[reststep]

Right off hand I can't think of any outdoor store I didn't like. I became a member of REI around 1953 and my number is four digits and starts with 5 so from that you can tell that I am a relic from the past days of Triconi boots, army surplus sleeping bags and tents and Trapper Nelson Packs. When I first started shopping at REI it was one room on the 2nd floor of a building on Pike or Pine Street. I think Jim Whitaker was the sole employee for a time. If I recall correctly the Mountaineers office was just down the hall.

[salish]

Wooley - I'd love to hear your stories sometime about the "old days" and what it was like hiking and backpacking back then. My first pack was a trapper nelson (about 1965) and I still have it. I've been writing some essays on backpacking and modern technology and I'm interested in the differences. For some reason I seem to cling to the past in a lot of ways. In the final analysis I agree - there's probably no such thing as a bad outdoor store. Regards, Salish

[Dslayer]

I've had one MEC experience and it was nothing but good--I'm eager to see if the gear I bought for my nephew is actually any good--and when I got off the phone the guy I was talking to said "No worries, aye." Pretty cool. Also, I got a kick out of doing the personal ecological footprint on their website-pretty revealing.

[Tom]

I duuno about the ecological footprint thingy, but the model on their home page is juuuust right .

[MtnGoat]

I'm a world hog! "Your footprint measures 126.05% of an average North American's footprint and 160.71% of an average MEC Eco-Footprint Calculation (based on average results from this calculator). "Now choose. How much of the biosphere should be set aside for other species?" I choose "10%" "Your choice means the following: You believe that every person should be able to live a satisfying life within an average of 4.89 acres. Worldwide, the biologically productive space available per person is 2.2 hectares, or 5.4 acres. Hence, it requires 6.49 Earths to support each member of the present human population at your standard of living." That's some kind of math they got going there. I say we need 4.89 acres each, they claim we have 5.4 acres each available, and conclude we need 6.5 more earths? How does that figure? Still, a fun way to waste a couple minutes.

[Little Mac]

How much room does a McDonalds take up? Alot of people could live there!

[polarbear]

I'm always a little suspicious of such surveys. Do they really take into consideration economies of scale? Theres plenty of roo--hey give me some elbow room, more air. Getting a little claustrophobic all of a sudden. Don't everyone breath at once, gotta have enough oxygen to go around!