3590 | TRs | Pics
Location: Port Angeles |
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RumiDude
Marmota olympus
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Mon Jul 02, 2018 5:01 pm |
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| DIYSteve wrote: | | RumiDude wrote: | | But having said that I also have to say that the [FF] in-store experience is horrendous. And that has been my usual experience shopping there. And it is not just me. I sent a friend there explaining they had good products. |
Interesting. I like the FF store staff, especially Todd and Lisa, both very helpful and knowledgeable. |
To be fair, I haven't been into FF for five or six years.
Things could have changed since then. First time in FF was probably about 1998 or 1999. I went in with money in hand and wanted to look at mountaineering boots and a good pack. I talked to one guy and told him my situation and what I was looking for. I already knew what pack I wanted, which they had. But I wanted to try on a few pairs of boots and told him so. I think I had budgeted up to $350 for boots but I wanted to be sure about fit and comfort. He showed me the brands they had and basically abandoned me after that. I asked to try on a pair of LaSportiva boots and he got a particular size and just handed them to me and walked away. I decided they didn't want to sell me anything and looked around at a few other things and left. I returned a week later and bought the pack I wanted, mainly because I couldn't find it anywhere else. I bought my boots and some other items from ProMountain Sports in the University District.
Let me emphasize, the store was not busy and all the staff seemed to just be chatting with each other. Other people entered after me and it seemed the staff knew them and helped them. Subsequent visits have been similar. The last visit was with my wife and the first thing out of her mouth when we exited the store was to remark on the poor customer experience.
My experience with ProMountain Sports is almost the opposite. I arrived at the store only to discover it was not open. I looked at the window display and started to walk away. After getting about half-way to my truck, I heard someone shout, asking what I was looking for. I returned and though the store was closed he let me in. I tried on about four different boots. About 45 minutes and $245 later I left with my boots that I used for almost two decades. I have tried to buy stuff from them every since because of that experience.
I have not written off FF or almost any other retailer. Only crooked dealing could get me to do that. I try not to let my feelings get in the way of a good deal, though sometimes I will pay a bit more at stores I think represent good customer service over discounted prices.
Rumi
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
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Chief Joseph
Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007
Posts: 7703 | TRs | Pics
Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
Just wanted to bump this to say the REI still sucks. I was trying to buy a tent from them and the ad stated something like "Free shipping on orders over $50" and it asks you to join. So I join, opting for the free not the $30 lifetime membership....because I shop around and do not plan to frequent REI often. Come to find out that I have to pay the 30 lifetime fee in order to obtain the sale price. Really? No wonder people say that they suck. Called customer service and they were no help.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Tom
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Tom
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huron
Member
Joined: 13 Sep 2004
Posts: 1035 | TRs | Pics
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huron
Member
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Sat Jul 01, 2023 6:31 pm |
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If any REI buyers, product managers or execs read this, here are some suggestions for improvement.
- I don’t want to wear your logo spread across my chest. Very low profile or no REI logo please.
- House brand colors have always been odd or chosen from an 8 pack of Crayolas and continue to be.
- Match the weight of your pack suspensions better with the capacity of the pack
- Too many junky products and not enough expert curation from buyers.
- Love the gear garage. Toss out extremely used/smelly stuff tho.
- If I’m busy inspecting a product, don’t ask me if I’m “finding everything”. Also don’t ask me again. Or again because at three I drop the shopping basket and walk out.
 Anne Elk
Anne Elk |
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Anne Elk
BrontosaurusTheorist
Joined: 07 Sep 2018
Posts: 2419 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
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Anne Elk
BrontosaurusTheorist
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Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:19 am |
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I don't buy a lot of clothing at REI, especially in recent decades since so much of what they have is in the stratosphere. But one of my winter clothing staples is turtlenecks. Remember when they used to have an REI brand turtleneck line in dozens of colors? Mine were getting pretty ratty so it was time to go down there and buy more. Couldn't find 'em. Asked a salesclerk, who happened to miraculously know what I was talking about. "Oh, we don't carry those any more."
So guess who gets my business for that now? L..L. Bean. Well made, too. If it wasn't for needing camping gear and supplies from time to time, I'd probably never go to REI.
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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