REI v. Campmor

[FatHead64]

My two favorite stores (online admittedly) are CampSaver.com and USOutDoor.com. In particular, CampSaver...

Online shopper here too. Shop Campsaver (a lot) but....OOHHHH....never heard of Usoutdoor. Thanks! Going to check them out.

For customer service, Campsaver is still probably my tops, but USOutdoor beat them on some things I have gotten lately and all went well - so I assume theirs is good too.

[FatHead64]

Beat them on price - harder to keep grammar straight on phone - sorry.

[Theosus]

I like a lot of places. REI is nice but far from me. I am a member. We buy our shoes there, if only for the 10% back at the end of the year. Mast General Store in Columbia has a limited selection, but they are good. Downtown Columbia also has "the backpacker". Very friendly and helpful, but you pay for their help with the markups. But their employees are experienced (one of the guys was a successful thru-hiker, so he knows his stuff - or at least what worked for him).

[christoba123]

I worked for REI many moons ago and while there were people that knew their craft, the vast majority just regurgitated low level boyscout pamphlet info. However, REI as a company gives by far the best post sale customer service in any industry. Lastly, if you have a local outfitter, support them if they are helpful and you will get more valuable information than whatever you may have saved on the internet. I've been involved in many outdoor sports as everything from store owner to athlete and there really isn't anything more pathetic than the internet expert and the best cure for them is either experience or time with an expert local shops are the best at it.

[Cookerhiker]

It's disorganized, messy, dirty, poorly lit, disheveled items tested and not put away properly, items are merchandised without much thought or knowledge of customer flow or behavior. In short it looks like a store from the 1970's . I spent a life in retail, and every time I go in there I feel like having a fit. That's what I mean a mess. As far as people like us. I mean long distance hikers. Not a fashion store like Rei.*

Sorry for your experience but I'm not dropping it. I've been there scores of times over the last 40 years including as recently as last Fall and I've never seen it "disorganized, messy, dirty, poorly lit, disheveled items tested and not put away properly..." It sounds like we're not even talking about the same store.

[shakey_snake]

Maybe I'm being a bit snobbish, but I'm not anti-gear by any means, but REI has almost nothing I want.

My wife and I got gift cards for Christmas and I found it hard to find anything worth buying. Ended up with trekking poles.

[HooKooDooKu]

Campmor and REI have been my main camping gear suppliers for over 20 years. I can't put one above the other. They are both great.

The bottom line is that if there is something you are looking for, you've GOT to check both of them out. Sometimes one carries an item the other does not, or sometimes one of them has a particular item on sale the other might not.

Some manufacturers set prices for their items and do not allow the retail stores to sell it cheaper. For these types of items, of course REI's 10% back for members is the better deal. But very frequently, I find that Campmor sells an item for about 10% less than REI. In those cases, it a question of getting your 10% back now with Campmor or 10% back next year with REI.

I've also recently discovered backcountry.com. I don't have enough of a history with them to make many comments. I only decided to give them a try because they had a KILLER deal on a tent I had been looking at. Once I discovered they seem to basically be a reputable company, I gave them a try. I've since made additional purchases at backcountry.com when they carried something neither REI or Campmor did.

[Rayo]

7. Whiteblaze used gear sales: nothing feels better than climbing in a sleeping bag someone from here has done God knows what in.

HAHAHA!

BTW, I shop at REI because they are a model company: they treat their employees very well and their customers too. Top companies to work for every year for a reason. Let's help them maintain their approach.

[rainmaker]

I'm an REI member who just got his annual dividend and have bought tons of stuff from Campmor but when we got started backpacking over 35 years ago we picked up our gear at the Backpacker in Columbia. Like the man said earlier, spread your money around but one thing we always knew, if you want personalized service go to a local. The prices may be higher but if the pack or boots fit the first time out, they are worth every additional penny.

[shelb]

REI, Campmor, and your local outfitter all buy from multiple sources. You should too. And watch for the sales.

Very true! Plus, some local outfitters are MUCH better about handling warranty returns!

[shelb]

Rank according to my frequency of use:
1. REI: ......
...........
.....
7. Whiteblaze used gear sales: nothing feels better than climbing in a sleeping bag someone from here has done God knows what in.

Nice image!

[Ablemob]

"Hey NJ folks did they film some sopranos at campmor? I remember when they took over the camping goods store cause the owner was degenerate gambler"

didn't read entire topic so forgive me if I'm repeating a response-The Sopranos' scenes were filmed at Ramsey Outdoors; also on Rt 17 in Paramus, a bit farther south.

[thetentman]

HAHAHA!

BTW, I shop at REI because they are a model company: they treat their employees very well and their customers too. Top companies to work for every year for a reason. Let's help them maintain their approach.

I have worked at Campmor for over 20 years and I can say they too treat the employees very well. It is a family oriented company and is run that way. Great place and glad I got the job. and you may not know it but Campmor is a Mom and Pop store too. Just bigger than most.

[Cookerhiker]

I have worked at Campmor for over 20 years and I can say they too treat the employees very well. It is a family oriented company and is run that way. Great place and glad I got the job. and you may not know it but Campmor is a Mom and Pop store too. Just bigger than most.

Hi Tentman - I see you live in Ridgewood, my home town (RHS '66). Moved away in '70 but over the last 40 years, never missed going to Campmor when I visited family. And as you'll see in Post #14, I lauded Campmor's tent room - no outfitter in the world has anything close.

[Wise Old Owl]

I can't be repaired or replaced...new valves are not available....and the removal would destroy the pad anyway. So says the REI clerk. He shrugged and said "sorry".

We have articles on how to cut these pads in half on the Hammock forum and reseal them, there should be a solution... have you contacted the manufacturer?

And Feral Bill is correct the reason for return is on the tag.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

We have articles on how to cut these pads in half on the Hammock forum and reseal them, there should be a solution... have you contacted the manufacturer?

And Feral Bill is correct the reason for return is on the tag.

Nothing on the tag for this one....I asked the guy and he said "I guess they just didn't want it"....like I said, I still have the tags

[Tuckahoe]

I tend to spread my shopping around. Use to be a Blue Ridge Mt Sport as my local shop in Williamsburg. Bought my pack, stove and waterfilter there. Sadly they moved the store to Hampton, Va and are not so local anymore. My only local outfitters are really Columbia, Northface, and other national brands at the Outlet Mall. There is an REI in Richmond, but I have only been once.

I find myself buying from stores i happen to find myself at, such as Sundog Outfitter and Mt Rodgers when passing through Damascus or mail order from Campmore, REI, Lightheart or anyplace else that carries what I want at a good price.

[Bronk]

REI is expensive because of the %100 Guarantee. You either get a good price or good service and you have to pick.

Good price, good service, quality product. Pick two.

[Another Kevin]

Good price, good service, quality product. Pick two.

No. You can have two, but you don't get to pick. If you want to pick, you can have only one.

[keepinitsimple]

Love them both. Can't beat Rei return/service- called them out on it more than once, and they were nothing but professional about it. I do go on tangents about how it has turned in to a high end clothing store, but rarely do that not have whatever gadget I need on the net. Campmore has great deals if you keep checking. But yard sales and thrift stores are my passion. Nothing gets my blood pumping like a yard sale find, or thift store treasure.