$3 Aliens...that still seems expensive considering that you have to also take into account your medical bills from them breaking would be whatever with the $3 tacked onto the total bill of cratering and having your leg put through your ass.

I just got back after visiting WindyX this morning and buying another haul bag. (Yes, I know I need to see a therapist about this!). Took about 5 minutes to go in, compare the different models and purchase it. This is when these small stores are great and why I will continue to support them even though I have to pay full retail. I could get a cheaper deal over the net, but I wouldn't be able to compare and contrast different models. How many places stock haul bags of each size!

While waiting for WindyX to open (they now open at 11am) I walked around REI and eventually had to start avoiding people due to the number of staff that came up to me and asked if I was a member or am I finding what I want!!! I know that they are trying to helpful but after half a dozen times, I get really sick of it.

While I was a leaving WindyX a person walked in and wanted to buy ice gear. All of it! That was nice to see!

I'd much rather support REI than Neptune. Went in there this last summer for the first time and boy are they a friendly helpful bunch... not! Grumpy, put out when asked questions, and just not very helpful. I guess I got the tourist treatment.

On the other hand, you go into rei in salt lake and the people are excited and interested to hear where you've been climbing/skiing and have recommendations on what other stuff you should check out. Not just there's the guide book figure it out yourself asshole why are you asking me. Everything I climb is a secret and i don't want you to have a good climbing experience out here unless you're lucky.

Anyway.

REI just e-mailed me my dividend notice, which I wasn't expecting. Plus a 20% off coupon.

So I was waiting for the dividend and 20 percent off deal so that I could buy a new tag line. I stopped in tonight, spent 30 minutes pulling off 210 feet of 8mm off of the roll, went to check out and the lady tells me that the 20 percent off is for one item. Apparently because they sell cord by the foot, I was holding 210 items. She told me I could take the 20 percent off of the first 50 cents... woohoo. I put it back.

That is funny. That cord will slowly drift down into the shadows, get dusty, and eventually get thrown away during an inventory when some kid won't know how to itemize it, call the manager over who'll just shrug, and then goes "oh f**k it".

Well I'm one of those "dill holes AND gutter whores" clogging up the aisle at the local REI. Dill hole AND gear whore might be closer to the truth. Just bought a Deloreme PN-20 GPS there for $400 bucks 2 days ago. I'm sporting wood right now thinking of the rebate I'll get.

But I split my time across town at our little climbing shop, Climbmax, which absolutely rules the day. In a space the size of REI's pisser room, they have crammed every damn interesting piece of gear made. Except some of the few remaining items REI has left like the extra long 1800's style BD Raven Ices axes. Instead they have the awesome new kick assed ice tools that Petzl, Grivel and a few others have come out with recently, and don't really compete head on most of the time. They have a few crossover items. We, as consumers, need to know that the margins on those kind of things that the lil shops still carry is less than the prana tops, dog bowls for hiking, and poly water bottles REI is carrying and buy more, not less, from our lil local shops. This is doubly difficult as these kinds of items that the lil stores are specializing in that REI has walked away from tend to get bought once and not ever again for a long time, unlike your hiking underwear which you can get at REI in 9 different sizes and 4 various styles in 20 different colors for 3 times more than you should be paying.

The lil guys don't do GPS units, as the place is already stuffed chock full of climbing gear they don't have the room for it. No Prana tops or dog bowls for hiking either. So until my lil guy shop gets Prana tops, hiking dog bowls made in China and Delorem PN-20's, I'm sticking to REI. I'll admit that Avery Nelson there got treated shitty, but I think thats a function of that REI store, not REI generally. I've known a lot of local climbing buddies work at REI here in this town, good folks all of them, and they don't pull that kind of shit....ever...that I've heard of, or they'd be empty. I love the return policy, rebate and selection of "hiking dog bowls made in China" too.

Support the lil guys if you have them.

John, maybe you should have said: ok, then, can I use my 25% bulk discount rate?

I work at REI and can understand some of your comments. I do take offense that all REI employees are drones and know nothings. I try to help my customers as best I can and do not hesitate to recommend other places (Midwest Mounteering or vertical endevours). For me, they treat me well, we have great customers, and good people to work with. I work in camping and climbing and would have never have gotten into climbing if I had not had worked for REI. Thanks

If your dividend was low this year, then you bought all your stuff on sale or elsewhere on sale. That said, my dividend was $2.65. So, take that.


Brent, don't take this criticism too hard. With such a variable experience as interacting with another person, damn, you are never going to please all of the people all of the time. I went to the new employee seminar in the Springs and thought everyone working there was pretty cool. Definitely a better work environment than some places I have been. Only time I got annoyed with an REI employee is when this woman yelled at me for stepping on the belay rope as it was sitting on a clean mat. Yeah, gonna get a core shot from that one, ma'am. Good call.

If you want expert advice when you go in a store, find out the name of the experts and see if they are working that day. You ski backcountry, you want to talk to someone else that does too. Not everyone is doing the same stuff nor does their knowledge go as deep on all things.

Same goes for the customers. I mean, come on, if you are just getting started in something and your salesperson is just a little ahead of you, that is probably all the knowledge you need to get going. Do you really need to see the resident expert to pick out your nOOB gear? I don't think so. Plus, hopefully the nOOb salesperson won't tell you to get climbing shoes three sizes too small. "Dude, you really need to go down three for control. When you are getting into V6s, it's important."

Okay, let's see who can post the lowest REI dividend up on the site..

Whoever has the lowest I'll send ya some stickers...

Dammit, Avery. You are blowing the curve. I call foul.

And John, are these MP.com stickers? Pffft. I got a dozen of those. What else you got?

OK, off to climb some Clear Creek ice. We'll report back on any car break-ins. I was thinking of using a baby video monitor for surveillance on the truck, but it doesn't record and has no battery compartment. Might just have to kill the thieves. No guns, just ice axe to the skull. Better not dry tool much if I'm going that route. Might blunt up the tools. Eh, I could use the adze. Yeah.

Sorry Avery, I don't think that counts, but if you want some stickers shoot me an eamil.

John

Tim,

I might have some others lying around the house, let me think, maybe an apple or an Access Fund Sticker!

Cheers

john

Brent! You still work at REI? The past few times I've been in there I have not seen you.

Brent gets a thumbs up from me as a good REI employee, and all around good guy.

'cause I know my opinion matters.

I used to shop REI (Denver Flagship) but now pretty much do all my gear purchasing at Bent Gate. I live in Golden, and I really like the store and staff. Downtown Denver is too far a drive as well since I can walk to Bent Gate in about 5 minutes. I've never had much of a problem with REI though. Besides, Bent Gate gives AAC members 10% off everything...that's way more savings than a 1% - 3% REI dividend.

curious- what did they suspect you of stealing? freshette? black North Face Denali fleece jkt?

Pimpin' a $204.37 dividend check this year. I bought some stuff at REI last spring and haven't stepped foot in the shop since, but I got one of those REI cards and I've been using that like craaaaaaaazy. Want me to pay for your plane ticket mom and then you can just send me a check? Sure thing..free gear!