My co-worker wanted to get an AT setup to do some touring. He went into the REI and asked about, as he put it, "skis that you can lock and unlock the heel for either cross country or downhill". The dude at REI insisted that there was no such thing.

I don't blame REI for the smaller shops in Boulder going under. I've shopped this town for about 16 years now. Mountain Sports and BoMo were poorly run. Neptune's isn't too far away. Poor selection, prices generally high. Service generally comes with attitude and spray about what some employee did with the piece of gear you just accidently glanced at. I find REI employees may be a little lower caliber, but they are generally way more curteous and professional - in general.

I can tell you this customer most often goes to the web for big purchases. If I want a pack, for example, in a certain size, in a certain color, then online rules. Order the different sizes and sit comfortably in my living room and work everything out. Return the rest no hassles. The more I have to spend, the more I want things to be just exactly right. I usually want to try that next size up and down, and Neptune's is almost always out of "M" and "L" in the desirable gear and clothing, in the desirable colors.

The really tough thing about Neptune's is that their customer service is just lip service. They say a lot of things, but the reality is that if you have a problem 2 steps beyond that cash register, it will be all your problem. REI and stores like Backcountry.com will take just about anything back with a smile - so I often shop these places more for that reason alone.

Plastic boots, for example, are very high risk. They are generally very expensive and difficult to fit in the store, and almost impossible to get a feel for w/o a couple days use. At Neptune's, I've gotten the wrong boot suggested 2x - once because they didn't have my size in stock and were trying to pawn the next size down on me to make a sale on a size they had too many of, and another because their Boot Fit Professional simply (and quite confidently) made the wrong call. Boulder Ski Deals did better probably they put more boots out the door in a day than Neptune's does in a month, and they completely guarantee them and will exchange them after a season's use if need be. They refused to guarantee the fit on the size Neptune's suggested. Now I'm sitting with the best ski boots I've ever had, paid about $100 less than Neptune's wanted, and felt good about the sale because I knew I could have exchanged them if need be. I watched some dude try to exchange a pr of $700 tele boots at Neptune's after a couple runs of use - tough luck dude - but they were good enough to suggest Craig's List to the guy. I have a pr of leather mountaineering boots I bought from REI and returned after 2 long trips - too tight. No problem. Someone scored at the garage sale, and I got full credit toward the next size up.

Yada yada.

Neptune's - great place to grab some chalk on my way out of town.

Forget REI and the others. You should all shop Moosejaw. They know how to climb and they even demonstrate proper gear usage.

I think comparing REI to Wal Mart grossly underestimates the amount of evil that Wal Mart does in this world.

Wal Mart helps American companies dismantle local production and move them overseas, they pressure their employees into working extra hours w/o overtime pay, they fire people who mention the word "union", and on and on.

To my knowledge, REI isn't even close to this level of evil.

Here in Colorado Springs we have a store that bitches about "Corporate chain stores", but they have terrible service and attitudes. I went in there once to ask for bolts and some tub-o-lard 5.7 toproper told me they wouldn't sell me bolts because they didn't want people "spraying them all over OUR climbs". Don't worry buddy, I'm not going to bolt your 5.6 super-project. If you don't want to sell bolts, fine, but I don't need the 'tude.

I've consistently gone into this particular store to find that what I need ain't in stock, not in my size, or they don't "believe" in selling it. Have it your way.

Good local shops are awesome to have in a community, but don't ever think you're entitled to loyal customers - you have to earn that!

too funny...

I happen to like REI. For climbing I just know that you can't go in the store and ask questions about gear. You need to know exactly what you want and answer your own questions before you go in the store. They usually have employees that cross over between departments to cover others shift or whatever. For holidays and birthday my family just gets me REI gift certificates and I love it. REI is quick, easy, convienient, with a good selection.

Walmart is neither quick nor easy. If you decide to go to the Wally World be prepared for a 2 hour ordeal. Have you ever been to the self checkout lines and watch people trying to operate those machines. They also have the McDonalds in there. I just feel like a dirty gutter whore when I go there.

"I was also told that if I had any problems with them, I could bring them back and they would be able to tweak the fitting and possibly make it better. "

Translated: No returns, no exchanges.

I'm glad you got a boot you are happy with. The dude with the $700 tele boots wasn't as lucky.

Everyone knows Scott at Neptunes. He's not omnipotent. I think Neptune's does well for themselves projecting that image of outdoor gear omnipotence. People go in there wanting the perfect answer. They want to feel good, smart, like they are getting the best. All the same, I think that's most of why REI is so despised - no omnipotence. I guess some have it, some don't.

My wife got some Garmont Megarides at Boulder Ski Deals for about 100 less than Neptune's as well. Neptune's didn't even have her size in stock.

I'm not so sure about the economics of returning gear. The prices I see at these garage sales suggest they are still selling most of that stuff above cost. Also, maybe it's just me, but if they are tracking my purchase vs returns, I think that's working out in their favor as well.

BTW - I got my latest AT setup at Bent Gate. Their package pricing and demo convenience put Neptune's to shame. Check it out.

I have an REI credit card and this gives me a big dividend. I don't shop there too much - except in March! Better than getting airline miles on some other credit card.

Three cheers for Bent Gate, the best "little" shop around.

I used to buy a bunch of stuff from them when I lived back east... Now I can skip the shipping. Love it.

-chris

Jed Pointer wrote: "REI and stores like Backcountry.com will take just about anything back with a smile"

You know what REI stands for don't you?

Return Everything Indefinately

The REI store in the Springs has THE worst climbing gear department you've ever seen - every time I go in there it's gotten smaller.

If something is gonna cost the same I'll got to REI, but I'll walk in on my cell phone so that the (mostly) incompetent staff doesn't so much as talk to me. If it costs the same and I get a dividend from REI then it's worth it to me as a consumer. I've got nothing against REI and fully support a free market. But then again I love Walmart too.
http://americansforwalmart.org/index.html

flame away...

From Micah's Link:

My mother always says, if you can’t buy it at Wal-Mart, you probably don’t need it, and I agree wholeheartedly.

LOL. I guess they better start selling protection at my local Wal-Mart or I'm gonna have to quit climbing. Shit, I hate it when that happens..

--Marc

You can get cash for your REI dividend if you wait until June. I always opt for that, I got all the stuff I need.