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  1. #1
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    Default REI Osprey Exos 58 last day of Cyber Week

    I was just going through REI site and it looks like they're dumping the rest of their inventory of the Osprey Exos 58s that are up for a redesign(?). $163 with S M and L available. Might be your chance to jump in and snag a deal.




  2. #2
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    It looks like the Exos 38 and 48 as well. Personally, I love my 48 and cannot imagine wanting one as large as a 58.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  3. #3
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    I would check Amazon first, I got a 48 last week for $109. Someone on here has a 58 for $120 new in bag as well.
    AT: 695.7 mi
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  4. #4
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    REI has the Osprey Exos packs for $119, $141 & $164 for the 38, 48 & 58 respectively.

    Why would I check Amazon first to buy something that I can get from REI for only a couple dollars more and have the ability to return it for any reason, even after I've used it, for up to a year?

    Not to mention, if I support my local brick and mortar outdoor store with my patronage, it might still be there in a few years when I need to pick up some last minute item or I need some kind of customer service, personal advice or other help. I would happily pay 20% more for everything I buy to support my local community (providing local jobs) and allow me to be able to walk into a store and walk down the isles and maybe even talk to someone with some modicum of expertise on what I am looking at.

    Sorry, but for me, Amazon is NOT my first, but my very last choice as a place to buy something!
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  5. #5
    Leonidas
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    Quote Originally Posted by nsherry61 View Post
    REI has the Osprey Exos packs for $119, $141 & $164 for the 38, 48 & 58 respectively.

    Why would I check Amazon first to buy something that I can get from REI for only a couple dollars more and have the ability to return it for any reason, even after I've used it, for up to a year?

    Not to mention, if I support my local brick and mortar outdoor store with my patronage, it might still be there in a few years when I need to pick up some last minute item or I need some kind of customer service, personal advice or other help. I would happily pay 20% more for everything I buy to support my local community (providing local jobs) and allow me to be able to walk into a store and walk down the isles and maybe even talk to someone with some modicum of expertise on what I am looking at.

    Sorry, but for me, Amazon is NOT my first, but my very last choice as a place to buy something!
    Glad you have one close, not willing to drive 2-3 hours to get to an REI.
    AT: 695.7 mi
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  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by JC13 View Post
    Glad you have one close, not willing to drive 2-3 hours to get to an REI.
    Order at REI online and you still get the 1 year guarantee and it's free shipping.

  7. #7
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    Or heck, if you don't like or don't want to do business with REI for whatever reason, Backcountrygear.com has the same bags at almost the same price and is another outdoor retailer with a reputation that nurtures return business over closing every sale at whatever price it takes.

    Having worked in outdoor retail and managed employees coming in with a background in on-line sales, there is a really seriously day-and-night difference between staff that is used to working with customers face-to-face and sees themselves and their actions as part of a community vs. many of the on-line people that see the customers as the "them" in a very intense us vs. them world.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  8. #8
    Leonidas
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    The bags on Amazon for the price I quoted came from Backcountry. I guess I'm one of the weird people who don't like face-to-face interaction when shopping. I leave a store if approached more than once by the same employee.

    Sorry for derailing your thread.
    AT: 695.7 mi
    Benton MacKaye Trail '20
    Pinhoti Trail '18-19'
    @leonidasonthetrail https://www.youtube.com/c/LeonidasontheTrail

  9. #9

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    Might want to wait for the newer lighter model.

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    Not that I disagree with your overall philosophy... but I never thought I'd see the day someone makes REI seem like a small local shop. They employ over 10,000 people and have hundreds of stores. They basically ARE Amazon and have run probably hundreds of true local retailers under.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Huntmog View Post
    Not that I disagree with your overall philosophy... but I never thought I'd see the day someone makes REI seem like a small local shop. They employ over 10,000 people and have hundreds of stores. They basically ARE Amazon and have run probably hundreds of true local retailers under.
    It’s still a co-op.

    They also put THOUSANDS of dollars into various outdoor projects across the country.

    I recently got a part time job at one and was frankly kind of shocked that they don’t advertise or otherwise make known how much they work with local agencies and parks and such regarding restoration and events.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Huntmog View Post
    Not that I disagree with your overall philosophy... but I never thought I'd see the day someone makes REI seem like a small local shop. They employ over 10,000 people and have hundreds of stores. They basically ARE Amazon and have run probably hundreds of true local retailers under.
    REI employs local people and gives back profits to communities where their members reside. Yes, they are absolutely big box outdoor stores. But, they also do not use their size to undercut pricing and compete unfairly with local businesses. I competed directly against REI for many years managing a privately owned outdoor store and although the REI customer loyalty and unquestioning customer return policy was hard to compete with, overall, they enhanced, they didn't degrade the outdoor market. And frankly it was fun to kick their a$$ in sales because of our better specialty product selection, our higher level of employee expertise and our local flavor and atmosphere.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Huntmog View Post
    Not that I disagree with your overall philosophy... but I never thought I'd see the day someone makes REI seem like a small local shop. They employ over 10,000 people and have hundreds of stores. They basically ARE Amazon and have run probably hundreds of true local retailers under.
    I work at REI. They pay decent and they give me the best insurance I could possibly ask for. They also give me 3 months off a year to get outside and they let me keep my insurance during that time. We participate in local outings and donate 10s of 1000s of dollars to local trails (Mountain to Seas trail around a local lake was a recipient of a lot of money this year). We do talks and learning sessions and our store houses a whole group of people who's job it is to put together local outdoor activities. Just because it's big doesn't means it's not locally focused.

  14. #14
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    My point isn't anti REI. They give locally, and so does Amazon. I'm glad they take care of employees....so does Amazon. There really is no argument that REI and similar box st ores have killed local mom and pop (like Sears before it, like Wal Mart later, like Best Buy to local electronics etc). Again, I'm not against REI and shop there a few times a year... but they are not local. To call them such is wrong. They hire local people like every box chain has to.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Huntmog View Post
    My point isn't anti REI. They give locally, and so does Amazon. I'm glad they take care of employees....so does Amazon. There really is no argument that REI and similar box st ores have killed local mom and pop (like Sears before it, like Wal Mart later, like Best Buy to local electronics etc). Again, I'm not against REI and shop there a few times a year... but they are not local. To call them such is wrong. They hire local people like every box chain has to.
    There has never been an outfitter in our area. No way one would thrive here just by selling what a mom and pop store would carry. There is no need for an outfitter where I live. REI can exist here because they have the power to sell things other than hiking gear. People can shop for patagucci clothing right beside people who are gearing up for hard core hikes. If REI wasn't in our area the next closest decent outfitter is probably in the mountains 4 hours away where outdoor activities take place. I'll use different syntax...REI is a box store that focuses heavily on it's local area. When an REI comes to town it greatly benefits the area.
    By the way...my big 3 is from cottage industry manufacturers...long live mom and pop businesses

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by hipbone View Post
    By the way...my big 3 is from cottage industry manufacturers...long live mom and pop businesses
    But is it better and cheaper gear, or are you going cottage because its hip?

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by AllDownhillFromHere View Post
    But is it better and cheaper gear, or are you going cottage because its hip?
    I bought the back pack because I am a pretty small guy. I wanted a light pack but had to have a really small hip belt and REI doesn't do custom. I emailed Chris at ULA and he made me (and my girlfriend) a custom pack, he even had to put small shoulder straps on her pack because of her small frame.

    I use a hammock and needed a top quilt and REI only carries ENO. ENO would not make me a quilt that fit my body and hiking style. I emailed Hammock Gear and they made me a CUSTOM quilt that suited my needs (the owner of the company actually replied to me).

    I needed a tarp and REI doesn't sell one that met my needs. I met the guy who owns Sheltowee Hammocks and he offered to make me a custom tarp...REI doesn't do custom. I also met the owner of ripstop by the roll which is where I got my fabric to make the tarp, also a cottage company.

    I guess I do cottage because they fill a niche that REI can't compete with...CUSTOM and highly focused on it's customers. I don't buy gear based on price, I base my purchases on usability. Even with my REI discount they could not complete with small cottage shops.

    I teach lightweight backpacking courses at REI and the first thing I told my manager was that my big 3 was not from REI. Her response was "I don't care what gear you use, just give our customers the best information you can". I was totally taken off guard by that response.

    If Mom and pops are really doing their job then they find a niche. REI doesn't sell mom and pop gear because there is not a demand for the gear that mom and pop shops should be focused on. No way in hell REI could run Mountain Crossing out of business if they opened up next door, it's a good business that is highly focused.

    Hmm also I'm pretty damn hip (trail name is Hipbone). Thanks for the discussion and sorry for derailing this thread

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by nsherry61 View Post
    REI has the Osprey Exos packs for $119, $141 & $164 for the 38, 48 & 58 respectively.

    Why would I check Amazon first to buy something that I can get from REI for only a couple dollars more and have the ability to return it for any reason, even after I've used it, for up to a year?

    Not to mention, if I support my local brick and mortar outdoor store with my patronage, it might still be there in a few years when I need to pick up some last minute item or I need some kind of customer service, personal advice or other help. I would happily pay 20% more for everything I buy to support my local community (providing local jobs) and allow me to be able to walk into a store and walk down the isles and maybe even talk to someone with some modicum of expertise on what I am looking at.

    Sorry, but for me, Amazon is NOT my first, but my very last choice as a place to buy something!
    Your local jobs argument isn't as cut and dried as you present it. Amazon hires thousands of workers in their local fulfillment centers which are all across the US (in my case, NJ has about 5 - 7, counting Amazon and Amazon Fresh). In addition, they support thousands of delivery carriers, some their own, some contractors, and some at UPS, USPS, Fedex etc. You can make the argument that they are relatively low paying jobs, but compared to an REI associate, they pay more, are full time, and offer benefits. I'm a fan of Amazon and an REI member since the 1980's but tend to look to Amazon first. The issue with REI is that the stores carry very little of what they have available on line, so I wind up having to order from REI.com - which means a $49 minimum for free shipping, slow shipping, and unless I want to drive to a store, shipping a return back across the country to WA (even though they have a distribution center in PA) at significant expense. REI has a far superior return policy, but I'd make the argument that if you did your research before the purchase, 30 days is plenty of time to determine that an item doesn't meet your needs.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore View Post
    Your local jobs argument isn't as cut and dried as you present it. . .
    Of course it's not. Few things are.

    Yes, REI is a national Co-op. Apparently the biggest consumer cooperative in the United States. Call it a national chain if you like. BUT, REI also maintains local outdoor specific retail "Brick and Mortar" stores that support local jobs specifically for local outdoor enthusiasts, and provides a level of service and ability to touch and feel product and talk face to face that Amazon does not, and never will provide.

    Sure, Amazon gives back to communities, at least enough to claim they are doing so. BUT, even with their significantly, enormously, larger sales, I highly doubt Amazon gave anything close to the $8.5 million specifically to organizations promoting public access to the outdoors that REI did during the last fiscal year!!
    In the case of the above mentioned backpacks on Amazon being sold through Backcountry.com, again, why not go directly to Backcountry.com and help them, at no additional cost to you, by allowing them to avoid Amazon's significant selling fees.

    Don't get me wrong, I love Amazon for what they do well and making things available to me that I otherwise would not be able to get and would not be able to shop for with as much knowledge and expertise as Amazon can help provide. BUT, if there is a local alternative to support local expertise and local businesses I will gladly pay a few more dollars to keep my local businesses in business so they will be there into the future when I may want to be able to stop and shop or ask questions or need some other kind of service or knowledge that Amazon will never be able to provide.

    I love my local outdoor community and will continue to support it and the people that participate in it because more local dollars going to local outdoor community members and organizations means more local outdoor enthusiasts and more local outdoor enthusiast clout and more local outdoor opportunities and overall a better life for me and my outdoor enthusiasm. So there!
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by nsherry61 View Post
    Of course it's not. Few things are.

    Yes, REI is a national Co-op. Apparently the biggest consumer cooperative in the United States. Call it a national chain if you like. BUT, REI also maintains local outdoor specific retail "Brick and Mortar" stores that support local jobs specifically for local outdoor enthusiasts, and provides a level of service and ability to touch and feel product and talk face to face that Amazon does not, and never will provide.

    Sure, Amazon gives back to communities, at least enough to claim they are doing so. BUT, even with their significantly, enormously, larger sales, I highly doubt Amazon gave anything close to the $8.5 million specifically to organizations promoting public access to the outdoors that REI did during the last fiscal year!!
    In the case of the above mentioned backpacks on Amazon being sold through Backcountry.com, again, why not go directly to Backcountry.com and help them, at no additional cost to you, by allowing them to avoid Amazon's significant selling fees.

    Don't get me wrong, I love Amazon for what they do well and making things available to me that I otherwise would not be able to get and would not be able to shop for with as much knowledge and expertise as Amazon can help provide. BUT, if there is a local alternative to support local expertise and local businesses I will gladly pay a few more dollars to keep my local businesses in business so they will be there into the future when I may want to be able to stop and shop or ask questions or need some other kind of service or knowledge that Amazon will never be able to provide.

    I love my local outdoor community and will continue to support it and the people that participate in it because more local dollars going to local outdoor community members and organizations means more local outdoor enthusiasts and more local outdoor enthusiast clout and more local outdoor opportunities and overall a better life for me and my outdoor enthusiasm. So there!
    The Amazon Smile program donated over $62 million to various non-profits (not all outdoor-focused, but personally, if I had to make a choice I think food insecurity is a bigger issue than outdoors access). And then there is the inconvenient truth that in the outdoor industry, REI *is* the behemoth. If you choose to support local business (and I whole-heartedly agree one should at least try), then shop the true small independent outfitters - either in person or on line. Plenty of the true outdoor small businesses have e-tail presences, making it easy.

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